Strawberry Shortcake with Whipped Cream Cheese Topping

Quick Recipe Version (TL;DR)

• Yield: 8 servings (8 shortcakes)
• Prep Time: 25 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 1 hour (includes 30 minutes for strawberries to get juicy)

Quick Ingredients

• Strawberries: 2 lb (907 g) strawberries, sliced; 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar; 1 tbsp lemon juice; 1/8 tsp salt
• Biscuits: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp baking powder; 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp fine salt; 6 tbsp (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cubed; 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk; 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Topping: 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened; 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream; 1/8 tsp fine salt
• Finish: 1 tbsp heavy cream (for brushing); 1 tbsp coarse sugar (optional)

Do This

• 1) Toss sliced strawberries with sugar, lemon juice, and salt; rest 30 minutes.
• 2) Heat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
• 3) Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, salt; cut in cold butter until crumbly.
• 4) Stir in cold buttermilk + vanilla just until dough forms; pat to 1-inch thick and cut 8 biscuits.
• 5) Bake 14–16 minutes until tall and golden; cool 10 minutes.
• 6) Whip cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla, salt; stream in cold cream and whip to soft-medium peaks.
• 7) Split biscuits; spoon strawberries and syrup; dollop whipped cream cheese topping; serve.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Classic, tender shortcake biscuits with crisp golden edges and a soft center.
• Juicy macerated strawberries make their own syrup with just a little sugar and lemon.
• Whipped cream cheese topping is lightly sweet, extra rich, and holds its shape beautifully.
• Easy to prep ahead so you can assemble right before serving.

Grocery List

• Produce: strawberries (2 lb), lemon
• Dairy: unsalted butter, buttermilk, cream cheese, heavy cream
• Pantry: all-purpose flour, baking powder, granulated sugar, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, fine salt, coarse sugar (optional)

Full Ingredients

Macerated Strawberries

• 2 lb (907 g) strawberries, hulled and sliced (about 6 to 7 cups sliced)
• 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) fresh lemon juice
• 1/8 tsp fine salt

Classic Shortcake Biscuits

• 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, plus extra for shaping
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp fine salt
• 6 tbsp (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
• 3/4 cup (180 ml) cold buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) heavy cream, for brushing tops
• 1 tbsp coarse sugar, optional (for a crunchy, sparkly top)

Lightly Sweetened Whipped Cream Cheese Topping

• 8 oz (226 g) cream cheese, softened to cool room temperature
• 1/2 cup (60 g) powdered sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/8 tsp fine salt
• 1 cup (240 ml) cold heavy cream

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Macerate the strawberries

Add the sliced strawberries to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with the granulated sugar, add the lemon juice, and add the salt. Toss well.

Let the strawberries stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring once or twice. You’re looking for a glossy syrup to form in the bottom of the bowl. (If your berries are very tart, you can add up to 1 more tablespoon (12 g) sugar to taste.)

Step 2: Preheat the oven and prep your pan

Arrange an oven rack in the center position. Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C).

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper (or use a lightly buttered cast iron skillet for a rustic look and slightly crispier bottoms).

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

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

Add the cold cubed butter. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to work the butter into the flour until it looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces. Those butter bits create flaky layers.

Step 4: Add the buttermilk and gently form the dough

In a small bowl or measuring cup, stir together the cold buttermilk and vanilla extract.

Pour the buttermilk mixture into the flour-butter bowl. Stir with a fork just until a shaggy dough forms and there are no large dry pockets of flour. The dough should look a little rough, not smooth.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat it into a rectangle about 1 inch thick. If you want extra layers, fold the dough in half, then in half again, and gently pat back to 1 inch thick (keep it gentle; don’t knead).

Step 5: Cut, brush, and bake the biscuits

Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out 8 biscuits. Press straight down (don’t twist), which helps the biscuits rise higher.

Place biscuits on the prepared baking sheet with their sides just barely touching for taller, softer sides, or spaced apart for crisper edges.

Brush the tops with 1 tbsp heavy cream and sprinkle with 1 tbsp coarse sugar (optional).

Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 14–16 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and the biscuits are tall.

Cool on the pan for 10 minutes before slicing and assembling.

Step 6: Make the whipped cream cheese topping

In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt until completely smooth, about 1 minute. Scrape down the bowl to remove any lumps.

With the mixer running on low, slowly pour in the cold heavy cream. Increase speed to medium-high and whip until the topping holds soft-to-medium peaks, about 1 to 2 minutes. It should be fluffy and spoonable, not stiff and dry.

Step 7: Assemble the strawberry shortcakes

Split each biscuit in half horizontally (a serrated knife works well). Place the bottom half on a plate.

Spoon a generous amount of strawberries and syrup over the bottom half. Add a big dollop of whipped cream cheese topping.

Add the top half of the biscuit and finish with an extra spoonful of berries and another small dollop of topping, if you like. Serve immediately while the biscuits are still a little warm.

Pro Tips

• Keep ingredients cold for taller biscuits. Cold butter and cold buttermilk create steam in the oven, which helps the biscuits rise and turn flaky.
• Don’t twist the cutter. Twisting seals the edges and can prevent a good rise; press straight down and lift straight up.
• Whip to soft-medium peaks. Over-whipping can make the topping grainy. Stop when it holds shape but still looks creamy.
• Let the berries sit the full 30 minutes. That time is what creates the syrupy juices that soak into the biscuit just enough.
• Assemble right before serving. The biscuits stay crispest and tallest when they aren’t sitting under juicy berries for too long.

Variations

• Balsamic strawberry shortcake: Add 1 tsp balsamic vinegar and a few cracks of black pepper to the strawberries for a deeper, grown-up flavor.
• Lemon-vanilla shortcake: Add 1 tsp finely grated lemon zest to the biscuit dry ingredients and another 1/2 tsp zest to the whipped topping.
• Mixed berry version: Use 1 lb strawberries plus 1 lb blueberries and/or raspberries; keep the same sugar and lemon.

Storage & Make-Ahead

Biscuits: Store baked biscuits airtight at room temperature for up to 2 days. Rewarm in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 6–8 minutes. Biscuits also freeze well: cool completely, wrap tightly, and freeze up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature and rewarm.

Strawberries: Refrigerate macerated strawberries in a covered container for up to 2 days. Stir before serving. (They will soften more as they sit.)

Whipped cream cheese topping: Refrigerate covered for up to 2 days. If it firms up, let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes and whisk briefly to fluff.

Best make-ahead plan: Bake biscuits earlier in the day, macerate berries up to a few hours ahead, and whip the topping up to 1 day ahead. Assemble just before serving.

Nutrition (per serving)

Approximate, based on 8 servings: 520 calories, 30 g fat, 58 g carbs, 7 g protein, 28 g sugar, 3 g fiber, 380 mg sodium.