Oh hey guys. Â It’s the Thursday before July 4th and I figured we need some deliciousness in our lives. Â I don’t have any plans yet, but San Diego is a very cool place to see the fireworks because depending on where you decide to “make camp” you can see up to 5 different firework displays all along the coast.
The only problem (like the general problem with California) is the crowds. Â So more likely than not, Dave and I will be holed up at home, hanging out with the cats, enjoying a long-weekend, and eating our weight in desserts.
Desserts, such as, classic Strawberry Shortcake.
 I feel like there are a lot of sub-par strawberry shortcake recipes out there.  Or maybe it’s just one of those things that everyone has an opinion about because of the inevitable “this is how I had it when I was growing up so my recipe is clearly the best” situation.
(I’ll pretend I’m not as judgmental as I really am and try to pretend like everyone’s recipe is valid..)
So, how I had strawberry shortcake growing up was with bisquick biscuits and fresh Michigan strawberries mashed with just a little bit of sugar.  No fancy presentations, no slicing of the biscuit, no addition of whipped cream, and for heaven’s sake no sponge cake.
 Because I’m me, I just couldn’t do the Bisquick recipe on the blog, so I adapted a cream drop-biscuit recipe that works just beautifully.  Not only is it wonderfully flavorful and a perfect biscuit on it’s own- it’s also incredibly easy, which should please all the instant-gratification obsessed out there (like myself).
The strawberries I diced into small cubes and tossed with 1/4 cup of sugar. Â I mashed them just barely with a potato masher- I like them to be juicing but not completely destroyed. Â 
 The results were a beautiful thing.  Tender, moist, and buttery yet subtly sweet biscuits topped with classic macerated strawberries.
It is literally summer on a plate. Â (Or a mini-cast iron skillet.. however you prefer to serve it).
Happy 4th of July weekend everyone! Â Hope you have a wonderful celebration!
Disclosure: some of the links below are affiliate links. This means that if you click through the link and make a purchase, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. This helps me continue to provide delicious and free content on The Gourmet Gourmand.
Â
Strawberry Shortcake
Shortcakes adapted from Serious Eats
_For the shortcakes (makes 7-8)_
- 4 ounces 1 stick cold salted butter, cut into cubes
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 teaspoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup heavy cream
_For the strawberries_
- 1 lb fresh strawberries (diced)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees
- In a large mixing bowl combine flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Whisk together to distribute the ingredients evenly.
- Add chilled butter pieces, and using a pastry blender, cut the butter into the flour mixture until butter becomes the size of small peas. (You can also achieve this in a food processor by tossing all ingredients into the processor and pulsing a few times).
- Next, gradually drizzle the cream into the flour mixture, and use a fork to combine. You might need to use your hands a bit to pull all the dough together, but be careful not to overwork it.
- Using your hands, roughly estimate about 1/4 cup of dough per biscuit. Drop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet, or into a mini cast iron skillet.
- Bake for 20 minutes, or until lightly browned.
- Meanwhile prepare strawberries. In a medium sized bowl toss the diced strawberries with granulated sugar.
- Use a potato masher or fork to mash the berries a few times to release the juices, but be careful not to over-do it.
- Let the berries sit to macerate while the shortcakes finish baking.
- Serve shortcakes warm (let them cool just a bit from the oven) with the macerated strawberries served over the top.
These are the cute little cast iron pans I used for this recipe. Â
22 comments
This is one of my favorite summer desserts Sarah and always perfect for the 4th! LOVE those little cast iron skillets too! They make the dessert even better! Have a great weekend whatever your plans!
It is one of my absolute favorites too! Thanks and have a wonderful 4th!!!
Ugh, I don’t do crowds either, girlfriend. When we lived in Orlando I swear I HID whenever there was a holiday and lots of crowds… I just can’t. We don’t have that problem here, so I plan on watching the fireworks go off over our lake in peace. 🙂 But I’m going to need a few of these fabulous strawberry shortcakes to accompany my firework watching! LOOOOOOVE! Seriously, strawberry shortcake is one of my favs and this looks just PERFECT! Pinned! Cheers – to a wonderful long weekend!
Omg that sounds so pleasant… I wish I could go to a private lake and have my own celebration. Sounds perfect 🙂
This is particularly good when one uses fresh Michigan strawberries from Lewis market on Sony Lake Road. ??
LOL! Thanks for the feedback 😉 I wish I could have some!
Oh my word!
*swoon*
I need 3 000 of these!
Haha yes!!!!!!!!!
Perfect! I need a good shortcake recipe. Plan to enjoy the last of the local strawberries this weekend. Just wish I had some of those adorable little cast iron skillets!
Thanks Mons! I hope you like this one as much as we did 🙂
Beautiful! And very timely, since it’s local strawberry season here in Ontario. Love your little skillets 🙂
Thank you so much Jennifer! There’s nothing quite like local strawberries in northern climates I think. California has strawberries all summer long which are good, but I do crave the little sweet berries from Michigan.
This recipe is calling my name. Strawberries are in season and I am using them in every way I can! You always make things I’m dying to make, like no joke, I was thinking of making some strawberry short cake, now i have your amazing post to look at, thank you!
Haha it’s the midwestern-er-ness in our blood maybe?? Great minds think alike, girl! 🙂 🙂
Definitely a great dessert for the holiday and love your shortcakes served in the mini skillets. Have a wonderful 4th of July celebration at home…crowds, bugs and heat keep us home as well. 😀
Thanks Karen! Hope you had a wonderful holiday!
I don’t think I’ve ever had strawberry shortcake. I love the mini skillets. Something I might have to add to my wish list for my new kitchen ?
The mini skillets are so fun- I’m definitely trying to plot out recipes to use them again asap! 🙂
This is gorgeous and my fave kind! (I have a dropped cream biscuit shortcake on my blog! But that’s not what we had growing up. We had the grocery sponge cakes or angelfood cake or bisquik. Dismal. You’ve got the legit thing going on there!! 🙂
I’m a little bit consumed with jealousy over your pans = being cheap I don’t want to buy any new ones, lol, and I passed up a set in a junk/antique store in Georgia because – well – who wants to carry cast iron on a plane!! Now I pick the odd one up when I see them and am all the way up to two, Whoo hoo!
Happy Fourth to you guys!! We’ll be spending ours at the neighbors and doing fireworks in the drive way – it’s a tradition at my folks. At my house the deck is the best view in town because they’re set off on “my” lake!
Mollie
Just FYI these skillets are the 3.5 inch lodge skillets and you can get them on amazon for $5 each 😉 Not too shabby!
Hope you had a wonderful 4th of July as well!! Your set-up sounds just perfect! Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
I absolutely love the mini cast iron skillets. They transfer the presentation of this comfort food into something fresh and spectacular.
Thanks Sheryl! I had a ton of fun plating these.