Strawberry and Peach Shortcake Recipe | Summer Dessert Guide

This easy Strawberry Peach Shortcake uses simple buttermilk drop biscuits and a quick whipped cream you can make in about five minutes. Ripe summer peaches paired with strawberries add a bright, juicy twist to this classic dessert. Don’t be intimidated—shortcake is faster and easier than it looks.

Biscuits are my comfort food. For a tender, flaky shortcake I prefer buttermilk drop biscuits—the butteriness and slight tang balance the sweet fruit and whipped cream perfectly.

A great shortcake is all about proportion: a tender biscuit, sweetened juicy fruit, and light whipped cream. While you can buy components ready-made, making them yourself is quick and gives the best flavor and texture.

Why you will love this strawberry peach shortcake:

• Make parts ahead. The whipped cream benefits from chilling a few hours or overnight, and the fruit can be prepped ahead too. Biscuits are best warm, so bake them just before serving if you can.
• Peaches and strawberries together. Strawberry shortcake is a classic, and adding juicy summer peaches gives a delightful sweet-tart contrast.
• Flexible and forgiving. If fresh fruit isn’t available, frozen fruit works well. You can also use a store-bought component in a pinch, but homemade yields the best result.

Try other seasonal berry desserts during peak season. If you love peaches, you might also enjoy peach cobbler, peach smoothies, or peach popsicles for more summery sweets.

Ingredients and substitutions

• Fruit: Use fresh peaches and strawberries when possible. Frozen fruit is an acceptable substitute; avoid canned peaches, which are often overly sweet.
• Sugar: Granulated sugar sweetens the fruit, biscuits, and whipped cream. Sprinkle coarse sugar on biscuit tops for extra crunch.
• Flour: All-purpose works well for the biscuits. For gluten-free baking, a reliable 1:1 gluten-free flour blend can be substituted.
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, make a quick substitute by adding 1 tablespoon vinegar to a cup and filling with whole milk; let sit 5 minutes.
• Butter: Use unsalted butter; if using salted butter, reduce added salt in the recipe.
• Baking powder: Be sure to measure correctly for light, tender biscuits.
• Heavy whipping cream: Heavy cream whips and holds best. Lighter whipping cream will still work but yields a less stable texture.
• Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract for the best flavor in whipped cream.

Step-by-step instructions

If serving immediately, make the whipped cream and macerate the fruit first, then bake the biscuits last so they’re warm when assembled. If you’re prepping ahead, you can complete components in any order and assemble later.

Prepare the fruit: Slice strawberries and peaches, toss them with sugar, and chill. Macerating draws out the fruit’s juices and sweetens it naturally—just toss and refrigerate.

Make the biscuits: The trickiest step is cutting cold butter into the flour. A food processor speeds this up, or you can use a pastry cutter. Combine flour, sugar, salt, and baking powder, then work in very cold cubed butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.

Fold in 1 cup very cold buttermilk gently; the dough should stay a bit crumbly. Add a tablespoon or two more buttermilk only if needed. Using a 3-tablespoon scoop or large spoon, drop the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Brush tops with the remaining buttermilk and sprinkle coarse sugar if desired.

Bake at 425°F for about 15 minutes, until golden on top. Avoid overbaking to keep the centers tender. Let cool about 10 minutes before assembling.

Make the whipped cream: Chill your bowl and beaters if possible. Combine heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla, then beat on medium-high until stiff peaks form—about 3–4 minutes. Chill until ready to use.

Assembling the shortcakes

Assemble quickly so the biscuits stay warm and the filling stays fresh. A simple method:

1. Slice a biscuit in half horizontally.
2. Spoon fruit and its juices over the bottom half, then add a generous dollop of whipped cream.
3. Place the top half of the biscuit on and add more fruit and cream if desired. Garnish with mint and serve immediately.

Recipe variations

• Adult version: Macerate the fruit with a splash of peach schnapps, dark rum, or bourbon for a boozy twist.
• Different fruit: Use peaches alone, strawberries alone, or add blueberries or raspberries for variety.
• Lemon whipped cream: Fold in a little finely grated lemon zest to the whipped cream for a bright citrus note.

Other summer desserts

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