These adorable Strawberry Shortcake Shooters are a playful, single-serving rendition of the timeless summer dessert we all love! Made with layers of decadent pound cake, ripe strawberries, and fluffy whipped topping, these little treats are like summer in a glass.
Whether you’re making them for a lively party, a cozy cookout, or a sweet ending to a meal, you can count on these shooters to steal the show!
Table of Contents
What Are Strawberry Shortcake Shooters?
Strawberry shortcake is a popular summer dessert that is made with a biscuit or sponge cake base and layers of fresh strawberries and whipped cream.
Strawberry shortcake shooters are made by dividing the original recipe into shooter glasses. The end result is a tantalizing single-serving dessert no one can resist!
However, not only is it delicious, but this strawberry shortcake recipe:
- Requires only seven ingredients.
- Makes 12 servings, meaning it’s great for parties and gatherings.
- Comes together quickly.
- Can be made in advance for a quick dessert when the craving hits.
What’s In This Strawberry Shortcake Recipe?
As always, we kept these strawberry shortcake shooters simple, using just a handful of ingredients. Here’s everything you need:
- Strawberries – Use fresh, ripe strawberries that have been rinsed and drained.
- Sugar – Sugar is combined with the berries to help enhance their natural sweetness and draw out excess moisture, preventing your shortcake from becoming runny.
- Lemon Juice – The acidity helps brighten the flavor of the berries and encourages the natural pectin, helping them hold their shape.
- Pudding Mix – Instant vanilla pudding mix is added to the whipped layer for enhanced sweetness. Do not use pre-made pudding!
- Milk – We highly recommend using whole milk over other varieties for the creamiest texture and richest taste.
- Whipped Topping – This forms the base of the whipped layer, creating a light texture that balances out the crumbly pound cake perfectly.
- Pound Cake – If you’re feeling ambitious, feel free to make a homemade pound cake. However, to save time, we buy one from the store.
How to Make Strawberry Shortcake Shooters
Because we’re using shooter glasses, this strawberry shortcake recipe is unbelievably easy to make. The only hard part is waiting for it to chill!
- Prepare the Strawberries. Combine the berries, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice in a large bowl. Set the fruit aside until the berries begin to release their natural juices.
- Make the Whipped Layer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat the pudding mix and milk together until smooth. Let the mixture stand until it thickens. Then, add the whipped topping, and beat again until smooth and fluffy.
- Crumble the Cake. Slice the pound cake into 1-inch squares, and use the back of a fork to gently press them down and form a crumble.
- Assemble the Shooters. Place 1 slice of the crumbled pound cake in each glass. Layer ⅓ of the strawberries and ½ cup of the pudding mixture on top. Repeat, ending with the pudding layer.
- Chill. Transfer the shooter glasses to the fridge to chill, and enjoy!
Flavor Variations
Classic strawberry shortcake recipes don’t allow for much deviation, but that doesn’t mean you can’t get creative! You can easily experiment with different ingredients and add-ins to make these strawberry shortcake shooters your own.
- Use Different Fruit. Swap out the strawberries with blueberries, fresh peaches, or pineapple.
- Try a Different Cake. Use vanilla cake, angel food cake, or a flavored cake like double chocolate bundt cake, or strawberry lemon bundt cake.
- Flavor the Whipped Topping. Replace the vanilla whipped cream with strawberry whipped cream or chocolate whipped cream for an extra decadent taste.
Include Mix-Ins. Add extra texture by sprinkling ingredients like chopped nuts, coconut flakes, or chocolate chips in between the layers.
Common Questions About This Strawberry Shortcake Shooters Recipe
A strawberry cake is a soft cake made with strawberries baked into it. Meanwhile, strawberry shortcakes use regular pound cake or biscuits that are layered with fresh, uncooked strawberries.
No! This recipe gets its name because it is served in shooter glasses. It does not contain alcohol, but you could add it by soaking the strawberries in vodka, rum, or white wine before combining them with the sugar and lemon juice.
No, we don’t recommend letting this recipe sit out long as the whipped layer will begin to melt. For the best results, remove it from the fridge just before serving.
You can freeze the shortcake for up to one month, but we do not recommend freezing the strawberries or whipped layer because they will not thaw well.
More Strawberry Dessert Recipes
Looking for more ways to use up your fresh strawberries? Satisfy your sweet tooth with the fruity desserts below!
- No-Bake Strawberry Cheesecake Squares
- Easy Strawberry Cheesecake Bars
- Strawberry Crisp with Oat Crumble
- Easy Summer Berry Trifle
Strawberry Shortcake Shooters Recipe
Ingredients
- 16 ounces fresh strawberries sliced
- 2 Tablespoons sugar
- 1 Tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 5.9 ounce package instant vanilla pudding mix
- 3 cups whole milk or milk of choice, cold
- 12 ounces whipped topping thawed
- 1 pound pound cake
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add the strawberries, sugar, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Set the fruit aside for 30 minutes or until the berries begin to release their natural juices.
- Using a hand mixer or a stand mixer, beat the pudding mix and milk until smooth. Let stand for 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens. Add the whipped topping, and beat again until smooth.
- Slice the pound cake in 1 inch slices. With the back of a fork, gently press down to crumble.
- Assemble the shooters starting by placing 1 slice of the crumbled cake in each 6 ounce cup.
- Layer ⅓ cup strawberries 1/2 cup of the pudding mixture, repeating until all the cups have been filled. Repeat.
- Refrigerate for at least 2-3 hours or ideally overnight.
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Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
made these for a friend’s baby shower.
They were a hit. keep the easy and delicious recipes coming.
We’ll do our best! Thank you, Mariam!
Xo,
Alia & Radwa