This strawberry season, you are going to fall in love with this Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcake recipe. Really it's a strawberry shortcake cookie recipe, buttery, rich, nutty; this will become your new favorite homemade shortcake recipe.
Preheat oven to 450°F and grease 8 or 9" baking pan. See notes if a cakier shortcake is desired.
Sift flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and fresh grated nutmeg in a large mixing bowl. Using a pastry blender, food processor (careful not to over mix) or two knives or even your hands, cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
In a measuring cup, beat egg and milk together. Using a fork, gently stir liquid into flour mixture, just until blended.
Spread shortcake batter, pressing with your fingers evenly into prepared baking pan. This is not a pourable cake batter, more like a cookie or scone dough.
Bake in preheated oven about 15 minutes for 9" pan, 15-18 for 8" pan (see notes for cakier shortcake).
Cool in pan for 10 minutes before removing to wire cooling rack to cool completely. Once cooled, store the shortcake in airtight container on counter up to 5 days. Or wrap well in plastic wrap and place in ziplock baggie and freeze up to 3 months.
How to Assemble Strawberry Shortcake
Cut fresh strawberries into quarters or smaller chunks, place in bowl, sprinkle with 1-3 tablespoons of sugar (to taste), tossing to coat. This process is called maceration. Cover and allow the strawberries to sit on the counter for 20 minutes.
If desired, remove ¼ cup of strawberries and mash with fork or masher, returning to the mixture.
Place slice of shortcake cake on plate or bowl, spoon desired amount of berries over the top, top with whipped cream, serve immediately!
Make fresh homemade Cool Whip to serve on top! Or try vanilla ice cream!
Notes
Tips & Substitutions
PAN OPTIONS • Our motto at TFC is “Make It Yours”! So try different pans, an 8×8 or 9×9 square, 7×11, press into a tart pan or maybe 1 ½ x the recipe and make it in a 9×13 inch pan.
FRESH BERRIES • Nobody said you HAVE to use strawberries, try fresh cherries, blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, heck even mango, apricots, peaches, nectarines and pineapple would be amazing! Of course you’d have to change the name. ????
SPICE SWAP • Not a fan of nutmeg? Try a teaspoon of cinnamon, vanilla extract or leave out the spice all together.
MAKE AHEAD • Make and cool the shortcake completely, then refrigerate (up to 7 days) or freeze (up to 3 months) in air tight container. In fact, many times shortbread recipes like this are better the next day.
CHEWY PREFERENCE • My directions will yield one crispy outside, but chewy, gooey inside old-fashioned shortcake, see below baking if you want a different result:
Crisp outside, chewy, gooey inside: Bake at 450 degrees F for 15 minutes.
Cakier inside: Bake at 350-375 degrees F for 20-30 minutes.
GLUTEN OR DAIRY FREE VWGAN SHORTCAKE
Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake Cookie Recipe | Substitute the all-purpose flour with a good cup-for-cup GF Flour or my favorite variation is using half almond flour (or oat flour) and half Gluten-Free All-purpose flour.
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake Recipe | Try using coconut oil or vegan butter in place of butter and plant based milk in place of whole milk and use a plant based whipped cream, omit the egg all together or use a your favorite vegan egg replacement.
*I have not tried either of the two, but think with the nature of the shortcake it should still turn out fine.HIGH ALTITUDE | No high altitude adjustments needed for this recipe.