Almond-Oat Strawberry Shortcakes
From the kitchen of CarlyTender shortcakes studded with toasted almonds and oats offer a nutty counterpoint to juicy macerated strawberries. Buttery, crumbly, and just sweet enough, these individual cakes strike the perfect balance between wholesome and indulgent.
Oats and almonds bring a toasty crunch to biscuits that are tender and rich without being heavy. The trick is keeping the butter cold and working the dough gently, so you get those irregular, shattered edges when they bake. Built for fresh strawberries and whipped cream, but sturdy enough to hold up for a few hours.
- Prep
- n/a
- Cook
- n/a
- Total
- n/a
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- medium
Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 cupall-purpose flour
- 1/2 cupold-fashioned oats
- 1/3 cupslivered almonds
- 1/3 cupplus 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 2 tspbaking powder
- 1/2 tspkosher salt
- 6 tbspchilled unsalted butter, cut into 1/2" cubes
- 1 cupchilled heavy cream, divided, plus more for brushing
- 1 1/2 tspvanilla extract, divided
- 4 cupfresh strawberries, hulled, sliced
- 1 tbspGrand Marnier or other orange liqueur
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a food processor, combine the flour, oats, almonds, 1/3 cup sugar, baking powder, and salt, pulsing until finely ground. Drop in the butter and pulse until only pea-size pieces remain. Pour in 1/2 cup cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla, then pulse again until large moist clumps form. Tip the mixture onto a work surface.
Knead the dough until it comes together, about 4 turns, then pat it into a 4x6-inch rectangle. Halve it lengthwise, then cut crosswise into thirds so you have 6 biscuits. Set them on the prepared baking sheet, brush the tops with cream, and dust with 1/2 tablespoon sugar.
Slide the sheet into the oven and bake for about 20 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through, until the edges are golden brown and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the biscuits to a wire rack and let them cool completely. (Biscuits can be made up to 8 hours ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.)
While the biscuits bake, toss the strawberries in a large bowl with 1 tablespoon sugar and the Grand Marnier if using. Let them sit, tossing often, until the juices release. In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup cream, 1/2 tablespoon sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon vanilla until soft peaks form.
Split the warm or room-temperature biscuits in half and lay the bottom halves on plates. Spoon the whipped cream and strawberries over each one, then cap with the remaining biscuit halves.
Tips from the kitchen
- Pulse the dry mixture in the food processor until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then add butter and pulse just until you see pea-size pieces. Stop there, or you'll lose the flaky texture.
- Don't overwork the dough after adding cream. Four or five gentle turns by hand is all you need to bring it together. Shaggy is fine.
- Brush the biscuits with heavy cream before baking, not milk or egg wash. It gives them a tender, golden crust that complements the toasted nuts.
- Toast the almonds lightly in a dry skillet before pulsing them if you want deeper flavor and a more pronounced nuttiness.
Variations
- Swap the Grand Marnier for a splash of balsamic vinegar or fresh lemon juice to bring out the strawberry sweetness in a different way.
- Use peaches or raspberries instead of strawberries, tossing them with a touch of cardamom or rosewater if you have it.
- Skip the whipped cream entirely and use mascarpone mixed with a little honey and vanilla for a richer, creamier fill.
- Add a tablespoon of honey or jam between the biscuit layers for extra sweetness and a fruity bind.
Make ahead and storage
Store cooled biscuits airtight at room temperature for up to 8 hours. They don't freeze well because the cream and strawberries don't hold up, but the plain biscuits alone can be wrapped and frozen for up to a month, then reheated gently before assembly.