Homemade Strawberry Shortcake with Biscuits Recipe

Forget those little store-bought fake-cake shortcakes! This is the most delicious strawberry shortcake recipe we’ve ever made! We layer our buttery, flaky homemade biscuits with irresistible sweet strawberries and whipped cream to make homemade strawberry shortcake completely from scratch!

This strawberry shortcake is so simple that you can make it within the hour, and so satisfying that it will easily become your go-to summer dessert.

For me, the moment that marks the beginning of summer is when I bite into my first strawberry of the season. Is it even a lazy summer day if it doesn’t end with juicy berries piled on flaky biscuits and a big dollop of freshly whipped cream?! Homemade strawberry shortcake is the essential dessert for summer!

Gardening with Mom

I grew up obsessed with strawberry shortcake! Not only was it my favorite, it was a reward for hard work. 

Every summer, we’d plant the biggest garden, and by “we,” I mostly mean my mom. I remember Dad tilling the soil, and my 4 siblings and I “helping” for what felt like hours (it was probably 30 minutes). We’d dig through tomato vines and hunt for huge spiders with colorful patterns and potato bugs, then rush back to the house with dirt in our shoes and under our nails.

Fried Chicken, Jojo’s and Strawberry Shortcake

After a hot shower, we’d all pile around the table for fried chicken, JoJos (if you’re from the Pacific Northwest, you know), and to finish the day: strawberry shortcake. Always from those little spongy packages, always stealing the bits stuck to the white cardboard, and always – always – a big scoop of Cool Whip on top.

From Scratch Biscuits for Strawberry Shortcake

These days, unlike the little packaged angel food cakes, we make our shortcakes with from scratch flaky, buttery biscuits as a nod to BurgerVille (a PNW classic).  But the berries? Still done the way Mom taught us: 

How to Make Fresh Strawberries for Strawberry Shortcake

What’s the secret to Mom’s extra sweet berries?

Smash a few, slice the rest, sprinkle on a little sugar, and let them sit! That’s the secret to extra-juicy, syrupy strawberries – and trust me, they are heavenly.

Tips for Perfectly Flaky Biscuits

• Use a food processor or pastry cutter to cut in extra cold butter, jus like you would for a pie crust.  
• Use unsalted butter to control the salt of the biscuit. 
• Don’t over mix as this will lead to a tough bis

How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream

Whipped cream that doesn’t weep or melt after it has set for a while is mostly likely stabilized whipped cream. It sounds a little fancy, but it is super easy to make!

Have you ever bit into a cupcake from a bakery with perfectly piped frosting expecting buttercream only to find that it’s whipped cream? How does it hold that perfect shape? Let’s learn How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream!

I use this stabilized cream to top pies, cupcakes, cakes and cheesecakes. I love it because it’s not overly sweet and is light and airy, and it will hold it’s shape for 2-3 days in the refrigerator.

The secret to making it stabilized is gelatin. It doesn’t taste like anything so it doesn’t affect the flavor at all but will add structure and make the whipped cream more stable so it won’t deflate.

We will walk through the steps of how to do it and then you’ll be ready for all the holiday baking!

What Ingredients Do I Need for Stabilized Whipped Cream?

You only need 5 ingredients for this recipe! Jump down to the recipe card for the exact measurements.

• Water (should I count that as an ingredient??)
• Gelatin (unflavored) – usually found on the top shelf by the Jello
• Heavy Whipping Cream
• Powdered Sugar – also called confectioner’s sugar
• Vanilla Extract

How to Make Stabilized Whipped Cream

I promised earlier that this was super easy, so here is how to do it…

• Add water to a microwave-safe bowl and sprinkle the unflavored gelatin powder evenly over the top. Allow to sit for a few minutes to let it bloom. It will look like the first picture below.

• Transfer the gelatin mixture to the microwave and microwave until the gelatin is fully dissolved (this can also be done on the stove top in a sauce pan). This will be super quick, like 5-7 seconds. Stir the mixture, then set aside to cool.

• In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (an electric mixer will also work), combine the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and whip on medium high speed until the mixture starts to thicken and soft peaks form. A soft peak is when you pull the beaters out and the cream holds its shape for a couple of seconds but then falls.
• Turn the mixer to low speed and slowly pour in the gelatin mixture until well combined, increasing the mixer to medium speed and continue mixing until stiff peaks form. Stiff peaks are when you pull the beaters out and the cream holds its shape indefinitely.
• Place the whipped cream into a piping bag with your favorite tip. Pipe onto your dessert and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Recipe

It’s not just a vanilla bean whipped cream, it’s hands down my most favorite thing ever to serve alongside desserts or even just to dip fresh berries in. And the best part? It’s just as easy as a plain whipped cream.

Ingredients Needed for Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream

You only need 4 ingredients for this luscious whipped cream! Here is your shopping list:

• Heavy Whipping Cream: you’ll need a pint of whipping cream to make this recipe
• Vanilla Bean Pods: if you don’t have vanilla bean pods, add a splash of vanilla extract
• Powdered Sugar: also called confectioners’ sugar
• Mascarpone: can be found in the grocery store near the ricotta cheese or cream cheese

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card below.

How to Make Vanilla Bean Whipped Cream Recipe

Making this vanilla bean whipped cream is just as easy as making regular whipped cream with just a couple extra steps.

1. Beat the whipped cream with a hand mixer (or with the whisk attachment on a stand mixer) in a mixing bowl until soft peaks form. Don’t over whip!
2. Add the vanilla beans (see next section for directions on scraping vanilla bean pods) and powdered sugar and beat until soft peaks form again.
3. Beat until stiff peaks form.
4. Serve on top of pies, cake, waffles, pancakes, or use as a dip for fresh fruit. Everything is better with a dollop of vanilla bean whipped cream!

These instructions can also be found in the recipe card below. You can print or save the recipe there as well.

How to Scrape Vanilla Bean Pods

Place the bean pod on a cutting board and slice it lengthwise using the tip of a paring knife. Use the edge of the paring knife to scrape the length of the pod removing the seeds or beans as you go.

Should I Use Powdered Sugar or Granulated Sugar in Whipped Cream?

You can use either granulated or powdered sugar. I prefer to use powdered sugar because it’s so light and doesn’t weigh down the whipping cream. 

Is Whipping Cream The Same As Heavy Cream?

Whipping cream and heavy cream are the same thing. They both contain at least 36% or more milk fat, but the difference between whipping cream and heavy cream is that whipping tends to be more fluffy when whipped. But you can use them interchangeably.

Is There a Substitute for Heavy Cream?

There isn’t really a substitute for heavy cream when trying to make whipped cream. If you want to make a dairy-free whipped cream, you can use full-fat c