Fresh Blueberry Shortcake Recipe (Easy Summer Dessert)

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Fresh Blueberry Shortcake is served on a sweet biscuit topped with homemade blueberry sauce and a big dollop of whipped cream! Follow my step-by-step instructions to see just how easy it is to make this simply perfect summer dessert!

Strawberry shortcake is one of my all-time favorite summertime desserts, but since we also love all things blueberry, I decided my fresh berries would make the perfect shortcake filling.

And you know what? My family raved about them for days!

Ingredient Notes

Shortcakes

• Flour | Provide structure for the shortcake with all-purpose flour.
• Baking powder | Use baking powder to create light and airy biscuits.
• Salt | Add a pinch of salt to contrast the sugar and creamy butter of the shortcake recipe.
• Sugar | Include some sugar in the dough for the shortcake, reserving some for sprinkling on the tops before baking.
• Unsalted butter | Be sure the butter is cold and cut into small cubes or grated.
• Heavy cream | Heavy cream moistens the dough while adding flavor and a creamy richness. Half and half or whole milk are ideal substitutes.
• Vanilla | Add a few drops of vanilla extract for deeper creamy notes.
• Water and egg | Use water and a lightly beaten egg white to create an egg wash. Brush the mixture on top of the dough before slipping the sheet into the oven for a golden finish.

Filling

• Blueberries | Choose the juiciest and ripest fresh blueberries, boiling some to create a sweet jelly-like sauce and reserving the remaining berries to mix into the filling once removed from the heat.
• Sugar | Boil the berries with a generous amount of granulated sugar.
• Lemon juice | Add fresh lemon juice to enhance the sweet berry flavor.
• Cornstarch | Use cornstarch to thicken the filling.
• Whipped cream | Grab your favorite can of regular whipped cream or Cool Whip from the store to top off the delicious dessert. Or check out this Key Lime Pie Recipe for a simple and quick homemade whipped cream recipe.

How to Make Simple Blueberry Shortcake

Put the summer fresh fruit to use with this easy dessert recipe! Get ready to be delighted.

STEP 1 | Prepare Blueberry Filling

Begin by bringing 1 cup of blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch to a boil in a medium saucepan.

Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until the filling has thickened.

STEP 2 | Add remaining blueberries and chill

Next, pour the filling into a large bowl and add the remaining blueberries, tossing gently to coat. If you’d like, use a potato masher to crush some of the blueberries, leaving about half of them whole.

Then, cover and refrigerate the blueberry filling until chilled and ready to serve.

STEP 3 | Make the Shortcakes

Start the buttery shortcake by preheating the oven to 400° F.

Next, place the flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons of sugar in a large bowl and combine with a whisk.

Add the grated butter to the bowl and stir it into the shortcake mixture together with a fork or your fingers until it resembles coarse crumbs. You may use a pastry blender if you like.

STEP 4 | Add the wet ingredients

Then, make a well in the flour mixture and pour the heavy whipping cream, stirring with the fork until moistened.

STEP 5 | Knead and form the dough

Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and gently knead (like you would when making homemade biscuit dough) about 4 or 5 times.

Gently pat the dough into a 9-inch square, about 1/2-inch thick.

STEP 6 | Slice into squares

Now, with a floured knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 9 even squares and place 2 inches apart on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray or lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.

For round shortcakes, use a biscuit cutter instead.

STEP 7 | Brush with egg wash and sprinkle with sugar

Next, whisk the water and egg white to brush over the shortcakes with a pastry brush. Then, sprinkle the tops evenly with 2 teaspoons of sugar for a sweet and crunchy topping.

STEP 8 | Bake and cool

Finally, bake the shortcakes at 400° F for 18 minutes or until golden brown on the tops. Remove the sheet pan from the oven, and transfer them to a wire rack to cool.

Step 9 | Slice, fill, and serve

Once the biscuits have cooled and the blueberry filling has chilled in the fridge long enough, it’s time to assemble this sugary-sweet treat!

First, cut each shortcake horizontally with a serrated knife, place the bottom half on a dessert plate, and top with 1/2 cup of the blueberry filling. Then, cover the filling with the other half of the shortcake, and garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of freshly whipped cream.

After making today’s dessert, if you have more fresh blueberries you may want to try this easy Blueberry Cobbler with Cake Mix next — YUM!

Variations and Substitutions

• If necessary, use frozen blueberries but thaw and drain them first.
• Blackberry Shortcakes. Simply replace the blueberries in this recipe with fresh blackberries to make another delicious variation.

Storage Tips

To store leftovers, keep the filling separate from the biscuits. The ingredients should last a couple of days in the fridge stored in an airtight container. Always assemble just before serving. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Serving suggestions

Use up your harvest of blueberries by making a night of them! Start with an irresistible Blueberry Blue Cheese Bacon Burger and a refreshing Blueberry Tea to sip on.

Then, serve your homemade blueberry shortcake for dessert, along with a generous scoop or two of this easy No-Churn Blueberry Ice Cream!

Beyond the Recipe

One of the highlights of summer is when we can visit my father-in-law’s blueberry bushes and collect tons of fresh juicy berries to take home!

It reminds me of growing up on the farm, where my Dad would take us wild blackberry picking on a neighbor’s property along the river every summer. We’d be dressed in jeans and long sleeves to avoid getting stuck by the thorns on the bushes and to keep the “chiggers” from biting. 

Thankfully, the bushes would be heavily laden with berries, so filling our buckets was pretty quick work, despite our grumbling. The rewards of a warm cobbler with ice cream and homemade blackberry jam for breakfast biscuits usually cut our complaining about the thorny bushes and dodging cow patties in the pasture short.

In my Daddy’s eyes, I’d surely be a city girl for buying berries at the store…but I’ll always be a country girl at heart. Enjoy, y’all!