Raspberry Shortcake

An easy raspberry shortcake recipe made with chocolate biscuits, raspberry sauce and homemade whipped cream. Made with frozen raspberries.

Let’s take strawberry shortcake and make it a little fancier, but still with a lot of the same simple ingredients. I love a classic strawberry shortcake when summer berries are at their peak. But I had an idea to try my shortcake recipe with chocolate. To be honest, these tender chocolate biscuits look a little like lumps of coal. So they’re perfect for the holidays dressed with red berries. The biscuits are so delicious but they look much better dressed up with tart raspberries and homemade whipped cream. Also if you prefer more traditional shortcake biscuits with vanilla flavors, simply omit the cocoa powder. This recipe is sure to be a family favorite.

More delicious dessert recipes

• French Strawberry Cake
• Raspberry Almond Cake
• Bourbon Peach Crisp
• Strawberry Spoon Cake
• Air Fryer Cheesecake

Ingredients for Raspberry Shortcake

• Raspberries – I wrote this recipe with frozen raspberries in mind. When it’s peak raspberry season feel free to use fresh raspberries instead.
• Orange Juice – Adds a little citrus flavor to the raspberry sauce
• Butter – One stick of cold butter mixed into the flour for the biscuit dough and one tablespoon of butter mixed into the raspberry sauce to make it rich and shiny.
• Cocoa Powder – I love the pairing of a rich chocolate biscuit with bright red raspberries. It’s optional but you should try it. For vanilla biscuits, simply leave out the cocoa powder.
• Flour – Use all-purpose flour, I have not tested this recipe with any other type of flour.
• Buttermilk – Use full fat buttermilk for best results. I have not tested low fat buttermilk in the biscuit dough.
• Granulated Sugar – For sweetening both the raspberry sauce and the biscuit dough.
• Baking Powder – Adds carbon dioxide, helping the dough to spread up and out while baking.
• Baking Soda – Helps baked good to rise and become light and fluffy.
• Salt – Helps to enhance the flavor of other ingredients.
• Vanilla Extract – I always prefer using pure vanilla extract. Or you can make your own.
• Heavy Whipping Cream – For making the homemade whipped cream. You can use store bought to save time, but I prefer the taste of real whipped cream and it only takes a few minutes to make.
• Cream Cheese – This helps to stabilize the whipped cream to keep it from becoming runny and it also adds a nice tangy flavor to it.
• Powdered Sugar – For sweetening the homemade whipped cream.
• Variations – To save time, skip the homemade whipped cream and top these raspberry shortcakes with cool whip or ice cream instead. The homemade raspberry sauce would also make a perfect topping for angel food cake.

Instructions for Raspberry Shortcake

First make the raspberry sauce – add the frozen raspberries, orange juice and sugar to a small saucepan. Heat and bring to a boil. Stir for a few minutes. Remove from heat and add one tablespoon of butter. Stir until melted. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Then make the chocolate biscuits – whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Add the cold butter one tablespoon at a time to the dry ingredients, with a stand mixer or hand mixer running on low speed until it resembles wet sand. Mix together the buttermilk and vanilla. Slowly add it to the flour mixture until a cohesive dough forms and is no longer sticking to the bowl.

Use a large cookie scoop to form eight balls. Gently flatten them and then place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Bake at 375 degrees F for about 14 – 16 minutes. Allow the shortcakes to cool on the baking sheet about 20 minutes before serving.

Then make the whipped cream – add the whipped cream cheese and heavy cream to a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment. You’ll have best results if you put your bowl in the fridge for a few minutes to get it cold. Beat until soft peaks form. Add the powdered sugar and vanilla and beat on high for another 1 – 2 minutes. Serve immediately or refrigerate until ready to use.

Pro tips

Make the raspberry sauce a day or two in advance of when you want to serve the raspberry shortcakes.

Always use parchment paper or silicone baking mats to line your baking sheets to prevent your baked goods from sticking to them.

Use a large cookie scoop to help divide the biscuit dough evenly into eight biscuits. I prefer a mostly hands-off approach. But you could transfer the dough to a floured surface and divide it with a pastry cutter instead.

Flatten the biscuits gently with your hand before baking, so they are about the size and shape of a hockey puck.

Storage directions

After baking the biscuits can be stored in an airtight container on the counter for up to two days. Or place them in a freezer safe zippered bag and freeze them for up to one month. The raspberry sauce can be kept fresh in the refrigerator for up to one week. It will also freeze well in an airtight container also for up to one month. The whipped cream will stay fresh in the refrigerator for two or three days. I don’t recommend freezing the whipped cream.

Serving suggestions

I personally think the chocolate biscuit version of my raspberry shortcake is perfect for the holidays. Serve it as dessert with my Slow Roasted Beef Tenderloin, Potatoes Dauphinoise and Spinach Strawberry Salad.

During raspberry season, make this recipe with vanilla biscuits and serve it with one of my end of summer favorite recipes Slow Cooker Summer Chowder.

Kitchen tools

• KitchenAid Stand Mixer I used for testing this recipe
• Large cookie scoop for dividing the biscuit dough
• Sheet pans for baking
• Silpat baking mats for lining the baking sheets
• Saucepan for making the raspberry sauce
• Heat proof spatulas for stirring and mixing

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