Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake is tender, light, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious! Tender sourdough shortcakes made with sourdough discard, butter, all-purpose flour, and milk are piled high with juicy, macerated strawberries and homemade mascarpone whipped cream.
Save This For Later!
We’ll email this post to you so it doesn’t get lost in your open tabs!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Lockrem Homestead
Sourdough Discard
Sourdough discard is a by-product of your sourdough starter, so don’t throw it away! Instead, use it in delicious Sourdough Discard Recipes where it adds moisture and amazing sourdough flavor. I use 100% hydration sourdough discard in discard recipes.
Use older, more tangy discard in savory recipes like Easy Sourdough Discard Bread and younger, fresh discard in sweeter recipes like these Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Strawberry shortcake is a nostalgic dessert for me. Every summer during my childhood, my grandmother made it. Now, even though she passed long ago, I continue the tradition. Not only does it remind me of her, but it’s also the perfect summer dessert to celebrate strawberry season.
This easy sourdough strawberry shortcake recipe comes together in minutes and is so fresh, everyone loves it! Make it ahead of time and bring it to summer gatherings or a cozy backyard BBQ.
Shortcakes with Sourdough Discard Shortcake Biscuits
A sourdough starter is good for so much more than baking beautiful artisan loaves. An active starter can naturally leaven a variety of baked goods, including brioche bread, baguettes, English muffins, and cinnamon roll focaccia.
Don’t toss your sourdough starter discard, either. Use it to add wonderful depth of flavor to recipes like sourdough biscuits, sourdough pancakes, and sourdough lemon scones, and countless other baked treats. Sourdough discard is an easy way to bring a subtle tang and rustic character to everyday baking.
These sourdough strawberry shortcakes are no different. Made with sourdough discard like my sourdough biscuits, but with a bit more sugar for a sweeter, tender crumb.
Why You’ll Love Strawberry Shortcake with Sourdough Biscuits
- Delicious – The biscuits are tender, lightly sweetened, and the perfect vehicle for juicy strawberries and a heap of lightly whipped mascarpone cream. A brush of heavy cream and a sprinkle of coarse sugar give the sweet biscuits a delightfully crisp top. Pure perfection!
- Seasonal eating – Making summer desserts with fresh fruit is one of my favorite ways to enjoy sweet treats.
- Easy – This classic dessert is simple to whip up. The delicious sourdough strawberry shortcakes are piled high with strawberries and a dollop of homemade whipped cream on tender biscuits. This simple dessert is made with simple ingredients and comes together in minutes.
- Vegetarian – The sourdough biscuits are made vegetarian and made without eggs.
Helpful Tips for Tender Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- To keep these biscuits light and tender, start with cold ingredients. Sourdough can be challenging to mix with the milk when cold, but I found using an immersion blender makes it come together easily.
- When making biscuits, the goal is to coat the pieces of butter in flour like when making pie dough, rather than incorporating it into the flour like a cake or cookie.
- Work quickly when working the butter into the flour. The butter should remain cold and pliable throughout the mixing process. If the butter starts to soften, place the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes to let the butter solidify before adding any liquid.
- When cutting the dough, avoid twisting the cutter, or else it’ll seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from baking tall.
Ingredients
Sourdough Biscuits
- Flour – All-purpose flour gives these biscuits a light and tender texture.
- Salt – Flavors the biscuits
- Baking powder and soda – Chemical leaveners make the sourdough shortcakes light and airy.
- Sugar – Adding sugar to the shortcakes makes them slightly sweet and tender, and macerates the strawberries to draw out their sweet juices.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter for consistency, since salt content can vary by brand. For tender, flaky biscuits, make sure to use cold butter
- Sourdough discard – This recipe is formulated as a way to use up sourdough discard, but you can also use active sourdough starter. Just be sure to measure by weight, and not volume as active starter contains more air. I like to use freshly fed discard, fed within the past 7 days, for the best flavor. Older discard will have a sharp, tangy flavor.
- Milk – Use whole milk for the best flavor.
- Turbinado sugar – This is optional, but I highly recommend it. It adds a sweetness and a light crunchy texture that works well with the tender shortcake.
Macerated Strawberries
- Strawberries – choose firm, blemish free fresh strawberries
- Sugar – Draws out the strawberries’ juices to create a lovely syrup with softened strawberries. I like to use cane sugar, but you can also use granulated sugar or honey.
- Lemon – Brightens the strawberries with a pop of acidity and enhances the strawberries’ natural flavors.
Whipped Cream
- Heavy cream – Use cold heavy whipping cream for easy creamy whipped cream.
- Mascarpone cream – Makes a stable whipped cream with a rich, decadent flavor and texture.
- Vanilla bean paste – Substitute vanilla extract to flavor the whipped topping. Vanilla bean paste adds lovely flecks for a beautiful.
- Powdered sugar – Just a bit to sweeten the whipped topping.
Tools You’ll Need
- Kitchen scale
- Mixing bowls
- Hand mixer
- Knife
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper (optional)
- Biscuit cutter
- Rolling pin (optional)
- Measuring spoons
How to Make Shortcakes with Sourdough Biscuits
Macerate the Strawberries
The strawberries are the star of the show! Macerating is a fancy term for tossing cut fruit in sugar. This process helps the strawberries release all their delicious juices, which in turn soak into the sweet biscuits and whipped cream. Making each bite balanced and sweet.
Mix up the strawberries first to coax out every bit of strawberry goodness possible and give them plenty of time to soften and release their juices. Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries, and add to a medium bowl. Sprinkle with a generous serving of sugar and half a lemon, and stir to distribute.
Make the Biscuits
Mixing the sourdough biscuit dough is simple and straightforward. Combine the dry ingredients before cutting in cold butter cubes. I often like to use my hands to break up the butter, but you must work quickly so the warmth of your hands doesn’t warm up the butter too much. If the butter begins to soften, pop it into the freezer for a few minutes.
Alternatively, you can use a pastry blender or grate the butter so the small pieces are easy to work in. Work the butter into the flour before adding any liquid. It’s ok if there are a few small chunks of butter still.
Mix the cold milk and cold discard together before pouring into the dry mixture. Mix to combine without overmixing the dough. Turn the crumbly dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead a few times to bring the dough together.
Shape the Biscuits
Shaping the dough is similar to the sourdough biscuits with a flatten-and-fold method. By flattening and folding the dough, it creates tall, flaky layers. It’s a super simple and easy process.
Shape the dough into a rectangle 1-1½ inches thick. Starting from the short side, fold ⅓ of the dough to the middle. Fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough to the middle, overlapping the first fold. Flatten the dough to 1½ – 2 inches thick with your hands or a rolling pin.
Cut biscuits with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Reshape the scraps of dough and cut out biscuits until all of the dough is used.
Place the biscuits on the prepared baking pan 1 inch apart. For taller, uniform-looking biscuits, place them closer together so they support each other as they bake. I personally love the unique look when they topple over as they bake.
Refrigerate the dough so the butter chills while the oven preheats to 425°F/218°C. A brush of heavy cream and a sprinkle of coarse sugar give the sweet biscuits a lovely crunchy top, adding some texture.
Make the Whipped Topping
This isn’t ordinary whipped cream! Mascarpone transforms it into a rich, velvety topping that’s sturdy enough to hold its shape for up to 2 days in the refrigerator. A touch of vanilla bean paste adds beautiful flecks of real vanilla, making this whipped cream as gorgeous as it is delicious.
Assemble the Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
Sourdough strawberry shortcake is pure delight with warm sourdough biscuits, strawberries, and cold whipped cream. However, you can also wait for the biscuits to fully cool. Place a shortcake on a small plate or shallow bowl. Spoon the strawberry mixture and whipped topping over the top of the biscuit. Drizzle plenty of the delicious juices over the top.
For a layered dessert, split the shortcake in half and layer strawberries and cream between the bottom and top halves. Serve immediately.
Strawberry Shortcake Serving Suggestions
- Add blueberries or blackberries for a patriotic-themed dessert
- Throwing a party? Set up a shortcake bar and let everyone assemble their own stacks! After all, assembling is the fun part!
- Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream instead of the mascarpone whipped cream
- Drizzle chocolate syrup over the top
FAQs About Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
How Can I Make a Quick and Easy Strawberry Shortcake?
Even though every component in this recipe is homemade, it’s quick and easy to make. Prep the strawberries so they get nice and juicy while you make the biscuits. As they bake, make the whipped cream. In just minutes, you have freshly baked sourdough biscuits, juicy strawberries, and creamy, rich whipped cream.
To save a step, prep the sourdough biscuits ahead of time and freeze. Then, bake the frozen biscuits.
What Makes the Best Strawberry Shortcake?
The perfect strawberry, shortcake, cream ratio. Be generous with the strawberries and let the juices soak into the biscuits to flavor them, but not become soggy.
I’d love to hear from you! If you made this Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake recipe and loved it, I would love it if you gave it 5 stars! Happy Baking!
Sourdough Strawberry Shortcake
Want to Save This Recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
By submitting this form, you consent to receive emails from Lockrem Homestead
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- mixing bowls
- handmixer
- Knife
- Baking Sheet
- parchment paper optional
- 3 inch biscuit cutter
- Rolling Pin optional
- measuring spoons
Ingredients
Sourdough Biscuits
- 500 g all-purpose flour 4 cups
- 1 tsp salt
- 1½ T baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- 50 g sugar ¼ cup
- 226 g unsalted butter 1 cup
- 125 g sourdough discard ½ cup
- 250 g whole milk 1 cup
- 1 T turbinado sugar
Strawberries
- 2 lbs strawberries hull and slice
- 132 g sugar ⅔ cup
- ½ medium lemon juiced
Whipped Cream
- 340 g heavy whipping cream 1½ cups
- 8 oz mascarpone
- 75 g powdered sugar ¾ cup
- 1 T vanilla bean paste
Instructions
Macerate the Strawberries
- Begin by making the strawberries so they have plenty of time to soften and release their juices.
- Wash, hull, and slice the strawberries, and add to a medium bowl. 2 lbs strawberries
- Sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries, squeeze half a lemon into the bowl, and stir to distribute. Set aside for 15-30 minutes to allow the sugar to draw out the strawberry juices.132 g sugar and ½ medium lemon
Make the Biscuits
- Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper. Mix the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Add the diced butter cubes. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter, or your hands, until the mixture resembles coarse sand.500 g all-purpose flour, 1 tsp salt, 1½ T baking powder, ¼ tsp baking soda, 50 g sugar and 226 g unsalted butter
- In a small bowl, combine the sourdough starter discard and milk. Pour the wet ingredients over the flour mixture and mix until a shaggy shortcake dough forms.125 g sourdough discard and 250 g whole milk
- Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead a few times to bring the dough together. Shape the dough into a rectangle 1-1½ inches thick. Starting from the short side, fold the top ⅓ of the dough to the middle. Next, fold the bottom ⅓ of the dough to the middle, overlapping the first fold. Flatten the dough to 1½ – 2 inches thick.
- Cut biscuits with a 3-inch biscuit cutter. Reshape the scraps of dough and cut out biscuits until all of the dough is used. Place the biscuits on the prepared baking pan 1 inch apart and refrigerate while the oven preheats to 425°F/218°C.
- Brush the tops of the biscuits with whole milk using a pastry brush. Sprinkle coarse sugar over the top of the dough and place in the hot oven. Bake the biscuits for 18-20 minutes.1 T turbinado sugar
- The biscuits are done when the edges are lightly golden brown, and the internal temperature reaches 200°F/93°C with a digital thermometer.
Make the Whipped Topping
- Add heavy whipping cream, vanilla bean paste, mascarpone cream, and powdered sugar to a large bowl. Use a hand mixer and whip on low, gradually increasing the speed to medium high until the cream starts to thicken and soft peaks form.340 g heavy whipping cream, 1 T vanilla bean paste, 8 oz mascarpone , and 75 g powdered sugar
Assemble
- Place a shortcake on a small plate or shallow bowl. Spoon the strawberry mixture and whipped topping over the top of the biscuit. Drizzle plenty of the delicious juices over the top. For a layered dessert, split the shortcake in half and layer strawberries and cream between the bottom and top halves. Serve immediately.
Storage
- The biscuits are best the day they’re baked, and over time, they will soften. Place leftover shortcakes into an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Refrigerate the strawberries and whipped cream in airtight containers for up to 3 days.
- To freeze biscuits, cut out the dough and place the biscuits onto a baking sheet, and freeze until frozen solid. Remove and place into a plastic freezer bag. Bake from frozen.
Notes
Helpful Tips for Tender Sourdough Discard Biscuits
- To keep these biscuits light and tender, start with cold ingredients. Sourdough can be challenging to mix with the milk when cold, but I found using an immersion blender makes it come together easily.
- When making biscuits, the goal is to coat the pieces of butter in flour like when making pie dough, rather than incorporating it into the flour like a cake or cookie.
- Work quickly when working the butter into the flour. The butter should remain cold and pliable throughout the mixing process. If the butter starts to soften, place the bowl in the freezer for about 10 minutes to let the butter solidify before adding any liquid.
- When cutting the dough, avoid twisting the cutter, or else it’ll seal the edges and prevent the biscuits from baking tall.