Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
This vegan strawberry shortcake recipe creates a delicious crisp homemade shortcake biscuit. Top them with sliced strawberries and coconut whipped cream for an old-fashioned dessert loved by generations and for good reason!
We’re going a little old school today with this easy Vegan Strawberry Shortcake recipe. You know I have a thing for vegan strawberry dessert recipes!
Homemade Strawberry Shortcake
When I was a kid strawberry shortcake meant spongy, twinkie-like cakes bought in a package at the store. I never even knew that people made homemade shortcakes until I was in my early twenties.
I’m not always great at trying new things, so it was a bit of a stretch for me, putting strawberries on a biscuit from scratch. But I love it and it’s the only way to enjoy this traditional dessert!
Why This Recipe is a Winner
- Using vegan butter creates a buttery biscuit that tastes great with the strawberry sauce
- Adding vegan buttermilk adds depth of flavor and richness to the biscuits
- Using a drop biscuit method of baking makes this recipe easy to make and creates lots of biscuit edges that get browned and crispy while baking, making every bite a celebration of flavor and texture!
What You Need
You can find the full printable recipe, including ingredient quantities, below. But first, here are some explanations of ingredients and steps to help you make this recipe perfect every time.
- Lemon — We’ll use both the zest and the juice of the lemon.
- Oats — I used rolled oats for this recipe, but you can substitute instant oats.
- Chia — We’ll add some ground chia seeds to create a thicker texture. You can use whole chia seeds; I just prefer ground because it creates a smoother finished texture.
- Syrup — I used maple syrup, but you can substitute agave nectar.
- Milk — We’ll use almond milk for the best overnight oats! Substitute your favorite plant-based milk.
- Yogurt — I love adding some plant-based yogurt (plain, unsweetened) for an even more tangy flavor.
- Protein Powder — I add some vanilla protein powder for increased flavor and nutrients. If your protein powder is not sweetened, you may want to add an extra teaspoon or two of sweetener.
- Cornstarch — We’ll use cornstarch to thicken the lemon curd topping.
- Turmeric — A pinch of turmeric makes that lemon curd sunny yellow.
- Flour — Use all-purpose flour or whole wheat pastry flour (different from whole wheat flour), or use a high-quality gluten-free baking flour.
- Baking powder — Make sure yours is fresh by dipping a bit of it in hot water. If it bubbles, your batch is good to go.
- Granulated sugar
- Salt
- Vegan Butter — Use a storebought brand like Earth Balance or Miyokos, or make your own vegan butter.
- Plant-based milk — I recommend soy milk, or you can substitute almond milk.
- Apple cider vinegar
- Strawberries
- Coconut sugar — I like coconut sugar, or you can substitute granulated sugar.
- Vegan Whipped Cream — There are storebought dairy-free whipped creams you can buy or make your own coconut whipped cream in minutes.
Best Strawberries for Strawberry Shortcake
Select colorful berries because they’re more flavorful. Because the strawberries will be macerated, you can get away with berries with some blemishes. Or you can simply cut that part of the berry out and discard it.
How to Make Vegan Shortcake Biscuits
- Pulse together dry ingredients in a food processor and then add chopped butter until coarse crumbs form.
- Pour vegan buttermilk in with the flour mixture and pulse to combine.
- Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto a prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
- Prepare the strawberries, by slicing them into a bowl, adding sugar, and gently mashing with a fork.
- Serve sliced biscuits with sweet strawberries (and their juices) and whipped topping.
Here’s a more detailed and visual step-by-step guide:
Step One: Biscuit Base
- Begin by combining flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a food processor.
- Pulse to combine.
- Add the sliced vegan butter.
- Pulse until a crumbly mixture forms.
Step Two: Curdle the Milk
Next, combine plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar in a small bowl or measuring cup.
Pour the milk mixture over the crumbly, butter mixture in the food processor and pulse a few times until combined. The dough will be sticky.
Step Three: Drop and Bake
Use a large spoon to drop the dough by rounded spoonful onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
I like using the drop biscuit method because it creates lots of peaks that can get browned and crispy while baking.
Alternatively, you can roll the dough out and cut it into rounds.
Place the pan in the oven and bake the biscuits for 15 to 20 minutes, until the edges are golden brown.
Storage Tips
Store the biscuits in an airtight container. They will keep at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for up to 7 days. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. Store the strawberry slices in a separate container. These will keep in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How do you make strawberry sauce?
These are the steps I use to make strawberries for strawberry shortcake:
- Wash strawberries in a colander under running water
- Hull the berries to remove the stem with a paring knife
- Slice the strawberries in half horizontally, and then quarters
- Add sweetener (such as agave, sugar, or even a zero-calorie sweetener)
- Stir and gently mash (otherwise known as macerating) some of the strawberries (leaving some intact)
Do you eat your vegan strawberry shortcake with a spoon or a fork?
Obviously, we chose to eat it with a fork, but it works both ways…especially when you get to the bottom of the bowl.
Reader Reviews
★★★★★
Christin
I made this strawberry shortcake to take along on our family vacation trip (since the rest of my family brought pre-packaged shortcakes which are not vegan). I loved how easy it was to make ahead and bring with us. My vegan husband was very impressed and had it for dessert 4 nights in a row! lol… So good, thank you! =)
Vegan Strawberry Favorites
This vegan strawberry shortcake recipe is so good! If you love strawberry recipes, here are more to try:
Here are even more Vegan Strawberry Recipes you’ll want to check out!
That’s it for this easy vegan strawberry shortcake recipe!
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Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
Ingredients
Vegan Shortcakes
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons baking powder
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup dairy-free margarine chopped
- 1 ¼ cup vanilla flavored plant based milk
- 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
Strawberry Sauce
- 6 cups strawberries
- ⅓ cup coconut sugar
- Coconut Whipped Cream
Instructions
- Heat your oven to 400°F/200°C and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a food processor pulse together the flour, baking powder, 3 tablespoons of sugar, and salt. Add the chopped margarine and pulse until coarse crumbs form.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar. Give it a stir to combine and then pour it over the flour mixture. Pulse until a just combined and a sticky dough is formed.
- Drop the dough by rounded spoonfuls onto your prepared baking sheet, trying to keep the biscuits roughly the same size.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes until golden brown.
- In the meantime, wash and core your strawberries. Slice the strawberries into a bowl and add the coconut sugar. Use a fork to mash the strawberries a little to help release their juices. Set aside while you're waiting for the biscuits to bake.
- Once the biscuits are done, remove them from the oven and set them aside to cool slightly.
- To serve: slice the biscuits in half and top with sliced strawberries (and their juices) and Coconut Whipped Topping.
Recommended Equipment
(The products above contain sponsored links to products we use and recommend)
The nutrition information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator and should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
This post was originally published in 2018 and was updated to include new photos, new text, and an updated recipe in 2021.
I made this strawberry shortcake to take along on our family vacation trip (since the rest of my family brought pre-packaged shortcakes which are not vegan). I loved how easy it was to make ahead and bring with us. My vegan husband was very impressed and had it for dessert 4 nights in a row! lol =) We stored it in the fridge and warmed it up for about 20-25 seconds in the microwave before adding the strawberries and whipped topping. So good, thank you! =)
I could totally go for a strawberry shortcake as a biscuit! It has a rustic southern comfort flair. Didn’t know there were so many vegan alternatives in baking. Will have to try some out!
Thanks, Matt! Strawberry Shortcake is such a favorite summer treat. Well, strawberry anything to be completely honest! 🙂
yum yum yum these are beautiful! xo
Thankya kindly Kathy! Hugs to you, my friend! 🙂
These are the perfect little shortcakes Marly! Hooray for strawberries!
Thanks, Abby! There’s nothing like delicious strawberries in the summer!