Our Classic Strawberry Shortcake recipe includes homemade sweet biscuits, macerated fresh strawberries, and made-from-scratch whipping cream.

This is one of those old-fashioned recipes for a classic Strawberry Shortcake passed down through the family. This recipe is a keeper. You can print the recipe card below.

My mother made dishes like this. Any time we saw Mama reading recipes, we knew something good was about to happen!

This article contains affiliate links. Please see our Disclosure Policy.

Ingredients for Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

The Strawberries

• 4-5 Cups fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/3 Cup sugar

Sweet Biscuit Ingredients

• 3 Cups All Purpose flour
• 1/4 Cup sugar
• 2 Tbsp. aluminum free Baking powder, like this brand
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 Cups Cold buttermilk, divided
• 3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
• Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top, like this Turbinado

Whipped Cream Ingredients

• 2 cups cold Heavy cream
• 1 tsp. Vanilla extract, I like this brand
• 1/3 Cup powdered sugar

Directions

There are multiple steps to this recipe. We begin by soaking the strawberries in sugar to bring out their natural juices. We want that strawberry syrup! Then we make those sweet biscuits and finally, we will whip up some homemade whipped cream to go on top.

Preparing the strawberries

Step 1

Wash your strawberries and then slice off the tip end, the part with the leaves. You can toss this into your compost pile.

Step 2

Slice the strawberries lengthwise. Depending on how big your strawberries are, you should be able to get at least three slices per strawberry.

Kitchen Tip: You can use an egg slicer, like this one to get nice even slices in your strawberries.

Step 3

Macerate the strawberries. Place the strawberries in a large bowl. Sprinkle with the sugar then toss to coat all. Cover with plastic wrap and sit in the refrigerator for several hours or overnight. Stir occasionally while the strawberries are soaking. You can see the syrup beginning to form.

Making the sweet biscuits

Step 1

Preheat your oven to 400° and prepare the dough. In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.

Step 2

Add the cubed cold butter to the dry ingredients. We do not want room-temperature butter for this recipe. Cold butter is important to these homemade biscuits.

How To Cut Butter Into Flour

Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter. If you have a food processor, this step can be done on pulse or the old-fashioned way with two butter knives. You want the mixture to be crumbly.

Step 3

Add 1 1/4 cups cold buttermilk to the flour mixture and stir just until combined. The dough should be a little wet but still just a bit crumbly too. Be careful not to overwork the dough.

Step 4

Time to roll out and shape the dough.

Spread a sheet of parchment paper or use a silicone baking mat on your countertop for easier cleanup. These disposable counter covers are the ideal solution for quick cleanup.

Place the dough onto your prepared surface then use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a rectangle shape, about 3/4″ thick.

Trim the edges using a sharp knife. Be careful not to cut through your parchment paper.

Step 4

Now cut the dough into 12 equal squares to shape your sweet biscuits.

Lightly brush the tops of your biscuits with the remaining buttermilk.

Sprinkle a little sugar onto the top of the biscuits.

Step 5

Transfer the biscuits carefully to a large, rimmed baking sheet. Place in your preheated oven and bake for about 14-15 minutes or until nice and golden brown. Oven temps vary so you need to begin checking after about 10 minutes.

Allow the biscuits to cool for a minute or so after removing from the oven then transfer to a wire rack to completely cool.

How to make the whipped cream

While your sweet biscuits are cooling, go ahead and make the whipped cream.

Remove the heavy whipping cream from the refrigerator, we need it to be cold for this recipe. Beat all three ingredients in a large mixing bowl using a hand mixer or stand mixer, until light and fluffy.

You can sit the freshly made whipped cream in the refrigerator, covered while you prepare your Strawberry shortcakes.

Printable recipe card below.

Assemble the Classic Strawberry Shortcakes

Step 1

Cut your beautiful fresh from the oven, cooled biscuits in half.

Step 2

Top the bottom half of the biscuit with whipped cream. Then top the whipped cream with a generous scoop of your soaked strawberries.

Step 3

Add the sweet biscuit top followed by more strawberries and finally another big dollop of whipped cream.

Serve and enjoy!

Making the biscuits a day ahead?

You can make the sweet biscuits a day or so ahead of your event. Store them in an airtight container until ready to use. Then simply follow the assembly instructions.

Do not make your whipping cream until you are ready to use it.

Classic Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Strawberry shortcake is one of the classic summer desserts we all look forward to. It’s a perfect dessert idea for Mother’s Day or any gathering during the summer months.

A lot of folks use a sponge cake but I’m confident that once you enjoy this old-fashioned strawberry shortcake recipe with those made from scratch sweet biscuits, you won’t go back to sponge cake.

More Homemade Dessert Recipe Ideas

Strawberry Cake with Strawberry Buttercream Frosting, tricks with cake mix. This cake vanishes quickly.

Grasshopper Poke Cake Recipe with chocolate fudge sauce and minty cream cheese frosting

Chocolate Covered Strawberries, easy recipe. Great for Valentine‘s or anytime.

Old Fashioned Three Layer Lemon Cake with Homemade Lemon Cream Cheese Frosting

Easy Pineapple Upside Down Cake recipe made in the Iron Skillet

Simple Orange Blossom Bundt Cake recipe with White Chocolate Ganache drizzle

Citrus Cake with Citrus Cream Cheese Frosting, another, tricks with cake mix recipe

Key Lime Cake Recipe with Key Lime Cream Cheese Frosting