Mom's BEST Strawberry Shortcakes Recipe 🍓
These strawberry shortcakes are my mom's famous recipe - flaky, buttery biscuits piled high with juicy strawberries and homemade whipped cream, and the first dessert I crave every single summer when fresh berries are at their peak! They feel fancy enough for a summer party but are surprisingly simple to make from scratch, with no mixer or special equipment required. It's a classic strawberry shortcake recipe SO good, everyone will ask for the recipe!
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Servings: 8 servings
Ingredients
For the strawberries:
- 6 cups strawberries sliced
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice can sub orange or lime juice
For the shortcakes:
- 2 cups cake flour or gluten-free all purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup cold butter (1 stick)
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/3 cup heavy cream
For the homemade whipped cream:
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1-2 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Combine sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a large bowl. Toss to combine. Let sit for 1–2 hours to release their juices.
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Combine the cake flour, salt, baking powder, cream of tartar, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Cut butter into small bits and add to the dry ingredients. Using a pastry cutter or fork, work butter in until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Add the beaten egg and heavy cream and mix with a fork until the mixture just holds together.
- Turn out onto a well-floured surface and knead by folding over 8–10 times, rotating as you go.
- Pat into a ½-inch thick rectangle. Cut into 6 larger or 8 smaller equal squares.
- Place biscuits on a parchment-lined baking sheet (do not grease). Separate biscuits slightly for crispier edges, or place touching for softer sides.
- Bake 15–20 minutes until light golden brown.
- While the shortcakes bake, add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to a clean bowl. Whip with a hand or stand mixer until soft peaks form.
- Slice shortcakes in half horizontally. Spoon a generous helping of macerated strawberries onto the bottom half, top with a dollop of homemade whipped cream, place the top half on, and serve immediately. Enjoy!