Sweet, fluffy Sourdough Shortcakes are stacked high with ripe strawberries, sweet strawberry sauce, and homemade whipped cream. This Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake recipe is the easiest and tastiest dessert that you and yours will want to enjoy all summer long!
Imagine a warm summer day, the sun shining bright, and your hands stained from an afternoon of strawberry picking. Strawberry season is in full swing, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with a delightful homemade treat!
Who wouldn’t want to end the perfect summer day with a Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake—or a Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a Sourdough Crust, perhaps??
Made with simple ingredients, these shortcakes start with fluffy, sweet sourdough biscuits crafted from sourdough discard.
The result? A perfect blend of tangy and sweet, ready to be soaked in a bright and sweet strawberry sauce bursting with fresh strawberry flavors. Topped with a generous dollop of homemade whipped cream, this dessert is sure to bring a wave of nostalgia with every bite.
Whether you’re looking for the perfect end result to a summer barbecue or your new favorite way to enjoy those freshly picked strawberries, these homemade Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes are sure to become a summertime staple.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe:
The Perfect Summer Dessert
Is there any dessert that screams SUMMER quite like a Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake? It’s light, simply sweet and celebrates one fo the best flavors of the season – strawberries!
Easy
Don’t you love those recipes that look like you slaved all day, but really it was super easy to make? Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake can be mastered, even by the most beginner baker, and your family and friends will be absolutely amazed.
Quick
It’s desserts like this Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake that I love having in my back pocket for whenever you need a sweet treat fast! From the shortcakes, strawberry sauce and homemade whipped cream, every element is quick to fix up and serve, but it also looks like a dream and tastes heavenly. It’s a winner in my book!
Ingredients
*For precise measurements, scroll to the recipe card below!**
Sourdough Shortcakes
Flour – I used all-purpose flour for this delicious recipe!
Sugar – White sugar can be substituted with cane sugar.
Baking Powder – It is crucial to double-check that your baking powder isn’t expired, otherwise these glorious biscuits won’t rise to great heights!
Salt – Any unrefined salt will do, but my favorite is Redmond’s Unrefined Salt for some extra minerals!
Unsalted Butter – In order for the sourdough biscuits to bake up super flakey and tall, I recommend using frozen or super cold butter.
Heavy Cream – This can be substituted 1:1 with half and half or buttermilk. Refrain from using whole milk or non-dairy milk as these liquids don’t have enough fat, as compared to heavy cream.
Egg – I recommend using a cold egg as well. Helps to keep the dough cool!
Sourdough Starter Discard – Use cold sourdough discard to help the butter to stay cold.
Coarse Sugar – Optional, but I love the extra crunch and sweetness it brings to these sourdough short cakes!
Macerated Strawberries
Strawberries – For the best taste and texture, I strongly recommend using fresh strawberries (it’s the star ingredient!), but frozen strawberries that have been thawed can be used in a pinch.
Sugar – Substitute with cane or raw sugar, if desired!
Lemon – A splash of lemon juice and a pinch of lemon zest helps to bring out the sweetness of the juicy strawberries!
Strawberry Jam – Use your favorite brand.
Homemade Whipped Cream
Heavy Whipping Cream
Powdered Sugar
Vanilla Extract – For the best flavor I suggest using pure vanilla extract over imitation.
Supplies
Box Grater or Pastry Cutter
Rolling Pin
12 inch cast iron skillet or 9×13 baking dish
Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer
How to Make Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes
Macerated Strawberries
If you are looking for quick macerated strawberries, you can combine the sugar and chopped strawberries in a bowl and leave it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. However, if you are like me and I LOVE having extra strawberry sauce running down and soaking into your sourdough shortcakes, follow the process below!
Hull the strawberries and chop or slice them to desirable size. Mix them and the sugar in a medium-sized bowl. Set to the side.
In a small sauce pan, heat the strawberry jam on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes or until there is no longer any foam.
Pour the warm jam over the strawberries. Add the lemon juice, lemon zest, and vanilla extract, and stir until combined. Leave to cool until room temperature, about an hour.
Sourdough Shortcakes
In a large bowl, add the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Whisk until thoroughly combined.
Grate cold/frozen butter with a cheese grater and mix with the dry ingredients until the butter is covered with the flour mixture and crumbly. You may also use a pastry cutter and cut the dough until the butter is in small, pea-sized pieces.
In a liquid measuring cup or a medium bowl, whisk together the heavy cream, sourdough discard, and egg until combined. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or a spatula until a shaggy dough is form.
Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough until the flour mixture just comes together into one mass. Be careful not to over mix the dough as this can lead to a dense Sourdough Shortcakes.
Shape
Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle (9×13), then fold in half the long way, and then fold it into quarter, and then fold it one more time. All this folding will help you to achieve all of those lovely flaky layers!
Roll out the top of the shortcake dough until it is 1 1/4 inches tall.
Take a 2 1/2 – 2 3/4 inch sharp biscuit cutter and dip it into flour, then cut into the dough.
Pro-tip – Be sure to only cut straight down into the shortcake dough, no twisting! Twisting the biscuit cutter will close the shortcake dough and prohibit it from rising while they bake.
Reroll the scrapes and repeat until 8-10 sourdough shortcakes have been formed.
Bake
Place the shortcakes in a greased 12-in cast iron skillet or 9×13 baking dish about 1/2 – 1 inch apart. Baking the shortcakes close together and in a rimmed baking dish helps them to bake taller.
Pop the Sourdough Shortcakes into the freezer for at least 20 minutes, while the oven preheats to 425 degrees F. This helps ensure that the butter is nice and solid, so that it will melt while baking and develop all of those lovely, flakey layers!
Just before putting them in the hot oven, using a pastry brush, top each sweet biscuit with more heavy cream and sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the dough, if desired.
Bake the Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes for 17-20 minutes. If the tops of the biscuits are browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time.
Fresh Whipped Cream
Add the heavy cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. (This can also be done with an electric hand mixer.) Whisk the heavy cream mixture on high until soft peaks are formed.
How to Serve
Once all of the elements are ready, it’s time to serve!
I absolutely love strawberries and homemade whipped cream, so I am a huge fan of a double decker kind of Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake. More strawberries and whipped cream, please!
First, crack open a warm Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake half way, spoon on a dollop of homemade whipped cream, then add the ripe strawberries and strawberry sauce on top. Place the other half of the fluffy biscuit on top and repeat with more whipped cream and macerated strawberries and sauce.
How incredible is that? Simply stunning and so delicious!
How to Store
Though Sourdough Shortcakes are best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the oven, you can store them in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Store leftover macerated strawberries and homemade whipped cream in airtight containers as well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Quickly reheat the biscuits in the microwave until warm to the touch.
FAQs:
WHY DID MY SOURDOUGH Strawberry Shortcake TURN OUT FLAT?
Two possible reasons why the shortcakes came out flat. One, the baking powder was expired. Baking powder will help the sweet biscuits rise to their greatest potential, so I encourage to always double-check that your ingredients are fresh.
Second, improper handling. To achieve those light, flaky layers in your Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes, you shouldn’t over mix or overheat the dough.
The cold butter in the dough must remain cold because while the butter melts when it is baked, it releases steam which helps the biscuits to become light and fluffy. If the butter is already room temperature or melted into the dough, the shortcakes will remain flat.
CAN I MAKE SOURDOUGH Strawberry Shortcakes AHEAD OF TIME?
Absolutely! You may prepare the macerated strawberries the night before! Cool it to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Use as normal when ready to serve.
You can also prepare the Sourdough Shortcakes the night before. Place the unbaked short cakes on a baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap, and store them in the fridge. Bake them the following day for fresh, hot Sourdough Shortcakes.
However, I recommend preparing the homemade whipped cream just before serving. Whipped cream that has been made earlier can deflate and start to turn yellowish.
Happy baking!
More Berry Sourdough Recipes Like This:
Sourdough Mixed Berry Cobbler
Strawberry Rhubarb Pie with a Sourdough Crust
Sourdough Blueberry Buckle
Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake Recipe (Discard)
Sweet, fluffy Sourdough Shortcakes are stacked high with ripe strawberries, sweet strawberry sauce, and homemade whipped cream. This Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake recipe is the easiest and tastiest dessert that you and yours will want to enjoy all summer long!
Ingredients
Macerated Strawberries
- 1 pound strawberries (about 3 cups)
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 1/2 cup strawberry jam
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- zest of one lemon
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract (6g)
Sourdough Shortcakes
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (280g)
- 1/4 cup sugar (50g)
- 2 Tablespoons baking powder (24g)
- 1 teaspoon salt (6g)
- 3/4 cup unsalted butter (170g), cold/frozen
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (120g), cold
- 1/2 cup sourdough discard (120g), cold
- 1 egg, cold
- coarse sugar (optional)
Homemade Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy cream (240g)
- 2 Tablespoon powdered sugar (30g)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (4g)
Instructions
Macerated Strawberries
If you are looking for quick macerated strawberries, you can combine the sugar and chopped strawberries in a bowl and leave it sit for at least 30 minutes before serving. However, if you are like me and I LOVE having extra strawberry sauce running down and soaking into your sourdough shortcakes, follow the process below!
1. Hull 1 lb strawberries and chop or slice them to desirable size. Mix them and 1/4 c sugar (50g) in a medium-sized bowl. Set to the side.
2. In a small sauce pan, heat 1/2 c strawberry jam on medium heat, stirring occasionally, for about 3 minutes.
3. Pour the warm jam over the strawberries. Add 1 T lemon juice, lemon zest of one lemon, and 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (6g), and stir until combined. Leave to cool until room temperature (about an hour).
Sourdough Shortcakes
**For the best results, use a kitchen scale!
4. In a large bowl, add 2 c flour (280g), 1/4 c sugar (50g), 2 T baking powder (24g) and 1 tsp salt (6g). Whisk until thoroughly combined.
5. Grate 3/4 c COLD/FROZEN butter (170g) with a box grater and mix with the dry ingredients until the butter is covered with the flour mixture and crumbly. You may also use a pastry cutter and cut the dough until the butter is in small. pea-sized pieces.
6. In a liquid measuring cup or a medium bowl, whisk together 1/2 c COLD heavy cream (120g), 1/2 c COLD sourdough discard (120g), and 1 COLD egg until combined. Then, pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or a spatula until a shaggy dough is form.
7. Pour the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead the dough until the flour mixture just comes together into one mass. Be careful not to over mix the dough as this can lead to dense Sourdough Shortcakes.
Shaping
8. Using a rolling pin, roll out the dough into a large rectangle (9x13), then fold in half the long way, and then fold it into quarter, and then fold it one more time. All this folding will help you to achieve all of those lovely flaky layers! Finally, roll out the top of the shortcake dough until it is 1 1/4 inches tall.
9. Take a 2 1/2 - 2 3/4 inch sharp biscuit cutter and dip it into flour, then cut into the dough.
Pro-tip - Be sure to only cut straight down into the shortcake dough, no twisting! Twisting the biscuit cutter will close the shortcake dough and prohibit it from rising while they bake.
10. Re roll the scrapes and repeat until 8-10 sourdough shortcakes have been formed.
11. Place the shortcakes in a greased 12-in cast iron skillet or 9x13 baking dish about 1/2 - 1 inch apart. Baking the shortcakes close together and in a rimmed baking dish helps them to bake taller.
12. Pop the Sourdough Shortcakes into the freezer for at least 20 minutes, while the oven preheats to 425 degrees F. This helps ensure that the butter is nice and solid, so that it will melt while baking and develop all of those lovely, flakey layers!
Bake
14. Just before putting the shortcakes into the hot oven, using a pastry brush, top each sweet biscuit with more heavy cream and sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the dough, if desired.
15. Bake the Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes for 17-20 minutes. If the tops of the biscuits are browning too quickly, cover them with aluminum foil for the remaining bake time.
Fresh Whipped Cream
16. Add 1 c heavy cream (240g), 2 T powdered sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract (4g) to the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment. (This can also be done with an electric hand mixer.) Whisk the heavy cream mixture on high until soft peaks are formed.
How to Serve
Once all of the elements are ready, it's time to serve!
I absolutely love strawberries and homemade whipped cream, so I am a huge fan of a double decker kind of Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake. More strawberries and whipped cream, please!
First, crack open a warm Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake in half, spoon on a dollop of homemade whipped cream, then add the ripe strawberries and strawberry sauce on top. Place the other half of the fluffy biscuit on top and repeat with more whipped cream and macerated strawberry sauce.
How incredible is that? Simply stunning and so delicious!
Notes
How to Store
Though Sourdough Shortcakes are best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the oven, you can store them in an airtight container for 1-2 days.
Store leftover macerated strawberries and homemade whipped cream in airtight containers as well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Quickly reheat the biscuits in the microwave until warm to the touch.
FAQs:
WHY DID MY SOURDOUGH Strawberry Shortcake TURN OUT FLAT?
Two possible reasons why the shortcakes came out flat. One, the baking powder was expired. Baking powder will help the sweet biscuits rise to their greatest potential, so always double-check that your ingredients are fresh.
Second, improper handling. To achieve those light, flaky layers in your Sourdough Strawberry Shortcakes, you can’t over mix or overheat the dough. The cold butter in the dough must remain cold because while the butter melts when it is baked, it releases steam which helps the biscuits become light and fluffy. If the butter is already room temperature or melted into the dough, the shortcakes will remain flat.
CAN I MAKE SOURDOUGH Strawberry Shortcakes AHEAD OF TIME?
Absolutely! You may prepare the macerated strawberries the night before! Cool it to room temperature and store it in an airtight container in the fridge. Use as normal when ready to serve.
You can also prepare the Sourdough Shortcakes the night before. Place the unbaked short cakes on a baking sheet, cover them with plastic wrap, and store them in the fridge. Bake them the following day for fresh, hot Sourdough Shortcakes.
However, I recommend preparing the homemade whipped cream just before serving. Whipped cream that has been made earlier can deflate and start to turn yellowish.
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