As the weather starts to turn for the slightly warmer and we all begin to defrost I crave all colorful, fruit filled and refreshing desserts. Strawberry shortcake is at the top of my list and it can be kept pretty light and delicious with just a few easy swaps!
I love these biscuits because they're only 5 BASIC ingredients and they make the cutest little biscuits. If you prefer a larger biscuit to strawberries and cream ratio you can either use two biscuits or make 3 large biscuits instead of six mini ones.
The strawberries are the simplest part. Good fruit is naturally sweet on its own. They do not need all the added sugars other recipes include. Instead I just brought out their natural sweetness with a touch of honey and drew out the juice from the strawberries with a touch of salt. Add a splash of water and simmer and the filling is done.
While strawberries are the classic, any seasonal berry would work. Raspberries, blueberries and blackberries would be great too!
As for the cream, this is the key to this recipe being far superior to the rest.
We start with the essentials, whipping cream, vanilla and confectionary sugar. When whipped together these make a light airy whipped cream. The secret to turning this into a high protein creamy fluff like consistency is next. We whip in a cup of plain non fat yogurt. This adds a little more weight to the whipped cream which is far more satisfying. It also makes the whipped cream go so much farther.
Healthy Low Sugar Strawberry Shortcake
6 servings | Cook time: 15 minutes
Notes: We add a secret weapon to the whipped cream to make it extra creamy and protein packed. The biscuits use apple sauce instead of oil and the strawberries use honey instead of sugar. Plenty of healthy substitutes and still delicious!
Ingredients:
Biscuits:
1 cup flour
1.5 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
4 oz or 1/2 cup unsweetened apple sauce
1-2 tbsp water
Greek Yogurt Whipped Cream:
1 cup greek yogurt
1/2 heaping cup powdered sugar
1 cup heavy whipping cream
1/2 tsp vanilla
Strawberries:
2-3 lb strawberries, rinsed and diced
1 tbsp honey
1/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp water
Directions:
Preheat oven to 425F.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour baking powder and salt. Use a fork to mix in unsweetened apple sauce and 1 tbsp water. If the dough is dry, add another tbsp of water.
Once a dough forms, form 6 balls and arrange on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick spray. Top the biscuits with a few flakes of flaky sea salt.
Bake in the oven for 10-11 minutes. Remove and set aside to cool.
Add the strawberries, honey, salt and water to a sauce pan over medium. Bring to a boil and turn down to low. Simmer the strawberries for 8-10 minutes or until they’re soft and the sauce has thickened.
While the strawberries are cooking, combine powdered sugar, heavy whipping cream and vanilla in a mixing bowl. Use a hand or stand mixer to whip the ingredients on medium until you get stiff peaks.
Add the greek yogurt to the whipped cream and mix for another 10-15 seconds until it is all combined.
Slice the biscuits in half, spoon over some of the strawberries and top with a scoop of whipped cream. Feel free to warm the biscuits in the oven or microwave or to butter and toast them slightly if they have cooled.
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Nutrition Facts are provided as a guideline only. Exact nutrition will depend on quantity, brand and ingredients used.