The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake Copycat Recipe

Name: The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake Copycat Recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 150 min
Ingredients: For the biscuits:; 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour; ¼ Cup Sugar; 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder; ½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt; 6 Tablespoon Cold Unsalted Butter (cut into small cubes); 1 Cup Cold Milk; Coarse Turbinado sugar; For the filling:; 4 Cups Sliced Strawberries; 1 Tsp Sugar; 5 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream; Whipped Cream (for serving); For optional homemade whipped cream:; 1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream; ¼ Cup Powdered Sugar; 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Recipe Pin

I’m someone who believes dessert should be a part of every meal, be it breakfast, lunch, or dinner! Therefore, I am always whipping up something sweet in my kitchen. This passion for desserts led me to try the famous The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake, which turned out to be a huge success!

The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake Feature Image

Strawberry shortcake is a delightful dessert featuring tender cake or biscuits, juicy strawberries, and a dollop of whipped cream. Its combination of sweet, fruity flavors and creamy texture makes it a refreshing and satisfying treat.

I knew I had to recreate it at home, adding my own twist to make it even more delightful. Now, it’s become a go-to treat for any special occasion or when I just need a little pick-me-up!

The thought of enjoying a homemade strawberry shortcake, with its layers of fluffy cake, sweet strawberries, and creamy whipped topping, was too tempting to resist!

The recipe for this shortcake was divided into four parts: making the biscuits, making the whipped cream and strawberries, and assembling them.

It was quite simple and easy, but it required attention to detail, accurate ingredient ratios, and the right techniques to nail this copycat recipe. Let us now dive into the details of this dessert recipe.

What's In The Post

Equipment Required

Small Bowls: I like to use a small bowl to assemble all the ingredients before starting with the recipes
Measuring Cups and Spoons: To ensure accurate ingredient measurements, I always use measuring cups and spoons for any baking recipe.
2 Large Bowls: You will need 1 large bowl to prepare the biscuit dough and the other one to prepare the whipped cream.
Medium-Sized Bowl: I use it for preparing the strawberry mixture.
Round-shelled Spoon: Generally, I use a spoon to scoop the dough to make the biscuit mounds. However, you can also use a cookie scoop for the same.
Baking Sheet: While I use a baking sheet, you can use any oven-safe dish to bake the biscuits.
Parchment Paper: I use parchment paper to line the baking sheet; you can also grease the baking sheet with some melted butter.
Oven: You will need an oven to bake the biscuits.
Hand Mixer: You can use a hand mixer or a whisk to blend the whipped cream.
Sharp Knife: I use a sharp knife to slice the strawberries.
Serving Plate: You will need a plate to assemble the shortcakes.
Spoon: I use a metal spoon to spread the ice cream.

The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake Copycat

The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake Ingredients and Substitutions

Note: The ingredients in this recipe will yield 10 servings. If you wish to serve more, you can easily increase the quantities of the ingredients listed below.

For The Biscuits

2 Cups All-Purpose Flour: You can substitute oat or almond flour instead of all-purpose flour in this recipe.
¼ Cup Sugar: You can use any artificial sweetener like Splenda or monk fruit instead of sugar in this recipe.
1 Tablespoon Baking Powder
½ Teaspoon Kosher Salt: I use regular salt as it is the most common substitute for kosher. However, it is much saltier, so I only use it half as much in this recipe.
6 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter (cut into small cubes): Coconut oil or half the amount of applesauce can be substituted.
1 Cup Cold Milk: While I generally use buttermilk in this recipe, you can also use almond milk as an alternative.
Coarse Turbinado Sugar: I use brown sugar as a substitute, and you can also use sanding sugar in place of turbinado sugar when making the biscuits.

For The Filling

4 Cups Sliced Strawberries: While cherries work as the best substitutes for strawberries in a cake, kiwi and raspberry can also be considered as great alternatives.
1 Teaspoon Sugar: You can use any artificial sweetener like Splenda or monk fruit instead of sugar in this recipe.
5 Cups Vanilla Ice Cream
Whipped Cream (for serving)
For Homemade Whipped Cream:
1 Cup Heavy Whipping Cream: Mascarpone, coconut cream, or buttercream can be substituted.
¼ Cup Powdered Sugar
1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Vanilla paste or vanilla bean powder can be substituted.

Preparation And Cooking Time

Preparation Time	Cooking Time	Total Time
20 Minutes	15 Minutes	35 Minutes

How To Make The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake At Home

Step 1

Add heavy cream to a bowl, followed by unsalted butter.

Step 2

Further, add sugar to the bowl.

Step 3

Further, add water to the bowl.

Step 4

Now, add strawberry puree to the bowl.

Step 5

Take another bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt, and knead the biscuit dough.

Step 6

Roll out the dough to ½ inch thick and cut 4-inch circles.

Step 7

Place the dough circles in a nonstick baking pan, making sure they are spaced apart. Sprinkle a pinch of turbinado sugar on top.

Step 8

Place the baking tray in a preheated oven and bake for 15 minutes at about 375℉.

Step 9

Once the biscuits are baked, spread the cream mixture on top, then top with strawberries.

Step 10

Finally, top it off with the other half of the biscuit, then garnish with more cream and strawberries. Your delicious strawberry shortcake will be ready!

Expert Tips That I Recommend

To achieve fluffy, flaky biscuits, I handle the dough gently, avoiding overmixing.
Apart from using cold butter, I also add some buttermilk to the dough for the best texture of my biscuits.
To make perfect homemade whipped cream, I chill both the bowls and beaters. This step helps whip the cream faster and hold its shape better.
This recipe can easily be customized with other fruits as well. I have tried this recipe using raspberries instead of strawberries, and they tasted yummy. However, you can also go for peaches or blueberries.
You can also sprinkle in nuts like walnuts, almonds, or cashews for a crunchy texture.
I also garnish it with some lemon zest for an added flavor.
Usually, I prepare the biscuits, whipped cream, and strawberries in advance to avoid the last-minute hassles. I assemble them just before serving to maintain their fresh taste and crunchy texture.

FAQs About The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake

Why are the biscuits in your strawberry shortcake dry?

Your biscuits can be dry if you have used too much flour in proportion with other ingredients or overbaked them. You should always follow the measurements in a baking recipe and bake them only till they turn slightly golden brown.

Why are the strawberries in your The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake tasting bland?

Macerating the strawberries is an important step and skipping it can lead to bland tasting strawberries. So macerate the strawberries at least for 25 to 30 minutes and select the nice ripe and dark red colored strawberries for a flavorful shortcake.

Why is your shortcake dense?

Using too much flour or not using enough baking powder (leavening agent) can cause your shortcake to have a dense texture. Always be precise with the measurements of the ingredients and check for baking powder’s freshness to ensure a good textured cake.

Why did my strawberries turn mushy?

If you have sliced the strawberries too early or macerated them for too long, you will end up with mushy strawberries. Make sure to macerate them only half an hour to 20 minutes before using them for assembling.

Why did my biscuits fall apart while assembling?

If you have overmixed your biscuit dough, it will lead to a crumbly texture which in turn will cause your biscuits to fall apart. Make sure to mix the ingredients only until they are well combined.

Why is my whipped cream too runny?

Overwhipping your cream or using a warm cream or utensils while preparing the cream can result in a watery whipping cream. Make sure to chill your utensils and cream and whip the cream only until the soft peaks are formed.

Why do my biscuits get soggy after assembling?

If the biscuits sit for too long at room temperature sandwiched with the ice cream and topped with the cream and strawberries, they will absorb the moisture and become soggy. Make sure to assemble the ingredients right before serving to enjoy the crunchiness of the biscuits.

Nutritional Information Per Serving

The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake is high in carbohydrates, calories, fat, and sugar, which is why it cannot be termed a healthy dessert. Therefore, I would recommend that you have it in moderation. To have a better understanding of the nutritional values of this recipe, take a look at the table given below:

Calories	343 kcal
Fat	16 g
Saturated Fat	10 g
Polyunsaturated Fat	1 g
Monounsaturated Fat	4 g
Cholesterol	56 mg
Sodium	303 mg
Carbohydrates	44 g
Sugar	23 g
Fiber	1 g
Protein	6 g
Vitamin A	628 IU
Vitamin C	1 mg
Calcium	175 mg
Irom	1 mg

This recipe is completely suitable for people following a vegetarian diet.

The Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake Recipe

Recipe Variations For Different Diets

Vegan Diet: People following a vegan diet can substitute vegan butter and almond milk to make the biscuits instead of regular butter and milk. For the filling, they can use vegan vanilla ice cream and coconut whipped cream.
Dairy-Free Diet: I substitute dairy-free butter and almond or oat milk to prepare the biscuits. For the filling, I use dairy-free vanilla ice cream and coconut-based whipped cream to make these delicious strawberry cakes for my lactose-intolerant son.
Keto-Friendly Diet: For a keto diet, the biscuits can be made using almond flour and almond milk. Moreover, instead of sugar, artificial sweeteners like monk fruit can be used to prepare the whipped cream and strawberries. Lastly, keto vanilla ice cream can be used instead of regular vanilla ice cream for the filling.
Sugar-Free Diet: People following a sugar-free diet can use artificial sweeteners such as Splenda or monk fruit in place of sugar. Sugar-free vanilla ice cream can also be used as the filling.

Storing This Recipe

All the components can separately survive for 3 to 5 days in the refrigerator when stored in an airtight container. But a fully assembled shortcake can last for a few hours in the refrigerator, after which it will turn soggy.

What To Serve With This Recipe

This Cheesecake Factory Strawberry Shortcake goes well with a variety of drinks and food. I love pairing them with Chilled Purple Haze or champagne. You can opt for any other cocktails or Mocktails of your choice.

Other than that, you can serve it alongside Fresh Fruit Salad and Fruit Compotes. All these will perfectly complement the sweet, tart, and buttery flavors of the strawberry shortcake.

Printable Version

More Cheesecake Factory Recipes That You Can Try

The Cheesecake Factory Thai Lemon Chicken step 9 — Cheesecake Factory Thai Coconut Lime Chicken

Cheesecake Factory Original Cheesecake Feature Image — Cheesecake Factory Thai Coconut Lime Chicken

Conclusion

This copycat Strawberry Shortcake from The Cheesecake Factory brings together the perfect harmony of textures and flavors. With its flaky biscuits, fresh tart strawberries, and luscious whipped cream, it’s a dessert that’s sure to impress.

Whether for a special occasion or a simple indulgence, this delightful treat will leave everyone craving more. So, try this simple and sweet shortcake recipe at home and enjoy every delicious bite with your loved ones. While devouring this classic dessert, do not forget to leave your thoughts and experience with this recipe in the comment section below. Until then, have a sweet treat day!