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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!
Why you’ll love this recipe
Key ingredients & substitutions for the Best Blueberry Shortcake
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. If necessary, use frozen blueberries but thaw and drain them first.
- 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.
tips
- Powdered sugar is another great topping for this dessert recipe.
- Don’t overmix the dough ingredients to prevent extra dense and tough biscuits.
- When mixing the butter with the dry ingredients, remember that it is normal for not all the butter to be thoroughly mixed in. You should have tiny pea-sized pieces to create buttery pockets once baked.
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.
Looking for more fresh blueberry recipes?
Try my gooey, melt-in-your-mouth Blueberry White Chocolate Cookie Bars, easy, no-bake Blueberry Cheesecake, light and flaky Blueberry Scones, or simple-yet-delicious Homemade Blueberry Jam!
Frequently asked questions
Sure! Bake the biscuits and make the sauce, then store them separately to keep the ingredients fresh. When ready to serve, remove from the fridge and assemble the shortcakes, topping with freshly-made whipped cream if desired.
Traditionally, a shortcake is made with a sweet biscuit, but some prefer to serve the recipe with yellow cake. If desired, cook the cake according to the box’s instructions, then cut circles using a pastry or cookie cutter. Or make the shortcakes by filling a cupcake tin and slicing the cooled cupcakes in half to fill with the blueberry sauce.
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.
The biscuits freeze well when you place them in a single layer on a tray to freeze, then transfer the frozen biscuits to a freezer-safe bag or container. They will keep for about four months and should be moved to the fridge 24 hours before serving to thaw.
On the other hand, the filling and whipped cream do not freeze well, so I suggest making them fresh or storing them in the fridge for just a couple of days.
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!
Behind the recipe: Blueberry Shortcake 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!
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Fresh Blueberry Shortcakes
Ingredients
Shortcakes
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 4 tablespoons sugar divided
- 8 tablespoons cold butter cut into small cubes
- 1 1/2 cups heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1 large egg white lightly beaten
- 2 teaspoons sugar
Filling
- 4 cups fresh blueberries divided
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- whipped cream for serving
Instructions
Filling
- In a medium saucepan, bring 1 cup of the blueberries, sugar, lemon juice, lemon zest, and cornstarch to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened.
- Pour the filling into a large bowl and add the remaining blueberries. Toss gently to coat. If desired, use a potato masher to crush some of the blueberries, leaving about half of the berries whole. Cover and refrigerate until chilled and ready to serve.
Shortcakes
- Preheat the oven to 400° F.
- Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and 3 tablespoons of the sugar in a large bowl and combine with a whisk. Add grated butter and mix together with a fork, or with your fingers, until it resembles coarse crumbs.
- Make a well and pour in the heavy cream, stirring with the fork just until moist.
- Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead lightly 4 or 5 times. Pat dough to a 9-inch square, about 1/2-inch thick.
- 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.
- Whisk together water and egg white and brush over shortcakes with a pastry brush. Sprinkle the tops evenly with 2 teaspoons of sugar.
- Bake at 400° for 18 minutes or until golden. Remove from oven, and cool on a wire rack.
To Serve
- Cut each shortcake in half horizontally with a serrated knife. Place the bottom half on a dessert plate and top with 1/2 cup of the blueberry filling. Cover with the top half of the shortcake, and garnish with 2 to 3 tablespoons of freshly whipped cream.
Notes
- Powdered sugar is another great topping for this dessert recipe.
- Don’t overmix the dough ingredients to prevent extra dense and tough biscuits.
- When mixing the butter with the dry ingredients, remember that it is normal for not all the butter to be thoroughly mixed in. You should have tiny pea-sized pieces to create buttery pockets once baked.
Nutrition
Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietician or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
About Sheila Thigpen
Recipe Developer, Food Photographer, Food Writer
Sheila Thigpen is the publisher of Life, Love, and Good Food — a Southern food blog — and the author of Easy Chicken Cookbook and The 5-Ingredient Fresh and Easy Cookbook. After 20+ years in the publishing industry, she retired in 2018 to focus on her own creative endeavors full time. She and her husband live near the beautiful Smoky Mountains and have a precious little granddaughter who has stolen their hearts. As an influencer, Sheila has collaborated with brands like Creamette, Kroger, HERSHEY’S, Hamilton Beach, Garafalo Pasta, OXO, Smithfield, Valley Fig Growers, and more.
