Strawberry Shortcake with Malted Whipped Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 shortcakes
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• Strawberries: 2 lb (900 g) strawberries + 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar + 1 Tbsp lemon juice + pinch salt
• Biscuits: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour + 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar + 1 Tbsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp kosher salt + 6 Tbsp (85 g) cold unsalted butter + 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk + 1 large egg
• Finish biscuits: 2 Tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream (or buttermilk) + 1 Tbsp turbinado sugar (optional)
• Malted whipped cream: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream + 3 Tbsp (24 g) malted milk powder + 2 Tbsp (16 g) powdered sugar + 1 tsp vanilla + pinch salt

Do This

• 1. Toss sliced strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and salt; rest 20 minutes.
• 2. Heat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• 3. Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt; cut in cold butter to pea-size pieces.
• 4. Stir in buttermilk and egg just until a shaggy dough forms; pat to 1-inch thick, cut 8 biscuits.
• 5. Brush biscuits with cream, sprinkle with turbinado, and bake 14–16 minutes; cool 10 minutes.
• 6. Whip heavy cream with malted milk powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt to soft-medium peaks.
• 7. Split biscuits, spoon on juicy berries, and crown with malted whipped cream.

---

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic strawberry shortcake flavor with an extra-cozy, nostalgic malted milk twist.
• Tender, buttery biscuits that hold up to juicy berries without getting soggy right away.
• Make-ahead friendly: macerate the berries early and whip the cream right before serving.
• Simple ingredients and straightforward steps that feel special on the plate.

Grocery List

• Produce: 2 lb (900 g) strawberries, 1 lemon
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy cream, 1 large egg
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, turbinado sugar (optional), malted milk powder, powdered sugar, vanilla extract

Full Ingredients

Macerated Strawberries

• 2 lb (900 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 1/4-inch thick)
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Shortcake Biscuits

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 Tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 6 Tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• 1 large egg, cold
• 2 Tbsp (30 ml) heavy cream or buttermilk, for brushing
• 1 Tbsp (12 g) turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

Malted Whipped Cream

• 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) heavy cream, very cold
• 3 Tbsp (24 g) malted milk powder
• 2 Tbsp (16 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp kosher salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Macerate the strawberries

Add the sliced strawberries to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, drizzle in the lemon juice, and add the salt (and vanilla, if using). Toss well.

Let the strawberries sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring once halfway through. They should look glossy and juicy, with a syrup collecting in the bowl.

Step 2: Preheat the oven and prep your pan

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

If your kitchen is warm, you can pop the lined baking sheet in the fridge while you make the biscuit dough; starting with a cool pan helps the butter stay cold.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients and cut in the butter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.

Add the cold butter cubes. Using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips, work the butter into the flour until you have a mix of pea-size pieces and some flatter shards. Those butter pieces create flaky layers.

Step 4: Add the buttermilk and egg, then shape the dough

In a small bowl, whisk together the cold buttermilk and egg. Pour into the flour-butter mixture and stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms and there are no big dry patches.

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick. Fold it in half, rotate, and pat again to 1 inch thick. Repeat the fold-and-pat 2 more times (a total of 3 folds) to build layers without overworking.

Step 5: Cut, chill briefly (optional), and bake

Use a 2 1/2-inch (6.5 cm) round cutter to cut 8 biscuits. Press straight down (don’t twist) so the edges rise well. If needed, gather scraps gently and cut the remaining biscuits.

Place biscuits on the prepared sheet pan, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Brush tops with heavy cream (or buttermilk) and sprinkle with turbinado sugar if using.

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 14–16 minutes, until tall and deeply golden on top. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before assembling (warm is great; piping hot can melt the cream too quickly).

Step 6: Whip the malted whipped cream

In a large cold bowl, combine the heavy cream, malted milk powder, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Whip with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium-high speed until soft-to-medium peaks form, about 2–4 minutes.

Stop when the cream holds its shape but still looks silky. (If you whip to stiff peaks, it can look grainy faster; you can always whip a few seconds more if needed.)

Step 7: Split and assemble the shortcakes

Split each biscuit in half horizontally using a serrated knife. Spoon a generous amount of strawberries and their syrup onto the bottom half. Add a big dollop (or swoosh) of malted whipped cream, then cap with the top biscuit.

For extra drama, finish with a little more whipped cream and a final spoonful of berries right on top. Serve immediately.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold for flaky biscuits: cold butter and cold buttermilk are key. If the dough feels soft, chill the cut biscuits for 10 minutes before baking.
• Don’t twist the cutter: twisting seals the edges and can prevent the biscuits from rising to their full height.
• Taste your strawberries: if they’re very sweet, reduce sugar to 3 Tbsp (38 g); if they’re tart, increase to 1/3 cup (67 g).
• Soft peaks for the best texture: malted milk powder thickens the cream slightly; stop whipping earlier than you might normally.
• Warm biscuits, cool cream: letting biscuits cool 10 minutes helps the whipped cream stay fluffy instead of melting into the berries.

Variations

• Chocolate-malt version: add 1 Tbsp (6 g) unsweetened cocoa powder to the whipped cream mixture before whipping.
• Mixed berry shortcakes: replace up to 1 lb (450 g) of strawberries with raspberries or blueberries; keep the same sugar and lemon, adjusting to taste.
• Orange-vanilla berries: swap lemon juice for 1 Tbsp (15 ml) orange juice and add 1/2 tsp orange zest.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Berries: Macerated strawberries can be made up to 24 hours ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container. Stir before serving.
Biscuits: Best the day they’re baked, but you can store cooled biscuits airtight at room temperature for 1 day. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.
Whipped cream: Malted whipped cream is best within 2–3 hours. If making slightly ahead, refrigerate covered and re-whip by hand for 10–20 seconds to refresh.
Assembled shortcakes: Assemble right before serving for the best texture; once assembled, the biscuits will start soaking up juice within 30–60 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, per 1 assembled shortcake (1/8 of recipe): 430 calories, 24 g fat (15 g saturated), 49 g carbohydrates, 22 g sugar, 6 g protein, 370 mg sodium, 3 g fiber.