Honey Vanilla Shortcake Biscuits With Berries and Whipped Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings (6 shortcakes)
• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Total Time: 36 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/4 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 8 tbsp (113 g) cold unsalted butter
• 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• 2 tsp vanilla extract (divided)
• 4 cups (about 600 g) mixed fresh berries
• 2 cups (480 ml) cold heavy cream + 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tbsp lemon juice

Do This

• 1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• 2. Toss berries with 2 tbsp honey and 1 tbsp lemon juice; let sit 10 minutes.
• 3. Whisk dry ingredients; cut in cold butter. Stir in 1/4 cup honey, buttermilk, and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla.
• 4. Pat dough to 1-inch thick; cut 6 biscuits. Bake 15–18 minutes.
• 5. Whip cream with powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp vanilla, and a pinch of salt to soft peaks.
• 6. Split warm biscuits; layer berries and vanilla whipped cream; drizzle with extra honey.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Honey adds gentle floral sweetness to the biscuits without making them overly sugary.
• Fresh berries get extra juicy with a quick honey-lemon maceration (no cooking required).
• Vanilla whipped cream tastes like a bakery-style finishing touch, but takes just minutes.
• Everything can be prepped in parts so assembling dessert is fast and stress-free.

Grocery List

• Produce: 4 cups mixed fresh berries (strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and/or blackberries), 1 lemon
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, honey, powdered sugar, vanilla extract

Full Ingredients

Honey Vanilla Biscuits

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 8 tablespoons (113 g) unsalted butter, very cold and cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• 1/4 cup (85 g) honey
• 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Honey-Gloss Finish (Optional but lovely)

• 1 tablespoon (14 g) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 tablespoon (21 g) honey
• Pinch of fine salt

Honey-Lemon Berries

• 4 cups (about 600 g) mixed fresh berries (see note below)
• 2 tablespoons (42 g) honey
• 1 tablespoon (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest (optional)
• Pinch of fine salt

Berry note: If using strawberries, hull and slice them (about 2 cups sliced strawberries + 2 cups other berries is a great mix).

Vanilla Whipped Cream

• 2 cups (480 ml) cold heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (or 1 teaspoon for a stronger vanilla flavor)
• Pinch of fine salt

For Serving

• 1–2 tablespoons (21–42 g) honey, for drizzling (optional)

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep the oven and pan

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

If your kitchen is warm, put the cubed butter back in the fridge while you measure the other ingredients. Cold butter is the key to fluffy, layered biscuits.

Step 2: Macerate the berries for a juicy topping

In a medium bowl, combine the berries with 2 tablespoons honey, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest (if using), and a pinch of salt. Stir gently.

Let the berries sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you make the biscuits. They’ll release a little syrup that becomes the sauce for your shortcake.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.

This quick whisk helps the biscuits rise evenly and keeps you from getting salty bites.

Step 4: Cut in the cold butter

Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-size butter pieces still visible.

Those larger butter bits melt in the oven and create flaky layers.

Step 5: Add honey, buttermilk, and vanilla (don’t overmix)

In a small measuring cup, stir together the 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, 1/4 cup honey, and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract.

Pour into the flour-butter mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms and there are no big dry patches. If it looks a little rough, that’s perfect. Overmixing makes biscuits tough.

Step 6: Shape, cut, and bake the biscuits

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Fold it in half, pat it back to 1 inch thick, then repeat 2 more times (a total of 3 folds). This creates layers without much effort.

Pat the dough to a final thickness of 1 inch (2.5 cm). Cut 6 biscuits using a 3-inch round cutter, pressing straight down (don’t twist, which can seal the edges and reduce rise). Gather scraps gently and cut the remaining biscuits as needed.

Place biscuits on the prepared pan with the sides just barely touching (this helps them rise taller). Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–18 minutes, until risen and deeply golden on top.

Step 7: Whip the cream, finish the biscuits, and assemble

While the biscuits bake, make the whipped cream: in a cold mixing bowl, combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and a pinch of salt. Whip until soft peaks form, about 2–4 minutes with an electric mixer on medium-high. (Soft peaks hold their shape but still look creamy and swoopy.)

If using the honey-gloss finish, stir together the melted butter, honey, and a pinch of salt. When the biscuits come out of the oven, brush the tops lightly with the mixture.

To assemble, split each warm biscuit in half. Spoon berries and their syrup over the bottom half, add a generous dollop of vanilla whipped cream, then cap with the top half. Finish with a little extra honey if you like. Serve immediately.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold for the biscuits: cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the oven, which gives you tender lift and flaky layers.
• Measure flour accurately: spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it off (or use 250 g). Too much flour makes dry biscuits.
• Don’t twist the cutter: press straight down so the biscuits rise evenly.
• Soft peaks for topping: whipped cream that’s beaten too far can look grainy and feel buttery. Stop at soft peaks for the best texture.
• Let berries sit at least 10 minutes: the syrup they create becomes your natural sauce, so you don’t need extra sugar or jam.

Variations

• Peach + berry shortcake: replace 2 cups of berries with 2 cups (about 300 g) sliced ripe peaches; keep the honey and lemon the same.
• Lemon-vanilla cream: add 1 teaspoon lemon zest to the whipped cream for a brighter, citrusy finish.
• Extra-vanilla biscuits: add 1/4 teaspoon vanilla bean paste (or scraped vanilla bean) to the buttermilk mixture for a more pronounced vanilla aroma.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Biscuits: Store baked biscuits airtight at room temperature for 1 day, or refrigerate for up to 3 days. Rewarm in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 6–8 minutes (or split and toast lightly). For longer storage, freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, then rewarm.

Berries: Macerated berries are best within 24 hours. Refrigerate in a covered container; stir before using.

Whipped cream: Best the day it’s made. Refrigerate for up to 24 hours; re-whisk briefly by hand if it loosens.

Make-ahead plan: Bake biscuits earlier in the day, refrigerate berries, whip cream shortly before serving, then assemble right before eating so everything stays crisp, fluffy, and fresh.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, per 1 assembled shortcake (1/6 of recipe): 560 calories, 31 g fat, 66 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 34 g sugar, 4 g fiber, 520 mg sodium.