September 3, 2026

Strawberry Shortcake With Flaky Buttermilk Biscuits

Name: Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 6 shortcakes
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced; 3 tbsp granulated sugar; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 1 tbsp baking powder; 1/4 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 tsp salt; 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed; 3/4 cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 tbsp for brushing; 1 cup cold heavy cream; 2 tbsp powdered sugar; 1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder (optional)

Buttermilk biscuits strawberry shortcake with sliced strawberries and whipped cream on a cake stand

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This buttermilk biscuits strawberry shortcake uses tall, flaky biscuits made with cold butter and buttermilk, split and filled with sugared strawberries and lightly sweetened whipped cream. The berries soak while you mix the dough, the biscuits bake for 13 to 15 minutes at 425°F, and 6 shortcakes are ready in about 45 minutes.

Quick answer

Toss 1 lb sliced strawberries with 3 tbsp sugar. Cut 1/2 cup cold butter into 2 cups flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar and 1/2 tsp salt, stir in 3/4 cup buttermilk, pat 1 inch thick and cut 6 biscuits. Bake at 425°F for 13 to 15 minutes. Split the warm biscuits and fill with the berries, their juice and whipped cream.

Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake

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Prep: 20 minCook: 15 minCool: 10 minTotal: 45 minYield: 6 shortcakes

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Table of Contents

Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients

For the strawberries

1 lb fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
3 tbsp granulated sugar

For the buttermilk biscuits

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cubed
3/4 cup cold buttermilk, plus 1 tbsp for brushing

For the whipped cream

1 cup cold heavy cream
2 tbsp powdered sugar
1/4 tsp vanilla bean powder (optional)

How to Make Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake

Toss the sliced strawberries with 3 tbsp sugar and let them stand for at least 30 minutes while you make the biscuits, stirring once or twice.
Heat the oven to 425°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
Whisk the flour, baking powder, 1/4 cup sugar and salt. Cut in the cold butter with a pastry cutter or your fingertips until the largest pieces are the size of peas.
Add the buttermilk and stir with a fork just until the dough comes together.
Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, pat it into a 1-inch-thick round and cut 6 biscuits with a 2 1/2-inch cutter, pressing straight down without twisting. Re-pat the scraps once.
Set the biscuits on the sheet, brush the tops with 1 tbsp buttermilk and bake for 13 to 15 minutes, until tall and golden.
While they bake, whip the cream with the powdered sugar and vanilla bean powder, if using, to soft peaks.
Cool the biscuits for 10 minutes, split them, and fill each with strawberries and their juice and a spoonful of whipped cream. Replace the tops and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Per shortcake (1 of 6) (estimated)

Calories: 530
Total fat: 31 g
Saturated fat: 19 g
Cholesterol: 85 mg
Sodium: 500 mg
Carbohydrates: 58 g
Fiber: 3 g
Sugar: 24 g
Protein: 7 g

Estimated from USDA FoodData Central SR Legacy values for all-purpose flour, baking powder, sugar, salt, unsalted butter, lowfat cultured buttermilk (FDC 170874), raw strawberries (FDC 167762), heavy cream and powdered sugar. The optional vanilla bean powder is not included.

Why Buttermilk Biscuits Make Better Strawberry Shortcake

Sponge cake soaks up strawberry juice and turns soft; the biscuit in buttermilk biscuits strawberry shortcake holds up. Its crisp, buttery outside and tender, flaky layers give the dessert contrast, and the buttermilk’s tang balances the sweet berries and cream. The acid in buttermilk also reacts with the baking powder for a taller rise. A quarter cup of sugar in the dough makes these strawberry shortcake biscuits lightly sweet without turning them into cake.

How to Get Flaky Biscuits for Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake

Keep everything cold. Cold butter melts in the oven and releases steam that separates the dough into layers. If your kitchen is warm, freeze the cubed butter for 10 minutes.
Leave pea-size butter pieces. Fully blended butter makes tender but flat biscuits.
Mix as little as possible. Stir just until the dough holds together; overworking makes tough biscuits.
Cut straight down. Twisting the cutter seals the edges and stops the biscuits rising evenly.
Bake them close together (edges almost touching) if you want taller, softer sides.

Macerating the Strawberries for Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake

Sugar draws juice out of the sliced berries and turns it into a light syrup that soaks into the bottom half of each biscuit. Thirty minutes is enough; up to 2 hours in the refrigerator is fine. Ripe, in-season strawberries give the most juice. For a quick shortcut with berries that are not very juicy, mash a quarter of them with the sugar before mixing them with the slices.

Swap	Use	Note
No buttermilk	3/4 cup milk plus 2 tsp lemon juice, rested 5 minutes	Slightly less tangy
Mixed berries	1 lb strawberries, blueberries and raspberries	Taste and add sugar as needed
Frozen strawberries	Thaw, drain half the liquid, then sugar	Softer texture
Drop biscuits	Add 2 tbsp more buttermilk and scoop 6 mounds	No rolling or cutting

Substitutions for buttermilk biscuits strawberry shortcake.

Make-Ahead Buttermilk Biscuits Strawberry Shortcake

Assemble the shortcakes just before serving so the biscuits stay crisp. You can bake the biscuits up to a day ahead and keep them airtight at room temperature, then warm them for 5 minutes at 350°F. Cut biscuits also freeze unbaked: freeze them on a tray, bag them, and bake from frozen at 425°F for 16 to 18 minutes. Keep the berries and whipped cream in the refrigerator, and don’t leave the assembled shortcakes out for more than 2 hours, as FoodSafety.gov advises for perishable foods. Leftover macerated strawberries keep for 2 to 3 days in the fridge.

For breakfast, the same buttermilk dough pairs well with our buttermilk pancakes with berries, and the gluten-free blueberry scones use a similar cold-butter method.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between shortcake biscuits and regular biscuits?

Shortcake biscuits have a little sugar in the dough and are often richer. Regular buttermilk biscuits are savory; both are flaky and made the same way.