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This single serving strawberry shortcake starts with a from-scratch buttery biscuit, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream. Just a few simple ingredients and ready in about 30 minutes.
Featured Comment
“Absolutely delicious. Reminds me of the shortcake my mom used to make.”
– Kay
Quick Look
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes (includes cooling)
- Equipment: Rimmed baking sheet
- Cook Method: Oven-baked
- Servings: 1
- Difficulty: Easy
This strawberry shortcake for one starts with a homemade biscuit, split and piled high with strawberries and a generous amount of whipped cream.
About This Single Serve Strawberry Shortcake
I always go with a biscuit for my strawberry shortcake. Sponge cake and pound cake have their fans, but a good biscuit gives you something they can’t: crisp, golden edges that hold up under juicy strawberries, and a crumbly, buttery bite in every layer.
This is one of the first desserts I make when strawberries come into season. The biscuit is a simple drop biscuit. No rolling, no cutting, no fussing with dough. You mix it in one bowl, drop it on a baking sheet, and form it into a rough circle. The biscuit bakes in 12 to 15 minutes, and you can prep the strawberries and whipped cream while it cools.
I like my strawberries sliced and fresh here, though macerating them with a little sugar is a great option if you want more juice soaking into the biscuit (I cover both ways in the recipe).
If you have leftover strawberries, try our strawberry crisp for one, strawberry icebox cake, or small batch strawberry scones. For more single serving summer desserts, you’ll love our mini peach cobbler and blackberry cobbler for one.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s what goes into this small batch shortcake recipe and why each ingredient matters. If you have any ingredients leftover, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
All-purpose flour: The base of the biscuit. Use the spoon-and-level method when measuring: spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs the flour and gives you too much, which makes a dry, dense biscuit.
Sugar: A small amount sweetens the biscuit lightly so it doesn’t compete with the strawberries. If you want a bakery-style finish, brush the top of the biscuit with a little cream and sprinkle coarse sugar before baking.
Baking powder and baking soda: These work together to lift the biscuit. Baking powder does most of the rising. The small amount of baking soda helps with browning and gives you those golden edges. Stale leaveners are one of the most common reasons a biscuit comes out flat. To test your baking powder, drop ¼ teaspoon into ½ cup of hot water. If it bubbles, it’s still good. For baking soda, mix ¼ teaspoon of vinegar into ½ cup of hot water, then add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda. If it fizzes, it’s fresh.
Cinnamon: It adds a subtle warmth to the biscuit that pairs well with fresh strawberries.
Salt: A small amount in the biscuit dough keeps the biscuit from tasting flat. Don’t skip it.
Butter: Use cold, salted butter cut into small pieces. Cold butter is the key to a flaky biscuit. As it melts in the oven, it creates steam pockets that give you those layers. If your kitchen runs warm, put the cut butter back in the fridge for a few minutes before mixing.
Milk: Regular milk works here and keeps the ingredient list simple. You can use heavy cream for a richer biscuit, or swap in almond or oat milk for a dairy-free version.
Strawberries: Use fresh strawberries that are fully red and smell like strawberries at the stem end. They won’t ripen after picking. Rinse under cold water and pat dry just before slicing. For a deeper clean, soak briefly in 4 parts water to 1 part vinegar, then rinse. You can slice and use them fresh, or macerate them with a little sugar for 10 to 15 minutes to draw out their juices and create a light syrup.
Maceration Tip: I prefer a simpler strawberry shortcake with just fresh sliced strawberries, especially when they’re sweet and ripe. But if your berries aren’t quite there, maceration is a great option. Toss the sliced strawberries with ¼ teaspoon of sugar and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes. The sugar pulls out the juices and forms a light syrup. You can use a little more or less depending on how sweet your berries are.
Whipped cream: Homemade small batch whipped cream tastes best. If you’re short on time, store-bought or dairy-free whipped topping works too.
Recipe Variations
A strawberry shortcake for one is easy to customize. Here are a few ways to change it up.
Strawberry shortcake for two: Double all the biscuit ingredients and divide the dough into two portions before baking. Double the strawberries and whipped cream. Bake time stays the same.
Peach or blueberry shortcake: Swap the strawberries for sliced fresh peaches or whole blueberries. If using peaches, macerate them with a little sugar the same way you would strawberries. Blueberries work well fresh or lightly crushed.
Lemon zest biscuit: Add ¼ teaspoon of fresh lemon zest to the dry ingredients. The lemon brightens the biscuit and pairs well with strawberries.
Dairy-free version: Use oat or almond milk in the biscuit and top with dairy-free whipped topping instead of whipped cream. The biscuit texture stays close to the original.
Gluten-free shortcake: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
How To Make Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
This shortcake for one comes together in five steps, and most of the time is hands-off while the biscuit bakes. See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Preheat your oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Make the biscuit dough. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together in a medium bowl.
- Add the cold butter pieces and work them into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with a few pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Pour in the milk and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. It will look shaggy.
- Shape and bake the biscuit. Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and form it into a rough circle about ¾ inch thick.
- Bake at 400°F for 12 to 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the biscuit feels firm when you press the center lightly. Let it cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack and cool for 10 more minutes.
- Prep the strawberries. While the biscuit cools, rinse and slice the strawberries. Use them fresh, or toss them with a little sugar and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes to release their juices.
- Assemble the shortcake. Slice the biscuit in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half on a plate, spoon the strawberries over it, and add a generous amount of whipped cream. Set the top half on the cream and add more strawberries and whipped cream if you like.
Expert Tips
Use cold butter. Take the butter straight from the fridge and cut it into small pieces right before mixing. If your kitchen is warm, put the cut pieces back in the fridge for a few minutes. Warm butter blends into the flour instead of creating the steam pockets that give the biscuit its flaky texture.
Measure flour with the spoon-and-level method. Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs in extra flour and makes the biscuit dry and dense.
Stop mixing when the dough looks shaggy. Stir with a fork just until the flour is incorporated. Overmixed biscuit dough develops too much gluten, which makes the biscuit tough and chewy instead of tender.
Use a rimmed baking sheet. The biscuit spreads slightly as it bakes. A rimmed sheet keeps it contained and promotes even heat distribution on the bottom.
Check your leaveners. Baking powder and baking soda lose strength over time. A flat biscuit usually means one or both have gone stale. Test baking powder by dropping ¼ teaspoon into ½ cup of hot water (it should bubble). For baking soda, mix ¼ teaspoon of vinegar into ½ cup of hot water, then add ¼ teaspoon of baking soda (it should fizz).
Let the biscuit cool before slicing. Cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack for 10 more minutes. A hot biscuit will crumble when you try to cut it in half.
Troubleshooting
If your individual strawberry shortcake isn’t turning out quite right, here’s how to fix common issues like a raw center, a dry or crumbly biscuit, or soggy strawberries.
Why is the inside of my biscuit raw?
Your biscuit is underbaked. This is the most common problem with a single shortcake biscuit. If the top looks golden but the center is still doughy, your oven may run hot and is browning the outside too fast. Check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer. You can also tent the biscuit loosely with foil for the last few minutes of baking to slow the browning while the center finishes cooking.
Why is my shortcake biscuit too crumbly?
The dough needs a little more liquid. A biscuit that falls apart when you slice it usually means the dough was too dry. If the dough looks very shaggy and won’t hold together when you form it, add milk ½ teaspoon at a time until it just comes together. Too much flour is a common cause. Use the spoon-and-level method instead of scooping from the bag.
Why is my shortcake biscuit dense and flat?
Your leaveners have likely gone stale. Baking powder and baking soda lose strength over time, and a flat biscuit is the first sign. Test them before baking (see the tests in Expert Tips above). Overmixing the dough can also make the biscuit dense. Stir with a fork just until the flour is incorporated and stop as soon as the dough comes together.
Why is my strawberry shortcake dry?
The strawberries need more juice. If the assembled shortcake feels dry, the berries aren’t contributing enough moisture. Macerate the sliced strawberries with ¼ teaspoon of sugar for 10 to 15 minutes before assembling (see the Maceration Tip in Ingredient Notes). The sugar draws out the juices and creates a light syrup that soaks into the biscuit. Ripe, in-season strawberries are juicier and make a big difference here.
Why is my shortcake biscuit tough?
The dough was overmixed. Working the dough too much develops gluten, which makes the biscuit chewy instead of tender. Mix with a fork and stop as soon as you don’t see dry flour. The dough should look rough and shaggy. A smooth, uniform dough means it’s been mixed too far.
Frequently Asked Questions
Strawberry shortcake is a dessert made with a biscuit or cake base, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream. The biscuit is split in half, filled with strawberries and cream, and served with the top half on top. Traditional versions use a biscuit, though some recipes use sponge cake or pound cake instead.
Rinse the strawberries under cold water, pat them dry, remove the stems, and slice them. You can use them fresh or macerate them by tossing the slices with a little sugar and letting them sit for 10 to 15 minutes. Maceration draws out the juices and creates a light syrup that adds moisture to the biscuit.
Yes. Double all the biscuit ingredients and divide the dough into two portions before baking. Double the strawberries and whipped cream. Bake time stays the same.
Strawberry shortcake uses a biscuit as the base with fresh strawberries and whipped cream layered inside. Strawberry cake is a baked cake flavored with strawberries throughout the batter, usually frosted. Shortcake is assembled after baking and relies on the contrast between the biscuit and fresh fruit.
You can bake the biscuit up to a day ahead and store it in an airtight container at room temperature. If you’re macerating, slice the strawberries and toss them with sugar up to 2 hours before serving. If you prefer fresh strawberries without maceration, slice them right before assembling so they stay firm. Whip the cream right before assembling. The biscuit softens quickly once the strawberries and cream go on, so it’s best assembled fresh.
Fresh strawberries work best. Frozen strawberries release a lot of liquid as they thaw, which can make the biscuit soggy. If fresh aren’t available, thaw the frozen strawberries completely, drain off the excess liquid, and pat them dry before using.
Yes. Wrap the cooled biscuit tightly in plastic wrap and place it in a freezer bag. It keeps for up to 2 months. To use, bake from frozen at 350°F for about 10 minutes to warm through, or thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
RELATED: 15 Easy Single Serving Dessert Recipes
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
If you’ve been looking for a strawberry shortcake recipe that makes just one serving, this is the one. The full recipe and measurements are in the card below. If you make it, I’d love to hear how it turned out. Leave a comment or tag us on Instagram at (@onedishkitchen) we’d love to see it!
RELATED: 15 Easy Dessert Recipes For One
Strawberry Shortcake For One
Watch How To Make This
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons cold salted butter
- 2 tablespoons milk
- ¼ cup sliced strawberries
- whipped cream (homemade or store-bought)
- Optional: powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Add the cold butter pieces and work them into the flour with your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture looks like coarse crumbs with some pea-sized pieces of butter remaining.
- Pour in the milk and stir with a fork until the dough just comes together. It will look shaggy. If the dough is too dry, add milk ½ teaspoon at a time.
- Drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet and gently form it into a rough circle about ¾ inch thick.
- Bake for 12 to 15 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the biscuit feels firm when you press the center lightly.
- Let the biscuit cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
- Transfer the biscuit to a wire rack and cool for 10 more minutes.
- While the biscuit cools, rinse, dry, and slice the strawberries. For extra juice, toss the slices with ¼ teaspoon of sugar and let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Slice the cooled biscuit in half horizontally with a serrated knife.
- Place the bottom half on a plate and spoon the strawberries over it.
- Add whipped cream on top of the strawberries and place the top half of the biscuit over the cream. Add more strawberries and whipped cream on top if you like. Serve right away.
Notes
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Delicious. Made 2 shortcakes from this recipe.
A quick and easy recipe to which I will return often, I’m sure. But strawberries really must be macerated with a little sugar and lemon ahead of time so their juices will soak into the shortcake. Freshly sliced strawberries make the dessert too dry. Just my humble opinion!
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe and plan to make it again. Macerating the strawberries with sugar is a great idea and definitely a wonderful way to draw out the juices and add extra flavor. I love that this recipe can be easily adapted to personal taste, and I appreciate you sharing your tip!
This is a lovely recipe and I am making it for myself for Mother’s Day its a classic and I love it 🥰
mmmmm crumbly but a little too much? inside was not cooked Ugh. i love strawberry shortcake but this was not what i was craving
I’m sorry to hear that the strawberry shortcake didn’t turn out as you hoped. Precise measurements of ingredients are really important to get the perfect texture. The shortcake is similar to a biscuit, which might explain the texture. If the inside wasn’t cooked through, it could be an oven issue. Make sure your oven is properly preheated, and consider using an oven thermometer to check the temperature. I hope this helps, and I appreciate your feedback!
Love this recipe! I never want to bother making desserts for myself, but this is so easy. I use my small cuisinart , and pop them in my toaster oven. Voila! I have dessert for 2 days.
Excellent! The warm biscuit is soft, buttery and tender. As shown in the video it has a tendency to crumble slightly. The outside crust is delicious. I made the biscuit a few hours ahead, froze it, then baked straight from the freezer. Because it was frozen when it went into the oven it took about 20 minutes to bake. I added a few drops of fiori di sicilia to the whipped cream.
Very easy recipe for the biscuit and actually makes enough dough to make two smaller biscuits or one good sized one. It’s makes a very tender biscuit. I added orange zest to the biscuit dough and macerated the berries in brown sugar and a little orange juice. I’ve been craving strawberry shortcake for a couple of weeks and this hit the spot!
Thank you! I’m so happy you enjoyed it!
Love your recipes and always love when I can say….thank you for helping those of us who are “home alone” finding ways to enjoy meals and treats that satisfy and yet are easy to prepare and don’t cost an arm and leg to pull together!
Terrific recipe.
Absolutely delicious. Reminds me of the shortcake my mom used to make.