Nothing says summer like easy Strawberry Shortcake.  Fresh sweet strawberries piled high on a sweet homemade buttermilk biscuit and topped with vanilla ice cream. What more could you ask for in a summertime dessert?!

If you love this easy strawberry shortcake recipe, then don’t miss my Strawberry Cheesecake Shortcake Parfait, Brownie Strawberry Shortcake, or Strawberry Shortcake Popsicles

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Strawberry Shortcake on a plate and topped with ice cream

Why We Love Easy Strawberry Shortcake

I think we all have that one thing in life no matter when and where you see it, you immediately think of those childhood summer memories. For me, what never fails to bring back everything I loved about summer as a kid, is strawberry shortcake. 

  • SIMPLE: One of the easiest desserts you can make. Thanks to Bisquick baking mix, you can have fluffy tender biscuits for strawberry shortcake in 15 minutes.
  • EASY: You don’t need to be a pastry chef to pull off this classic dessert recipe.
  • EVERYONE LOVES IT: Strawberry shortcake is a simple dessert that almost everyone loves.
  • NOSTALGIA : The combination of berries, whipped cream or ice cream, and fluffy biscuits bring back memories of childhood summers.

This easy strawberry shortcake recipe is that perfect backyard bbq, summer pool day, late-night sleepover kind of dessert. With freshly baked warm drop biscuit shortcakes and deliciously juicy sweet strawberries, this combo screams summer. 

Make a batch to share with friends, or hide it away to enjoy it all on your own, no matter how to serve it, you’ll be obsessed no matter what!

Strawberry Shortcake with vanilla ice cream

What Is Strawberry Shortcake?

Strawberry shortcake is a popular dessert made with a sweet cake or biscuit and sliced strawberries that are mixed with sugar for a sweet and juicy mixture that’s like no other. 

You’ll sometimes see recipes that use shortcake biscuits that are cut and shaped, but this recipe is made with simple drop biscuits that are equally as delicious, and twice as easy. 

The shortcakes are split and the bottoms are covered with a layer of strawberries, juice, and whipped cream. The top is replaced, and more strawberries and whipped cream or vanilla ice cream are added to the top. 

Strawberry Shortcake on a plate

How To Make Homemade Strawberry Short Cake With Biscuits

Strawberry shortcake is that classic dessert everyone should be making in the summer. There are no excuses to be made for not making this recipe because it’s just that easy. Just grab a few simple ingredients, get mixing, and in no time you’ll have a party-ready dessert. 

When you are baking, you’ll want to use the full recipe at the bottom of the page.

  1. In a large bowl, stir together Bisquick, buttermilk, sugar, orange juice, and zest until combined.
  2. Drop batter in 1/3 cup scoops about 2 inches apart onto a pan.
  3. Mix an egg with a little water and brush on the drop biscuit dough.
  4. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
  5. Slice strawberries and place them in bowl. Use a potato masher to mash strawberries slightly and stir in a little powdered sugar.

To assemble, simply, use a knife to split warm shortcakes then fill with strawberries and top with ice cream or whipped cream and more strawberries.

Tips For Picking Good Strawberries

To make this recipe truly as good as it can get, it all starts with picking out the right strawberries. Since the strawberries are the main focus, if your berries are bad, unfortunately, the whole dessert will be bad. No one want’s that, so let me give you a few tips on how to pick out the best strawberries.

  • If possible, try to buy local or organic produce at your local grocery store or farmers market. These local and organically grown strawberries will be of the best quality. 
  • If the strawberries are white or green at the top they aren’t ripe enough, so move on from those. 
  • Look for a deep red coloring. This means there will be a more intense flavor. 
  • Make sure the strawberries all look firm and solid. If any are starting to wrinkle it means the bunch is going bad, and won’t be nearly as good. 
Strawberry Shortcake bite on a fork

Strawberry Shortcake Topping Ideas

  • Top with homemade whipped cream. It only takes a few extra minutes, tastes so good, and is way cheaper than the canned stuff. For my favorite boozy whipped cream recipe, check out the bottom of this Chocolate Bread Pudding with Raspberry Sauce
  • Need to cool down on a hot summer day? Add some vanilla ice cream! Or jazz it up with your favorite fun flavor like cookies and cream, or chocolate brownie! 
  • Make it a triple-berry dessert and add two of your favorite berries like raspberries and blueberries. 
  • To give this a chocolate-covered strawberry shortcake vibe, drizzle some chocolate sauce on top. 

How to Store Strawberry Shortcake

If you want to store this strawberry shortcake for later, you’ll want to make sure you store everything separately. Don’t store them assembles or you will end up with a soggy mess. 

Store the strawberries in one airtight container and place them in the refrigerator. Then you’ll place your shortcake in an airtight container or ziptop bag and place them on the counter. Don’t store them in the refrigerator as they will get dried out. 

Once ready to enjoy, just assemble according to the direction in the recipe card below. For best results, I suggest consuming within 2-3 days as the drop biscuits do not stay fresh long. 

Strawberry Shortcake with ice cream

More Perfect Summer Strawberry Recipes!

  • Crustless Fresh Strawberry Pie – A simple Fresh Strawberry Pie with jello is the perfect skinny dessert. Just four guilt-free ingredients and you have a delicious low-carb crustless jello pie.
  • Easy Strawberry Cake – Bursting with fresh strawberries. You won’t be able to resist this simple and irresistible dessert.
  • Chocolate Strawberry Shortcake With Brownies – If you have a soft spot for chocolate with your strawberries – this recipe is your answer!
  • Strawberry Ice Cream – made with fresh strawberries. Plus, this is a completely no-cook recipe! You will love the bright, fresh strawberry flavor of this ice cream!
  • Strawberry Gooey Butter Cake With Oreo Cookie Layer – A simply delicious dessert bar with an unexpected Oreo cookie layer. If you are a fan of strawberries and gooey butter cake recipes, you will love this easy dessert recipe.
  • Honey Lime Strawberry Sauce – Keep a jar of this easy strawberry sauce in your fridge this summer. It is the perfect fruit topping for ice cream, waffles, or cheesecake.
  • Strawberry Moscow Mule – a traditional Moscow Mule with vodka, ginger beer, and lime, that gets fresh strawberries and basil muddled into the mixture. It’s the best cocktail out there for Summer and you should probably be drinking one over the weekend. 

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strawberry shortcake topped with vanilla ice cream

Tools Used to Make This Easy Strawberry Shortcake Recipe:

Glass Mixing Bowl Set: Everyone should have a good set of mixing bowls in their kitchen. This set is my favorite because the variety of sizes means I always have exactly what I need available. 

Potato Masher: This one might seem weird for a dessert recipe but just trust me. A potato masher is great for smashing strawberries and extracting the juices. I never make strawberry shortcake without it now!

Baking Sheet: Once I started using these aluminum baking sheets, I was in love. They are a great large size that will fit the needs of any recipe you might be making. 

Strawberry Shortcake with vanilla ice cream

Easy Strawberry Shortcake

Yield: 6 servings
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Chill Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes

Nothing says summer like Strawberry Shortcake.  Fresh sweet strawberries piled high on a sweet homemade buttermilk biscuit and topped with vanilla ice cream.

Ingredients

Strawberries

  • 2 1/2 lbs fresh strawberries, hulled
  • 1/4 cup powdered sugar

Biscuits

  • 2⅓ cups Bisquick Baking Mix
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 2 tablespoons orange juice
  • 1 teaspoon orange zest
  • 1 large egg, beaten

Optional

  • Ice cream or whipped cream
  • fresh mint for garnish

Instructions

  1. Slice strawberries and place them a medium bowl. Use a potato masher to mash strawberries slightly (you want some mashed and some to remain intact). Add powdered sugar and mix. Cover and chill at least 1 hour.
  2. Preheat oven to 450° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment, or spray pan with cooking spray.
  3. In a large bowl, stir together Bisquick, buttermilk, sugar, orange juice, and zest until combined. Drop batter in 1/3 cup scoops about 2-inches apart onto pan. Mix egg with 1 tablespoon water and brush on dough. Bake 10-12 minutes or until golden brown.
  4. To assemble: Using a knife, split warm shortcakes. Fill with strawberries and top with ice cream or whipped cream and more strawberries.

Notes

  • If you want to store this strawberry shortcake for later, you'll want to make sure you store everything separately. Don't store them assembles or you will end up with a soggy mess. 
  • Store the strawberries in one airtight container and place them in the refrigerator. Then you'll place your shortcake in an airtight container or ziptop bag and place them on the counter. Don't store them in the refrigerator as they will get dried out. 
  • Once ready to enjoy, just assemble according to the direction in the recipe card below. For best results, I suggest consuming within 2-3 days as the drop biscuits do not stay fresh long.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 369Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 682mgCarbohydrates: 60gFiber: 5gSugar: 30gProtein: 8g

Nutrition information is estimated based on the ingredients and cooking instructions as described in each recipe and is intended to be used for informational purposes only. Please note that nutrition details may vary based on methods of preparation, origin, and freshness of ingredients used and are just estimates. We encourage, especially if these numbers are important to you, to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.

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Originally posted in July 2014. UPDATED January 2024. We spiffed up this post with more information and new photos. No changes were made to the recipe.

strawberry shortcake photo collage