Strawberry shortcake is quite possibly the best summer dessert. It’s got fresh fruit, warm and flaky biscuits, and my personal favorite—whipped cream. If you’re feeling saucy, maybe you even add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
I love strawberry shortcake not just because it’s easy to make (and totally delicious), but because it’s nostalgic.
I associate summer with the smell of sunscreen and chlorine at the community pool. Those old multicolored popsicles that came in plastic tubes like Go-Gurt. With days so hot your ice cream cone melts before you even get the first lick. Those nights lit up with the glow of fireflies. And of course—strawberry shortcake.
Now, being gluten-free, I had to do things a little differently than my great-grandma did. She always made fresh biscuits or used store-bought angel food cake (one of her favorites) to go with the strawberry topping. And if we’re being honest, she also always bought a can of Reddi-wip, and we’d all take turns sneaking whipped cream straight from the can.
I love fresh whipped cream. I don’t think the canned stuff even comes close (unless you really want to whip it) so I definitely didn’t pick up a can of Reddi Whip. And while I do love biscuits, this version of shortcake actually came from a disastrous attempt at making lemon blueberry muffins.
Stay tuned for that recipe—it’s currently under construction.
I had this idea that I was going to make lemon blueberry and strawberry cheesecake muffins to take to work. I’d just started a new job and wanted to impress my coworkers. So I pulled two different recipes from cookbooks I owned and modified them to be gluten-free—just to see what would happen.
Well… the batter ended up more cake-like than muffin-like and so thick it would’ve taken a machete to get through it.
If you’ve ever bought gluten-free flour, you know—it’s expensive. I was not about to waste that batter, even if it wasn’t muffin-worthy. So I dug through my cupboards and found these tiny antique Jello tins we picked up at a flea market over Memorial Day weekend. At that point, I figured I had nothing to lose. The worst-case scenario? I’d set the Jello tins on fire. They were a dollar. I would be sad but not exactly heartbroken.
I scooped the batter into the tins like they were mini cake pans and placed them directly on the oven rack—baking them just as I would have if I were making muffins.
What came out of the oven were beautiful miniature cakes, each with a fun design on top from the ridged Jello molds—perfect for strawberry shortcake.
To be honest, I can’t even take credit for the idea. I was pulling the not-muffins from the molds when my husband walked in and asked how things were going. I calmly (I’m lying, I was most decidedly NOT calm) told him I had no idea. He took an experimental bite and declared that we needed to make strawberry shortcake—coincidentally one of his favorite desserts (the others being chocolate-covered strawberries and apple pie).
That evening, we made what can only be described as experimental strawberry shortcake—and to our surprise, it was the best version either of us had ever had. The batter, meant for muffins, was dense enough to give you the nostalgic feel of biscuits, cake-like enough to echo angel food cake, and the texture was perfect for soaking up all the delicious strawberry juice without getting soggy or ruining the whole dessert.
It was perfect. And if you have read any of our other posts you know by now that we love it when an accidental kitchen mishap turns into something wonderful. It’s kind of our thing.
Dinner rolls become biscuits. Tart filling becomes ice cream topping. And now, muffins become shortcake. It’s a strange world.
Anyway, we genuinely hope you enjoy this recipe—we sure enjoyed making it.
Keep reading below for the full recipe!
Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake
Enjoy the best gluten-free strawberry shortcake made with tender, homemade shortcakes, juicy fresh strawberries, and real whipped cream. A nostalgic, easy dessert perfect for any occasion!
Ingredients:
For the Biscuits:
- 2 cups all purpose gluten free flour (I used King Arthurs)
- 1 tablespoon of baking powder
- 1 teaspoon of xanthum gum
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons of sugar
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
- 4 tablespoons of butter
Strawberry Topping:
- 1 lb. of fresh strawberries (or one regular sized container from giant eagle)
- 1/2 a cup of sugar (I usually eyeball this, the best advice I can give you is to start small and work your way up)
Whipped Cream:
- 1 pint heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup of powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon (or healthy splash) of vanilla
- 1 tablespoon bourbon (if you’re feeling saucy)
Instructions:
Step 1: Make the Biscuits
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Optional: use a muffin tin if you want your cakes to hold a rounder shape. - In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.
- In a separate bowl, beat the eggs. Add milk and melted butter, whisking until bubbles rise to the surface.
- Slowly stir wet mixture into dry mixture until fully incorporated. (It’s a thick batter—consider this your workout!)
- Spoon batter into tins or drop onto baking sheet, spacing about 1/2–1 inch apart.
- Bake for 30 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
Step 2: Make the Strawberry Topping
- In a bowl, combine strawberries and sugar.
- Stir well and let sit at least 15 minutes so the berries release their juices.
Step 3: Whip that Whipped Cream
- Using your stand mixer, or mixer attachment, place the heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, vanilla and bourbon in a chilled bowl and set the mixer on high.
- Mix for about 5-10 minutes or until you see soft peaks beginning to form as the mixture becomes the fluffy whipped cream we know and love!
Fun Fact: The sugar in the strawberry topping isn’t just for sweetness—it’s the secret to the syrup! By drawing out the berries’ natural juices, it creates the glossy, flavorful topping that makes shortcake irresistible. Sometimes science can be delicious!