You can make homemade Bisquick Mix for much less than the packaged mix while enjoying superior quality and taste. This all-purpose homemade mix is ideal for making biscuits, cakes, pancakes, waffles, and a wide range of other recipes. By creating your version, you control the ingredients and eliminate hydrogenated oils, artificial sweeteners, and preservatives found in store-bought mixes.
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Table of Contents
Why This Recipe Works
All-purpose baking mix, most commonly known for the Bisquick brand, is simply a flour mixture with the leavening agent, salt, sugar, and fat already built in. The convenience factor remains the same as store-bought versions, but homemade Bisquick delivers an authentically homemade taste because it genuinely is homemade. Without commercial stabilizers and preservatives, your baked goods will have superior flavor and texture. So you can substitute this homemade version with confidence.
The Benefits of Homemade Baking Mix
Following this homemade Bisquick recipe is one of the best things you can do for your kitchen. The more time spent cooking from scratch, the more apparent it becomes that many processed foods can be easily recreated at home. This DIY version costs significantly less than store-bought Bisquick, while providing better-quality ingredients and superior results in your baking projects. This recipe is closest to the original Bisquick Mix. In 2024, they altered the mix, to that you need to add oil to it to make it work like it used to, so this recipe is perfect for those vintage recipes you may have. I try to keep some in my pantry at all times.
Ingredients
Dry Base:
- All-purpose flour – Provides the foundation and structure for all baking applications
- Baking powder – Acts as the primary leavening agent to create light, fluffy textures
- Cream of tartar – Stabilizes the leavening and adds a subtle tang for better flavor development
Flavor and Texture Enhancers:
- Powdered milk – Adds richness, improves texture, and allows you to use water instead of milk in recipes
- Salt – Enhances all flavors and balances the sweetness
- Sugar – Provides subtle sweetness and helps with browning in baked goods
Fat Component:
- Vegetable shortening – Creates tender texture and flakiness in biscuits and pastries. I love to use Crisco brand for this recipe
Step-by-Step Instructions
Food Processor Method (Recommended)
- Combine dry ingredients: Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, cream of tartar, powdered milk, salt, and sugar to the food processor bowl.
- Add shortening: Cut vegetable shortening into small pieces and add to the dry ingredients.
- Process the mixture: Pulse the ingredients until the mixture is well combined and resembles a cornmeal texture. This should take about 30-60 seconds of pulsing.
- Check consistency: The mix should be uniform with no large pieces of shortening visible.
Hand Mixing Method
- Alternative preparation: If you don’t have a food processor, combine all dry ingredients in a large bowl and use a pastry cutter to work in the shortening until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
Storage
- Store properly: Transfer the finished mix to an airtight container or large mason jars and refrigerate for up to three months.
Chef’s Notes
The key to achieving a perfect homemade Bisquick is ensuring the shortening is evenly distributed throughout the flour mixture, resulting in the right texture. The mixture should resemble coarse cornmeal with no visible chunks of fat. This ensures consistent results in all your baking projects.
How to Use Your Homemade Bisquick
Use this DIY mix exactly as you would store-bought Bisquick in any recipe calling for all-purpose baking mix. Typically, you’ll need to add liquid (such as milk, water, or eggs) and sometimes oil to create your desired baked goods. The powdered milk allows you to use water as the liquid in most recipes.
Perfect Applications:
- Biscuits: The classic use that showcases the mix’s versatility
- Pancakes and waffles: Quick breakfast solutions
- Muffins: Sweet or savory varieties
- Coffee cakes: Easy weekend treats
- Dumplings: Perfect for soups and stews
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Check out more DIY recipes and the best quick bread recipes here on CopyKat!
Homemade Bisquick Mix – Easy DIY Recipe
Ingredients
- 10 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/8 cup baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 1/4 cup powdered milk
- 1 1/2 tablespoons salt
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 pound vegetable shortening
Instructions
- Mix all ingredients together and store in an airtight container.
Can you make this recipe with butter powder for a longer shelf life?
I don’t know enough about that to say.
Can you leave fat out until you are ready to use for different recipes.
I don’t think so. I wouldn’t know how to revise this off the top of my head to make this work.
Can you substitute lard or butter for the vegetable shortening?
Yes you can, the shelf life would be greatly reduced. So if you are going to enjoy it right away, I would do it, if not, stick to the recipe as written.
How about the use of Self-Rising Flour instead of All-Purpose? With self-rising you can leave out the other dry ingredients except the sugar and cream of tarter.
That’s a great idea!
Does commercial Bisquick have powdered milk in it?
Wouldn’t we need to add the powdered milk to the self-rising mix?
If we don’t want to add powdered milk, how would we know how much liquid milk to add?
Thank you!
Bisquick is dairy-free, it does not contain milk. I would not add powdered milk to the recipe. I would use this as you would use Bisquick mix.
I was going to suggest a Bisquick recipe but you beat me to it.
I needed it for another of your recipes.
I tried this mix and used it to make pancakes. They came out great! I will keep some of this on hand!