3-Ingredient Strawberry Shortcake Cobbler
When I think of strawberry shortcake, I’m instantly transported to lazy summer days and backyard BBQs—those sweet, syrupy strawberries soaking into fluffy cake were always a highlight. So I thought…why not take all that nostalgic magic and make it ridiculously easy?
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This shortcut cobbler brings all the jammy goodness of the classic dessert with just three simple ingredients. And it’s absolutely dreamy with a squirt of whipped cream or scoop of vanilla ice cream on top!
Now full disclosure: I’m using 1½ cups of boxed cake mix here (no health awards being handed out, ahem!), but this version still has a fraction of the sugar compared to traditional cobblers and shortcake recipes. And the bonus? You can use the leftover cake mix to make my easy mug cakes—or for round two of this yummy strawberry treat.
Important note: Whether you’re using fresh or frozen berries, they must be sliced. Whole strawberries won’t bake down properly, and you’ll miss out on the perfect texture. And while frozen berries absolutely work (and are often a budget-friendly, year-round option!), they do release more moisture and color. So instead of that pretty red-and-white contrast you see in these photos (I made this one with fresh strawberries), you’ll get more of a light pink hue throughout. It might not win a beauty contest, but trust me, it’ll still taste amazing!
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The short(list) on why this recipe rocks
- Three ingredients, that’s it: Cake mix, strawberries, and bubbly water. Doesn’t get easier.
- Peak strawberry vibes: Warm, juicy, and jammy—like the best part of a cobbler and shortcake combined.
- Totally customizable: Add jam, citrus zest, chocolate chips, or cookie crumbles—go wild.
- Works with swaps: Use gluten-free or vegan cake mix if needed (see suggested brands below). Frozen strawberries? Go for it.
This recipe is the third creation in my trilogy of 3-ingredient cobbler cakes—and I’m pretty proud of the lineup. It all started with my 3-Ingredient Berry Cobbler, which holds a special place in my heart. That’s the one where I first cracked the formula for a ridiculously easy and tasty treat. Then came my Chocolate Cherry Mud Cake, a rich, gooey twist for anyone who (like my hubby, Ian) is obsessed with the combo of chocolate and cherries. I truly believe frozen, pitted cherries are madly underrated—and if you’re a chocolate-cherry lover, please add that one to your list.
And now, I’ve arrived at this strawberry shortcake cobbler. It’s extra simple, extra scrumptious—and while I couldn’t possibly pick a favorite (it’s like choosing a favorite child!!), this one is definitely in my top three… LOL! Once you try it, you’ll understand why I keep a box of cake mix in my pantry year-round just for recipes like this. Now go grab a few spoons this one’s too good not to share with your friends and fam!
More cobbler love? Try my Southern Peach Cobbler!
3-Ingredient Strawberry Shortcake Cobbler
Ingredients
- 4 cups sliced strawberries, fresh or frozen—just make sure they’re sliced!
- 1 ½ cups vanilla boxed cake mix*, about half of a standard 14-ounce box
- 1 cup strawberry-flavored or berry-flavored sparkling water
- Optional: ½ teaspoon vanilla or almond extract**
- Optional toppings: Whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or yogurt—or crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafers.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and mist a 9- x 13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray.
- Spread sliced strawberries evenly across the bottom of the pan and sprinkle the dry cake mix over the top—don’t mix yet.
- Pour 1 cup of sparkling water evenly across the surface (do not use the entire can). If using, add the vanilla or almond extract right on top.
- Gently stir everything together right in the pan to create a thick batter. Stir until the cake mix is fully incorporated with no dry streaks remaining. The strawberries should still peek through.
- Bake uncovered for about 55 minutes, until the top is lightly golden and the berries are bubbling at the edges.
- Let cool for at least 10 minutes to set slightly. Then scoop or slice into six portions and serve.
- Optional Toppers: Add whipped cream, vanilla ice cream, or your favorite yogurt. For a shortcake-style finish, sprinkle crushed graham crackers or vanilla wafer crumbs with a pinch of cinnamon over the top just before serving.
Notes
- Citrus zest: Stir 1 teaspoon of lemon or orange zest into the batter for a bright, fresh twist.
- Swirl in strawberry jam: Dot spoonfuls over the strawberries before adding the cake mix for extra jammy depth.
- Dark chocolate goodness: Add a sprinkle of dark chocolate chips or shavings after baking for a decadent finish. Alternatively, you can mix the chocolate chips in with the batter for a gooey strawberry-chocolate treat!
- Fresh herbs: Garnish with chopped mint or basil just before serving to elevate the flavor and presentation.
- Use sliced strawberries only. Whether fresh or frozen, they must be sliced for even baking and the best cobbler texture.
- Frozen strawberries work great, but they’ll release more liquid and color, which may tint the batter a light pink or purple. It may not look as picture-perfect, but the taste is every bit as fabulous!
Could you use peaches instead of strawberries?
Hi Patricia, yes! Peaches would be delicious…just slice them up as thin as possible! And if you enjoy this recipe, you may want to check out the other variations: 3-Ingredient Berry Cobbler and Chocolate Cherry Mud Cake. If you decide to give any a try, let us know what you think. We’d love to hear your thoughts!
—Donna
As a Husband, I’m going to make it, with homemade ice cream.!!
Hi Dana, homemade ice cream?!?! Your wife is super lucky! Hoping you both enjoy it 🙂
JOY !!!! THIS IS A MUST..SINCE I ABSOLUTELY LOVE STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE..THANK YOU !! THANK YOU!!
Hi Linda, thanks so much for your sweet comment—you made our day! We’re glad you enjoyed the recipe and we appreciate your enthusiastic recommendation!
—Donna
What is the purpose of giving a recipe and then using completely different ingredients yourself? The pictures are done with different ingredients so we have no idea what the finished product in the recipe will look like. I’m really surprised and disappointed by this; at least you disclosed it.
Hi Jackie! I’m not exactly sure what you’re referring to, and apologize for any confusion! The ingredients listed on the page—fresh sliced strawberries, vanilla box cake mix and flavored sparkling water—are exactly what are shown in my pictures. I did give the option to use frozen sliced strawberries for ease and convenience, and noted that if you went this route, you might get a “bleed” in color due to the extra moisture. Maybe that’s what you’re referring to? But rest assured, when using fresh strawberries, it turns out just like the photos here. These pics are based on the exact same ingredients given.
P.S. I have tested it with frozen sliced berries and it still tastes delicious—it’s just not quite as picture-perfect.
Hope this helps clear things up, and if you do give it a try, I hope you and your family love it as much as we do! Thanks again for stopping by!
Just tried this 3-ingredient strawberry shortcake cobbler and wow—tastes like summer at grandma’s house. So easy, so nostalgic, soooo good. ✨ I can’t wait to try the chocolate-cherry cake next! Thank you, Joy!!
Hi Robyn, so glad you enjoyed the recipe and that it brought back fond memories of summers with grandma 🙂 That’s the ultimate compliment! If you decide to try the chocolate-cherry version, please let us know what you think!
—Donna
Very good cobbler. Both my husband and I enjoyed eating it with a dollop of vanilla yogurt. Making the cake was fun and easy. Will make again!!
Yay, Sally!! I’m so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed the cobbler—and vanilla yogurt on top is a delicious addition. Thanks for sharing this wonderful review!
My husband and I enjoyed this cobbler with a dollop of vanilla yogurt. The flavor is fresh and crisp. Making the cobbler was fun and easy. Will make again!
Could you use pop like 7-up instead of sparkling water?
Hi Susan, yes, you can use regular soda, just note that it will be higher in sugar. (You can also use a diet soda!) Hoping you love the recipe!
—Donna
Isn’t it dry with no oil or butter?
Not at all, Cathy! You’ll see — it’s moist and luscious 😉
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Love this recipe! Turned out great. Delicious and indulgent with out the sugar, fat, and calories in my usual cobbler recipe. Thanks you! Enjoyed it with a couple of dollops of vanilla yogurt on the side. I did add the almond extract. So good
Hi Mitiz! Thank you so much! We appreciate you sharing your experience…and your additions! So helpful for others. — Eliza (Team Joy)
Is there a substitute for the sparkling water?
Hi Dotti! The carbonation is actually an important part of this recipe…it helps activate the cake mix and creates the light, fluffy texture, so Joy wouldn’t recommend replacing the sparkling water with still water or another non-carbonated liquid. If you mean another carbonated beverage, Joy uses naturally flavored sparkling water, but some readers have had great success using diet Sprite or diet ginger ale instead. Those can work too, though they’ll add a slightly different flavor. Hope you enjoy it! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Has anyone tried this with Angel Food cake mix??
Hi Steph! Joy hasn’t tested this recipe with angel food cake mix, so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out. Angel food cake mix behaves differently than regular vanilla cake mix, so the texture may not be the same. Joy recommends sticking with a vanilla cake mix for the most reliable results. If you decide to experiment with angel food cake mix, let us know how it turns out—we’d love to hear! — Eliza (Team Joy)
So easy and delicious!
Hi Sue!! So glad that you loved this recipe. Thanks for giving it a try! — Eliza (Team Joy)
I am going to make this today to serve with dinner, It sounds delicious. Thank you so much.
Hi Carolyn! Hooray! So glad you are going to give this one a shot…let us know how it turns out. Hope you love it!! — Eliza (Team Joy)
If you use frozen berries do you reduce the amount of liquid and bake longer? Or thaw berries? Can’t wait to try this!
Hi Tracey! You can use frozen sliced berries exactly as written (just make sure they’re sliced!!), there’s no need to thaw them or reduce the amount of sparkling water. We hope you love it…let us know how it turns out!— Eliza (Team Joy)
Timely recipe with the current cyclosporiasis scare.
I used a high protein pancake mix. A tad more liquid needed and about half the baking time.
Hi Jennifer! Hi! So glad you enjoyed it! And yes, it can be a great option if you’re looking to use cooked berries right now. Thanks for sharing your experience with the high-protein pancake mix! Since those mixes behave differently than traditional pancake mixes, it’s not surprising that you needed a little extra liquid and a shorter bake time. That’s really helpful feedback for anyone else thinking about trying the same swap. Thanks again for taking the time to share!— Eliza (Team Joy)
What exactly is sparkling water? I’m not sure what to buy.
Hi Yvonne! Sparkling water is simply water that has been carbonated (bubbly!), also known as seltzer. For Joy’s recipes, look for plain, unflavored sparkling water—no sugar, sweeteners, or added flavors. Joy loves LaCroix! Hope this helps!— Eliza (Team Joy)
YUM!! I tried this the other day and it was delicious. It did not get done in the middle though (I ate it anyway!). I wondered if it was the type of soda I used. I used the Simple Mills vanilla cake mix, fresh strawberries, vanilla and a OliPop strawberry vanilla soda. I want to try it again and adjust the temperature on my oven to see if that had anything to do with it too. Thanks for the recipe!!
Hi Michelle! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!! Thanks so much for sharing what you used. Joy hasn’t tested this recipe with Simple Mills cake mix or Olipop, so it’s hard to say exactly what caused the center to stay underdone. Simple Mills bakes a bit differently than a traditional boxed cake mix, and while Olipop is a little less bubbly than plain sparkling water, either (or both!) could have affected the texture. I’d try baking it for another 5–10 minutes next time, until the center is set. If you give it another try, we’d love to hear how it turns out!— Eliza (Team Joy)
I often love Joy’s recipes, but this one did not work for me. I followed the directions perfectly, but it did not cook as expected so I kept adding time until it was time for dessert. It was still undercooked with a “funky” flavor and texture.
Hi Debbie! Joy is so sorry to hear that this one didn’t work out for you. She’s scratching her head trying to figure out what went wrong. The one thing she keeps coming back to is the type of cake mix you used. Would you be able to share that with us so that we can help troubleshoot? Joy feels terrible that you had a bad experience. Look forward to hearing from you! — Eliza (Team Joy)
Love this! I have to make this once a week!!!
Hi Kim!! This made our day…SO glad to hear that this is a repeat treat for you! Enjoy every bite! — Eliza (Team Joy)