Strawberry shortcake is the perfect summer dessert. This super easy, semi-homemade strawberry shortcake recipe requires only a handful of ingredients and takes under 30 minutes.
Semi-Homemade Strawberry Shortcake?
I love making things from scratch, but as someone who runs two business, I don’t always have time to do that. I KNOW I’m not the only busy human here, so I’m not going to tell you that in order to make something delicious it has to be 100% homemade.
My trick to this strawberry shortcake recipe is to use store-bought biscuit dough. Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle Original Biscuits are my preference. You can use any brand you want, however, I would avoid any “flaky” kind of dough. Strawberry shortcake biscuits should be a little more on the dense side than the flaky, croissant kind.
You’ll still use fresh strawberries and make the whipped cream, but this shortcut saves a bit of time, making it the perfect little dessert to throw together for a last minute dinner party.
How to Make This Easy Strawberry Shortcake
The Strawberries
Start by cutting your strawberries in quarters or smaller. You want to be sure that you can pile a decent amount of berries onto your biscuits, and that they’re bite size.
Add 1-2 tablespoons of granulated sugar to your bowl of strawberries, then zest a lime. (This citrus zester is easy to hold.) The lime flavor is pretty subtle, but it provides a punchy kick. Stir, then set aside.
You’re going to want to do this first so that your strawberries have time to absorb the sugar and everything can marinate a bit.
The Biscuits
I feel a little silly even having this in here but here it is: bake the biscuits for your strawberry shortcake according to the packaging.
The Whipped Cream
Whipped cream is so easy to make, and although you may be tempted to grab a can at the store, don’t do it. I’ll let you have a free pass on the biscuits, but not on whipped cream. That’s because 1. you can make the cream while your biscuits are baking and 2. fresh whipped cream tastes about 157% better than the store-bought stuff anyway. You can’t fake fresh whipped cream. You can fake homemade biscuits.
Add 1 cup of heavy cream and about a 1/2 tablespoon of sugar to a bowl. Then, mix on high speed with an electric mixer. You’ll need to mix continuously for about 4-5 minutes or until peaks appear in your cream and it’s nice and fluffy.
You can use an electric hand mixer, but for the sake of efficiency (and maybe laziness), a stand mixer makes things a lot easier. Just click it on and hang out. You can even clean some dishes while you mix hands-free. I have the KitchenAid stand mixer and I love it. If you’ve been looking for a sign to invest in one, here it is.
Assemble Your Strawberry Shortcake
Once you have your berries mixed, biscuits baked, and cream whipped, you’re ready to assemble your strawberry shortcake.
Make sure the biscuits are cooled before assembling, otherwise your whipped cream will melt. RECIPE HACK: put the biscuits in the freezer for a little bit to speed up the cooling process.
Cut your biscuits in half like you’re making a sandwich, then spread both sides with the whipped cream. Add a heaping spoonful or two of your strawberry mixture onto one of the biscuit sides, then top with the other side. Continue until all biscuits are complete. Voila! Super easy, no?
Easy Semi-Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 3/4 lb fresh strawberries, cut into quarters or smaller bite sized pieces
- 1 lime, for zesting
- 2½ tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 package Pillsbury Grands Southern Homestyle Original Biscuits
- 1 cup heavy cream
Instructions
- Preheat your oven according to the biscuit packaging directions.
- Add the cut strawberries and 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar into a bowl.
- Add the zest of 1 lime and mix together. Set aside.
- Place your biscuits onto a cookie sheet and bake per packaging directions.
- While the biscuits are baking, add the heavy cream and ½ tablespoon of sugar to a bowl. Mix on high with an electric mixer for 4-5 minutes or until there are peaks in the cream.
- Make sure the biscuits are completely cooled before assembling the strawberry shortcakes.
- To assemble, cut the biscuits in half, then spread both sides with the whipped cream. Add a heaping spoonful or two of the strawberry mixture onto one of the biscuit sides, then top with the other side like a sandwich. Continue until all biscuits are complete.
If you make this recipe be sure to let me know how you like it in the comments below. You can also tag me on Instagram!
