Get ready for the best vegan strawberry shortcake of your life. Extra high flaky biscuits are topped with a salted vanilla strawberry filling and fresh coconut whipped cream. This will be your new favorite gluten free, diary free summer dessert!
If you prefer to watch instead of read, scroll down to watch the full video of how to make vegan strawberry shortcake!
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There is nothing I love more than fresh strawberry shortcake on a hot summer evening after the dishes are cleaned and everyone is casually sitting around the table on the deck. That's the feeling I want to replicate when you take a bite of this vegan strawberry shortcake!
If you're looking for other vegan recipes or more cakes, pies, and tarts, we have plenty to choose from. If it's strawberries you're craving (even out of strawberry season), try our strawberry cheesecake overnight oats or our strawberry spinach salad.
Inspiration for This Recipe
These biscuits are huge and unlike any other vegan biscuit you will have. This recipe is inspired by a local favorite from Fox in the Snow. I used their recipe as a base and changed it to make it gluten-free and vegan. There are so many reasons to love these shortcake biscuits with homemade strawberry compote and whipped cream:
The juicy strawberries: nothing beats in-season strawberries.
It's a classic dessert with a vegan spin: make the best strawberry shortcake that you won't even know is vegan when you taste it. It reminds us of this vegan roasted strawberry cobbler in that way.
It's dessert for the eyes, too: it's so colorful and playful-looking on the plate -- kind of like a disassembled layer cake.
ingredients you need
Here are the simple ingredients for this delicious vegan strawberry shortcake recipe. They're affordable and easy to find in grocery stores. Jump down to the recipe card for exact measurements.
Vegan Biscuits:
- 1:1 gluten free baking flour: if you want these to be gluten free too, just use a 1:1 or measure-for-measure baking flour. I used Bob's Red Mill for this one.
- Baking powder and baking soda: act as the leaveners. Make sure they're not expired!
- Salt: We always use iodized salt for baking.
- Granulated sugar: or coconut sugar.
- Quality vegan butter: Yhese biscuits are very butter so make sure you use a good quality vegan butter. I used Myokos!
- Homemade vegan buttermilk: 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar then enough almond milk to fill up to 2 cups.
Strawberry Compote and Whipped Cream:
- Fresh strawberries: essential for the gooey strawberry sauce. The best part about this sweet fruit is that is makes the perfect dessert just on its own! (Or in a vegan shortcake.)
- Lemon juice: adds a little tartness to the
- Maple syrup: substitute with brown rice syrup or date syrup.
- Vanilla extract and sea salt: for flavor.
- Homemade coconut whipped cream: you can also use the store-bought version.
Vegan Egg Wash:
- Coconut milk: use a full-fat can of coconut milk.
- Maple syrup: substitute with brown rice syrup or date syrup.
Sweet and sticky butter topping:
- Vegan butter: We use Myokos brand.
- Maple syrup: substitute with brown rice syrup or date syrup.
- Sea salt: to top.
Pro Tip: The easy strawberry compote can be used on other desserts like our vegan cheesecake, gluten-free angel food cake, or lemon angel food cake.
How to Make Easy Vegan Strawberry Shortcake
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. These simple vegan strawberry shortcakes are really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure it turns out every time.
Make the strawberry topping: Add the strawberries, lemon juice, syrup, vanilla, and sea salt in a medium bowl and toss well to coat. Cover and place in the fridge while you make the biscuits.
Make the homemade whipped cream: Place the cream in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer). Beat for 4-5 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the dough: Add 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and chilled butter to a bowl. Use a pastry blender to cut the vegan butter into the flour until the chunks of butter are the size of a nickel. Add the rest of the flour and pour the buttermilk over top and use your hands to create a shaggy dough:
Fold the biscuits: this is where all the layers happen! We're doing six folds to this dough to create tons of lamination. Scroll down to the recipe card to see a detailed video of each step.
Cut the biscuits: use a 3 inch biscuit cutter to cut straight down into the dough (don't twist it!). Bring it straight up and transfer the biscuits onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Push the dough together tightly and repeat until all the dough is gone.
Egg wash and bake: Quickly whisk the egg wash together then generously cover the tops of the biscuits so they turned golden brown in the oven. Bake for 30-35 minutes.
Sticky vegan topping: While the biscuits are baking, whisk together melted vegan butter and syrup and spread it over the warm biscuits. Top with a little sea salt!
Assemble the strawberry shortcake: Allow the biscuits to cool then break them in half and place the bottom on a plate or in a bowl. Top with coconut whipped cream and the prepared, sweet strawberries then place the other half of the biscuit on top.
Vegan Strawberry Shortcakes FAQs
Are strawberry shortcakes vegan?
Shortcakes are not vegan because they're made with buttermilk and butter. But this recipe calls for a vegan butter and a homemade vegan buttermilk! The whipped cream for this recipe is made from coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
How do you whip coconut cream? Use a whisk attachment to beat the coconut cream until soft peaks form (4-5 minutes) then beat in the sugar and vanilla until incorporated. Read this recipe for how to make coconut whipped cream.
What's the difference between coconut milk and coconut cream? Full-fat coconut milk typically separates in the can so the milk (which has a water consistency) sinks to the bottom and the cream stays on top. For the coconut whipped cream you'll only use the thick cream. You can buy coconut cream only! This is a great vegan alternative to heavy cream!
How long will strawberry compote last? It will last for up to one week in the fridge and up to 6 months in the freezer.
Can you make strawberry compote with frozen strawberries? This is a great recipe to use with frozen strawberries. You don't need to thaw them out first, just add them to the sauce pan straight from frozen.
How to quickly make vegan buttermilk
The buttermilk in this recipe is key to sky-high biscuits because the acid in it reacts with the baking soda and baking powder to make them tall. Fill a liquid measure cup with 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar and fill the rest up with almond milk until it reaches 2 cups.
Storage and Freezer Instructions
Storing, freezing, & reheating the biscuits: These sweet biscuits freeze SO well. When you've shaped and cut them, right before the egg wash, place biscuits on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer. Freeze until solid then transfer to an airtight bag or container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm back up in the oven at 350°F until warmed all the way through. Add the topping straight out of the oven. To store them in the fridge, allow them to cool completely then place them in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Soring, freezing, & reheating the strawberry compote: Allow the strawberry compote to cool completely then store in an airtight container (or jar for in the fridge, not freezer) for up to one week. It will become thicker as it chills so warm it back up in the microwave or stove before serving. To freeze them, follow the same instructions as above and freeze for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating on the stove or in the microwave.
If you make this recipe, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More of our favorite vegan desserts
- Vegan turtle cheesecake bars are an easy no-bake healthy dessert.
- Strawberries and cream vegan popsicles are a sweet treat that don't even feel like it!
- Strawberry rhubarb crisp that has no refined sugars - win!
- Healthy fruit salsa filled with chopped strawberries, kiwi, mango, and peaches.
Vegan Strawberry Shortcake [Gluten Free]
Ingredients
Strawberries and cream:
- Homemade coconut whipped cream (could also use store bought)
- 2 pints (32 oz) fresh strawberries, quartered or sliced
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup, brown rice syrup or date syrup
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
Biscuits:
- 5 ½ cups 1:1 baking flour we used Bob's Red Mill, plus more for dusting (can also use all purpose flour)
- 3 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons granulated sugar or coconut sugar
- 1 ½ cups cold vegan butter we used Myokos
- 2 cups homemade vegan buttermilk (2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar then enough almond milk to fill up to 2 cups)
Vegan Egg Wash:
- ¼ cup full fat coconut milk
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup, brown rice syrup or date syrup
Sweet and sticky butter topping:
- ¼ cup vegan butter melted
- ¼ cup maple syrup, brown rice syrup or date syrup
- Sea salt to top
Instructions
Make the strawberries:
- Add the strawberries, lemon juice, syrup, vanilla and sea salt in a medium bowl and toss well to coat. Cover and place in the fridge while you make the biscuits.
- If you're making the homemade whipped cream, place the cream in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment (or bowl with a hand mixer) and beat for 4-5 minutes until soft peaks form. Add the sugar and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Store in the fridge until ready to use.
Make the biscuit dough:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Start by preparing the buttermilk. Add 2 tablespoons of apple cider vingegar to a liquid measuring cup (enough to hold 2 cups) then fill the measuring cup up to 2 cups with unsweetened almond milk. Set aside to curdle.
- To make the biscuits, preheat the oven to 375°F. Add 2 cups of the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and chilled butter to a large bowl. Use a pastry blender or two knives to cut the butter into the flour, until the butter is the size of a nickel.
- Add the rest of the flour (3 ½ cups) and toss together until the butter is evenly distributed. Pour the prepared buttermilk over the flour mixture and knead it until a shaggy dough forms and there is little to no dry ingredients left at the bottom of the bowl.
Fold the biscuits:
- Turn the biscuit dough out onto a well floured work surface. Pat the dough roughly into a 14-inch wide rectangle (it doesn't have to be perfect), with the longest edge of the dough facing you.
- Trifold the dough (book fold) by taking the left edge and folding it into the center. Next, take the right edge and fold it in and over top of the first fold. Press it down well to make sure the dough is compact then use a rolling pin to flatten it out again into a rectangle shape. Add more gluten free flour as needed.
- Turn the dough 90 degrees so the long edge of the rectangle is facing you again. Fold the dough from left to right in half. Press it down firmly so it's combined then roll it out into another rectangle (the short edge will be facing you). Fold the dough from the top down and press firmly to combine.
- For the last fold, roll the dough out into another rectangle with the long edge facing you and fold it from left to right again.
- Use a rolling pin to adjust the dough to your desired thickness, about ¾ of the heigh of your biscuit cutter (ideally about 3 inches wide). The dough will be pretty thick/tall. Dip your biscuit cutter into flour to prevent sticking, then press it straight up and down into the dough, without twisting it at all. You will get 4-6 biscuits out of your first rectangle.
- Press the remaining dough together and reshape into a small rectangle. Flip it on it's side and push down into a rectangle to seal any cracks. Cut out more a few more biscuits and repeat the process until a small amount of dough remains. You should get about 7-8 biscuits total.
Bake:
- Place all of the biscuits on the prepared baking sheet. Whisk the maple syrup and coconut milk together in a small bowl then brush it generously on top of each biscuit. Bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes until golden brown.
- While they're baking, melt the vegan butter in the microwave and whisk together with your syrup of choice (we used brown rice syrup). When the biscuits are done, brush a generous amount of butter mixture over top of the hot biscuits, letting it fall down the sides to coat the whole biscuit. Top with sea salt. Allow them to cool slightly before serving.
Assemble the strawberry shortcake:
- Break the biscuits in half and place the bottom on a plate or in a bowl. Top with coconut whipped cream and the prepared strawberries then place the other half of the biscuit on top.
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