I’ve been in California most of the week under the fog of one of those really unfortunate summer colds. A raw throat and clogged nose just feels so unjust when the sun is shining and people are drinking margaritas in bikini tops. I mean… really. I’m waving the white flag.
I’m hoping that sweet strawberries will help ease me back into tip-top summer shape, because right now I’m sitting on the sidelines, missing the margaritas (and the bikini tops, too?). At the very least, my benched status has cinnamon sugar shortcakes and extra juicy strawberries. I’ll be back in the game soon, so soon! Please/Thanks!
What do ya say…? Shall we make some shortcakes?
It starts where most good things start around here… with butter, a bit of sugar, and a pop of color (this time from strawberries)!
Cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt are added to our flour, sugar, and butter.
The makings of great, to be sure.
Multi-tasking involves dosing fresh strawberries with sugar for the topping, and whisking egg into buttermilk for the shortcakes.
Butter and flour are crumbled, et al.
You know how this story ends. If you don’t, (spoiler alert)… really deliciously.
Wet ingredients into dry plus a quick stir-stir.
The batter is a bit on the wet side. That’s ok! We’re making little shortcakes, not biscuits.
I know… these look like biscuits. They bake up much more cake-y though!
I patted the dough out on a well-floured counter. A dose of flour on top of the dough, too!
A 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter makes perfectly generous shortcake portions.
Mega cinnamon-sugar topping.
This is essentially the most elaborate cinnamon-sugar toast you’ve ever had.
Big cinnamon-sugar cake cookies! Soft and warm cakes that we get to top with juicy strawberries and sweet cream!
I mean…
Yea. Real life.
Since there’s fruit and cream, I’m also pretty sure this is considered breakfast.
Weekend breakfast. Nudge. Nudge.
Cake-y, spiced, sweet, and summery.
Snickerdoodle Strawberry Shortcake
makes 6 shortcakes
For the Biscuits:
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
1 large egg, beaten
1/2 cup cold buttermilk
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 egg, beaten with a splash of water for egg wash
1/4 cup granulated sugar with 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, for topping
For the Strawberries:
1 pound ripe strawberries, hulled and sliced
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
For the Cream:
1 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons powdered sugar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
To make the biscuits, in a medium bowl whisks together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the cold butter and, using your fingers, quickly break the butter down into the dry ingredients. Some butter pieces will be the size of small peas, some the some of oat flakes.
In a small bowl, whisk together egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Gently stir to combine. The dough will be slightly wet.
Generously flour a clean counter. Dump the dough out onto the counter and flour the top of the dough. Gently pat out into a 3/4-inch thickness. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use a 2 1/2-inch round biscuit cutter to cut out rounds. You may need to flour the biscuit cutter between cuts. Place the shortcake rounds on the prepared baking sheet. Place shortcakes in the refrigerator for 20 minutes while the oven preheats.
Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Remove the shortcakes from the refrigerator, lightly brush the tops with egg wash and generously sprinkle with cinnamon sugar.
Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until puffed, crackled across the top, and cooked through. Remove from the oven and allow to cool before serving.
To make the strawberries, sprinkle the sugar over the strawberries in a medium bowl. Allow to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before serving.
To make the whipped cream, in the bowl of an electric stand mixer, or using a hand mixer, beat heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract to soft peaks.
To serve, tear a shortcake in half and place in a shallow bowl. Top with strawberries and whipped cream. Enjoy!
