Blueberry Shortcake

Around here, blueberry shortcake means buttery, delicate, from-scratch biscuits that practically crumble. Piled high with fresh blueberries that are gently macerated for flavor-packed juiciness in every bite!

Fresh blueberries and sweet mascarpone whipped cream are sandwiched between buttery, from-scratch shortcake biscuits to make the ultimate simple-yet-special dessert that’s the perfect treat for warm-weather nights (and mornings, let’s be honest). The biscuits are buttery and crumbly on the outside, tender on the inside, and hold up beautifully to juicy blueberries.

Mascarpone cream gives this dessert just the right amount of richness and tang. I loved it so much that I’ll be trying it on my blueberry cake recipe and blueberry galette next. Spring has sprung and it’s time to celebrate the season with blueberry shortcakes!

Professional tips for this blueberry shortcake recipe:

• Handle the dough gently. To keep a delicate texture, be sure not to overwork the dough when shaping it — just a light pat into an irregular biscuit shape will do, then place it on the parchment paper.
• Sprinkle the dough with turbinado sugar. I didn’t brush them with heavy cream or anything. The dough is pretty sticky so turbinado just sticks!
• Chill dough and use a serrated knife. Chilling the biscuits in the fridge will also help them maintain their shape. When you go to cut into them for serving, use a sharp serrated knife and a gentle sawing motion to cut them in half.

Ingredients

• Mascarpone cream: Mascarpone is actually a cheese, almost cream cheese-like but with a light sweetness.
• Baking Powder
• All Purpose Flour: I prefer to use all-purpose flour for this recipe because it has just the right amount of gluten to make a tender, and not tough, shortcake.
• Lemon Zest
• Sugar: There is a little bit of sugar here for the more obvious flavor reasons, but also to retain moisture and to improve texture and stability.
• Kosher Salt
• Butter: Unsalted butter has all the benefits of butter without adding salt to the dish. Shortcakes use butter for texture instead of egg!
• Heavy Cream: It is necessary to use full fat heavy cream, which is sometimes called heavy whipping cream. Light whipping cream will not whip the same. And for the topping, it will over-whip easily and not be as smooth.
• Vanilla
• Fresh Blueberries: Unlike blueberry cobbler, there’s no syrup or cornstarch to boil here. So keep your pot in the cupboard! This dessert leans on the power of fresh fruit instead, so try to use fresh blueberries if you can.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations (like strawberry shortcake!)

• Use other berries or a mix! You can do this with just about any type of berry. Feel free to swap some of the blueberries in this recipe for sliced strawberries as in my best strawberry shortcake, raspberries, blackberries or a combination.
• Add different citrus zest. You could play with different citruses like lime or orange (hello, clementine!) or even substitute the zest for one of your favorite extracts. I also like to add lemon juice to my berries for extra brightness.
• Spice it up! I’m a sucker for cardamom and blueberries! But the options are endless; you can add my apple pie spice or pumpkin pie spice or create your own mix. Be careful not to add too much too fast. I know it sounds strange, but taste the flour with the spices to ensure you enjoy it.

How to Make Blueberry Shortcake

Further details and measurements can be found in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Heat the oven to 425°F (conventional – no fan). Line a large rimmed baking sheet or smaller sheet pans with parchment paper.

Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients of flour, lemon zest, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, baking powder and salt until well combined.

Step 3: Use a pastry blender, two knives or your fingers to cut the cold butter into the flour mixture until the butter is the size of small peas.

Step 4: Stir 1 1/2 cups heavy cream and 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla into the flour mixture just until a dough forms.

Step 5: Divide the dough into 9 equal pieces. Gently shape each piece of dough into a biscuit-shaped round about 3/4-inch thick. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 1 inch apart.

The shortcakes may spread slightly as they bake, so shape them evenly for best results. If you find the dough way too sticky, use a lightly floured surface.

Step 6: Chill the biscuits on the baking sheet in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Sprinkle the biscuits with turbinado sugar!

Step 7: Once chilled, transfer the biscuits on the sheet pan to the oven. Bake for 18-20 minutes until golden brown. Transfer the baked biscuits to a cooling rack to cool completely.

Step 8: Meanwhile, in a medium mixing bowl, stir the blueberries and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until well mixed. Let the mixture stand at room temperature for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Use immediately, or store the berries, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 8 hours/overnight. The berries will continue to break down and release their natural juices as they sit.

Chill the bowl and beaters before beginning the mascarpone cream for best results.

Step 9: Just before serving, make the mascarpone cream. In a large mixing bowl, beat the mascarpone and 1 cup heavy cream with an electric hand mixer on high speed just until stiff peaks form. 

Stiff peaks will stand upright when you lift the beaters, but the tips may gently curl.

Step 10: Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla.

Step 11: Use a serrated knife to gently cut the shortcakes in half. Top each bottom half with a big spoonful or two of blueberries. Top with a generous dollop of mascarpone cream, and more berries if desired. Top with the top half of the shortcake. Serve immediately.

Frequently Asked Questions

Before You Go

I hope you enjoyed this professional chef tested recipe. Check out our other delicious, chef-developed dessert recipes!