Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)
Quick Ingredients
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk + 1 tablespoon for brushing
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
- 4 cups (about 600 g) mixed berries (fresh or frozen)
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar (for sauce)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice + 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch + 1 tablespoon water (optional, for thicker sauce)
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) powdered sugar
Do This
- 1. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- 2. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; cut in cold butter.
- 3. Stir in buttermilk + 1 teaspoon vanilla. Pat dough and cut 6 biscuits.
- 4. Bake 14–16 minutes until tall and golden; cool 10 minutes.
- 5. Simmer berries, sugar, lemon juice/zest, and a pinch of salt 8–10 minutes (thicken with cornstarch slurry if desired). Off heat, add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla.
- 6. Whip cream with powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and a pinch of salt to soft-medium peaks.
- 7. Split warm biscuits, spoon on warm berry sauce, add whipped cream, top with more sauce, and serve.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Cozy and classic: Tender, buttery biscuits turn into an easy shortcake base.
- Big berry flavor: Warm berries cook into a glossy syrup that soaks into the biscuit just right.
- Simple from-scratch: No fancy techniques, just straightforward steps that work every time.
- Make-ahead friendly: Bake the biscuits and cook the sauce ahead, then assemble in minutes.
Grocery List
- Produce: 4 cups mixed berries (strawberries/blueberries/raspberries/blackberries), 1 lemon
- Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy cream
- Pantry: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, baking soda, kosher salt, vanilla extract, cornstarch (optional)
Full Ingredients
Buttery Vanilla Biscuits (Shortcakes)
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for shaping
- 3 tablespoons (38 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 6 tablespoons (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
- 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon buttermilk (for brushing tops)
- Optional: 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for sprinkling (adds sparkle and crunch)
Warm Mixed Berry Sauce
- 4 cups mixed berries (about 600 g), fresh or frozen (no need to thaw if frozen)
- 1/3 cup (65 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional thickener: 1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
Vanilla Whipped Cream
- 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons (15 g) powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of kosher salt
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Prep the oven and pan
Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper (or lightly butter it). If you have time, pop the cubed butter into the freezer for 10 minutes while you measure everything else; colder butter helps make the biscuits tall and flaky.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients and cut in the butter
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until evenly combined.
Add the cold cubed butter. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour mixture until it looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter still visible. Those little butter bits melt in the oven and create tender layers.
Step 3: Add buttermilk and shape the dough
Pour in the cold buttermilk and add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Stir gently with a fork or spatula just until you no longer see dry flour. The dough will look shaggy and a bit sticky; that’s perfect. Overmixing makes biscuits tough.
Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat it into a 1-inch-thick rectangle. Fold the dough in half, then pat back down to 1 inch thick. Repeat the fold-and-pat one more time (2 total folds) to encourage flaky layers.
Pat into a final 1-inch-thick round or rectangle and cut 6 biscuits using a 2 3/4- to 3-inch biscuit cutter (or cut into 6 squares with a knife). Press straight down (don’t twist) so they rise evenly.
Step 4: Bake the biscuits until golden
Arrange the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with their sides just barely touching (this helps them rise tall). Brush the tops with 1 tablespoon buttermilk. If you like, sprinkle with 1 tablespoon coarse sugar.
Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits feel set when gently tapped. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before splitting and assembling.
Step 5: Simmer the warm berry sauce
While the biscuits bake (or as they cool), make the sauce. In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine the mixed berries, 1/3 cup (65 g) sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and 1/8 teaspoon salt.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until the berries release their juices and the mixture turns syrupy, 8–10 minutes. Lightly mash some of the berries with the back of a spoon to make a thick, spoonable sauce with plenty of fruit pieces.
If you want a thicker, more “pie-filling” style sauce, stir in the cornstarch-water slurry and simmer for 1 minute until glossy and slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Step 6: Whip the vanilla cream
In a chilled bowl (optional but helpful), combine the heavy cream, powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and a pinch of salt.
Whip with a whisk or hand mixer until soft to medium peaks form, about 2–4 minutes with a hand mixer. Stop when it holds its shape but still looks creamy and spoonable (overwhipped cream can turn grainy).
Step 7: Assemble and serve warm
Split each biscuit horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half in a bowl or on a plate. Spoon on a generous amount of warm berry sauce, then add a big dollop of whipped cream. Cap with the biscuit top and finish with another spoonful of sauce.
Serve immediately while the biscuits are still slightly warm and the berry sauce is glossy and fragrant.
Pro Tips
- Keep everything cold for taller biscuits: cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the oven, which helps the biscuits rise.
- Don’t twist the cutter: pressing straight down keeps the edges from sealing, so the biscuits can climb.
- Control the sauce texture: simmer longer for thicker syrup, or use the cornstarch slurry for a quick, glossy thickening.
- Taste your berries: if your berries are very sweet, reduce sugar to 1/4 cup (50 g); if they’re tart, increase to 1/2 cup (100 g).
- Soft peaks for the win: slightly softer whipped cream melts into the warm sauce and biscuit in the most delicious way.
Variations
- Strawberry-only classic: use 4 cups sliced strawberries and add an extra 1 teaspoon lemon juice for brightness.
- Citrus twist: replace lemon zest with 1 teaspoon orange zest for a sweeter, rounder flavor.
- Extra-vanilla shortcakes: add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste to the biscuit dough (in addition to vanilla extract) for a more intense vanilla aroma.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Biscuits: Cool completely, then store airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes before serving. You can also freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and rewarm as above.
Berry sauce: Cool, then refrigerate in a sealed container for up to 5 days. Rewarm gently on the stove over low heat for 3–5 minutes, adding 1–2 tablespoons water if it thickened too much in the fridge.
Whipped cream: Best fresh, but you can refrigerate for up to 24 hours. Rewhip briefly by hand if it softens. For the neatest presentation, assemble just before serving.
Nutrition (per serving)
Approximate, based on 6 servings: 520 calories, 28 g fat, 62 g carbohydrates, 7 g protein, 5 g fiber, 28 g sugar, 420 mg sodium.
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