While this classic recipe is traditionally served as dessert, my family has long enjoyed it for the occasional dinner when local strawberries are in season. Served with milk or yogurt, it’s great for breakfast too!
Making strawberry shortcake with freshly picked, local berries has long been tradition in my family.
My sister and I loved to toss the sliced berries with a few spoonfuls of sugar and watch as the natural juices accumulated into a rosy syrup. The texture of the modestly sweet shortcake was light and somewhere between a scone and an actual cake.
After spooning a generous amount of sweet, macerated berries and accompanying juices over the warm cake, we poured milk into our bowls and ate the strawberry shortcake as one would enjoy cereal or stovetop oatmeal.
The thing that might seem really strange to some is that my family enjoyed this meal for dinner－not as dessert, but as the main course! In the fall, we served apple dumplings in similar fashion.
When I got married, however, I realized that not every family shared this dessert-for-dinner tradition. When I made strawberry shortcake for the first time as a newlywed, my husband actually thought I was kidding and even looked in the oven where he was sure he’d find the real dinner hiding!
The following shortcake is my mom’s classic recipe. It’s easy, completely delicious, and allows for a store-bought shortcut in the form of Bisquick.
For those who need it, the company sells a spot-on gluten-free option. And happily, if you don’t have either on hand, I have a spot-on Homemade Bisquick Mix, which you can quickly whip up at home using all-purpose or gluten-free flour. The remaining few ingredients are pantry staples.
Not too sweet, this shortcake allows the strawberries to shine. Desired level of sweetness can be adjusted to taste via an extra sprinkle of sugar on top.
Though I still enjoy the warm shortcake served with milk, I also enjoy it with a hearty spoonful of vanilla yogurt. Of course, traditionalists may absolutely opt for whipped cream…whether served for breakfast, lunch, dinner, or dessert!
While strawberries are in season, you may also enjoy Gluten-Free Almond Coconut Shortcakes, which is naturally grain- and dairy-free, naturally sweetened, and another family favorite. Feel free to try either recipe with fresh peaches (with a few raspberries mixed in for good measure) or other fruits and berries you enjoy.
The versatility of this easy shortcake is unparalleled:
- You can make the shortcake two ways – in a baking pan or as drop biscuits. The drop biscuits are pictured above, but both methods are described in the recipe card.
- Where toppings are concerned, whipped cream is traditional. However, milk or yogurt are worthy alternatives that supply filling protein and calcium – and which made this recipe meal worthy in my family!
- It’s called strawberry shortcake for a reason, but peach, blueberry, and mixed berry shortcake taste great too!
- When I make the shortcake as biscuits, my husband and kids are likely to pick one up and eat it like a cookie. If you enjoy very lightly sweet cookies and baked goods like shortbread and scones, you may enjoy them that way too.
I’d love to know if you try this recipe! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @fountainavenuekitchen on Instagram and Facebook. Your feedback is always appreciated. 💛
Mom’s Classic Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
- 2⅓ cups (287g) biscuit mix, like Bisquick (original or gluten-free*) or this homemade version of Bisquick
- ½ cup (120ml) milk, plus a few extra tablespoons as needed
- 2-3 tablespoons (24-36g) sugar (I split the difference), plus more for sprinkling
- 3 tablespoons (45ml) butter, melted
- 1 pint strawberries (stems removed, sliced, and tossed with 2 tablespoons additional sugar)
- For serving: Warm milk, whipped cream, or yogurt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425℉.
- In a mixing bowl, stir together the biscuit mix, ½ cup milk, sugar, and melted butter. (Tip: I mix with a fork to prevent overtaxing.) Stir in additional milk, a tablespoon at a time, until the batter comes together. (You'll likely need 2-4 tablespoons more.) Mix until just combined.
- Drop by 6 large spoonfuls onto a cookie sheet or spread the batter into a 8×8 pan. (No need to grease; a 9-inch round pie plate works well too.) If desired, you can sprinkle the tops of the shortcakes with an extra pinch of sugar. Coarse sugar is pretty is you have it, but granulated works well too.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes or until lightly golden over the surface. As always, check a few minutes early, as all ovens vary, to avoid overcooking.
- Serve warm with the strawberries and their juices, as well as milk, yogurt, or whipped cream. An extra sprinkle of sugar may also be added as desired.
Notes
You may enjoy making the shortcake with a homemade version of Bisquick.
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