Blueberry Shortcake

The days are warm and fresh blueberries are popping up at your local farmer's market! There's no better way to celebrate the season than with this Blueberry Shortcake!

This post may contain affiliate links, and as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I’ll never link to anything I don’t use and love! Click here for full disclosure and privacy policy.

This Blueberry Shortcake is a tender, flaky lavender biscuit topped with juicy fresh blueberries and vanilla bean whipped cream! Whether you're headed to a picnic, a summer party, or just staying home, these beauties are the perfect treat all summer long!

If you enjoy this recipe, check out the posts for my Strawberry Biscuit Shortcake, Blueberry Angel Food Cake, and Lavender Lemon Cake!

How to Choose Lavender

You can buy lavender online, at farmer's markets, or you can grow it yourself! Here are a few things to consider when choosing lavender:

Not all lavender is created equal! Here's some science for ya: lavender is any plant of the genus Lavandula, which includes 47 species of flowers. Not all of these species should be used in baking or cooking. What you want to look for is English lavender, which is most commonly used in food. English lavender isn't as strong as other lavenders, which means it's less likely to overwhelm the other flavors in your food or make it taste soapy.

You want culinary lavender! The next step in choosing lavender is to make sure that it's safe to eat. Culinary lavender will not only lend appropriate flavor, but it is meant to be eaten, meaning that it won't have been sprayed with any harmful chemicals.

Pay attention to the color and scent. The more vivid the color and the more pleasant the smell of the lavender, the better it will taste. If the flowers are drab in color or don't smell lovely (with either too much or too little aroma), move on!

Tip: No lavender, or prefer not to use it? No problem! Just leave the lavender out of the recipe. Check out the "Variations" section below for more flavor pairing ideas!

Ingredients

Aside from the lavender, all of the ingredients for these shortcakes are easily found at your local grocery store. You likely have most of them in your refrigerator and pantry already! Measurements for each of the ingredients are included in the recipe card, below.

Lavender Biscuit Ingredients

• Sugar - For sweetness and keeping the biscuits soft and moist.
• Dried Lavender- For flavor.
• Flour - Provides structure for the biscuits. I used all-purpose flour.
• Baking Powder and Baking Soda - Provide leavening for the biscuits.
• Salt - To balance and enhance the flavors of the biscuits.
• Unsalted Butter - For moisture and richness. Unsalted so that you control the amount of salt in the recipe. You want your butter to be diced and cold.
• Buttermilk - For flavor, richness, and moisture. Biscuits made with buttermilk will always be sooo soft and fluffy! (Check out the Substitutions section below for a quick substitution if you don't have any on-hand!) You want your buttermilk to be cold.
• Coarse Sugar (optional) - For sweetness and a lovely crunch on top!

Hint: No buttermilk? Check out the "Substitution" section below or the recipe notes for a quick substitution!

Topping Ingredients

• Heavy (Whipping) Cream - Can't make whipped cream without it! 😀
• Powdered Sugar - For sweetness. I prefer using powdered sugar because it dissolves so well, and because the small amount of cornstarch in powdered sugar helps the whipped cream to hold its shape for longer.
• Vanilla Bean Paste - For flavor! It's no secret that I love vanilla bean paste. It's soooo tasty without the vanilla bean price tag (and it pretty much stays good forever). If you prefer to substitute, you can use an equal measure of vanilla extract.
• Blueberries - For flavor. Fresh blueberries work best. Of course, lavender pairs well with other berries, too, so feel free to use others!

Instructions

Here's how to make this recipe, step by step! More detailed instructions are included in the recipe card, below.

Pour a small amount of sugar and all the lavender into a coffee grinder or food processor. Process until lavender is ground finely.

Combine dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt). Add lavender sugar and remaining sugar and stir to combine.

Cut the cold, diced butter into the dry ingredients until the largest pieces are about the size of a pea.

Add buttermilk and mix until just combined. Pat the dough out into a circle and cut biscuits.

Place the biscuits on a lined pan. If desired, brush the top of each biscuit with milk and sprinkle with coarse sugar.

Bake until golden, then let cool completely.

Whip cream, sugar, and vanilla bean paste to soft peaks.

Split biscuits. Top bottom half with whipped cream and berries, then the top of the biscuit.

Tip: You want to keep your ingredients as cold as possible as you make the biscuits! The cold butter will steam and give the biscuits better height when baked. The cream should also be cold so that it whips up fluffy .

Substitutions

Here are a few quick substitutions that you can make with this recipe:

• Instead of Buttermilk: No buttermilk on-hand? Pour 1 teaspoon vinegar OR lemon juice into a liquid measuring cup, then add enough milk (I find that 2% milkfat or greater works best) to come up to the 1 cup line. Let sit for 5 minutes, then it's ready for use!
• Instead of Dried Lavender: If you can't find dried lavender or prefer not to use it, you can instead substitute with 1 teaspoon of lavender paste.

Variations

There are several delicious variations that can be made to this recipe:

• Change the fruit - the lavender biscuits will pair well with strawberries, raspberries, and blackberries, too, so feel free to mix-and-match your berries to your preference or what looks good at your local farmer's market.
• Change the flavor of the biscuits - while I love the lavender, the biscuits would also be fantastic plain (just leave out the lavender), or with lemon zest added!
• Swap the whipped cream - for a slightly different flavor profile and texture, swap the whipped cream with greek yogurt (vanilla bean would be fantastic!) or lemon curd.

Equipment

While not all of this equipment is strictly necessary, here are some things that I used to make this recipe:

• Coffee Grinder - A coffee ginder is my preferred equipment for grinding the lavender for this recipe, as the bowl is quite small. I bought one with a removable, dishwasher-safe bowl so that it's easy to clean between uses!
• Food Processor - If you don't have a coffee grinder, a food processor is your next best bet. A small/mini food processor will work best. If you have a larger food processor, definitely use the smallest bowl insert that you have.
• Pastry Blender - While a pastry blender isn't necessary to cut in the butter (a fork will also work), it does make the job faster and easier.
• Bowl Scraper - I like using a bowl scraper to work the dough because its flexible shape makes the job much easier, and keeps your hands warming the butter as it comes together. They're easy to store and easy on the wallet! 
• Biscuit Cutter - I used a 2.5" fluted cutter for my biscuits.
• Parchment Paper - I like using nonstick parchment on my pans to ensure no sticking and for easier cleanup.

Storage

Assembled shortcakes should be served immediately.

Once completely cool, you can store the biscuits in an airtight container for up to 3 days on your counter. That said, they're definitely best right after they're baked. If you'd like to store them longer, you can freeze the biscuits (baked or unbaked) in an airtight container for up to three months. To bake from frozen, no need to thaw, just add a few minutes to the bake time.

Whipped cream can be made up to two days in advance and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, but for best results, make it just before you plan to serve the shortcakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Other Recipes You May Like