Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

Yield: 8 shortcakes
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 16 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes

Quick Ingredients

All-purpose flour: 2 cups (240 g)
Granulated sugar: 1/4 cup (50 g), plus 1/3 cup (67 g) for berries
Baking powder: 1 tablespoon (12 g)
Fine salt: 1/2 teaspoon, plus 1/8 teaspoon for berries, plus 1 pinch for cream
Cold unsalted butter: 1/2 cup (113 g), cubed
Cold buttermilk: 3/4 cup (180 ml)
Lemon zest: 1 tablespoon (for biscuits) + 1 teaspoon (for berries) + 1 teaspoon (for cream)
Heavy cream (for brushing): 1 tablespoon
Turbinado sugar (optional): 1 tablespoon
Blueberries: 4 cups (about 600 g), divided
Fresh lemon juice: 2 tablespoons (for berries) + 1 teaspoon (for cream)
Cornstarch: 1 teaspoon + water: 1 tablespoon
Vanilla extract: 1/4 teaspoon (for berries) + 1 teaspoon (for cream)
Heavy cream (for whipped cream): 1 1/2 cups (360 ml), cold
Powdered sugar: 3 tablespoons (24 g)

Do This

1) Heat oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment.
2) Simmer 1 1/2 cups blueberries with sugar, lemon juice/zest; thicken with cornstarch slurry; cool and fold in remaining berries.
3) Mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, lemon zest; cut in cold butter.
4) Stir in cold buttermilk just until dough forms; pat to 1-inch thick and cut 8 biscuits.
5) Brush with cream, sprinkle turbinado sugar, and bake 15–17 minutes until golden; cool 10 minutes.
6) Whip heavy cream with powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon zest, and a little lemon juice; split biscuits and layer with berries and cream.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Tender, buttery shortcake biscuits with bright lemon zest in every bite.
Blueberries turn jammy and glossy, with plenty of fresh whole berries mixed in.
Lemon-vanilla whipped cream tastes like sunshine and ties the layers together.
Make the components ahead, then assemble in minutes right before serving.

Grocery List

Produce: 2–3 lemons (you’ll use zest + juice), 4 cups blueberries (fresh preferred)
Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, heavy whipping cream
Pantry: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, baking powder, cornstarch, vanilla extract, fine salt, turbinado sugar (optional)

Full Ingredients

Lemon Shortcake Biscuits

All-purpose flour: 2 cups (240 g)
Granulated sugar: 1/4 cup (50 g)
Baking powder: 1 tablespoon (12 g)
Fine salt: 1/2 teaspoon
Finely grated lemon zest: 1 tablespoon (from about 2 lemons)
Cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes: 1/2 cup (113 g)
Cold buttermilk: 3/4 cup (180 ml)
Heavy cream (for brushing tops): 1 tablespoon
Turbinado sugar (optional, for crunch): 1 tablespoon

Lemon-Splashed Blueberries

Blueberries: 4 cups (about 600 g), divided (1 1/2 cups for cooking, 2 1/2 cups left whole)
Granulated sugar: 1/3 cup (67 g)
Fresh lemon juice: 2 tablespoons (30 ml)
Finely grated lemon zest: 1 teaspoon
Vanilla extract: 1/4 teaspoon
Fine salt: 1/8 teaspoon
Cornstarch: 1 teaspoon
Water (to make slurry): 1 tablespoon (15 ml)

Lemon-Vanilla Whipped Cream

Heavy whipping cream, very cold: 1 1/2 cups (360 ml)
Powdered sugar: 3 tablespoons (24 g)
Vanilla extract: 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
Finely grated lemon zest: 1 teaspoon
Fresh lemon juice: 1 teaspoon (5 ml)
Fine salt: 1 pinch

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Prep your pan and preheat

Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper (or use an ungreased light-colored sheet pan). This recipe moves quickly once the biscuit dough is mixed, so it helps to have everything ready.

Step 2: Make the lemon-splashed blueberry layer

In a medium saucepan, combine 1 1/2 cups blueberries, 1/3 cup (67 g) sugar, 2 tablespoons (30 ml) lemon juice, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Cook over medium heat for 4–6 minutes, stirring often, until the berries burst and the mixture looks juicy.

In a small bowl, stir together 1 teaspoon cornstarch and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) water to make a smooth slurry. Stir the slurry into the saucepan and cook for 45–60 seconds, just until the juices turn glossy and lightly thickened.

Scrape into a bowl to cool for 10–15 minutes, then fold in the remaining 2 1/2 cups blueberries so you get a mix of saucy berries and fresh, poppy whole berries.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients for tender biscuits

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups (240 g) flour, 1/4 cup (50 g) sugar, 1 tablespoon (12 g) baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest. Whisking well distributes the baking powder evenly so the biscuits rise straight and tall.

Step 4: Cut in the butter, then add cold buttermilk

Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or your fingertips to work the butter in until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized bits of butter still visible (those bits create flaky layers).

Pour in the cold buttermilk (3/4 cup / 180 ml). Stir gently with a fork until the dough is shaggy and just holds together. If there are a few dry patches, press them in—avoid overmixing, which can make biscuits tough.

Step 5: Shape, cut, and bake the biscuits

Turn the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat (don’t roll) into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. For extra layers, fold the dough in half once, pat back to 1 inch thick, then proceed.

Cut into 8 biscuits using a 3-inch round cutter (or cut into 8 equal wedges with a knife). Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with their sides just barely touching for taller rise.

Brush the tops with 1 tablespoon heavy cream and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar (optional but delicious). Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 15–17 minutes, until deeply risen and golden brown on top. Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before splitting so the crumb sets.

Step 6: Whip the lemon-vanilla cream

In a chilled bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups (360 ml) cold heavy cream, 3 tablespoons (24 g) powdered sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 teaspoon lemon zest, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, and a pinch of salt.

Whip with a hand mixer (or stand mixer) on medium-high until medium peaks form, about 2–4 minutes. You want it billowy and spoonable (not stiff and butter-like), since it needs to nestle into the berries.

Step 7: Assemble the shortcakes and serve

Use a serrated knife to split each biscuit in half horizontally. Place the bottom halves on plates. Spoon on a generous layer of the lemony blueberries (including plenty of syrup), then add a big dollop of lemon-vanilla whipped cream.

Cap with the biscuit tops and finish with an extra spoonful of berries and/or a swipe of whipped cream. Serve right away while the biscuits are slightly warm or at room temperature.

Pro Tips

Keep everything cold for the biscuits: Cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the oven, which makes flaky layers. If your kitchen is warm, chill the shaped biscuits for 10 minutes before baking.
Don’t twist the cutter: Press straight down and lift straight up. Twisting can seal the edges and reduce rise.
Cook only part of the berries: Simmering some blueberries makes a glossy sauce, while folding in the rest keeps fresh berry texture.
Go for medium peaks on the cream: It will look plush and luxurious and won’t “break” as quickly.
Assemble at the last minute: The biscuits stay tall and tender, not soaked through.

Variations

Make it extra lemony: Add 1 tablespoon of lemon juice to the blueberry sauce (in addition to the 2 tablespoons) for a sharper tang, or add an extra 1 teaspoon zest to the whipped cream.
Swap the fruit: Use the same method with 4 cups sliced strawberries (cook 1 1/2 cups briefly, then fold in the rest) or a mix of blueberries and blackberries.
Add a crunch layer: Sprinkle toasted sliced almonds or crushed shortbread cookies between the berries and cream for texture.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Biscuit shortcakes: Store cooled biscuits airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 6–8 minutes. Biscuits also freeze well for up to 2 months; thaw at room temp and rewarm before serving.
Blueberry topping: Refrigerate in a covered container for up to 3 days. Serve cold or bring to room temperature; if it thickens too much, stir in 1–2 teaspoons water.
Whipped cream: Best the day it’s made. You can refrigerate it for up to 24 hours; whisk briefly by hand to re-fluff if needed.
Assembled shortcakes: Assemble right before serving. Once assembled, they’ll soften noticeably after about 30–60 minutes.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, per 1 assembled shortcake (1/8 of recipe): 520 calories, 28 g fat, 62 g carbs, 4 g fiber, 28 g sugar, 7 g protein, 430 mg sodium.

Blueberry Lemon Cream Shortcake With Lemon Vanilla Whipped Cream