My strawberry biscuits are soft, flaky rounds dotted with juicy strawberry pockets and bright lemon zest. They pop in the oven and smell like fresh spring mornings, warm, tender layers that pull apart easily.
This recipe tackles soggy dough and bland flavors, providing flaky layers and vibrant taste through smart ingredient choices and preparation techniques.
I’ve hated when berries made the dough soggy or left pale strawberry bits. With this easy strawberry biscuits twist, I solved those wet, sad middles and I felt so relieved (even on a busy weeknight).
This recipe works because a fast two-fold step plus a 15-minute chill keeps everything simple. Then you pop them in at 425°F for 14 to 16 minutes, and they come out warm, golden, and flaky.
If you need a sweet treat you haven’t tried yet, check out Rice Krispie Chocolate Chip Cookies for a crispy spin next time.
Table of contents
Dietary Considerations
- This recipe is not gluten-free due to all-purpose flour.
- This recipe is not dairy-free or vegan due to butter, buttermilk and heavy cream.
- This recipe is vegetarian.
- This recipe is nut-free.
- This recipe does not meet keto or low-carb diets due to all-purpose flour and sugar.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Consistently Flaky Layers I’ve watched brunch guests marvel as cold butter pieces create airy folds, making strawberry biscuits that rise tall and stay light until served.
- Intense Berry Zing My family loves how two tablespoons of freeze-dried strawberry powder and a teaspoon of lemon zest deepen flavor and brighten simple strawberry biscuits.
- No-Soggy Dough I toss diced strawberries with sugar and cornstarch so quick strawberry biscuits bake evenly, never leaking sticky pools on your kitchen tray.
- Freeze-and-Heat Convenience I’ve frozen baked biscuits for up to two months, then reheated at 350°F for 8–10 minutes whenever I need easy strawberry biscuits in a pinch.
Fresh Buttermilk Strawberry Biscuits
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cool Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 16 minutes
- Total Time: 46 minutes
- Yield: 12 biscuits 1x
- Category: dessert
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: vegetarian
Description
Soft, flaky strawberry biscuits dotted with juicy strawberry pockets and bright lemon zest, perfect for any occasion.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, divided
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (from 1 medium lemon)
- 2 tablespoons freeze-dried strawberry powder
- 6 tablespoons (3 ounces) cold unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch cubes
- ¾ cup buttermilk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup fresh strawberries (about 6 ounces), hulled and diced
- 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Toss your diced strawberries in a small bowl with 1 tablespoon of sugar and the cornstarch until they are well coated. Setting these in the fridge for about 15 minutes helps keep their juices contained, preventing them from leaking into the biscuit dough too soon.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, the remaining 2 tablespoons of sugar, baking powder, kosher salt, lemon zest, and freeze-dried strawberry powder. This combination ensures that each biscuit has a bright hue and an intensified strawberry flavor.
- Introduce the cold butter cubes into the flour mixture. Use a pastry cutter or two forks to cut the butter in, breaking it down until the pieces are the size of peas, with some larger slivers regularly mixed in. Keeping the butter cold is crucial for achieving those sought-after flaky layers.
- In a measuring cup, mix the buttermilk, heavy cream, and vanilla extract. Create a well in the center of the dry mixture and pour the wet ingredients into the well. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture until it forms a cohesive dough. Being careful not to overmix is essential to maintain the light texture.
- Transfer the dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently fold in the chilled strawberries. Press the dough into a 1-inch thick rectangle, then fold the top third down over the middle. Rotate the dough 90 degrees and repeat the fold to build those delicate layers within the biscuit.
- After cutting the dough into biscuits, place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet with their flat sides touching. Cover the tray and chill in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. Chilling helps the butter firm up, allowing the biscuits to hold their shape and achieve a good rise in the oven.
- Before baking, brush the tops of each biscuit with a bit of heavy cream. Preheat your oven to 425°F and bake the biscuits for 14 to 16 minutes, or until the edges turn golden and the centers feel set to the touch.
- Once baked, allow the strawberry biscuits to cool on the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack. You can serve them warm or at room temperature, making for a delectable addition to any meal.
Notes
- If you can’t find freeze-dried strawberry powder, you can replace it with 2 tablespoons of strawberry jam and reduce the heavy cream to 3 tablespoons.
- For a gluten-free version, substitute the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend and add ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum to maintain structure.
- Store leftover biscuits by allowing them to cool completely. Place them in an airtight bag and keep them in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, reheat them from frozen in a 350°F oven for 8 to 10 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 biscuit
- Calories: 180
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 150mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 24g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 20mg
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: pick a well-stored bag with no clumps; sifting helps keep dough light so your strawberry biscuits layer nicely.
- Granulated sugar: divide into dough and berry toss; balances berry tartness without weighing down biscuit texture.
- Baking powder: use aluminum-free for steady rise; check date code so biscuits puff evenly.
- Kosher salt: I pick Diamond Crystal for even seasoning; it sharpens flavors without salty spots.
- Lemon zest: grate straight into the bowl to catch oils; adds a bright note to sweet strawberry biscuits.
- Freeze-dried strawberry powder: pick fine pink powder for color and flavor; if missing, swap in 2 tbsp jam and reduce cream by 1 tbsp.
- Cold unsalted butter: cut into ½-inch cubes, keep fridge-cold; bits pressed into dough create flaky layers in the biscuits.
- Buttermilk: grab straight from the fridge; its tang helps tenderize dough without extra liquid.
- Heavy cream: save a bit for brushing tops; fat lends color and richness in each strawberry biscuit.
- Pure vanilla extract: a splash adds depth; go for real, not imitation, to keep flavors straightforward.
- Fresh strawberries: choose firm, fragrant berries; hull, dice, chill and toss with sugar and cornstarch to avoid soggy spots.
- Cornstarch: mix with berries to lock in juices; this stops dough from getting damp from strawberry moisture.
Recipe Baking Tips
- If strawberries bleed into dough, toss diced berries with 1 teaspoon cornstarch 10 minutes before folding into dough.
- When edges brown too quickly, loosely tent foil at 8 minutes into baking to protect tops.
- If centers feel underdone at 14 minutes into baking, bake 2 more minutes until biscuits are firm.
- For flattened layers, press dough to 3/4 inch thickness before first fold and chill 10 minutes after folding.
- If strawberry flavor seems mild, sprinkle 1 teaspoon freeze dried powder over dough one minute before rolling.
Serving Suggestions
Serve strawberry biscuits alongside cucumber tomato salad dressed with lemon basil vinaigrette and toasted pine nuts on a stone platter. Pair strawberry biscuits with roasted asparagus salad tossed in herb vinaigrette and finish plate with thinly sliced aged gouda cheese.
Use strawberry biscuits to create chicken salad sliders by halving biscuits filling them with herb chicken salad and crisp arugula. Add strawberry biscuits into trifle layers alternating biscuit pieces with mascarpone cream and fresh mixed berry compote in glass bowls.
Top strawberry biscuits with rosemary honey drizzle warmed gently then garnish each biscuit with finely chopped basil leaves before serving. Spread house ricotta cheese over warm strawberry biscuits then spoon lemon vanilla jam reduction across tops on individual dessert plates.
Recipe variations
- You can use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend plus ½ teaspoon xanthan gum in place of two cups all-purpose flour to accommodate gluten-free dietary needs.
- Add 2 tablespoons finely chopped mint to the dry ingredients along with 1 teaspoon lemon zest for a mild herbal twist brightening the strawberry flavor.
- Either freeze-dried strawberry powder or two tablespoons strawberry jam can boost color and taste, adjusting the heavy cream to three tablespoons to maintain dough consistency.
- If using double increase flour to four cups and sugar to six tablespoons, then freeze dough cut-outs and reheat with Frozen Biscuits in Air Fryer
Save This Recipe!
How to Store?
To keep your strawberry biscuits fresh and delicious, follow these storage tips:
Room Temperature: Place biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, handling gently before serving with care.
Refrigeration: Store biscuits in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, letting cool completely first before serving.
Freezing: Wrap biscuits in plastic wrap, seal in freezer bag, freeze at 0°F for up to 2 months. Thaw before reheating.
Other Recipes You’ll Love
- Gluten-Free Almond Cherry Bread
- Gluten-Free Lemon Zucchini Bread
- Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips Zucchini Bread
- Gluten-Free Apple Bundt Cake
If you enjoyed this Fresh buttermilk Strawberry Biscuits or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the comments below. Thanks for visiting!
