Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

Written by
Diana Rattray
Southern-cuisine expert and cookbook author Diana Rattray has created more than 5,000 recipes articles in her 20 years as a food writer.
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Diana Rattray
Updated 01/11/20
Strawberry shortcake biscuits

The Spruce

 
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 15 mins
Total: 30 mins
Servings: 8 servings
Nutritional Guidelines (per serving)
285 Calories
16g Fat
35g Carbs
3g Protein
See Full Nutritional Guidelines Hide Full Nutritional Guidelines
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 8
Amount per serving
Calories 285
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 16g 20%
Saturated Fat 10g 48%
Cholesterol 33mg 11%
Sodium 527mg 23%
Total Carbohydrate 35g 13%
Dietary Fiber 3g 11%
Protein 3g
Calcium 181mg 14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Nothing says spring like strawberry shortcake piled high on split biscuits with fresh whipped cream and sliced strawberries.

This old-fashioned strawberry shortcake is a delicious spring or summer dessert to make for a weekend treat or special occasion. Strawberry shortcake is a summer tradition for many families.

This recipe is for individual shortcakes and calls for 3-inch biscuits. You may cut the biscuits with a smaller cutter for smaller portions and more servings.

Ingredients

  • Filling:
  • 1-quart strawberries
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • Topping: 
  • 1 1/2 cups whipping cream (or non-dairy whipped topping)
  • Optional: 2 to 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
  • Biscuits: 
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1 stick butter (chilled)
  • 2/3 to 3/4 cup half and half (or milk or cream)

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. 

    Old-fashioned strawberry shortcake ingredients.
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  2. Rinse the strawberries under cold water; drain well.

    Rinse strawberries in water
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  3. Hull and slice the berries and place them in a bowl.

    Hull and slice strawberries
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  4. Sprinkle with the 1/3 cup of sugar; cover and let stand at room temperature for about 1 hour.

    Sprinkle strawberries with sugar and let stand for an hour
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  5. In another bowl, beat the whipping cream until foamy. Add 2 to 3 tablespoons of powdered sugar, as desired, and continue beating until the cream holds soft peaks. Cover and refrigerate until serving time.

    Beat whipped cream and sugar in bowl
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  6. Preheat the oven to 425 F. Set the rack in the center of the oven.

  7. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or buttered foil.

    Line baking sheet with parchment paper
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  8. In a food processor or bowl combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Blend well.

    Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar
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  9. Slice the butter into about 8 pieces and add to the mixture.

    Slice butter and add to mixture in food processor
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  10. Pulse in the food processor or blend with a pastry cutter or fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse meal. It should still have a few pea-sized chunks of butter left in the mixture.

    Blend mixture in food processor
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  11. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl and make a well in the center. With a fork stir in the milk or half-and-half just until the dough is moist. Be very careful not to overwork. The dough doesn't have to hold together well at this point. Let the dough rest in the bowl for a minute.

    Add milk and half and half to dough
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  12. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Fold the dough over on itself (knead) 2 or 3 times, until it is holding together and is less sticky.

    Knead dough on lightly floured surface
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  13. Gently pat the dough into a 6 by 12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick and cut into 8 (3-inch) biscuits with a floured round cutter. Or make smaller (2 or 2 1/2-inch) biscuits if you would like a few more servings. For flaky, soft biscuits, work the dough as little as possible.

    Cut dough into circles
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  14. Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Brush the biscuits with some milk or cream and sprinkle tops with some sugar, if desired.

    Arrange biscuits on baking sheet
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  15. Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes, until risen and golden brown.

    Bake biscuits in oven
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  16. Remove the hot biscuits to a platter and split each horizontally with a serrated knife.

    Cut biscuits horizontally in half
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  17. Butter the cut sides of the hot biscuits and then top with about 1/3 cup of berry mixture and some of the chilled whipped cream. Replace the tops and top with a tablespoon or so of berries and more whipped cream. Garnish with more strawberry slices and mint leaves, if desired.

    Add strawberries and whipped cream to biscuits to make shortcakes
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  18. Serve and enjoy!