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Quick 30-Minute Family Strawberry Shortcake Bar

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A simple, fast, and family-friendly strawberry shortcake bar with a buttery crumbly base and juicy strawberry topping, ready in under 30 minutes.

Ingredients

  • All-purpose flour – 1 ¾ cups (220g), sifted
  • Granulated sugar – ⅓ cup (65g) for crust
  • Baking powder – 1 ½ teaspoons
  • Salt – ¼ teaspoon
  • Unsalted butter – ½ cup (115g), cold and cubed
  • Buttermilk – ¾ cup (180ml), room temperature (or ¾ cup milk + 1 tbsp lemon juice, let sit 5 minutes)
  • Fresh strawberries – 4 cups (about 600g), hulled and sliced
  • Granulated sugar – ⅓ cup (65g) for strawberries
  • Lemon zest – 1 teaspoon
  • Fresh lemon juice – 1 tablespoon
  • Heavy cream – 1 cup (240ml), chilled (optional for whipped topping)
  • Powdered sugar – 2 tablespoons (optional for whipped topping)
  • Vanilla extract – ½ teaspoon (optional for whipped topping)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8×8 inch baking pan with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, toss sliced strawberries with ⅓ cup sugar, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Let macerate for 15 minutes.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, ⅓ cup sugar, baking powder, and salt.
  4. Add cold butter cubes to dry ingredients and cut in with a pastry cutter or fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs with pea-sized pieces.
  5. Pour in buttermilk and stir gently with a spatula just until combined; dough will be slightly sticky.
  6. Spread dough evenly in prepared pan, pressing gently to edges.
  7. Spoon macerated strawberries evenly over dough, including juices.
  8. Bake for 25–28 minutes until top is golden and edges pull slightly away from pan.
  9. Remove from oven and cool in pan on a wire rack for at least 20 minutes before slicing.
  10. Optional: While bars cool, beat chilled heavy cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft peaks form. Serve dolloped on bars.

Notes

Keep butter cold for flaky texture. Do not overmix dough. Macerate strawberries at least 10-15 minutes for best flavor. Line pan with parchment for easy removal. If strawberries are watery, sprinkle 1 tsp cornstarch before layering. Bars are best served slightly warm or at room temperature. Store in airtight container in fridge up to 3 days or freeze for 1-2 months.

Nutrition

Keywords: strawberry shortcake, quick dessert, family dessert, strawberry bars, easy baking, summer dessert

Find it online: https://grubella.com/quick-30-minute-family-strawberry-shortcake-bar-recipe-easy-perfect-dessert/