Homemade Bisquick
Homemade Bisquick comes together in less than 5 minutes and can be used in any recipe that calls for Bisquick or all-purpose baking mix. It’s perfect for things like pancakes 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 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.
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!
Use Homemade Bisquick to whip up a stack of amazingly fluffy pancakes or in any recipe that calls for Bisquick or all-purpose baking mix.
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!
Just don’t forget about keeping it 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.
Homemade Bisquick
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.
This post may contain affiliate links. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
This is an awesome quick recipe to have on hand! Whenever I’m making pancakes, recipes frequently call for bisquick and I’m left trying to find a different recipe! Not any more :)
Ooh, way easier than I thought! Customizable, too. Saving this one, thanks a lot.
Thanks so much, Erin!
Your pancakes look so perfect, like from a magazine, love this recipe for homemade bisquick, the store one is good, but OMG with crazy ingredients.
Thanks so much, Katalina! :)
Yes, beautiful pancakes but I am surprised that in this day and age you would utilize hydrogenated oils (transfats) in any recipe. It is my understanding that neutral lard is even preferably to vegetable shortening because are bodies know how to process it. I too make pancakes, biscuits, waffles, etc from scratch and I have premade the flour mixture and then added either vegetables oils or butter as the recipe required. Sadly, I bet your pancakes are to die for delicious :)
Hi, I have all the stuff to make your bisquick flour mix, no problem there. I’m not a seasoned cook, so where is the recipe on how to use your prepared flour, and make it into pancakes? Sorry don’t see it
Dolores-
You can actually use this mix in any recipe that calls for Bisquick. Here is a simple recipe to get you started. I hope this helps!
-Jamie
Do you know of I could use Sweetex (a high ratio shortening), instead of regular shortening?
Jennifer-
I’m not sure as I’ve never tried that product. If you give it a shot, let me know how it goes. Thanks so much for stopping by!
-Jamie
And what if one doesn’t have a food processor, the best I can do is either a hand mixer or blender.
Nara-
I’d sift the dry ingredients a few times and then cut in the shortening with a pastry blender until it resembles corn meal. I hope this helps!
-Jamie
Could you sub coconut oil for shortening?
Karen-
I haven’t tried this recipe with coconut oil, so I am not sure how it will perform. Thanks for stopping by.
-Jamie
I decided to try this recipe today, was out of Bisquick, and glad I did.
It was really good, and I did use *refined* coconut oil. Refined is a grade lower if you compared to unrefined, which you can easily eat, unrefined also has that coconut flavor too, which won’t work. Refined acts just like shortening, and I use it in my baking. I compare it to lard, only better, and without all those extra ingredients we’re trying to omit from our diet.
I did also mix it all by hand, that worked out just fine as well. I cut the recipe in half to make sure I would like it first, the pancakes I made turned out great! They rose nicely, and had a great flavor. Will use this again! I can also guess too the coconut oil will become hard being stored in the fridge. Just let it set out a minute, it will warm quickly to room temperature.
Thanks, Suzy!
I sift the dry ingredients, then, since I don’t own a pastry blade or pastry blender, I use a fork to cut in the shortening or butter. This has worked for years. In fact, when asked what I really want for my birthday or for Christmas, I ask for a pastry blades or blender (just the stainless steel, inexpensive “by hand” blades kind) and still NOTHING YET, and this has gone on for years. I guess I’m still hoping…
Linda, sounds like it’s time to treat yourself to a pastry blender.
Random question but where did you get the container to put this in? I love it and the label!
Lisa-
Helo! I picked it up at Target about 2 weeks ago. I love it!
-Jamie
Bisquick makes the best strawberry shortcake (recipe on box), topped with chopped/mashed berries and fresh whip cream. It is so easy and so tasty. So I will keep this recipe handy for the times I don’t have Bisquick on hand.
would it be possible to make this with shortening powder ? and if so, how much would I use ?
thank you
Judy-
I have never used shortening powder, so I have no idea how it would work in this recipe. Sorry I am not more of a help.
-Jamie
I don’t refrigerate my Bisquik nor my shortening,
so why is it I would need to refrigerate this???
Hi Mary,
I’m getting this question a lot, and honestly, I say to refrigerate this because Bisquick actually does say to refrigerate theirs once the package is opened. It’s on the box, though not very obviously to anyone – including me. Like I’ve said to others here with the same question, I think it has to do with the combination of fat and flour. The fat can cause the flour to go rancid more quickly. If you’re going to use this relatively quickly, it’s probably fine to store at room temperature. Though I’ll still be keeping mine in the fridge or freezer. Thanks for stopping by. – Jamie
I have been using Bisquick for years, and my Mom before me. We always bought the largest Box the store carried, as we did biscuits, pancakes, waffles, etc often. I never, ever refrigerated the bisquick, no matter how long I had it in the cupboard. Why do you say to refrigerate this mixture????
Hey Emily,
I bet you’d be shocked if you went and looked at a box of Bisquick right now. It actually says to refrigerate the contents after opening the sealed bag. Like I told Gina above, I think it probably has to do with the fact that you’re combining fat (shortening) and flour. The fat can cause the flour to go rancid more quickly. If you’re going to use this mix up pretty quickly, you’d probably be fine to store it at room temperature. Thanks for stopping by! – Jamie
Has anyone tried substituting out regular flour with any combination of gluten free flours? my husband has celiac disease.. but I MISS using bisquick… just wondering if coconut flour or almond flour mixtures might work and still taste good… ??
Betty, King Arthur makes an all purpose gluten free flour; it is measure for measure. Any recipe which calls for all purpose flour can be subbed for this. It is a godsend.
Hi! I have considered making homemade Bisquick for a while, but have never gotten around to it. Partly because most recipes say to refrigerate it and I have limited space in my fridge as it is. My question is… Why does it need to be refrigerated when all the ingredients are shelf stable and you don’t add liquid until you are ready to use? Thanks!
Hey Gina,
So, believe it or not, it actually says right on the box of Bisquick that it should be refrigerated after opening the sealed bag. It’s not something I ever really noticed either, until I started doing research for this post. I figure it has something to do with the same reason that flour makers suggest refrigerating or freezing flours made from whole wheat. The fat in the wheat germ – or in this case – shortening – can cause the mixture to go rancid quicker at room temperature. Will it hurt you? Probably not. But it won’t taste great either.
Thanks for stopping by! – Jamie
LIving in Scotland, we don’t use shortening! I do get visitors from the US to bring me Crisco whenever I can (I am American living in Scotland). But what could I use as a substitute? I saw someone mention lard. I have never used that but am willing to try if you can’t think of any other substitution.
Thanks! Pat Graham
Patrice-
If you Google Homemade Bisquick with Butter, a variety of butter options are available. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Hi Patrice
How are you ?
I used to make Chocolate Crackles yrs ago the recipe was on the breakfast cereal box’s of Ricies or Kelloggs Rice Bubbles .
I’m sure you can buy vegetable shortening in Scotland as my family that live in the UK make these for Kids Parties
2/3 cups of Ricies or Rice Bubbles
1/2lb or 500gr of Ktemelta(Vegetable Shortening)
1cup Icing Sugar (powdered Sugar)
3Teaspoons Chocolate Cocoa Powder
Method
To a mixing bowl add Ricies or Rice Bubbles
Sift in Icing Sugar(Powdered Sugar)& Chocolate Cocoa Powder
Melt Kremelta (Vegetable Shortening )over low heat
Pour over Ricies mixture mix well until all coated
Drop tablespoon fulls onto a baking paoer lined tray until all mixture is used
Refridgerate until set
Ready for the Kiddies or the Adults to eat
I am sure you must have made something similar to this using some form of Kremelta(Vegetable Shortening)
Kremelta is just a brand name for the product in New Zealand
It is called something different here in Australia, as it would be in any other countries
You might have to ask at your local Food Store or Supermarket
Hope this helps
Regards
Lou Highfield
Thank you so much, Lou!
Trex white shortening
I use a recipe like this and add Powdered milk or powdered buttermilk to the mix and it makes great Buttermilk Biscuits or Pancakes even Waffles, and all you have to do is add water when using the mix, great for taking camping or I’m going to make some for my Grand-daughter to use in her dorm at college.
Hi There
I’m in Australia and we don’t have vegetable shortening readily available. I can however get my hands on some Crisco. Is this what you can use?
Thank you
P.S. Need to make some of those thick pancakes ASAP!!!!
Virginia-
Hello. In the US, Crisco is vegetable shortening and is actually what I used in this recipe. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
Can you tell me what font you used for the label on the jar? I absolutely love the “handwritten” look of it.
Many thanks!
Karen-
The font is called Whatever It Takes and can be found on dafont. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
After I’ve made the bisquick what is the recipe for making pancakes, waffles, etc
Judy-
You can use this as a substitute for any recipe that calls for Bisquick. Their website is loaded with simple recipes for you to browse. I hope this helps.
-Jamie
I use this recipe for when I make chicken and dumplings. Nice consistency. I haven’t any need to buy boxed biscuit again.
I’m so glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you I am an American living in Australia and bisquick is hard to find and expensive when I find it so this will help out big time when I get a craving for some American style food!!!
Thanks so much for stopping by, Marc! :)
Amazing! This recipe saved me a trip to the store, and then made sure I’d never need Bisquick again. Now I’ve got 2 L of homemade Bisquick mix in the fridge and I am surfing for Bisquick recipes. I think I’ll do the lemon bars next. I’m not, in general, a big fan of lard or shortening, but there is nothing like it for pie crust. And frankly, I’m much more comfortable with lard or shortening than the list of stabilizers, additives and preservatives that come with any processed foods…
I hope you enjoy it the homemade Bisquick, Linda! Thanks so much for stopping by!
-Jamie
So you use equal parts of this like you would of bisquick? To make dumplingd I would follow the same bisquick recipe but use this and same measurments as bisquick?
Yes! I hope you enjoy it!
Thank you for this as living in Australia can be hard to find substitutes for American ingredients. Now I can go ahead with different recipes I wanted to try.
You’re welcome, Tracey! Let me know if I can help you with anything else!
Thank you, Mademoiselle.
Bisquick is one of those small things you miss once moving out of the country. France is a culinary capital, but some things just can’t beat home. My pancakes will now have a taste of nostalgia mixed in, I can make sausage balls like I used to with the family as a kid. And most importantly, I can make REAL biscuits. Europeans always think of cookies when I try to talk about biscuits. And I hate calling my biscuits, ‘scones’. They just don’t get it.
Cheers,
Warren
PS. I am actually starting a business here (France) making and selling biltong. Was planning on making a recipe page. Should I link this site if I use this mix in integration with a recipe of my own? I’ll have to translate ingredients, but I’ll be happy to give credit, where credit is due.
You’re very welcome, Warren! Bisquick is an amazing mix to use in so many things. And I always welcome links! Good luck in your endeavors!
I dont have a food processor, is it possible to make it with a whisk? What is the substitute formyhe vegetable shortening?
Hi, Chynna! I think a whisk would be just fine. I suppose you could use coconut oil as a substitute. I’m interested to see how it works out–let me know!
Thank heavens I found this site through a google search as Bisquick has been discontinued here in the UK!
I hope you enjoy it, Nigel! :)
I tried 1 cup of solid coconut oil(I did not use it liquid) and my children love the coconut so much better. Enjoy!!!
Great idea, Pete! Thank you!
I didn’t read your directions, because I got this recipe along time ago, from newspaper. I don’t use food processor, I use a pastry blender or you could use 2 butter knifes until dough is crumbly.
Thanks for the suggestions, Pete!
Should we use this recipe as regular bisquick and use the same no of eggs as they are on the bisquick??
Hi, Maheen! Yes, use the homemade version just like the regular Bisquick. I hope you enjoy it!
I leave in Itay and it’s very hard to find vegetable shortening here. How can I substitute it? Butter, margarine…? In what quantity for this particular recipe? Thank you!:-)
Hi, Jovana! Feel free to substitute 1 cup of butter for shortening. I hope you like it!
How do I turn the bisquik into pancakes etc? In South Africa we don’t get bisquik so thanks for the recipe.
Hi, Joy! This pancake recipe should help. Enjoy!
Living in China I can order in Bisquick but it costs an arm and a leg. I’d rather purchase crisco for just an arm and
be able to make many rounds of this goodness! Excited to try it out!
I hope you enjoy it, Angel!
My hubs made fun of me for what he labeled as “fake bisquick.” He wasn’t laughing the next morning when the pancakes were the BEST ever!! Thank you!!
Yay! I am so glad yo enjoyed the recipe!
-Jamie
This is great I always have these ingredients on hand and have been looking for a recipe to make the Bisquick as I can’t always find it in the local grocery store.
Hi! I don’t have any vegetable shortening here to get one where I am residing (Germany)…is there an alternative for the shortening? Can I instead use a margarine or butter for it? Thanks for helping.
Directions for using the mix are not there. Need the recipes!
Shirley-
You can use this mix in any recipe that calls for Bisquick. :)
When you say Vegetable shortening do you mean solid Crisco or can I used liquid shortening?
Hello – Yes, you’ll want to use solid shortening, such as Crisco. Happy baking!
-Jamie
Do you think I could use whole wheat pastry flour instead of a/p?
I guess I will try….just wondering what you think.
Thanks for your reply.
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 turns out. Thanks so much for stopping by.
-Jamie
Betty Crocker Bisquick does not require refrigeration after opening but I can understand why your homemade recipe would. I always refrigerate any shortening after opening.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Rose! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
I make 1/3 the recipe, and it equals about 2 cups of Bisquick needed to make the pancake recipe on the back of the box. No need to store it, which is good for us, since we don’t have pancakes that often.
Thanks so much for stopping by, Laura! I appreciate you taking the time to comment. Happy Baking!
-Jamie
Can you unlock the secret of what proportions of liquid to add to hydrate the mix to make pancakes? How many eggs and milk per cups of mix so I can pout into a hot pan?
Hello! You should be able to make pancakes with 2 cups of mix, 1 cup of milk and 2 eggs. Hope this helps! Happy baking.
Jamie