Cherry Shortcake

Cherries are in season where I’m at right now and it’s the perfect time for a sweet little cherry dessert. You can also make these with frozen cherries so it’s kind of for any time- it just feels extra summery to me!

If you’ve never had a traditional shortcake, it’s somewhat scone-like. We’re making a sweet biscuit dough, topping with lots of sugar before baking, and then serving it with bright cherries and fluffy whipped cream on the inside and on top of the biscuits- it’s so satisfying, and it might be my favorite way to have a fruit dessert. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Cherry Shortcakes

I like to start out by pitting the cherries and slicing them in half. I’m using a mix of Rainier cherries and sweet reds because that’s what they had at my store, but you can use just sweet reds, sour cherries would be delightful, or you can thaw some frozen cherries for this recipe and swap them in easily.

The cherries get mixed in a bowl with some sugar and lemon juice, and then you can just pop them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes until everything gets juicy.

For the shortcakes, we’re doing something very similar to making a biscuit or a scone. First up, we’re mixing together the dry ingredients together- I’m using brown sugar in these shortcakes and in the whipped cream for just a little more depth of flavor. Then it’s time to cut in the butter- this is basically just coating the butter in the dry ingredients and mashing into small bits.

Finally, we’re adding in the buttermilk and vanilla extract and mixing it together with a fork. It should turn into a shaggy dough, and then you can turn it out onto a clean surface. I like to gently pat the dough together and then give it a couple of folds, which helps bring it together until there’s no dry pockets of flour and it’s fairly easy to handle.

Cut the dough into 6 even shortcakes, and place them into the freezer for about 20 minutes while you preheat the oven. Then we’re brushing the tops with extra buttermilk and topping it with a generous sprinkle of coarse sugar before it’s off to the oven.

I’m using a simple whipped cream with brown sugar along with some softened cream cheese, which helps keep the whipped cream stable and also gives it a little bit of a light cheesecake flavor that I’m a little obsessed with. You can skip the cream cheese if you want though!

I like to serve the shortcakes when they are still slightly warm. Simply split them in half, fill with some fluffy whipped cream, the sweet cherries, and then repeat the process with the tops of each shortcake. Summer in a dish if I’m being honest.

Tips and Tricks for Cherry Shortcake

Here are all my tips to help along the way for the best Cherry Shortcakes ever!

• Do I have to use fresh cherries? No, you can also thaw out some frozen cherries and proceed the same way- simply slice your thawed cherries in half and continue.
• Do I have to use cherries? This recipe would work with most other fruits really well- you could easily do it with strawberries, peaches, or a mix of berries.
• How do I know when the butter has been cut in enough? The butter should be coated in the flour and you should have pea-sized chunks of butter running throughout the mixture.
• What does it mean to fold the dough? You want to gently pat your dough into a rectangle, and then simply fold it in half and repeat the process. This helps to bring the dough together, so at first it will be a little crumbly, but after 3-4 folds, you’ll have a dough that holds together nicely.
• Can I skip the sugar on top of the shortcakes? I definitely recommend the sugar here- there’s not much sweetness in the shortcakes without it, plus it helps with browning and creates the best crispy top EVER.
• Do I have to use cream cheese in the whipped cream? No, you can totally skip it if you want and still have an absolutely delightful shortcake!
• Can I make these ahead of time? I think these are best when fresh, so if you want to make them ahead of time I recommend making the shortcake dough and wrapping it tightly in plastic wrap. You can store it in the fridge for 2-3 days, or in the freezer for several weeks.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level, and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

Print

Cherry Shortcakes

Servings 6 shortcakes

Ingredients

For the fruit filling:

• 2 cups fresh pitted cherries
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbs. lemon juice

For the shortcakes:

• 2 cups flour
• 2 tbs. brown sugar
• 1 tbs. baking powder
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1/2 cup cold butter cut into small chunks
• 3/4 cup + 2 tbs. cold buttermilk separated
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 3 tbs. coarse sugar

For the cream:

• 1 cup heavy cream
• 3 tbs. brown sugar
• 4 oz softened cream cheese
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

Instructions

For the fruit filling:

1. In a medium bowl, stir together the cherries, sugar, and lemon juice until combined and cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.

For the shortcakes:

1. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. In a large bowl, stir together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Using a pastry cutter or your hands, cut in the butter until the mixture has small, pea-sized chunks of shortening throughout.
3. Stir in the buttermilk and vanilla until the dough begins to form. Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, and knead together gently until the dough comes together completely, being careful not to over-work it.
4. Pat the dough into a rectangle about 7-8 inches long and 4 or so inches wide- it doesn’t have to be perfect. Cut the dough into 6 even shortcakes, and place on your lined baking sheet. Put the whole thing into the freezer for 20 minutes.
5. Meanwhile, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Once the oven is preheated, pull the shortcakes out of the freezer. Brush the tops with remaining 2 tbs. buttermilk and sprinkle generously with the coarse sugar. Bake for 13-15 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and the shortcakes have puffed.

For the cream:

1. In a large bowl, beat the heavy cream and brown sugar until stiff peaks form. In a small bowl, beat together the cream cheese and vanilla extract until smooth and fluffy. Beat the cream cheese mixture into the whipped cream until well combined.
2. To serve- slice a warm shortcake in half and spoon on some of the cherry mixture, including some of the juices. Add a generous dollop of whipped cream, and top with the top of the shortcake. Add more fruit and whipped cream on top if you like! Enjoy!

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!