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Homemade Bisquick comes together in less than 5 minutes and can be used in any recipe that calls for Bisquick mix or all-purpose baking mix. It’s perfect for things like pancakes, biscuits, and diner-style muffins.
Most of the time I’m all about baking and cooking from scratch – until I’m not. Like those Sunday mornings when I don’t set an alarm and the whole family sleeps in until 10:00.
I know that sounds pretty blissful, but…
The problem is, I’m a creature of habit and sleeping in always throws me off my game in a big way.
I love waking up early and sipping coffee at my desk in complete silence. It’s when I make lists and online shop for things I don’t need – like lipgloss and mason jar cocktail shakers.
And when I don’t get that time? I feel flustered and out of sorts.
Eric and Elle love a late breakfast with all the fixins’, like pancakes drenched in maple syrup, bacon and fresh berries. This kind of Sunday morning feast is their jam and ranks almost as high as their love for chocolate glazed donuts.
Don’t get me wrong, I love a stack of Homemade Banana Pancakes or biscuits with jam and butter as much as the next guy. But sometimes, Mama needs a shortcut – especially when she wakes up 3 hours later than usual. And that shortcut is Homemade Bisquick.
WHAT IS BISQUICK?
Bisquick mix was a staple in our household growing up. If you’ve never had it, Bisquick is simply a premade baking mix made of flour, fat, leavening, and salt.
It’s traditionally used to make pancakes or waffles, biscuits, and muffins. But you’d be surprised at all of the ways you can use an all-purpose baking mix like this.
Now, I have no problem buying the original Bisquick now and then. But honestly, I often forget to add it to my shopping list.
Luckily, Homemade Bisquick comes together in a food processor in less than 5 minutes and requires 4 ingredients that I’m betting you already have in your pantry. And it keeps within the refrigerator for up to 3 months!
HOW TO MAKE HOMEMADE BISQUICK MIX
Homemade Bisquick is so easy to make. Go take a look in your pantry – you probably have everything you need already:
- All-purpose flour
- Vegetable shortening
- Baking powder
- Salt
That’s it! All you have to do is add everything to your food processor and pulse until it’s combined and resembles cornmeal.
Pop it into an airtight container and it’ll keep in the fridge for 3 months.
CAN I MAKE HOMEMADE BISQUICK WITHOUT A FOOD PROCESSOR?
Technically, yes. You could whisk together the dry ingredients in a large bowl and use a pastry blender to cut the shortening into the dry ingredients until well combined.
But be warned that the large volume of flour and the need to get the shortening really well blended makes this really tiring work.
If you’re up for the arm workout, go for it, but I highly recommend using the food processor instead.
HOW TO STORE HOMEMADE BISQUICK
Don’t forget about keeping your homemade baking mix in the fridge.
Homemade Bisquick doesn’t have the added chemical stabilizers to make it safe for keeping in the pantry. It’ll go rancid quickly if left at room temperature – which won’t hurt you, but it won’t taste good either.
HOW TO USE HOMEMADE BISQUICK
Use Homemade Bisquick to whip up a stack of amazingly fluffy Bisquick pancakes or in any recipe that calls for Bisquick or all-purpose baking mix.
The uses don’t stop there, though!
From Potato Quiche and Banana Coffee Cake to those Cheddar Bay Biscuits that we all devour by the basketful – this homemade baking mix is going to become one of your favorite cooking shortcuts.
Homemade Bisquick
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6 cups all-purpose flour
- 3 tablespoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 cup vegetable shortening cubed
Instructions
- Add the flour, baking powder and salt to the bowl of a food processor.
- Pulse ingredients for about 15 seconds.
- Add in the vegetable shortening and pulse the processor until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
- Place homemade Bisquick into an airtight container and store within the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Thank you for the recipe. I don’t use shortening at all, so I substituted butter for the shortening. So delicious! Works like a charm in the impossible pie recipes. :)
Do we have to use vegetable shortening? Can one use a different fat such as Lard or something else not so processed? Franci
Hello! Yes, you could use lard in place of the shortening if you prefer. Hope this helps!
Jamie
Made zucchini pancakes other this yesterday and like it better than the box!
So happy to hear you enjoyed the mix, Gillian! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
What if you don’t have veg. Shortening? Help?
Hello! You should be able to use lard in place of the vegetable shortening, as it is also solid at room temperature. Hope this helps!
Jamie
Hi there. I am just wondering if there is an alternative to shortening as we don’t get that here. I also don’t want to spend a pocket-full if cash to get a North American import.
Hello! I haven’t attempted this recipe with this substitution, but you should be able to use lard in place of the shortening. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how it turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Hi,
I am interested in the homemade Bisquick recipe. I am wondering if butter can be successfully substituted for the shortening?
Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Hello! I haven’t attempted this recipe with this substitution, so I am not sure of the result. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how it turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Can I use olive oil or butter instead of shortening?i if yes, how much
Hello! I would not recommend making this with butter. I recommend only using a fat that is solid at room temperature, like lard or shortening. Hope this helps.
Jamie
Love to cook with bisquick but im on a strict low sodium diet. This recipe is perfect!
Thanks
Thanks so much for stopping by, Laura! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
I would like to make this. What is the the vegetable shortening you use. Can we use cooking oil
Hello! Cooking oil will not work in this recipe. You need a fat that is solid at room temperature. If you do not have access to shortening, lard will work will. Hope this helps.
Jamie
Have you ever used this homemade mixture to make dumplings? I’d like to know if they were light and fluffy like those from the official Bisquick box. I’m hesitant to experiment and potentially ruin a whole meal. Thanks for your input!
Hello! I haven’t attempted to make dumplings with this before, but I have used it many times in all sorts of recipes in place of store-bought bisquick with success. If you happen to give it a try, I’d love to know how they turned out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Thank you! I did try it! Used the Bisquick Dumpling recipe and instructions as I always have done. My husband thought it made much better tasting dumplings than the original Bisquick! They were fluffy, light and tasted scrumptious!! We suspect they had better flavor at least partly because the mix was fresh and preservatives were absent! Neither one of us see any reason to ever buy a box of Bisquick again! Thank you sooo very much! This is a “forever” recipe for us!!!
Let me rephrase to clarify…
Thank you! I did try it! I followed the “Bisquick Dumpling Instructions“ but made them from YOUR Bisquick Mix Copycat recipe.
My husband thought yours made much better tasting dumplings than the original Bisquick! Kudos!!
The dumplings were fluffy, light and tasted scrumptious!! We suspect they had better flavor at least in part because the mix was fresh and all preservatives were absent! I also made drop biscuits from your mix a couple of days later! Also delicious!
Neither one of us see any reason to buy a box of Bisquick ever again! Greatly appreciate the time you took to create this!
Thank you sooo very much! This is a “forever” recipe for us!!!
So happy to this, Susan! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie