Strawberry shortcake just got an upgrade... say hello to chocolate strawberry shortcake! This quick and easy recipe elevates the classic summertime dessert with homemade chocolate buttermilk biscuits piled high with sweet strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

A chocolate biscuit topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream on a white plate.

You probably already know that I love a dessert that puts a fun spin on a classic recipe. It doesn't get much more classic than strawberry shortcake, but this summertime staple is missing one essential ingredient: chocolate. A simple change solves this problem and puts a unique twist on classic strawberry shortcake.

Swap out a basic, sweet biscuit for a soft, lightly sweet chocolate buttermilk biscuit and you'll wonder why you haven't been using chocolate biscuits for your summer shortcakes all along. After all, it's a well known fact that chocolate and strawberries were made for each other! These chocolate buttermilk biscuits are super easy to bake from scratch, and they come together in about half an hour (including baking time).

Once you have your homemade chocolate biscuits, we'll pile them high with juicy macerated strawberries. A generous spoonful of homemade whipped cream seals the deal.

Store-bought whipped cream doesn't hold a candle to fresh, homemade whipped cream, so be sure to make the good stuff! It takes just 5 minutes (really!) and is worth the tiny bit of effort.

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Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
Special Equipment
Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions
Recipe
Comments

Ingredient Notes & Substitutions

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for full ingredient list and measurements.

Recipe ingredients with labels on a white surface.

Chocolate Buttermilk Biscuits - This simple, lightly sweet recipe for chocolate buttermilk biscuits takes just 20 minutes of hands-on time to make ahead of time (up to one day) before assembling the desserts.

Fresh Strawberries - For the best flavor, use ripe, in-season strawberries.

Heavy Cream - Use cream labeled "heavy cream" or "heavy whipping cream" (not simply "whipping cream") You'll need cold cream with a high fat content to make whipped cream, so I recommend working with heavy whipping cream or heavy cream (more on the different types of cream in a minute) that's well chilled.

Granulated Sugar - Adding a bit of granulated sugar to the strawberries and letting them sit and macerate before assembling the desserts softens the berries and brings their juice front and center.

Confectioners' Sugar - A tiny bit of sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the cream. Unlike granulated sugar, confectioners' sugar dissolves easily so there will be no grittiness in the whipped cream.

Special Equipment

In addition to essential baking equipment (like a mixing bowl and spoon), I recommend some special tools for making this recipe.

An electric hand mixer (or a stand mixer with the whisk attachment), for making the whipped cream.

Step-By-Step Recipe Instructions

See recipe card at the bottom of this post for detailed recipe instructions.

Sliced strawberries with sugar in a glass mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.

Step 1: Prep the strawberries. Wash, dry, hull, and slice the strawberries. Add the sliced berries to a bowl with the granulated sugar and stir to coat. Set aside until juice begins to pool in the bowl, about 30 minutes.

Whipped cream in a glass mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer.

Step 2: Make the whipped cream. Beat heavy whipping cream and confectioners sugar until the mixture reaches stiff peaks.

Overhead view of a sliced chocolate biscuit on a plate with strawberries and whipped cream.

Step 3: Assemble the cakes. Slice each biscuit in half horizontally. Top the biscuits with a spoonful of the strawberries followed by a spoonful of whipped cream.

Chocolate biscuit topped with fresh strawberries and whipped cream.

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