Growing up, summer meant fireflies, camping under the stars and my mom’s strawberry shortcake. I’ve refreshed that classic with these easy, made-from-scratch vegan strawberry lemon poppy seed shortcakes. They’re lower in sugar, dairy-free and fully vegan, with bright lemon and a subtle poppy seed crunch. Light, refreshing and delicious, they bring the best of the season to your table.
The shortcake biscuits come together quickly and the dough is easy to work with—perfect if you’re new to rolling dough. This recipe is forgiving: the dough chills and freezes well, so you can bake extras to store for later or double the batch when serving a crowd.
When serving a few people, I freeze any extra biscuits and reheat them when needed—thawed and warmed, they taste just as good as fresh. For larger gatherings, simply double the ingredients and bake multiple sheets.
The coconut whipped cream on these shortcakes is particularly lovely. It’s a dairy-free treat that pleases everyone—those with dairy allergies and those who can eat dairy alike. There’s a simple tip that makes all the difference: keep everything cold. Chill the coconut milk, the mixing bowl and the beaters for the best volume and texture.
Save or pin this recipe and give these vegan strawberry lemon poppy seed shortcakes a try soon. If you make them, I’d love to hear how they turned out!
Vegan Strawberry Lemon Poppy Seed Shortcakes
Kelly Kirkendoll
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup vegan butter (use soy-free if needed)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp poppy seeds
- 1 Tbsp fresh lemon zest (for batter)
- 1 tsp fresh lemon zest (for garnish)
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup almond milk (unsweetened, unflavored)
- 2 cans coconut milk (regular, full fat), chilled at least 2 hours
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 lbs strawberries, washed and sliced
- 2 Tbsp sugar (for strawberries)
Instructions
Shortcake biscuits
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Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
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Combine the dry ingredients: all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
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Cut in the vegan butter until the mixture resembles fine crumbs.
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Stir in the poppy seeds, almond milk, lemon zest and lemon juice until just blended.
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Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface, gently form into a ball and knead about 20 times.
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Roll the dough to about 1/2 inch thickness and cut rounds with a cookie cutter or a drinking glass.
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Place rounds about 1 inch apart on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake 10–12 minutes at 450°F, until lightly golden.
Coconut whipped cream
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For best results use a stand mixer; a hand mixer works too but may take longer.
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Chill the mixing bowl and beaters if possible. Cold equipment and chilled coconut milk help the cream whip up thick and stable.
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Open the chilled cans of coconut milk and scoop only the solid cream into the cold bowl. Add the powdered sugar and whip on high until smooth and thick, about 3–5 minutes with a stand mixer (5–10 minutes with a hand mixer).
Strawberries
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Wash and slice the strawberries, then toss with 2 tablespoons sugar. Let them sit briefly to release juices.
Assembly
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To serve, split each biscuit, top with macerated strawberries and a dollop of coconut whipped cream. Finish with a pinch of lemon zest. Enjoy!
Notes
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