Strawberry Shortcake

Something Sweet Is Coming! 🍓✨

As you know, there's something berry special baking in the oven—two Strawberry Shortcake board books I had the absolute joy of writing! And they're arriving on bookshelves November 4!

Strawberry's Sweet Surprise & You Are Berry Special are sweet little stories filled with kindness, friendship, and just the right sprinkle of magic—and I’m so excited to share them with you and your littlest readers.

If you grew up loving Strawberry Shortcake and her berry best friends like I did, you’ll understand why this project has meant so much to me. The characters we adored are still spreading joy, and now a whole new generation gets to fall in love with them, too.

To celebrate, I whipped up a fun and fruity Strawberry Shortcake-inspired recipe that’s as cheerful and delicious as the books themselves. It’s a simple treat to make with your kiddos—soft, fluffy shortcakes layered with sweet strawberries and whipped cream, finished with a smile (and maybe a sprinkle or two of fairy dust). It’s the perfect way to add a little joy to your afternoon snack or story time.

The books are available for preorder now (happy dance!), and I’ll be sharing more fun sneak peeks and family-friendly recipes over the next few months. I truly can’t wait for you to read them.

Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Yield: serves 10–12

Ingredients

Strawberries + Whipped Cream

• 6–7 cups quartered strawberries

• 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided

• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

• 1 cup heavy cream

Biscuits

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 4 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 1 cup cold buttermilk

• 2 tablespoons heavy cream

• Coarse sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. For the strawberries: Stir the strawberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar together in a large bowl. Cover and set in the refrigerator until ready to use.

2. For the biscuits: Preheat oven to 400°F (204°C). Mix the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in a large bowl. Whisk until combined. Add the cubed butter, and cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form.

3. Pour buttermilk on top. Fold everything together with a large spoon or silicone spatula until it begins to come together. Do not overwork the dough. The dough will be shaggy and crumbly with some wet spots. Pour the dough and any dough crumbles onto a floured work surface and gently bring together with generously floured hands. Have extra flour nearby and use it often to flour your hands and work surface in this step.

4. Using floured hands or a floured rolling pin, flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Fold one side into the center, then the other side. Turn the dough horizontally. Gently flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle again. Repeat the folding again. Turn the dough horizontally one more time. Gently flatten into a 3/4-inch thick rectangle. Repeat the folding one last time. Flatten into the final 3/4-inch thick rectangle.

5. Cut into 3-inch circles with a biscuit cutter. Re-roll and flatten any scraps, and cut more circles until you have around 10–12 biscuits.

6. Arrange in a 10-inch cast iron skillet or close together on a parchment paper or silicone baking mat lined baking sheet. Make sure the biscuits are touching.

7. Brush the tops with 2 tablespoons heavy cream or buttermilk, and sprinkle with coarse sugar. Bake for 18–22 minutes or until biscuits are golden brown on top. Remove from the oven, then cool in the pan for at least 10 minutes before assembling.

8. For the whipped cream: Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, beat the heavy cream, 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, and vanilla on medium-high speed until soft-medium peaks form, about 3 minutes.

9. Slice the biscuits in half and layer with strawberries and whipped cream. Serve immediately.