Strawberry Shortcake With Tangy Yogurt Biscuits and Whipped Cream

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 6 servings (6 biscuits)
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 16 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes

Quick Ingredients

• 1 lb (454 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (170 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk (plus 1 tbsp for brushing)
• 1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado sugar (optional, for tops)
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream
• 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Do This

• 1) Toss strawberries with granulated sugar, lemon juice, and zest; rest 20 minutes.
• 2) Heat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• 3) Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and sugar; cut in cold butter.
• 4) Stir in yogurt + milk just until a shaggy dough forms; pat, fold, and cut 6 biscuits.
• 5) Brush tops with milk, sprinkle turbinado sugar, and bake 14–16 minutes.
• 6) Whip cream with powdered sugar and vanilla to soft peaks.
• 7) Split warm biscuits; spoon on juicy strawberries and top with whipped cream.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Moist, tender biscuits: Greek yogurt adds richness and a light tang without making the biscuits heavy.
• Super juicy strawberries: A quick maceration turns fresh berries into a bright, spoonable topping.
• Classic, homemade comfort: Warm biscuits, cool whipped cream, and strawberries taste like summer in dessert form.
• Simple technique: No mixer needed for the biscuits; you can make everything with basic bowls and a whisk.

Grocery List

• Produce: 1 lb (454 g) strawberries, 1 lemon
• Dairy: unsalted butter, plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, whole milk, heavy cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine salt, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, turbinado sugar (optional), vanilla extract

Full Ingredients

Macerated Strawberries

• 1 lb (454 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 1/4-inch thick)
• 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)

Yogurt Biscuits

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting
• 1 tbsp (12 g) baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 2 tbsp (25 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, very cold, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (170 g) plain whole-milk Greek yogurt, cold
• 1/4 cup (60 ml) whole milk, cold
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) whole milk, for brushing biscuit tops
• 1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional but lovely)

Soft Whipped Cream

• 1 cup (240 ml) heavy cream, very cold
• 2 tbsp (15 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Pinch of fine salt

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Macerate the strawberries

In a medium bowl, combine the sliced strawberries, 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and vanilla (if using). Toss well. Let sit at room temperature for 20 minutes, stirring once or twice, until the berries release lots of juice and become glossy.

Step 2: Preheat the oven and prep your pan

Set an oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

If your kitchen is warm, place the butter back in the refrigerator while you measure the dry ingredients. Cold butter is the key to fluffy biscuits.

Step 3: Mix the dry ingredients

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

Step 4: Cut in the cold butter

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

Those little butter pieces melt in the oven and create tender, layered biscuits.

Step 5: Add the yogurt and form the biscuit dough

In a small bowl, whisk together the Greek yogurt and 1/4 cup (60 ml) cold milk until smooth.

Pour the yogurt mixture into the flour-butter mixture. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms and no dry flour pockets remain. The dough will look a bit rough; that’s perfect. Avoid overmixing, which can make biscuits tough.

Step 6: Fold, cut, and bake the biscuits

Lightly flour a clean work surface. Turn the dough out and gently pat it into a rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Fold the dough in half, then in half again (like folding a letter) to create layers. Pat back out to about 3/4-inch thick.

Cut out 6 biscuits using a 2 1/2-inch (6.5 cm) round cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. If you don’t have a cutter, use a sharp knife to cut 6 squares. Transfer biscuits to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

Brush the tops with 1 tbsp (15 ml) milk. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar (optional). Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 14–16 minutes, until tall and deeply golden on top.

Cool the biscuits on the pan for 10 minutes before assembling (warm is great; piping hot can melt the cream too quickly).

Step 7: Whip the cream and assemble the shortcakes

While the biscuits cool, make the whipped cream: in a cold bowl, whip the heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until soft peaks form (about 2–4 minutes with a hand mixer; a bit longer by hand). Soft peaks keep the cream plush and spoonable.

To serve, split each biscuit in half horizontally. Spoon a generous amount of strawberries and their juices over the bottom half. Add a big dollop of whipped cream, then cap with the biscuit top. Finish with an extra spoonful of berries if you like.

Pro Tips

• Keep everything cold for the best rise: Cold butter and cold yogurt help the biscuits bake up tall and tender.
• Don’t twist the cutter: Twisting seals the edges and can limit how high the biscuits rise.
• Stop at soft peaks: Over-whipped cream turns grainy and loses that “soft cloud” texture.
• Taste your berries: If strawberries are very sweet, use 2 tbsp (25 g) sugar; if tart, use the full 3 tbsp (38 g).
• Want extra syrupy berries? After macerating, mash about 1/4 of the berries with a fork and stir back in.

Variations

• Strawberry-balsamic: Add 1 tsp balsamic vinegar to the strawberries for a deeper, more complex flavor.
• Lemon yogurt biscuits: Add 2 tsp lemon zest to the dry ingredients for a brighter, citrusy biscuit.
• Mixed berry shortcake: Replace half the strawberries with blueberries or raspberries (keep the total fruit at 1 lb / 454 g).

Storage & Make-Ahead

Best day-of: Shortcakes are best assembled right before serving so the biscuits stay fluffy.

Biscuits: Store baked biscuits airtight at room temperature for 2 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. You can also freeze baked biscuits for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, then rewarm.

Strawberries: Refrigerate macerated strawberries in a covered container for up to 24 hours. Stir before serving.

Whipped cream: For the softest texture, whip close to serving time. If needed, refrigerate for up to 8 hours and gently re-whisk by hand if it slumps.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, based on 6 servings: 520 calories, fat 30 g (sat. fat 18 g), carbohydrates 59 g, sugars 27 g, fiber 4 g, protein 8 g, sodium 420 mg.