Description
A classic Strawberry Shortcake recipe featuring tender, flaky biscuits, juicy macerated strawberries with a hint of lemon, and fluffy homemade whipped cream. Perfectly balanced with sweet and tangy flavors, this dessert is an all-time favorite for spring and summer gatherings.
Ingredients
Scale
Strawberries and Maceration
- 2 pounds strawberries, rinsed, stems removed, and quartered
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- Juice of 1 medium lemon (2 to 3 tablespoons)
Biscuit Dough
- Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
- 1/4 cup plus 1 teaspoon granulated sugar, divided
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 8 tablespoons (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces
- 1 1/4 cups cold heavy cream
Whipped Cream
- 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Macerate the Strawberries: In a large bowl, toss the quartered strawberries with 1/4 cup granulated sugar and lemon juice. Set aside to macerate and become juicy while you prepare the biscuits.
- Prepare Biscuit Sugar: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). In a large bowl, combine the lemon zest and 1/4 cup granulated sugar. Rub them together with your fingers until the sugar is fragrant and lemony.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, baking powder, and kosher salt to the lemon-sugar mixture. Stir with a fork to evenly combine all dry ingredients.
- Cut in the Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingers, rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles pea-sized crumbs, ensuring small chunks of butter remain for flakiness.
- Add Cream and Mix: Drizzle the cold heavy cream over the mixture and gently mix with a fork just until a sticky dough forms. Avoid overmixing to keep biscuits tender.
- Shape the Biscuits: Using a large spoon or ice cream scoop, form the dough into 8 large, tall mounds and arrange them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 teaspoon sugar for a light sweet crunch.
- Bake the Biscuits: Bake in the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes until the bottoms are deeply golden and the tops are lightly browned. Remove from oven and let cool slightly before handling.
- Make Whipped Cream: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment or a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat 1 1/2 cups cold heavy cream and 2 tablespoons sugar on medium-high speed until stiff peaks just form, about 90 seconds. Be careful not to overwhip.
- Assemble the Shortcakes: Carefully split the warm biscuits in half horizontally. Spoon generous amounts of the macerated strawberries with their juices over the bottom biscuit halves, add a dollop of whipped cream, then cap with the top halves. Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Notes
- Use cold butter and cold heavy cream to achieve flaky biscuit layers.
- Do not overmix the dough or overwhip the cream to maintain perfect texture.
- Macerating strawberries allows them to release their natural juices, enhancing flavor without adding syrup.
- For a slightly different flavor, you can substitute lemon zest with orange zest.
- Serve shortcakes quickly after assembly to avoid biscuits becoming soggy.
