Homemade Bisquick comes together in less than 5 minutes, giving you all of the convenience and classic flavor of the yellow box, without the unnecessary additives and sweeteners. Save money and mix up a batch today!
Even though I make most of our foods from scratch now, it’s still nice to have some shortcuts.
Cooking every single meal from scratch is hard work, and every now and then I just want something easier. Faster. Something that requires fewer steps and less brain power so I can focus on other things.
Know what I mean?
That’s when homemade Bisquick comes to the rescue.
WHY YOU SHOULD MAKE YOUR OWN HOMEMADE BISQUICK
The more time I spend in the kitchen, the more I’ve learned that meals coming from “just adding [this]” to a box are probably not that healthy, including Bisquick. In fact, when I cleaned out the kitchen, about half of the boxes I threw away were considered “health foods.”
Bisquick would have been tossed too, because it contains hydrogenated oils and artificial sweeteners – both of which are on my top list of ingredients to avoid.
But like other processed boxed foods, you can make DIY Bisquick mix from scratch, and it’s well worth your time.
- It’s quick and easy to make. It takes less than 5 minutes to measure the ingredients and mix them together.
- Convenience food that’s Crumbs approved, for making quick biscuits, pancakes, waffles, and more.
- Only 4 ingredients, and they’re all basic staples. Way better than those hydrogenated oils and artificial sweeteners in the yellow box.
- Store for up to 3 months, meaning you can make a big batch and have the convenience of a premade mix in your kitchen.
HOMEMADE BISQUICK INGREDIENTS
One of the benefits of making your own baking mixes like homemade bisquick is the ability to substitute with ingredients you already have on hand. Here are just some of the ways you can customize the homemade Bisquick ingredients to fit your pantry and your family:
- Flour: Use whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, or a mix of the two.
- Baking Powder: If you run out of baking powder, make your own with ¼ teaspoon of baking soda + rounded ½ teaspoon of cream of tartar. And if you run out of cream of tartar, you can make this substitution instead.
- Salt: This spice is used for flavor, but you can leave it out if you’re on a low-sodium or salt-free diet.
- Butter: Butter is the most affordable fat at just 63¢ for the whole recipe. It’s also the most commonly available fat for most families. If you don’t want to use butter, you can also use organic vegetable shortening or coconut oil. As a general reference, palm oil shortening will cost around $2.28 in this recipe, and coconut oil will cost about $2.
Psst…did you know that many salts contain MICROPLASTICS? It’s a sneaky toxin that may be in your everyday salt, and thus your everyday food (um, gross). I love Ava Jane’s Kitchen because their salt is FREE of microplastics, and it tastes delicious! (PLUS, you can get your own penny bag of salt on this page!)
HOW TO MAKE BISQUICK
Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2: Add the cold, cubed butter and, using the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients on low until the flour mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Alternatively, you can combine the ingredients in a large bowl using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers. A food processor will also cut the butter, just be sure to use it on low so the butter doesn’t get creamy.
Step 3: Store homemade Bisquick in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge or the freezer, for up to 3 months. You won’t want to store this blend at room temperature because of the butter.
CLASSIC BISQUICK RECIPES
Since you won’t be needing the big yellow box anymore, I don’t want to leave you hanging! Here are three of the classic recipes for all purpose baking mix.
CLASSIC BISQUICK BISCUITS MADE WITH HOMEMADE BISQUICK:
- 1 ½ cups homemade Bisquick
- ½ cup milk
Combine ingredients until a soft dough forms. Knead 10 times. Roll out dough to ½″ thick and cut into circles. Bake for 7-9 minutes at 450F.
CLASSIC PANCAKES MADE WITH HOMEMADE BISQUICK:
- 2 cups homemade Bisquick
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk
Whisk together milk and eggs until well blended. Add the homemade bisquick mix and stir until just combined. Pour ¼ cup of batter onto a hot griddle. Cook until the pancakes start to bubble, and the edges are slightly dry. Flip and cook until golden.
CLASSIC WAFFLES MADE WITH HOMEMADE BISQUICK:
- 2 cups homemade Bisquick
- 1 ⅓ cup milk
- 1 egg
- 2 Tbsp melted butter (optional)
Preheat the waffle iron and coat with melted butter, if necessary. Stir milk and eggs together until well blended. Add homemade bisquick and stir until just combined. Pour a small amount of batter onto the waffle iron and cook according to the manufacturer’s directions.
HOMEMADE BISQUICK FAQS
What can I use if I don’t have Bisquick?
Follow the simple instructions above to make your own homemade Bisquick! You can use it immediately in the recipe you’re cooking, or store it in the refrigerator for another time.
Can you substitute regular flour for Bisquick?
Not quite – Bisquick also includes fat (butter) and a leavening agent (baking powder), plus salt for flavor. Regular flour doesn’t have those. Luckily you can use your regular flour to make your own homemade bisquick!
Can I use pancake mix instead of Bisquick?
Pancake mix is a baking mix like Bisquick, but it may have different ingredients in it depending on the brand (and chances are, it has some of the ingredients we’re trying to avoid). For super quick pancakes, use the classic pancakes with homemade Bisquick recipe above, or try my Strawberry Pancakes.
MORE EASY HOMEMADE STAPLES
- How to Make Buttermilk
- Homemade Almond Milk
- Homemade Instant Oatmeal Packets
- Homemade Yellow Cake Mix
- How to Make Powdered Sugar
- How to Make Sweetened Condensed Milk
Crush Inflation Challenge!
Sign up for my FREE Crush Inflation Challenge and learn simple strategies to save money, even with rising food costs!WATCH HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BISQUICK:
Homemade Bisquick
Homemade Bisquick comes together in less than 5 minutes, giving you all of the convenience and classic flavor of the yellow box, without the unnecessary additives and sweeteners. Save money and mix up a batch today!
- Prep Time: 4 minutes
- Total Time: 4 minutes
- Yield: 3 cups 1x
- Category: Make It Yourself
- Method: Bowl
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ Tbsp baking powder
- ½ Tbsp salt
- 8 Tbsp butter, cold and cubed
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the cold, cubed butter, and using the paddle attachment, mix the ingredients together on low until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
- Alternatively, you can combine the ingredients using a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingers. A food processor will also cut the butter, just be sure to use it on low so the butter doesn’t get creamy.
- Store the baking mix in an airtight container or mason jar in the fridge or the freezer, for up to 3 months.
Notes
- You won’t want to store this blend at room temperature because of the butter.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 245
Jalisa
Can you sub the all-purpose flour for einkorn to make einkorn bisquick? Would that be all purpose or whole grain einkorn?
Tiffany
You can use either AP einkorn OR whole grain einkorn – both will work!
Carol Smart
Hi can this mix be put on top of caned apple if so would I add any wet ingredients? I am in UK and never heard of Bisquick.
Regards
Carol
Kathy
I’ll have to try this. I’ve been baking from scratch for nearly 10 years since I gave up hydrogenated oils and switched to butter, coconut, and palm.
I don’t know if Jodie will see this, but I make low sodium salad dressing using half plain Greek yogurt, half Kraft olive oil mayo, salt substitute, low sodium catsup, BBQ sauce, and zucchini relish I buy from Healthy Heart Market online. It’s not super low sodium, but much lower than bottled dressing from the store.
Debbie
When you measure out the flour for the Bisquick I’m guessing you use the same scoop and shake method as you did for measuring out the mix to make the biscuits. Would I be correct in this assumption? Also, do you sift the flour first or is it okay to just scoop from a newly opened bag?
Thanks ; )
Tiffany
Yes! I’m a scooper and shaker. 🙂 And I only sift einkorn flour, simply because it clumps too easily. If you’re using regular AP flour, skip the sift!
Tammie
Shortcakes for berry desserts
Tiffany
YES!
Charlotte
I don’t know how I managed before I got your homemade Bisquick recipe. Such a savings and certainly just as good. My favorite method of incorporating the butter is to dump the dry ingredients into my food processor, add the cold butter and process for about 15 seconds. Comes out perfect every time. BTW, if you only have a mini-food processor, proess the butter with one cup of of flour and then mix that in with the rest of the dry ingredients.
Alyssa
Can I mix the butter in with a hand mixer if I don’t have a stand mixer?
Tiffany
Maybe? I haven’t tried that Alyssa, but if you do, make sure you have a tall bowl. I’d be afraid flour would splash out everywhere! If you have a potato masher, that works too. Or even your fingers work great!
Cherie
I guess I’m old fashioned, but I think nothing works better than a pastry cutter/blender. It cuts butter in easily and is fun to use. One could also use two knives to cut the butter in.
Yang
These look so good! I have all the ingredients. I might make them today after I clock out of work. Thank you for this amazing recipe! I will make a lot of this.
Santini
Amazing! This is super easy! Can’t wait to try this one! Thank you for sharing!
Annabelle
If I were to make biscuits, since I can’t see, how would I know how to cut a thick circle. Should I roll the dough into a big cylinder and then cut with a knife? Or is there a special biscuit cutter out there, kind of like a cookie cutter?
Tiffany
You can use a glass to cut the biscuits. 🙂
Annabelle
Like a regular drinking glass?
Tiffany
Yep!
Annabelle
I’m one of those girlies who absolutely loooooooooooooooves pancakes! However, it’s hard for me to use the stove, since the one I have in my apartment is all digital, and unfortunately, it runs hotter than most stoves. Even on medium, it always smells like something burning! Worse yet, sometimes the burners trip the circuit breakers and short out the power in my bedroom! I wonder if there’s an electric griddle out there that is safe for blind customers like me? I would love to make your bisquick mix one day, and I wonder if it will last in the cupboard. Or do I have to put it in the fridge or freezer?
Tiffany
I’d recommend storing the mix in the fridge if it’s longer than a couple days. I’m not sure about a griddle that’s suitable for the blind – hopefully someone else can chime in with a suggestion!
Annabelle
I wonder how much the dry bisquick mix makes. Is it equivalent to a box? I’m confused on that one! The reason why I’m asking is because I’m writing down the recipes for pancakes and biscuits. The pancake one says 2 cups of mix, while the biscuit one says 1-½ cups of mix. Also, if I stored the mix in the freezer, won’t it harden into a block of ice?
Tiffany
Hi Annabelle! It won’t turn to a block of ice because you don’t have any water. 😉 For real though, it won’t freeze solid. Flours get super cold, but they don’t turn solid like you’re thinking. This recipe will make roughly 3 1/2 cups of mix!
Annabelle
I wonder how much mix is equivalent to one of the boxes. The reason why I ask is because I’d like to make enough to have more than one batch of pancakes or biscuits.
Tiffany
It depends on how big the “box” is… 3 1/2 cups of mix is about 28 oz (3 x 8 = 24, + 4 oz = 28). I’ve seen 40 oz boxes and 96 oz boxes. So one batch is just over half of one 40 oz box.
Annabelle
When I make biscuits, are the ones with your recipe equivalent to what the box calls “drop biscuits”? Or are these equivalent to the flaky biscuits you find in a can in the refrigerator section at the supermarket? The reason why I ask is because I’ve tried making biscuits with the boxed Bisquick mix, and unfortunately, instead of puffy flaky circles, easy to cut open and put jam in, they turned out more like hard circle-shaped porcupines that literally fell apart when I tried to open them to add jam! What’s up with that, I wonder?
Tiffany
Hi Annabelle! I usually make drop biscuits with the bisquick recipe, but this recipe: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2014/06/recipe-easy-homemade-dinner-biscuits/ and this one: https://dontwastethecrumbs.com/2018/11/sweet-potato-biscuit-recipe/ are both super fluffy!
Sandi Haste
I saw a comment on Bisquick box that said it contained “engineered” products….i decided to find something I could put together myself.I discovered your recipe…i use Organic flour, make my own baking powder, and use organic butter.!
recipes come out wonderful…..how would I alter this using powdered buttermlk in the mix….thank you for all your efforts.!
Tiffany
You’re very welcome Sandi! I haven’t tested with powdered buttermilk, but you can work backwards with the ratio of powdered buttermilk and water to make a batch of biscuits… just for example, say you need 2 Tbsp powdered buttermilk + 1 cup water to make 1 cup powdered buttermilk. And you need 1/2 batch of this mix to make one batch of biscuits. You can then add 4 tbsp of powdered buttermilk to the recipe, knowing that you only have to add enough water to get the right consistency. Does that help?
Liz
I made the biscuits this morning! They were delicious. Hubby said that they reminded him of his grandmother’s. 🤗
Tiffany
That’s an amazing compliment!
Suzanne H. Haupt
Thanks for this recipe. I can’t wait to try it. I used a mix while we lived in Russia but haven’t been able to find it since we unpacked. It was nice to have a taste of home and know we were being healthier that we would be using “the box”.
Charlotte
Forgot to note that this recipe will make 8 dumplings about the size of a baseball. Also, if you dip your spoon in the hot liquid before scooping out the dough and then holding the spoon in the liquid once it is full the dumpling will come off the spoon easily.
Charlotte
Thanks for this. Once I started following you on-line and I cleaned out cupboards, I missed my Bisquick. I will make up a batch this afternoon. For the person asking about dumplings. No you don’t add water or cook in boiling water. Boil up a chicken (or your favorite chicken parts), cool, debone and put meat back into the broth. I use my dutch oven and if you start out with 8 cups of water what you have left in the pan should be good. 2 cups of bisquick and 2/3 cup of milk. Mix well. It seems to me that the recipe has changed some over the years so I add about 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder but it is not necessary to have good dumplings. Mix well. NOW WALK AWAY AND LET THIS SET FOR 10 MINUTES. This is what makes your dumplings light and fluffy.
Season and bring the chicken and broth to a boil. Lower the heat to simmer, put on the lid and cook for 10 minutes. Remove the lid and cook for another 10 minutes. You will have plenty of gravy to serve over the chicken and dumplings. Lately, I have been adding lots of chopped rosemary to the recipe and I would guess any herb would work as well. When I have company for dinner, many times they will ask if I could fix my chicken and dumplings.
Tiffany
Your chicken and dumplings sounds SO GOOD Charlotte!! I might have to give it a try when we’re done with the Whole30. 😉
Aminah
Best biscuit recipe ever! They came out very soft and fluffier with powdered milk. I added 1/3 cup powdered milk and 1 cup of very cold water. My family enjoyed it alot. Thanks for sharing.
Tiffany
Glad you enjoyed these!
emily stone
I made this mix in December and used it for sausage balls, and they turned out great. I stored it in the fridge and today I used it to make biscuits, but they never rose. They were as flat as pancakes, and I’m not sure what I did wrong? Any thoughts? I love the idea of not every buying the box again, so I want to get this right!
Tiffany
It sounds like the baking powder was old. You may not have noticed in Dec b/c sausage balls don’t rise (at least not the ones I’ve eaten, LOL), but you might want to test to see if your baking powder is still active: https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-test-if-baking-soda-or-baking-powder-is-expired-tips-from-the-kitchn-111759
emily stone
Thanks for the tip. I tested it out and it “fizzed” to a point, but I don’t know how much its supposed to. ? I did glance at the expiration date and it was in October SO clearly its safe to say its “old”. I’ll buy a new one and make another batch. Thanks!
Leisa
Thank you for sharing.
Elizabeth S Sykes
Have you tried gluten free flour for this? If I were to use a 1 to 1 ratio flour, I wonder if it would turn out ok?
Tiffany
I haven’t with this particular recipe, but I have with a similar one and you should be okay!