Tender cake-like cinnamon-scented biscuits, fresh strawberries with a crazy flavor pop, and your choice of white and creamy, strawberry shortcakes with whole wheat cinnamon biscuits are a wonderful dessert when strawberries are at their seasonal peak!ย
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Once upon a time strawberries were seasonal fruit, at their peak flavor in late spring. Now, we can get strawberries any time we want. They might be from Mexico or Chile, but weโve got them.
A strawberry in winter doesnโt feel right. To me. So what if we can, it doesnโt mean we should. I want strawberries to be a celebration, something special, and I want them sweet and juicy and red. The time is now. Letโs make fresh, seasonal strawberry shortcake with whole wheat cinnamon biscuits.
Brilliant flavorful strawberries are abundant, right now, and they donโt need much enhancement. You might choose to skip agave syrup or honey, but be sure to sprinkle in the strawberry flavor booster, balsamic vinegar.
Vinegar, what? Trust me on this one, or taste for yourself. Bite into a strawberry first, then stir in balsamic and taste againโsee what I mean? Flavor enhanced. Itโs an old Italian trick.
These Strawberry Shortcakes with whole wheat cinnamon biscuits are naturally healthier. Oil takes the place of butter, and whole wheat flour subs in for all-purpose flour.
These are tender cake-like biscuits. Not like the packaged yellowish mini cakes positioned below the strawberry display in grocery stores. These are drop biscuits, more tender than flaky, with hearty whole wheat flavor. And just a hint of cinnamon.
You can go the traditional more decadent route with dollops of lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream. I often use plain whole milk yogurt, because we always have it on hand. Sweeten it with agave syrup and vanilla. For vegans, make cashew cream, this recipe or this. (Cashew cream needs to be made a day ahead.)
- Do me a favor. Hull your strawberries, that is, pluck out the stem. A paring knife will do the trick, but they make little hulling tools just for that purpose, simple ones and fancy ones. Hulled strawberries keep the beautiful round strawberry shape–they look a whole lot more professional. Any veteran Deer Valley baker will confirm that I’m a stickler against strawberries cut straight across the top.
‘Tis the season–take advantage of strawberry abundance. Get in the kitchen and whip up a delicious batch of whole wheat cinnamon biscuits and strawberries!
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Strawberry Shortcakes with Whole Wheat Cinnamon Biscuits
Ingredients
Shortcake biscuits:
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ยฝ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ยผ cup avocado or grapeseed oil
- ยฝ cup almond milk or coconut almond milk (see note)
- 2 tablespoons agave syrup or maple syrup
- ยฝ teaspoon vanilla extract
- organic cane sugar , optional, for sprinkling on shortcakes before baking
Strawberries:
- 1 pound strawberries
- โ cup maple or agave syrup
- ยพ teaspoon balsamic vinegar
- Your choice of โcreamโ (see note)
Instructions
Make the biscuits:
- Preheat oven to 425 ยฐF. Prepare a baking sheet by lining with a silicone baking mat, parchment paper, or by rubbing a light coat of oil.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, mix the almond milk, agave syrup and vanilla.
- With a fork, stir the oil in the flour mixture until it is crumbly. If you need to, get in there with your fingers. Immediately stir in the almond milk mixture, continuing to stir until everything comes together in a sticky dough.
- Drop rough balls of dough, ยผ cup each, onto the prepared pan, leaving about 2 inches between each mound. Sprinkle with sugar, if desired, and/or with a pinch of cinnamon.
- Bake 10 to 12 minutes until the bottoms are golden brown. Cool.
Prepare the strawberries:
- Wash and hull the berries. Cut them into quarters. Stir in the agave syrup and balsamic vinegar. Let sit 20 minutes or so to develop the juices.
To serve:
- Cut the shortcakes in half horizontally.
- Place the bottom half of each shortcake on a plate.
- Spoon 1/3 cup or so of the strawberries on top.
- Add a dollop of cream, which kind, your choice. (see note)
- Lean the shortcake top at a jaunty angle on top of the cream and fruit.
Notes
- Dollop lightly sweetened vanilla whipped cream on your shortcakes.
- Or use plain whole yogurt sweetened with agave syrup and vanilla.
- For vegans, make cashew cream. (Cashew cream needs to be made a day ahead.)
Of course I’ve never tried biscuits with whole wheat (I’m culinarily paralyzed by my upbringing). But why not, right? GREG · 16 May, 2014
MY MOTHER ALWAYS MADE ME HULL THE STRAWBERRIES, IT WAS A MARK OF LAZINESS TO JUST LOP OFF THE TOP.. LETTY YOU WERE IN MY DREAM THE OTHER NIGHT AND OF COURSE YOU WERE A CHEF. I’LL SHARE NEXT TIME I SEE YOU. KATHRYN · 19 May, 2014
One time we were at my Mom’s and Robbie was cutting the tops off the strawberries. Mom stopped him and handed him a huller! · 19 May, 2014