If you love quick biscuits, pancakes, dumplings, or easy weeknight baking, you’ve probably used Bisquick or another boxed baking mix. It’s convenient — but it’s also more expensive than it needs to be. The good news is that you can make your own homemade baking mix with simple pantry ingredients, and it works just like the store‑bought version. This DIY Bisquick recipe is budget‑friendly, easy to scale, and perfect for frugal cooks who want to save money without sacrificing convenience.
One of the biggest perks of making your own baking mix is knowing exactly what’s in it. If you’ve ever looked at the ingredient list on a box of Bisquick, you’ll notice added sugar and several preservatives you probably don’t recognize. When you make it yourself, you get a fresh, clean mix with no extras — just the basics you actually need.
This homemade baking mix is incredibly versatile. Use it for biscuits, pancakes, waffles, shortcakes, or our family favorite: chicken and dumplings. Just add milk and eggs like you normally would, and your recipes turn out beautifully.
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DIY Baking Mix (Homemade Bisquick) Recipe
This formula makes 1 cup of baking mix. Double, triple, or multiply as needed.
- ¾ cup unbleached all‑purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2½ tablespoons shortening (Crisco baking sticks make measuring easy)
How to Make It
- Mix the flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl.
- Cut in the shortening using a fork, pastry cutter, or food processor.
- If using a food processor, pulse just a few times until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Store in an airtight container, or make it fresh as needed.
This recipe creates a soft, fluffy baking mix that behaves just like Bisquick — but fresher and far more affordable.
Why Make Your Own Baking Mix?
- Save money: Homemade costs a fraction of store‑bought.
- No preservatives: Just real ingredients you already have.
- Always fresh: No more boxes sitting in the pantry for months.
- Customizable: Use organic flour, gluten‑free flour, or your preferred shortening.
- Perfect for quick meals: Dumplings, biscuits, pancakes — all from one mix.
- Freeze batches for later: Save time and money by putting them in a freezer bag and taking them out as needed.
If you love making your own baking mix, here’s another simple way to save money and skip unnecessary store‑bought products. Instead of buying boxes of frozen waffles, you can make a big batch at home, freeze them, and enjoy quick breakfasts all week long. They taste better, cost less, and you control the ingredients.
Skip the store‑bought and make your own frozen waffles
