Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcakes Recipe

By
Elizabeth Barbone
Elizabeth Barbone: Contributing Writer at Serious Eats
Elizabeth Barbone
Elizabeth Barbone develops delicious and creative recipes for the food allergic and gluten-free communities through her site Gluten-Free Baking. Author of three cookbooks: Easy Gluten-Free Baking (2009), How to Cook Gluten-Free (2012), and The World's Easiest Paleo Baking (2016).
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Updated August 29, 2018
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Made with hard-boiled egg yolks, these gluten-free shortcakes are sturdy enough to retain their great texture even when topped with macerated strawberries. . Elizabeth Barbone

Inspired by a James Beard recipe for strawberry shortcakes that uses hard-boiled egg yolks in the dough, this gluten-free version makes shortcakes that are light and tender, yet sturdy enough to stand up to spoonfuls of macerated strawberries. In fact, the shortcakes are so good, they're delicious plain too.

Why this recipe works

  • By incorporating cooked egg yolks into the dough, the shortcakes become light and tender, yet are sturdy enough to retain their texture when topped with the juicy macerated strawberries.
  • Allowing the dough to rest for one hour before baking allows it to fully hydrate for better texture, and is just long enough for the strawberries to macerate at the same time.

Recipe Details

Gluten-Free Strawberry Shortcakes Recipe

Active 30 mins
Total 2 hrs
Serves 8 servings

Ingredients

  • For the Shortcakes:
  • 1 1/3 cups white rice flour, plus more for dusting
  • 2/3 cup potato starch
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter, 6 tablespoons cut into small cubes and chilled, and 1 tablespon melted
  • 2 large hard-boiled eggs, yolks pushed through a fine mesh sieve, whites reserved for another use
  • 3/4 cup cold heavy cream or half-and-half
  • For the Toppings:
  • 1 quart strawberries, hulled and sliced
  • 1/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
  • 1 cup cold heavy cream

Directions

  1. For the Shortcakes: In large bowl, whisk together white rice flour, potato starch, 1/4 cup of the sugar, baking powder, and xanthan gum. Add cubed butter and, using either your hands or a pastry cutter, cut into flour mixture until pea-sized pieces form. Add egg yolks and continue cutting until flour mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in heavy cream with a wooden spoon until incorporated. Let dough stand for 5 minutes.

  2. Generously dust work surface with white rice flour. Turn dough onto work surface and dust with more white rice flour. Gently knead the dough a few times, then pat into a large rectangle, about 1 inch thick. Using a 2-inch round cutter, cut out four dough rounds. Gather up dough scraps, pat into a 1-inch-thick rectangle, and cut out 4 more dough rounds; discard remaining dough scraps. Place dough rounds on a parchment-lined baking sheet and brush the tops with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar on top. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

  3. Meanwhile, for the Toppings: Stir together strawberries, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Using the back of a fork, gently mash a few of the sliced strawberries. Allow strawberries to stand for 1 hour.

  4. In medium bowl, whip heavy cream until soft peaks form. Add remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and beat until stiff peaks form.

  5. Adjust oven rack to center position and preheat oven to 350°F. Remove plastic wrap from baking sheet and bake shortcakes until edges just turn golden brown, about 12 minutes. Let shortcakes cool on baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve shortcakes warm or at room temperature, topping with macerated strawberries and whipped cream.

Special equipment

2-inch round cutter

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