Classic Southern Strawberry Shortcake is the stuff dessert dreams are made of and for good reason; with fresh red, juicy strawberries, billowy clouds of whipped cream, and crunchy sweetened cornmeal biscuits, this dessert is a winner!
Strawberry Shortcake has been a classic since the recipe first appeared in an English cookbook in 1588. There is even a Strawberry Shortcake Day every year on June 14, to celebrate this sweet “old school” treat.
When I went to the grocery store the other day, the first luscious, juicy, plump strawberries of the season were starting to come in, and they were so pretty, I couldn’t resist buying two pounds of the delicious berries. And what better way to savor these flavorful morsels than with a Classic Strawberry Shortcake?
So I pulled out my trusty recipe and decided to change things up a bit with the addition of cornmeal to the biscuit dough. And you know what, the cornmeal made the sweetened biscuits even more delectable, if that is possible, and gave it a really nice crunch. This is now my favorite way to make Strawberry Shortcake and, if you like cornmeal, then I’ll bet it will become yours too! I hope you will give it a try!
If you like fresh strawberries, you might also be interested in these easy and popular recipes on my blog:
Strawberry Trifle with Angel Food Cake,
Spinach Salad with Strawberries and Pecans, and
Red, White, and Blue No-Bake Ice Box Cake.
How to make Classic Southern Strawberry Shortcake
To make the strawberry filling, mix the sliced strawberries and sugar in a bowl and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
How to make Sweetened Cornmeal Biscuits
To make the sweetened cornmeal biscuits, preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
Place the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine everything. Or, if you don’t have a food processor, place the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add the cubed butter to the mixture in the food processor and pulse a few times until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Or, you can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or fork until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture just comes together. Do not over-mix or your biscuits will be tough.
If the mixture seems too dry, add a little more buttermilk, about a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture appears too runny, add a little more flour, about a tablespoon at a time.
Spray the inside of a 1/4 cup measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray and use it to scoop out your biscuits.
Drop the biscuits about an inch apart onto a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Bake the biscuits for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
How to make Whipped Cream.
Place a metal mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
Place the sugar into the mixing bowl and add the whipping cream. Whisk just until the cream reaches stiff peaks. Store any unused portion in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How to assemble the Strawberry Shortcake
To assemble, slice the biscuits. Add a generous layer of whipped cream, and a generous layer of strawberries to the bottom biscuit half. Place the top of the biscuit on top and repeat the layers. Serve immediately.
Tips:
Not in the mood to make biscuits or just don’t have time? Substitute slices of angel food cake, or the small cake dessert shells you can purchase at your bakery. Of course, you can also substitute frozen whipped topping, or canned whipped cream for the homemade whipped cream too!
Want to ramp up the flavor of the strawberries? Add a splash of Grand Marnier or a bit of lemon juice to the strawberry mixture if you really want to enhance the flavor.
If you liked the recipe above, please consider rating it and leaving a comment below. Also, follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. And finally, to be the first to receive notifications of new posts by email, enter your email address in the Subscribe box. Thank you so much for visiting Grits and Pinecones!
Classic Southern Strawberry Shortcake Recipe
Ingredients
Strawberry Filling Ingredients:
- 2 pounds fresh strawberries rinsed, hulled and sliced
- 1/4 cup sugar
Whipped Cream Ingredients:
- 1 cup heavy cream chilled
- 1/4 cup confectioners sugar
Sweetened Cornmeal Biscuits Ingredients:
- 1-3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup cornmeal
- 3 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter cold cut into small cubes
- 1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Instructions
Strawberry Filling Directions:
- Mix the sliced strawberries and sugar in a bowl and let it sit for about 30 minutes.
Sweetened Cornmeal Biscuits Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
- Place the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder and salt in a food processor. Pulse a few times to combine everything. Or, if you don't have a food processor, place the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add the cubed butter to the mixture in the food processor and pulse a few times until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Or, you can cut the butter in with a pastry blender or fork until the flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Add the buttermilk and stir until the mixture just comes together. Do not over-mix or your biscuits will be tough. If the mixture seems too dry, add a little more buttermilk, about a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture appears too runny, add a little more flour, about a tablespoon at a time.
- Spray the inside of a 1/4 cup measuring cup with non-stick cooking spray and use it to scoop out your biscuits. Drop the biscuits about an inch apart onto a greased baking sheet or a baking sheet that is lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Bake the biscuits for 12-14 minutes or until lightly browned on top.
Whipped Cream Directions:
- Place a metal mixing bowl and electric mixer beaters into the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Place the sugar into the mixing bowl and add the whipping cream. Whisk just until the cream reaches stiff peaks. Store any unused portion in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Assembley
- To assemble, slice the biscuits. Add a generous layer of whipped cream, and a generous layer of strawberries to the bottom biscuit half. Place the top of the biscuit on top and repeat the layers. Serve immediately.
This truly looks incredible, I love that cornmeal biscuit recipe, this is a glorious dessert
Dear Albert, thanks so much for your kind comments!
All my best!
Sharon
YUM, can’t wait to try this. The cornmeal biscuit sounds interesting.
Carolyn
Hey Carolyn,
The cornmeal is what makes these biscuits so good! If you and WEH like cornmeal, I’ll bet you will love them!
All my best,
Sharon