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Strawberry Shortcake is made with homemade drop biscuits layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Strawberry Shortcake with Homemade Drop Biscuits
This easy Strawberry Shortcake has been on regular rotation at our house all summer – and we never get tired of it! It’s a hit with both kids and grownups!
While this simple dessert can be made with angel food cake, buttermilk biscuits, or even pound cake, I grew up eating Strawberry Shortcake like this recipe – made with simple drop biscuits baked fresh using our homemade baking mix.
The drop biscuits are super easy to bake, and they are tender and soft with a slightly crumbly texture that soaks in the sweet juices of the sliced strawberries.
Sweetened soft whipped cream is added on top as well as between the layers of biscuit and strawberries, creating a wonderful combination of flavors and textures in every spoonful.
Why you’ll love Strawberry Shortcake made with Easy Drop Biscuits
- This is one of the easiest dessert recipes around – and everyone loves it too!
- It comes together in minutes thanks to our homemade baking mix recipe.
- It’s a wonderful way to enjoy fresh seasonal strawberries, but you can also make it with thawed, previously frozen strawberries all year round.
Prepping Fresh Strawberries
- As soon as you come home from the store with your fresh strawberries, place them in a bowl of cold water mixed with a little white vinegar and baking soda. Soak for one minute, then rinse the strawberries with cold water in a colander.
- This process will clean the strawberries of any impurities and pesticides, and it also helps the strawberries stay fresher in the refrigerator.
- If you don’t plan to eat or cook with the strawberries right away, be sure to dry them well before placing them in a covered container in the refrigerator.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Strawberries – Ideally, you’ll want to make Strawberry Shortcake dessert with fresh, ripe strawberries that have no signs of bruising or rotting. However, thawed frozen strawberries can also be used if fresh strawberries aren’t looking their best.
- Powdered Sugar
- Fresh Lemon Juice
- Water
- Drop Biscuits – Made with our homemade baking mix plus whole milk, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Note that you can use a store-bought baking mix, but our homemade mix is much better! 😊
- Whipped cream – We made our own with heavy whipping cream, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar.
Special Tools Needed
- Cutting Board and Sharp Knife
- Various Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Large Bowl – Used to wash the strawberries and to make the strawberries in syrup.
- Tomato Shark/Corer (optional but recommended, this makes it easy to remove the stem from the strawberry without wasting a lot of the fruit) or Paring Knife
- Colander
- Mixing Bowl – To mix the biscuits.
- Pastry Cutter (or Two Forks)
- Sheet Tray lined with Parchment Paper
- Stand Mixer with Whisk Attachment (or Large Bowl and Hand Mixer) – To whip the cream.
How do I make this Classic Strawberry Shortcake?
- Rinse and clean the strawberries (see our Prepping Fresh Strawberries section above).
- Remove leaves and any visible green core from each strawberry.
- Slice strawberries into quarter-inch thick slices. Place into a large bowl.
- Stir lemon juice and powdered sugar into the bowl of strawberries. Refrigerate until later.
- Make the biscuits by mixing our baking mix with whole milk, sugar and melted butter. Drop onto parchment lined sheet tray and bake.
- Whip cream, vanilla, and powdered sugar.
- Serve by spitting a biscuit in half. Place the bottom half on a plate and top with the strawberry mixture plus a dollop of whipped cream. Add the top of the biscuit cover, then spoon on more strawberries and whipped cream. Spoon on more some of the strawberry liquid/syrup if desired.
Tips & Tricks
- When we developed this recipe, we calculated one cup of fresh strawberries per person. After they are trimmed, sliced, and start to give up liquid, the volume reduces somewhat so it’s always best to start with more berries than you think you need.
- As the strawberries sit in the lemon juice and sugar, the berries will release their juices. If you’d like more juice, add a little bit of water to the bowl.
- Avoid overworking the biscuit dough. Just mix to combine until no dry flour shows.
- If you are using frozen strawberries instead of fresh, just let the berries thaw in a bowl and keep the juices too. Add lemon juice for flavor and add powdered sugar to thicken the juices. (You may end up needing more powdered sugar than is listed in the recipe.)
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I make Strawberry Shortcake ahead of time? Yes, each component can be made earlier in the same day that you plan to serve this dessert.
- How do I store leftovers? Keep the biscuits wrapped tightly at room temperature for up to two days. Refrigerate the cut-up strawberries and whipped cream in airtight containers. Just note that the whipped cream will soften as it sits, and the strawberries will continue to release their juices.
- Can I freeze any leftovers? The biscuits and the sliced strawberries can be frozen, but not the whipped cream. Note that after thawing, the strawberries will be softer and there will be more liquid – you can add more powdered sugar to thicken the juices into a sauce.
You might like these other Strawberry Recipes:
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Strawberry Shortcake
Strawberry Shortcake is made with homemade drop biscuits layered with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Ingredients
6 cups fresh ripe strawberries (we bought 1 1/2 pounds to get 6 cups)
3 tablespoons white vinegar
3 tablespoons baking soda
1/2 cup powdered sugar
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 1/3 cups baking mix
2/3 cup whole milk
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 tablespoons unsalted melted butter
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons additional powdered sugar
Instructions
- Place whole fresh strawberries in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Add vinegar and baking soda and stir to combine. Let sit for one minute then pour into a colander and rinse under cold water. (This process removes any impurities, dirt, or pesticides.)
- Bring strawberries to your cutting board and, with a paring knife or a tomato corer, remove leaves and any green stem remaining. Once finished, lay each strawberry cut side down and slice into quarter-inch thick vertical slices.
- Place the strawberry slices back into the bowl and add the powdered sugar and lemon juice. Stir with a large spoon until the powdered sugar dissolves. Place the bowl in the refrigerator until later when you are ready to serve, stirring once or twice as it chills.
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F with rack in the upper third of the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, stir baking mix, milk, sugar and butter with a firm spatula just until mixed and there is no more dry flour showing.
- Use two spoons and divide the dough into six mounds onto the prepared pan. Leave them rough and coarse, do not smooth or flatten.
- Bake for about 14 minutes until they have risen and browned. Rotate the pan halfway through. (Ovens vary so if your oven runs hot, check at the ten-minute mark). Cool on a wire rack.
- Place heavy cream, vanilla extract, and the last two tablespoons of powdered sugar in a large bowl. Whip using a hand mixer.
- To serve, break a biscuit in half with your fingers and place the bottom on a serving dish. Spoon sliced strawberries and juice over the shortcake and a small dollop of whipped cream. Top with the biscuit top and spoon more strawberries and juice over that. Spoon whipped cream over the top and drizzle some of the strawberry liquid over the whole thing. Repeat for as many as you are serving.
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