Strawberry Shortcake Waffles

Summer is here and that means fresh, sweet and delicious strawberries are in season! From being tasty snacks to dessert toppings, strawberries are my favorite summer fruit being that, to me, they are nature’s candy! And no one has better strawberries than my friends at Driscoll‘s! Celebrating National Strawberry Shortcake Day with Driscoll’s on June 14th, I created a dessert for breakfast/brunch dish featuring their luscious and juicy berries! In fact, my kitchen is always fully stocked with Driscoll’s strawberries as soon as the season starts, yum! Plus, Driscoll’s is doing a fabulous sweepstakes in celebration so be sure to enter to win a KitchenAid Mixer!

I love strawberries in my smoothies and desserts but nothing says summer decadence like strawberries for breakfast! That’s why I combined them with a popular breakfast treat, waffles! Be sure to try Driscoll‘s strawberries with these yummy, vegan Strawberry Shortcake Waffles soon! Easy to make and quick to be gone because this American classic with a twist is beloved by all, especially since Driscoll’s has been the strawberry in everyone’s shortcake for more than 100 years!

The best thing about these strawberry shortcakes is that they are vegan so folks who are vegan, dairy and/or egg free, lactose intolerant or just looking for a lower fat option, can enjoy these sweet and decadent treats all summer long. For breakfast, brunch or dessert! Plus, since they are packed with fresh berries, you can take care of 1 serving of fruit in a yummy way while also packing in a nutritious punch of vitamin C , phytonutrients and fiber!

Strawberry Shortcake Waffles Recipe

• 1 lb package of Driscoll‘s strawberries, hulled and quartered (frozen are fine once they are thawed but fresh is best!)
• 1/4 cup organic or raw sugar plus 3 tablespoons sugar, plus 8 teaspoons
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 8 tablespoons vegan butter, cold and cubed
• 2/3 cup vegan creamer, plus 1/4 cup (coconut or almond milk creamer is perfect!)
• Vegan whipped cream (or sub vegan vanilla ice cream during hot months!)
• Fresh mint sprigs, for garnish

In a medium mixing bowl, toss the strawberries and 1/4 cup sugar together. Set aside until time to serve.

In the bowl of a food processor, pulse together flour, baking powder, salt and 3 tablespoons of sugar. Then pulse in the cold butter cubes until a coarse meal is formed. Turn the flour mixture out into a large mixing bowl and make a well in the center. Pour in 2/3 cup creamer and gently mix it in with a rubber spatula or fork, be careful not to over mix the dough or the biscuits will be tough.

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and fold it over itself a couple of times until it just holds together. Pat the dough out to 3/4-inch thickness and cut out 8 round 3-inch biscuits.

Transfer one biscuit at a time to the waffle iron, placing in the center and cooking for about 3 minutes. If you want giant waffles, add 1 biscuit to each quarter of the waffle iron.

Remove from the oven and let cool slightly. Plate a biscuit waffle, spoon some strawberries on the bottom piece, then whipped cream and top with the other biscuit waffle to make a decadent waffle strawberry shortcake sandwich. Garnish with fresh mint, more strawberries and a dollop of whipped cream.  Enjoy!

—–

Happy National Strawberry Shortcake Day from Driscoll’s and The Healthy Voyager!

*Paid Endorsement from Driscoll’s – Visit www.driscolls.com for more berry recipes and to enter their summer sweepstakes.*