Fresh Strawberry Shortcake Parfaits (Printable)

Fluffy shortcake, fresh strawberries, and whipped cream layered in mason jars for summer.

# What You'll Need:

→ Shortcake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
03 - 1 tablespoon baking powder
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
06 - 2/3 cup whole milk
07 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

→ Strawberries

08 - 1 pound fresh strawberries, hulled and sliced
09 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
10 - 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice

→ Whipped Cream

11 - 1 1/4 cups heavy whipping cream, cold
12 - 2 tablespoons powdered sugar
13 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

# Directions:

01 - Preheat oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Cut in cold butter using a pastry cutter or fingers until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
02 - Stir in milk and vanilla until just combined, avoiding overmixing. Drop heaping spoonfuls of dough onto the prepared baking sheet to form 6 to 8 shortcakes.
03 - Bake for 15 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely on the baking sheet, then cut into 1-inch cubes.
04 - While shortcakes bake, combine sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a bowl. Toss well and let macerate for at least 15 minutes until juices release.
05 - In a chilled bowl, whip heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form.
06 - Layer shortcake cubes, strawberries with juice, and whipped cream in 8-ounce mason jars. Repeat layers as desired, finishing with whipped cream and a few strawberry slices on top.
07 - Serve immediately, or cover and refrigerate for up to 2 hours before serving.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • No fancy plating required because the mason jar does all the visual work for you, and somehow everything tastes better when it's layered.
  • You can make these hours ahead, which means less stress when guests arrive and more time to actually enjoy them.
  • The combination of warm, buttery shortcake with cold whipped cream and macerated strawberries creates this perfect temperature contrast that feels almost luxurious.
02 -
  • Don't overmix the shortcake dough or you'll activate the gluten and end up with something tough instead of tender, which I learned the hard way the first time I made these.
  • Cold ingredients are non-negotiable for the whipped cream, so actually put your mixing bowl and beaters in the freezer for five minutes before you start whipping.
03 -
  • Use a bench scraper or two forks to cut the cold butter into the flour quickly without letting it warm up, which keeps everything tender and flaky.
  • The real magic happens when you let the strawberries sit with the sugar and lemon juice long enough to release their juices, which becomes this gorgeous syrup that soaks into the shortcake.
Go Back