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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.
If all 4 ingredients are typically individually stored at room temperature and for longer than 3 months, then why do they require refrigeration once combined, and further, need to be consumed within 3 months? Just curious. I’ll start making this in smaller batches but I was wondering at the reasoning why combining everything precipitates rancidity. Thx.
Tina-
We found that it stays fresher when refrigerated which is why we suggested it be stored within the refrigerator.
-Jamie
@Tina, I read that it’s due to the shortening being mixed with the flour – thus different than stored prior to mixing.
Thanks for chiming in Mona! :)
I have been reading the comments and questions about this recipe. And I would like to say thank you for taking the time to answer everyone back. That takes a lot of time and caring about your recipes and the people that use them. For this reason this is the recipe I will be using. Again thank you for your hard work and commitment.
Thanks so much, Chris! I try to respond as much as I can.
-Jamie
@Chris Canfield, I fully agree with you :-)
Hello. I want to thank you for your website. I’m stuck in the Pacific Ocean rather northerly due to the Covid outbreak. I have used several of your recipes as I’ve trusted your sites; I’m 40 water miles from anywhere and wasting is not an ability. Today I created this; along with the Apple Coffee cake recipe. This is better than the store bought. Again, thank you very much.
So happy to hear you are enjoying the recipes. Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
Take care,
Jamie
Omg so easy and I would say much better quality with more natural ingredients/less processing. I do not have a processor, I like to do things the old-fashioned way like my grandmother and had a great time making this with my magic hands. The dish I cooked using this turned out fabulous and I may just use this from now on instead of buying Bisquick—Bisquick is now the substitute, lol. Thanks so much for sharing! Great work!! :)
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe, Ronni! Thanks so much for stopping by and leaving your feedback!
-Jamie
@Jamie, I made the recipe regularly when my children were young. I used the pastry blender, it was pretty easy. I’m going to try the refined coconut oil and maybe some whole grain or gluten-free flours. I have a 16 cup stainless steel bowl – used for bread, bisquick and a lot of other things. I have always had a food processor; bought my first in the ’70’s. Things come around again in time. But the big bowl was always out – I made bread once or twice a week and bisquick things more often. It’s great for ice water baths to bring down the temperature of the bowl for kneading bread and other things. I was very happy to bypass all the chemicals and additives in commercial products. I also bought Bisquick occasionally for convenience. Your recipes and hints are full of fun and originality. I don’t bake too much now, I do eat too much sugar and flour, and though I’m not much of a shopper, I do talk quite a lot.
Hi Carla-
Thanks so much for your kind words! I keep a box of Bisquick on hand too – just for convenience.
-Jamie
Hi. This looks like it can be kept in the freezer also. Have you stored it this way?
Hi Gale-
Yes, you can store it in the freezer. :)
Will this freeze well? Can’t wait to try it!
Sure, you can freeze the mix.
This was a totally annoying read. I gave up, 25 minutes in, and went out to buy actual Bisquick. It was faster than reading through your life history. God, almighty.
Yes, indeed. My life history is all about Bisquick and how to make a substitute.
@Jamie, good one LOL
I try. Lol
@Jamie, Ritzy must be a slow reader! Thank you for your “easy to read” informative recipe! You’re a lifesaver!
@Ritzy, Jeez! Just click on Jump to Recipe and spare everyone your whining!!
@Jamie, Lol!!!! Glad you can keep your sense of humor when dealing with annoying people!!
ALWAYS! lol!
@Ritzy, wow what a person to be…nobody made you read it. Someone is just mad they didn’t have the ingredients to fulfill the recipe requirements i suppose. Thank you for this recipe! It’s perfect, especially when we were in a pinch and didn’t want to go to the store.
@Ritzy, Well, aren’t you just a little ray of sunshine. LOL
@Jamie, Thanks for the recipe for making my own Bisquick. Saw a Betty Crocker waffle recipe that called for Bisquick and you saved me a trip to the store.
So glad to have helped, Carol! Thanks so much for stopping by. Happy baking!
-Jamie
@Ritzy,
First time at a cooking blog? You can always scroll down to the recipe without reading the full write up that explains the process the author took to create the recipe.
Sorry if that response was too wordy. I know you’re important and can’t be bothered with lots of words.
@Ritzy, @Jamie How rude! Just scroll through until you get to the recipe if you don’t want to read the backstory. Drink a glass of wine while you are using that store-bought Bisquick. Maybe your attitude will improve. If not, try three more glasses of wine.
I’ve never used bisquick before but needed a quick way to bake when the grandkids are here. After a few google searches I found this. IT iS PERFECT! . Quick pancakes or biscuits….I love it! Thank you.
Thank you for the recipe. I never use shortening so I substituted cold, cubed, butter for the shortening. So delicious! Works just like Bisquick in the ” impossible pie ” recipes. :)
So happy to hear you enjoyed the recipe. Thanks so much for taking the time to stop by and leave a comment.
-Jamie