Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake is a classic summer dessert made gluten free! Tall and fluffy gluten-free biscuits are layered with homemade whipped cream and juicy strawberries in this stunning dish that's simple enough to make any day of the week.
Do you know someone who always has something something special to nibble on when you come over? Maybe it’s a recipe they spent hours on, but more often than not it’s a seemingly effortless yet gorgeous little dish that leaves you wondering…
“Why didn’t I think of that?”
Well, prepare to be that girl with Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake.
This easy, gluten-free dessert recipe is absolutely stunning, yet simple and cozy-feeling. Make it once, and you’ll find every excuse to whip it up from Memorial Day to Labor Day!
Easy Gluten Free Summer Dessert
Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake pairs my tall and fluffy Gluten Free Biscuits that have been lightly sweetened, with layers of homemade whipped cream and syrupy strawberries. It’s summer in dessert form.
I grew up eating strawberry shortcake for any and all special summer occasions, but also to round out dinner here and there during the week because it’s such a simple, unfussy dessert.
That said, Strawberry Shortcake is undeniably gorgeous. Serve it for:
- Labor Day
- Mother’s Day
- Memorial Day
- Summer birthdays
- Spring and summer entertaining
Feel free to add blueberries for a pretty, patriotic touch!
Recipe Tips and Notes
- Fresh biscuits: unlike many gluten-free baked goods whose texture improves after resting overnight, strawberry shortcake is best made with freshly baked gluten-free biscuits. Let them cool, so they don’t melt the whipped cream, then assemble and serve.
- Add a little sugar: in this dessert we add 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar to the biscuit’s dry ingredients to offer a whisper of sweetness to the biscuit itself. If you forget, it’s not the end of the world.
- Homemade whipped cream: making homemade whipped cream takes literally 3 minutes, and is SO much better than store-bought. That said, if you need to use frozen then thawed whipped cream, again, the earth will not stop spinning.
- The order: I like to make the whipped cream and prepare the strawberries while the butter for the biscuits is freezing, and then proceed on with the biscuit recipe while the strawberries macerate in the fridge.
If you can’t tell, this is a “channel your inner barefoot contessa” type of dessert that should feel easy-breezy vs anything you need to stress about.
That said, grab some fridge and pantry staples, and let’s whip up this summer stunner!
Watch How to Make Gluten Free Biscuits
How to Make Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcake
Step 1: Make a batch of Gluten-Free Biscuits.
Start by making a batch of my tall and fluffy Gluten-Free Biscuits. You’re going to love these because the taste and texture are just like regular biscuits, and they go from ingredients to oven in about 10 minutes.
Don’t Forget
Be sure to add 1 Tablespoon of sugar to the biscuit’s dry ingredients. I’ve added a note about this in the recipe card below.
Step 2: Cool the biscuits.
Let the biscuits cool until they’re at room temperature before serving. If you try to add cold, homemade whipped cream to warm biscuits, it’ll melt.
That said, don’t let the biscuits sit out for hours or else they can become stale in taste and texture. This dessert is best served when the biscuits have just transitioned from warm to cool.
Step 3: Make the homemade whipped cream.
Like I said, making homemade whipped cream takes under 5 minutes and is so worth the little bit of effort. My biggest tip is to make sure your bowl and whisk are super cold before you begin.
So, place the mixing bowl and whisk attachment of an electric stand mixer – or a glass or stainless steel bowl plus whisk attachments if using a hand-held mixer – into the freezer for at least 10 minutes.
To the chilled bowl, add heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract, then turn the speed to low.
Gradually increase the speed to high as the mixture thickens, then continue to whip until the heavy cream has thickened and can hold its shape, though is not lumpy, 2-3 minutes.
Refrigerate the whipped cream until you’re ready to serve.
Step 4: Make the strawberry topping.
To a medium-sized mixing bowl, add trimmed then sliced fresh strawberries and powdered sugar then stir gently to combine and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours ahead of serving.
This gives the strawberries time to macerate, or release their natural juices, which will become a syrupy sauce for the final dish (or a really yummy sip straight from the bowl!)
Step 5: Assemble the Strawberry Shortcakes.
Slice a gluten-free biscuit in half then place the bottom on a plate. Add a spoonful of the strawberries plus some of their juices, then dollop homemade whipped cream on top.
Place the other half of the biscuit on top, then add more whipped cream and strawberries.
That’s all she wrote! Serve immediately and enjoy this incredible and EASY taste of summer!
More Simple Summery Desserts
- Blueberry Pie Bars
- Gluten Free Lemon Bars
- Triple Berry Crumb Bars
- Easy Gluten Free Apple Crisp
- Gluten Free Blueberry Crisp
- Gluten Free Peach Crisp
Equipment
Ingredients
For the Biscuits:
- 1 recipe Gluten-Free Biscuits
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
For the Strawberries:
- 1-1/2 lbs strawberries, trimmed then thinly sliced
- 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
For the Homemade Whipped Cream:
- 2 cups (1 pint) heavy whipping cream, very cold
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 6 Tablespoons powdered sugar
Directions
For the Biscuits:
- Prepare the recipe for Gluten-Free Biscuits being sure to add 1 Tablespoon sugar to the dry ingredients portion of the recipe.
- Set the biscuits aside to cool, though don't let them sit out for several hours. This recipe is best made when the biscuit are less than an hour or so out of the oven.
For the Strawberries:
- Add the strawberries and powdered sugar to a medium-size mixing bowl then stir gently to combine. Refrigerate for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours ahead of serving, so the strawberries release their liquid to make a syrup.
For the Homemade Whipped Cream:
- Place the bowl and whisk attachment of an electric stand mixer, or a large glass or stainless steel bowl and whisk attachment if using a hand mixer, into the freezer to chill for at least 10 minutes.
- Add the ingredients to the chilled bowl then mix on low until the cream begins to thicken. Gradually turn the speed up to high then whip until the cream can hold its shape though is not lumpy, 2-3 minutes total.
Assembly:
- Use a serrated knife to slice a biscuit in half then place the bottom half on a plate. Add a scoop of strawberries plus a little of their juices followed by a spoonful of whipped cream. Place the second half of the biscuit on top then add a dollop of whipped cream followed by a spoonful of strawberries.
- Repeat with the remaining biscuits then serve immediately.
Notes
- This recipe is best made up to a couple of hours after the biscuits have been baked then cooled, as GF biscuits can become stale-tasting after a few hours.
- Be sure the biscuits have cooled completely before adding the whipped cream, or else it can melt.
I have a table sugar allergy and generally use fresh or frozen apples as a sweetner. And suggestions about how to do that with the biscuit dough? Or can I just skip the sugar?
Thank you.
Margaret Guetzko
You can skip it!