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The Best Strawberry Shortcake

July 6, 2017

Strawberries are in season and it’s time for a summer classic. . . strawberry shortcake.  My version is light and fluffy and keeps well for up to a week.  You can also freeze the biscuits and save them for raspberry, blueberry, and peach season too!

I recently made 120 of them for Alexandra and Carvil’s backyard wedding reception and they were a huge hit!  Many of their guests came back for seconds.

Summer means strawberries. . . and strawberry shortcake! Learn how to bake the perfect shortcake biscuit and have your guests coming back for seconds. This easy homemade recipe will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time. #strawberryrecipe #strawberryshortcake #sweettreats #easydessert #easydessert recipe #summerdessert

How to Make Easy Homemade Strawberry Shortcake

Strawberry shortcake is easy to make, but there are a few things you should know to help you get better results.

Mix with your hands. . .but not too much

Yes, you can use a tool, but you’ll be cutting forever and your butter or margarine won’t mix nearly as evenly.  Mix and break apart until everything is pea-sized or less.

Once you add cold milk, try not to knead too much.  It’s a fine balance between getting all the flour worked in and overworking your dough.  Every new baker makes their biscuit dough too tough the first time or two, so don’t worry if it happens to you.

Summer means strawberries. . . and strawberry shortcake! Learn how to bake the perfect shortcake biscuit and have your guests coming back for seconds. This easy homemade recipe will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time. #strawberryrecipe #strawberryshortcake #sweettreats #easydessert #easydessert recipe #summerdessert

Butter is Best

I made the version for the wedding using margarine so it would be vegan-friendly.  If you and your guests are not opposed, use butter for the best results.  Don’t worry, it will still taste great either way.

Get the summer dessert recipe that will have your guests begging for seconds.Click To Tweet

Summer means strawberries. . . and strawberry shortcake! Learn how to bake the perfect shortcake biscuit and have your guests coming back for seconds. This easy homemade recipe will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time. #strawberryrecipe #strawberryshortcake #sweettreats #easydessert #easydessert recipe #summerdessert

Flour and Roll

Lightly flour the surface you’ll be rolling out the biscuits on.  Roll to between a 1/2 inch and 3/4 inch thickness.  If you don’t want to cut them into shapes, you can press your biscuit dough into a pan and cut it out in squares.  I used something similar to this heart shaped cookie cutter.

If you are cutting your biscuits into shapes, be aware that if you reuse the dough those biscuits will be a bit tougher.  I personally can’t bear the thought of throwing away good dough, so I deal with the little bit of toughness.

Related: Strawberry Feta Salad

Summer means strawberries. . . and strawberry shortcake! Learn how to bake the perfect shortcake biscuit and have your guests coming back for seconds. This easy homemade recipe will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time. #strawberryrecipe #strawberryshortcake #sweettreats #easydessert #easydessert recipe #summerdessert

 


Second Helping Strawberry Shortcake
The best strawberry shortcake that will have your guests begging for seconds.Serves 122 1/3 cups flour,
2 tbsp sugar,
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder,
1 tsp salt,
1/2 cup butter or margarine,
1 cup cold milk,

Strawberries,
Whipped Cream.

Instructions:

Combine first 4 ingredients in a bowl. Add margarine and cut in until pea sized or less. Add milk and stir. Knead lightly until all flour is incorporated. You should end up with a slightly sticky, but rollable dough.

Lightly flour the rolling surface and the top of your dough. Roll out the dough to 1/2-3/4 inch thick. Cut with your favourite cookie cutter. Spread a few drops of milk on the top of the biscuit and sprinkle some coarse sugar. (Regular sugar works too.)

Bake at 425 F for 13-15 minutes or until some spots are a light brown. Cool and serve with whipped cream and strawberries.

 

Summer means strawberries. . . and strawberry shortcake! Learn how to bake the perfect shortcake biscuit and have your guests coming back for seconds. This easy homemade recipe will have you in and out of the kitchen in no time. #strawberryrecipe #strawberryshortcake #sweettreats #easydessert #easydessert recipe #summerdessert

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Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

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Filed Under: Baking, Fruit Season, Recipes Tagged: biscuits, shortcake, Strawberries, strawberry shortcake

About Kristen Raney

Kristen is a former farm kid turned urban gardener who owns the popular gardening website, Shifting Roots.  She is obsessed with growing flowers and pushing the limits of what can be grown in her zone 3b garden.  She also loves to grow tomatoes, but oddly enough, dislikes eating them raw.

Comments

  1. [email protected]'m Busy Being Awesome says

    July 7, 2017 at 7:06 am

    This looks divine! 120 shortcakes?! You're a rockstar :-D Have you ever tried with gluten free flours?
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 7, 2017 at 8:26 am

      Not this recipe, but I'd be up for the challenge!
      Reply
  2. Kristi File says

    July 7, 2017 at 7:13 am

    OMG this seriously looks like the best strawberry shortcake EVER! The idea of putting it on a biscuit is genius!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 7, 2017 at 8:25 am

      Thanks friend!
      Reply
  3. Falak says

    July 7, 2017 at 7:25 am

    Omg that looks so good! Can't wait to make it. Luckily my husband just picked up a big box of strawberries from Costco yesterday!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 7, 2017 at 8:25 am

      Strawberries from Costco are always the best.
      Reply
  4. Christine C says

    July 7, 2017 at 8:04 am

    Strawberry shortcake is one of my favorites! Love the heart shapes for the wedding!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 7, 2017 at 8:26 am

      Me too! It just added that little extra touch.
      Reply
  5. Gabby says

    July 7, 2017 at 8:04 am

    I'm not a big strawberry person myself but my husband is. I'd love to make this for him for dessert one night as a surprise! Thanks for sharing!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 7, 2017 at 8:26 am

      You're welcome!
      Reply
  6. jackie says

    July 7, 2017 at 10:08 am

    wow, seriously these look so good! i am going to have to try them! thank you for sharing!
    Reply
  7. Yolanda says

    July 7, 2017 at 11:09 am

    This is my favourite! I have to try this myself and I have to say, I love that you make the cake into hearts - very cute :)
    Reply
  8. Emily says

    July 7, 2017 at 11:31 am

    I love the heart shaped cookie cutters you used! This dish is so cute and yummy looking!
    Reply
  9. Danielle @ A Sprinkle of Joy says

    July 7, 2017 at 11:33 am

    Those turned out so cute! One thing I wished I had learned from my grandma was how she made pie crust. She made the best pie crust. I love that you cut out heart shapes!
    Reply
  10. Casey the College Celiac says

    July 7, 2017 at 12:37 pm

    This has me drooling! The shortcake looks super fluffy and I'm a sucker for strawberries! I love how simple the ingredients are too...
    Reply
  11. Leslie says

    July 7, 2017 at 2:46 pm

    Strawberry shortcake is my weakness! Oh my gosh i bet this is SO good with the homemade biscuits, yum!
    Reply
  12. Taylor Mead | The Millennial Sprinkle says

    July 7, 2017 at 8:24 pm

    These look so delicious! I will definitely be making them this summer, thanks so much for sharing the recipe! xx, Taylor (thesprinkle.tayloramead.com)
    Reply
  13. Robin says

    July 8, 2017 at 8:43 am

    Omg YUM, this sounds so good! My husband and I love strawberry shortcake, and I want to experiment with some variations this summer. I've been wanting to try putting basil ice cream on it!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 8, 2017 at 10:47 am

      Basil ice cream sounds like an amazing idea!
      Reply
  14. colleen wool says

    July 9, 2017 at 1:53 pm

    This recipe looks so delicious and easy to make. I cant wait to try it!
    Reply
    • Kristen Raney says

      July 9, 2017 at 10:52 pm

      Thank you! Let me know how it turns out!
      Reply
  15. Suzanne Spiegoski says

    July 10, 2017 at 11:03 am

    Strawberry shortcake is my favorite dessert! It was my wedding cake! YUM
    Reply

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Welcome!

Hi, I'm Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

P.S. First time gardener? You'll want to download the quick start gardening guide below!

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Kristen and I help new gardeners learn to grow their own vegetables and beautify their yards. I also share recipes that use all that delicious garden produce. Grab a coffee (and your gardening gloves) and join me for gardening tips, simple recipes, and the occasional DIY, all from the lovely city of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

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Instagram post 2194466595210828187_2204272319 DAY 7: 12 days of Christmas Baking⁠
⁠
So why am I showing you cinnamon buns that aren't cooked?  To prove how much delectable sauce will be at the bottom of this version. . . obviously. 😉⁠
⁠
You can make this cinnamon bun recipe the night before, then set it in the fridge to rise overnight.  Then all you have to do in the morning is heat the oven, cook the cinnamon buns while everyone is unwrapping presents, and they'll be fresh, hot, and ready by the time you're done.⁠
⁠
I also like to save a bit of the sauce and pour it over the cinnamon buns right when they come out of the oven.⁠
⁠
Ingredients:⁠
1 tbsp yeast,⁠
1 tbsp sugar,⁠
1 cup warm water,⁠
2 eggs,⁠
5 cups flour,⁠
pinch of salt,⁠
cinnamon for sprinkling,⁠
brown sugar for sprinkling,⁠
1/2 cup melted butter for rolls,⁠
1 cup cream,⁠
1 cup brown sugar,⁠
1 cup butter.⁠
⁠
Instructions:⁠
⁠
Dissolve sugar in warm water and add yeast. Let sit for ten minutes. Whisk in two eggs. Add flour one cup at a time and mix with dough hook. Add in the pinch of salt with one of your cups of flour. Do not add in the salt before the flour, as it can make the yeast less effective. Let the dough rise in a greased bowl for 60-90 minutes, or until doubled. If it is cold outside, let rise in an oven that has been warmed up and turned off.⁠
⁠
To make sauce, combine the cream, brown sugar, and butter in a sauce pan and mix until combined. Do not boil.⁠
⁠
When the dough has doubled, punch down and divide into 4 smaller balls. Roll out into a rectangle. Spread over some of the melted butter. Sprinkle brown sugar and cinnamon. Roll up and cut into pieces with a string (as shown in the photo above). Set in a greased pie plate or casserole dish and pour in some sauce. Reserve a bit of sauce for drizzling at the end. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until light golden brown. Drizzle with reserved sauce and enjoy!⁠
⁠
#christmasbaking #holidaybaking #cinnamonbuns #theeverygirlbakes #homesteadingskills #urbanhomesteadskills #bakingaddiction #bakinglover
Instagram post 2193741846005217737_2204272319 DAY 6: 12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
⁠
Today's recipe requires a little more time, but it's the weekend, so you can do it!  This recipe is what my family lovingly refers to as Hutzelbrot.  It's some sort of combination of 3 different German Christmas breads--if you want the full story you'll have to hop on the blog and read about the research I did.  Like many of my family recipes, it's roots are German, but it definitely got North-Americanized along the way.  Anyway.⁠
⁠
It's better than fruitcake and delicious as a breakfast bread.  I didn't really like it as a kid, but now that I'm an adult I gobble it up like there's no tomorrow.⁠
⁠
Ingredients⁠
⁠
2 1/2 cups dried fruit such as peaches, pears, apples, figs, apricots, prunes, cranberries, or currants.⁠
1/2 cup of raisins⁠
5 1/4 cups unbleached white flour⁠
1/2 cup warm water⁠
1 1/2 tbsp dry yeast⁠
1/2 tsp sugar or honey⁠
1 cup liquid from cooking fruit⁠
1 tsp cinnamon⁠
1 tsp salt⁠
1 tsp grated lemon or orange peel⁠
1/2 tsp ground cloves⁠
1/4 cup honey⁠
1/2 cup melted butter⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Boil all fruit except raisins. Drain and set one cup of liquid aside for use in the bread recipe.⁠
Combine sugar, yeast and 1/2 cup warm water and let yeast rise for 10 minutes.⁠
Put all ingredients in a mixer and mix with a dough hook until the dough makes a nice soft ball. You can mix by hand, but it is very difficult dough to work with and don't recommend it for beginners.⁠
Place dough in a greased bowl, cover with a tea towel, and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size. This can range from 1-2 hours depending on the humidity level where you live.⁠
Punch down and shape into loaves. Place in greased bread pans and poke holes in the top with a fork. Let rise for 30 minutes to 1 hour.⁠
Bake at 350 for 40-50 minutes, or 25-30 minutes if you use smaller loaf pans.⁠
Notes⁠
⁠
Rising times vary greatly depending on how much humidity is in the air on baking day. Even though the recipe takes a long time, most of that is spent impatiently waiting for the dough to rise.
Instagram post 2193017018314283996_2204272319 DAY 5: 12 days of Christmas Baking ⁠
⁠
Shortbread is one of my favourite Christmas treats, but whenever I made it I would always mess it up.  The first time I tried to replace the butter with margarine. . . bad idea.  Another time, I chose a three ingredient recipe that was so crumbly it wasn't worth eating.  Then I found this recipe and everything was better!! Until 2 Christmas's ago when I went to Jamaica and decided to make them for my new relatives.  Hot and humid country + different butter= cookies that were a complete disaster.  However, we didn't throw them away and someone served them when everyone came to visit the condo we rented.  I was mortified, but my brother-in-law's family loved them, as they had never experienced North American style baking.⁠
⁠
Moral of the story?  Don't make these in a tropical-weather country.  But even if they flop, they're still really delicious!⁠
⁠
1 cup corn starch,⁠
1 cup icing sugar,⁠
2 cups flour,⁠
1 1/2 cups butter, softened⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Mix all ingredients and spoon on to a cookie sheet.⁠
Optional: chill for 30 minutes and roll out for a cut cookie⁠
Apply sprinkles or cherries before baking⁠
Bake at 300 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 to 20 minutes. Cookies should have the barest hint of light brown at the edges. Makes 48 small cookies⁠
⁠
If you want the cookies to look like this, skip the sprinkles and the cherries and bake them plain instead.  Once everything has cooled, dip cookies in melted white chocolate and sprinkles.
Instagram post 2192292281407280453_2204272319 DAY 4:  12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
⁠
Sometimes, I feel like I am a terrible neighbour.  The Hermit and I rarely get to the communal shovelling of the winter snow for our neighbours first.  There's always some weird garden experiment going on, and it feels like we've been renovating forever.  How do I make up for it?  Fresh tomatoes, jars of jam, the odd bouquet of flowers, and finally, a box of this fudge that magically shows up on their doorstep at Christmas.  I make about 8 batches of the stuff in all different flavour combinations, cut each batch into 8 large chunks, then I package them up in little sampler packs that I give out to said neighbours, Dominic's teachers, Aulaire's babysitters, or whoever I want to give a little Christmas gift to.⁠
⁠
The recipe is super simple and it's fairly idiot-proof.  No crumbly fudge here!⁠
⁠
3 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels⁠
1 can Eagles Brand Sweetened Condensed Milk or homemade recipe (which I used)⁠
Dash of salt⁠
1.5 tsp vanilla⁠
⁠
Optional toppings/decorations⁠
1/2 c nuts (stir in, or crush and sprinkle on top)⁠
Mini marshmallows⁠
White Chocolate chips to melt and drizzle for decoration⁠
Coconut flakes⁠
⁠
Melt chocolate in a bowl over a water bath. Stir in sweetened condensed milk, salt, and vanilla. Combine until smooth.⁠
⁠
Add any additional optional ingredients you want IN the fudge (nuts, marshmallows). Pour & spread evenly into an 8×8 pan lined with wax or parchment paper. This is a great time to add optional toppers.⁠
⁠
Refrigerate 2 hours, or until set, and then remove from pan & paper and cover tightly with plastic wrap to avoid it drying out. If cutting into several pieces at once (& sometimes mini cookie cutters are nice for this), set it out on the counter for 20 minutes or so to soften enough for neater, easier cuts.
Instagram post 2191567720172943549_2204272319 DAY 3: 12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
⁠
So today's recipe isn't actually baking that you would put on your tray per se, but it is super crucial to many recipes you might want to make and will save you money.  It's. . . *drumroll please*. . . Homemade sweetened condensed milk!⁠
⁠
Seriously, this stuff is worth the extra effort and it tastes so much better!  You'll want to make a batch for tomorrow's recipe, where I share my no-fail fudge. (Well actually, it's one of reader's no fail fudges, but I feel like it's mine now because it's been my go-to for 3 years!)⁠
⁠
1 cup powdered milk⁠
2/3 c white sugar⁠
1/3 c water⁠
1/4 c butter⁠
⁠
Combine in blender until extremely smooth⁠
⁠
Also, let me know if you make any of this stuff.  I would love to see your pictures of any of your creations during the 12 days of Christmas baking.  Tag me @shifting_roots and I'll be sure to share your baking in my stories.
Instagram post 2190842732075560326_2204272319 DAY 2: 12 Days of Christmas Baking: Rice Krispie Trees⁠
⁠
Back in the day when I baked for almost 200 people over 4 Christmas recitals with 60 students, plus one choir that required some baking too, my goals were this: make things that are pretty, tasty, and kid friendly.  Because what's the point of making all this baking if the kids in my music studio don't eat it?!?⁠
⁠
That's how these Rice Krispie Christmas Trees were born.  They are a tiny bit fussy in the fact that there's melting chocolate and sprinkles, but they make the eater feel like they are getting something really special.. . and they are!⁠
⁠
If you use big enough cookie cutters (you don't have to be limited to just trees) you could even use them as a classroom present for your students, as these should be free of most common food allergens.  Just get the gluten-free Rice Krispies if you have any kids with Celiac.⁠
⁠
Ingredients⁠
⁠
6 cups Rice Krispie cereal,⁠
40 large marshmallows,⁠
1/2 cup butter,⁠
1 tsp vanilla,⁠
1 1/2 cups white chocolate melting wafers⁠
sprinkles⁠
⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Melt butter, marshmallows and butter in a large bowl in the microwave for approximately 5 minutes, setting the microwave one minute at a time and stirring in between.⁠
Add Rice Krispies and press into a large cookie sheet. Allow to cool. Cut Christmas tree shapes with cookie cutter.⁠
Melt chocolate wafers and dip in Rice Krispie treats. Add sprinkles if desired. Work fast, as the chocolate dries quickly!
Instagram post 2190118109285570760_2204272319 DAY 1: 12 Days of Christmas Baking⁠
⁠
Let's start off the season with one of my favourite, easy, I-keep-coming-back-for-more-even-though-I-probably-shouldn't Christmas treats--Almond Roca.  You may also know it as Christmas Crack, or in our family, "that thing that Auntie Sandy makes."⁠
⁠
Whatever you call it, make sure you make an extra batch, because there won't be leftovers!⁠
⁠
Ingredients⁠
⁠
1 sleeve soda crackers (2 for a large cookie sheet)⁠
1 cup butter,⁠
1 cup brown sugar,⁠
3/4 cup slivered almonds,⁠
1/2 cup milk chocolate chips, melted,⁠
1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted.⁠
⁠
Instructions⁠
⁠
Line cookie sheet with tinfoil. Spray with Pam.⁠
Layer crackers.⁠
Bring butter and brown sugar to a boil for 2 minutes, stirring often.⁠
Pour over crackers and bake in a 325 oven for 10 minutes. Turn off oven. Sprinkle with almonds and return to the oven for 5 minutes.⁠
Cool. Drizzle melted milk & white chocolate chips, alternating colours.⁠
Cut in squares and serve.⁠
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