Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Prep and macerate

Rinse hulled strawberries and pat dry. Slice berries into halves or quarters so pieces are roughly uniform (about 1/2-inch). Place sliced strawberries in a medium bowl. Sprinkle 1/4 cup granulated sugar over strawberries, add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. Gently toss to coat.

Let the strawberries macerate at room temperature for at least 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. If making ahead, cover and refrigerate up to 2 hours; bring to room temperature before serving to release juices.

Preheat and prepare

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Keep cold ingredients chilled until ready to use.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt until evenly distributed.

Cut in butter

Add 6 tablespoons cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry mixture. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, cut the butter into the flour until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining (about 6-8 revolutions by hand). Work quickly to keep ingredients cold.

Add buttermilk

Make a well in the center and pour in 3/4 cup cold buttermilk. Stir gently with a wooden spoon or spatula until the dough just comes together and is shaggy. Do not overmix; some dry spots are okay.

Shape dough

Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently fold dough over itself 2-3 times to bring it together, pressing to a roughly 1-inch thick rectangle. Pat or roll to 3/4-1 inch thickness. Using a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter (or a floured glass), cut rounds straight down without twisting. Repress scraps once to cut additional biscuits (do not overwork). You should have about 8 biscuits.

Bake

Place biscuit rounds on prepared baking sheet about 1 inch apart for slightly crisper sides or touching for taller sides. Brush tops with 1 tablespoon heavy cream and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon coarse sugar if desired. Bake in preheated oven 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown on top and bottoms. Rotate pan halfway through if your oven bakes unevenly.

Cool

Transfer baked biscuits to a wire rack and let cool 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Chill equipment

Chill a mixing bowl and beaters in the refrigerator for 10-15 minutes if possible to help the cream whip better.

Make whipped cream

Pour 1 cup very cold heavy cream into the chilled bowl. Add 2 tablespoons powdered sugar and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract. If using, add 2 tablespoons softened cream cheese for a slightly tangy, stabilized cream. Beat with an electric mixer on medium-high until soft to medium peaks form (about 2-3 minutes). Taste and adjust sweetness if desired. Do not overbeat to the point of graininess.

Keep whipped cream chilled until assembling. If using cream cheese, the whipped cream will hold shape a bit longer when sitting.

Split biscuits

Using a serrated knife, carefully split each warm biscuit in half horizontally.

Layer

Spoon a generous portion of macerated strawberries (including juices) onto the bottom half of each biscuit (about 1/3 to 1/2 cup per shortcake depending on biscuit size). Top strawberries with 2-3 tablespoons of whipped cream (or more to taste). Place the biscuit top over the cream or serve the top off to show layers.

Garnish and serve

For a finished look, add a few whole or halved berries and a small dollop of whipped cream on top. Serve immediately so biscuits remain slightly warm and cream and berries are fresh. If prepared a short time ahead, keep components chilled separately and assemble just before serving.