Sweet and Tender Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits

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Learn step-by-step how to make tender homemade biscuits that are perfect for strawberry shortcakes! Delicately sweet biscuits topped with ripe summer strawberries and fluffy homemade whipped cream - this is the perfect southern summertime dessert!

I am not the biggest sweets fan (except when I was pregnant then baby really changed haha!) but there are some desserts that I just can't say no to. Pound cake, warm blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream, and fruit pizza are all some of my favorite sweet treats - ESPECIALLY during the summer!

Sweet and Tender Strawberry Shortcake Biscuits assembled on a white plate with the cast iron skillet of biscuits in the background.

And what is more classic and southern that screams summer than strawberry shortcake?! It is such an easy no fuss recipe that everyone loves.

tender buttermilk biscuits that are slightly sweet
in-season ripe summer strawberries that have been marinated with some sugar to make a sticky sweet syrup that soaks right into the biscuits
and a huge pile of fluffy homemade whipped cream!

Man oh man - this is just what is needed with a cold bubbly glass of rose after a day in the sun by the pool with friends and family. If you are throwing a summer soiree, dinner party, picnic, or any type of get-together - strawberry shortcake biscuits are the perfect sweet ending to the meal!

Ingredients Needed

Marinated Strawberries

Strawberries and Sugar

A bowl of sugar and pie plate of strawberries on a white table.

Homemade Whipped Cream

Homemade Whipped Cream - trust me on this, you want to make your own whipped cream for this recipe! No Cool Whip or Ready Whip over here!! Making your own is so easy and only requires 5 minutes and 2 ingredients and it tastes 100000x better! You will never go back to the fake stuff again - promise!

A bowl of powdered sugar and a carton of heavy whipping cream on a white table.

Sweet Biscuits

Flour - I always use King Arthur brand flour for all my baking recipes.
Sugar - we are using the base recipe for buttermilk biscuits and adding a touch of sugar for a little bit of sweetness. This is the perfect dessert version of the beloved biscuit classic!
Baking Powder - make sure you have fresh baking powder - like within the past 6 months. I write the date on the lid so I don't forget to replace it every 6 months, even if it isn't used all the way (and it usually isn't). If you have old baking powder, this will affect the rise of the biscuits - they will not turn out as tall and tender as they should.
Salt
Baking Soda - same as the baking powder - this needs to be fresh!
Butter - make sure your butter is cold! Take it straight out of the fridge before needed. Read below in the "Homemade Biscuit Making Tips" for ways to keep this cold throughout this process. Using cold butter will help ensure we get those beloved flaky layers in the biscuits we all love!
Buttermilk - fun fact...I never buy buttermilk. I always make it at home for each recipe that is needed for it. To make your own buttermilk at home - fill a glass measuring cup of whole milk almost to the 1-cup mark. Add in 1 tablespoon of white vinegar making it one full cup. Let sit and curdle for 5 minutes. Use as needed in the recipe. This can be adjusted more or less depending on how much you need but it is roughly 1 tablespoon of white vinegar added to almost a cup of whole milk.
Lemon - we will need the zest of 1 lemon - it helps brighten up the recipe and compliments and balances the sweetness of the strawberries and whipped cream perfectly!
Demerara Sugar & Melted Butter - for topping the sweet biscuits.

Clear bowls of buttermilk, flour, sugar, spices, and butter on a white table.

Equipment Needed

You will need a couple of tools that will make this recipe just a bit easier.

Pastry Cutter - this will help cut the fat into the dough making it ultra tender and flaky
Food Processor - alternatively, you can also use a food processor to chop up the butter in the flour. This way is a little faster - both work and just a personal preference. I do both
Rolling Pin
Biscuit Cutter or Cookie Cutter - the tool needed for cutting out the biscuits
Cast Iron Skillet - the key to cooking these biscuits
Pastry Scraper - I use this to slice the biscuits for this recipe (a knife can also be used), but also to clean off the countertops after.

To use a pastry cutter or a food processor for this recipe? It is a personal preference and I have done both! I grew up only using a pastry cutter and cutting in the fats by hand in a large bowl. But I have also used a food processor to make it a little faster. If using a food processor though - only use it to cut the butter into the flour! After that, transfer it to a large bowl and add the rest by hand so that the dough will not be overworked and tough. Do not the buttermilk to the food processor, and use that to mix! It will overwork it and will not result in tender tall biscuits.

Step-By-Step Instructions

How to Marinate the Strawberries

Slice strawberries thinly and add to a bowl along with sugar and mix.
Place in the fridge for at least 2 hours to marinate (and up to 8 hours before).

Slicing strawberries on a cutting board. — Thinly slice strawberries and add to a bowl.

Sliced strawberries in a clear bowl with sugar on top. — Sprinkle sugar on top, mix, and place in the fridge to marinate.

How to Make Homemade Whipped Cream

Follow this easy recipe for homemade whipped cream that only requires 2 ingredients and 5 minutes to make!

A stand mixer with a whisk attachment making homemade whipped cream. — Whip together a batch of homemade whipped cream.

Sweet Buttermilk Biscuits

Step 1 - Preheat oven. Preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit.

Step 2 - Mix dry ingredients. Mix dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Step 3 - Cut in cold butter. Using a pastry cutter, cut in the cold butter until the dough has pea-sized clumps in it and is crumbly.

Flour, spices, and butter in a food processor. — Place flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cold butter in a food processor or a large bowl.

Flour in a food processor after it has pulsed in cold butter. — Pulse a couple of times to cut the cold butter into small chunks - or use a pastry cutter to do the same in a large bowl.

Step 4 - Add wet ingredients. Pour in the cold buttermilk and lemon zest. Gently mix together with a spatula. The dough will look dry and crumbly - that is ok, you do not want to overmix the dough!

Flour and buttermilk in a clear bowl on a counter top. — Add the flour and butter mixture to a large bowl and pour in the cold buttermilk and the zest of 1 lemon.

Sweet biscuit dough in a clear bowl with a spatula. — Gently. mix together to form the dough. The dough will look slightly dry and crumbly and that is ok!

Step 5 - Prep Dough. Place dough on a countertop and gently bring it together with your hands and a rolling pin in a round disk around about ½" high.

Step 6 - Cutting biscuits. With a 2 ½" round biscuit or cookie cutter, cut straight down into the dough and lift up. Place in a cast iron skillet that has been rubbed with shortening to grease. Repeat until all the dough has been used - being gentle to bring it together each time and not overwork the dough. Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse demerara sugar.

Sweet biscuit dough on a counter top. — Pour biscuit dough onto a counter and gently bring it together in a round disk about a ½" thick with your hands and a rolling pin. Be careful to not overwork!

Cutting out biscuits with a biscuit cutter on a counter top. — Cut out biscuits and place them in a greased cast iron skillet where they are slightly touching each other.

Step 7 - Baking biscuits Place the cast iron skillet in the preheated oven and bake for 12-14 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool for 5-10 minutes.

Biscuits in a cast iron skillet with sugar sprinkled on top before going into the oven. — Brush the tops with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar - bake in a preheated oven at 450 for 12-14 till the tops are just golden brown.

Step 7 - Strawberry Shortcake Assembly

Gently pull apart the biscuits in half. Spoon over the desired amount of strawberries and whipped cream. Enjoy!

Sweet buttermilk biscuits after baking in a cast iron skillet with slices strawberries and whipped cream around them. — To assemble - open the biscuit in half. Spoon on the desired amount of strawberries with lots of juice to soak into the biscuits. Top with a generous amount of homemade whipped cream and the biscuit top. Enjoy!

Homemade Biscuit-Making Tips

It can be easy to mess up homemade biscuits. Here are some tips that will help you in your baking process.

ONE - do not overwork the dough! This is the most important tip! To keep strawberry shortcake biscuits tender and soft - so the key is you CANNOT overwork the tender dough. Bring together the dough with your hands and use gentle pressure with the rolling pin. You do not want to be squeezing, pressing, rolling hard, and bringing the dough together a bunch. This will result in dense biscuits that will not be tender and rise tall. The dough will be crumbly throughout the process and that is ok and correct.
TWO - use cold fats. Using cold butter will help the biscuits have a tender flaky texture. When the cold butter pieces hit the hot heat of the oven, the water in the butter will evaporate leaving pockets of air that will create the flaky layers we love. If the butter gets too warm throughout the process this will hinder this from happening. It is important that your butter and buttermilk be straight out of the fridge and that you work quickly with the dough. If it has been out a while, pop the biscuits in the freezer for 10 minutes after you have brushed them with melted butter and topped them with coarse sugar before baking to help them chill again.
THREE - cutting the fats into small pieces. You want to make sure the biscuit dough resembles a crumbly texture with pea-sized butter pieces cut into the dough before adding the buttermilk. By having small pieces of fat in the dough, you are ensuring a tender and flaky biscuit every time. Using a pastry cutter or a food processor will make this easy to do.
FOUR - prepping your skillet - on a paper towel, take some lard or shortening and rub it all around your cast iron skillet before placing the biscuits it. This helps prep the pan and prevents the biscuits from sticking to the bottom while baking.

Spreading shortening in a cast iron skillet with a paper towel to grease for biscuits. — Wipe your skillet with a little bit of shortening in a paper towel to grease before placing in the biscuits.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to Store Leftovers

Keep leftovers stored in an airtight ziptop bag in the fridge for 3 days. Pop in the microwave for 10 seconds to gently warm back up. Strawberries can be kept airtight in the fridge for 2 days. Homemade whipped cream will last covered tightly in the fridge for a week.

How to Make in Advance and Freeze

Bake and cool biscuits. Place on a baking sheet and place in the freezer for 30 minutes to flash freeze. Put the frozen biscuits in a freezer-safe ziptop bag sealed airtight for 6 months. To thaw - move to fridge for 24 hours before use. Make the strawberries and whipped cream up to 24 hours before serving or the day of.

What Is the Best Pan to Bake Biscuits In?

Using a cast iron skillet to bake biscuits is what has been done in my family for generations. It gives it the perfectly baked bottom and just overall better flavor - while I have no way to prove that, it's just what has been done for generations and I continue to do the same.

2 plates of strawberry shortcake with more biscuits, strawberries and whipped cream around it.

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