These strawberry shortcakes swap the usual biscuits for tender almond and coconut flour rounds with a golden, crisp top. Macerated strawberries in honey spooned over warm shortcakes is about as close to perfect summer eating as it gets. Everything is grain-free, dairy-free, and sweetened with honey and palm sugar, so dessert stays firmly in paleo territory without feeling like a compromise.
SERVES 8
Ingredients
Biscuits
2 cups (480 ml) almond flour
¾ cup coconut flour
2 tablespoons (30 ml) palm sugar
2 teaspoons (10 ml) baking powder
¾ teaspoon salt
½ cup coconut milk
6 tablespoons (90 ml) coconut milk, chilled
1 large egg
4 tablespoons (60 ml) coconut oil, melted and hot
Coconut oil for greasing muffin tins
Strawberries
2½ pounds strawberries, hulled (8 cups (1920 ml))
½ cup honey
Preparation
1.В В Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Grease small muffin tin. Whisk flours, four teaspoons palm sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk coconut milk and egg together, then stir in hot melted coconut oil until it forms small clumps. Stir coconut milk mixture into flour mixture until dough comes together and no dry bits remain.
2.В В Using a greased quarter-cup measure, scoop out and drop eight quantities of dough into eight small muffin tin spaces, spaced out about 1½ inches apart. Sprinkle remaining two teaspoons palm sugar over top. Bake shortcakes until golden brown and crisp (about 15 minutes), rotating sheet halfway through baking. Transfer muffin tin to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes. Remove biscuits from tins.
3.В В Using a potato masher, crush three cups strawberries with honey in a large bowl. Thinly slice the remaining five cups of strawberries, then stir into mashed strawberries. Let sit at room temperature until honey has dissolved and berries are juicy (about 30 minutes).
4.В В Spoon berry mixture over shortcake bottoms.
Pro Tips
- Stir the hot melted coconut oil into the chilled coconut milk and egg mixture so it forms small clumps — those little fat pockets are what make the shortcakes tender rather than dense.
- Use a greased quarter-cup measure to portion the dough: it gives you eight even biscuits that bake at the same rate in the muffin tin.
- Mash three cups of the strawberries with the honey and keep five cups sliced — the crushed berries make a syrupy sauce that coats the slices without making the shortcake soggy.
- Let the biscuits cool in the tin for 15 minutes before removing them; almond flour needs that time to set up or they'll crumble.
- Assemble just before serving so the warm biscuit edges stay crisp against the cold, juicy berries.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the strawberry shortcakes ahead of time?
You can bake the biscuits a day ahead and store them in an airtight container, then warm them briefly in the oven before serving. Macerate the strawberries up to a few hours ahead so they turn syrupy and juicy.
Why do the biscuits bake in a muffin tin?
The tin gives the soft, flourless dough its shape while it sets, creating tall little cakes with golden sides — free-form rounds would spread and flatten.
Can I use a different fruit instead of strawberries?
Yes — the honey-maceration trick works with any ripe berry or stone fruit. Mash some of the fruit to make a sauce and slice the rest, exactly as with the strawberries.
Are these shortcakes nut-free?
No, they rely on almond flour for their structure and flavor. For a nut-free version you'd need a different recipe, since coconut flour alone absorbs far more liquid.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and preheat oven to 425°F.
- Grease small muffin tin.
- Whisk flours, four teaspoons palm sugar, baking powder, and salt together in large bowl. In separate bowl, whisk coconut milk and egg together, then stir in hot melted coconut oil until it forms small clumps.
- Stir coconut milk mixture into flour mixture until dough comes together and no dry bits remain. 2. В В Using a greased quarter-cup measure, scoop out and drop eight quantities of dough into eight small muffin tin spaces, spaced out about 1½ inches apart.
- Sprinkle remaining two teaspoons palm sugar over top.
- Bake shortcakes until golden brown and crisp (about 15 minutes), rotating sheet halfway through baking.
- Transfer muffin tin to wire rack and let cool for 15 minutes.
- Remove biscuits from tins. 3. В В Using a potato masher, crush three cups strawberries with honey in a large bowl. Thinly slice the remaining five cups of strawberries, then stir into mashed strawberries.
- Let sit at room temperature until honey has dissolved and berries are juicy (about 30 minutes). 4. В В Spoon berry mixture over shortcake bottoms.
