Whole Wheat Strawberry Shortcake

Two plates with easy strawberry shortcake set on a table with white linens. Shortcake is piled with sliced strawberries and whipped yogurt topping. A wire basket of strawberries is to the left of the plates. Larger photo

Sweetened strawberries set on a fluffy biscuit and topped with light cream, but with a healthy twist. Whole wheat flour and yogurt up the nutritional value and give us one more reason to eat strawberry shortcake.

  • Prep time: 35 minutes
  • Cook time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 shortcakes, 8 servings

Ingredients

For the strawberries:

  • 16-ounces strawberries, stemmed and sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sugar

For the shortcakes:

  • 3/4 cup whole wheat flour
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • Zest of 1 medium lemon
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 6 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup low-fat Greek yogurt
  • 2 tablespoons milk (whatever you have in the fridge)

For the yogurt whipped cream:

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup plain low-fat Greek yogurt (use nonfat or full-fat if you can’t find low-fat)

Method

1 Preheat oven to 350°F.

2 Macerate the berries: Toss together the sliced strawberries and 1 tablespoon sugar in a medium bowl. Set aside.

Sliced strawberries macerating in a small bowl to make easy strawberry shortcake.

3 Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, lemon zest, baking powder, and salt.

4 Cut the butter into the dry ingredients: Add the butter and use a pastry cutter to incorporate it into the flour. Alternatively, use your fingers to pinch the pieces of butter one-by-one and toss them with the flour until your dough is crumbly, like gravel.

A white bowl with cubed butter, flour and lemon zest to make light strawberry shortcake. The bowl is on a yellow striped linen.

5 Mix the wet ingredients and combine: In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, 1/2 cup yogurt, and milk until smooth. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and stir just until the dough comes together in clumps.

A small glass bowl with the wet ingredients for healthy strawberry shortcake. Summer strawberry shortcake dough in a white bowl with a yellow striped towel underneath.

6 Shape the cakes and bake: Turn the dough onto a large, lightly floured baking sheet and firmly pat it into a 5 1/2-inch square. Cut the dough into quarters and separate the four shortcakes so they have room to rise as they bake.

An empty baking sheet on a striped linen. Homemade stawberry shortcake dough in a large square on a baking sheet for an open-faced strawberry shortcake. Homemade strawberry shortcake biscuit dough being sliced into four large squares and set on a baking sheet. Overhead view of unbaked whole wheat shortcakes on a baking sheet for easy strawberry shortcake.

7 Bake the shortcakes: Bake until lightly browned along the bottom, about 25 minutes. When the shortcakes are done, let them cool for at least 15 minutes before using a serrated edge knife to split them in half.

Whole wheat shortcakes for healthier strawberry shortcake on a baking sheet.

8 Make the whipped cream: Put the heavy cream, sugar, and vanilla extract into the bowl of an electric mixer. Beat on high until stiff peaks form. Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the 3/4 cup yogurt into the whipped cream.

Overhead view of whipped yogurt cream in a stand mixer bowl for a light strawberry shortcake.

9 Assemble the strawberry shortcakes: To assemble, divide the shortcake halves onto 8 small plates. Divide the strawberries among the cakes evenly and top with a generous spoonful of yogurt whipped cream.