Homemade Biquick Style Baking Mix

Recently my mom told me that she heard on the radio that Bisquick Baking Mix has one of the highest price mark-ups of any convenience mix. So, when a recipe I planned to make for Thanksgiving called for Bisquick mix I decided to try to find a homemade alternative.

After searching for "Homemade Bisquick Mix" I was disappointed that all of the recipes seemed to call for shortening. We try to stay away from hydrogenated oils and haven't bought shortening in years. However, with a little more searching I came across this non-shortening recipe from Kate at Cooking During Stolen Moments.

Homemade Bisquick Mix

5 cups flour
2 T baking powder
2 t salt
1/4 c sugar
1/2 c dry milk powder
3/4 t baking soda
1/2 c butter

1. Combine all of the dry ingredients. Cut butter or margarine into the mixture with a pastry cutter or two knives (or your fingers) until crumbly. Store in a well-sealed container in the freezer.

So far, I've used this recipe to make the "Bisquick Mix" needed for a crustless pumpkin pie and to make pancakes. Both have turned out wonderfully.

*To make pancakes, combine 1 1/2 c. mix with 1 egg and 1/2 – 1 c. water. (Start with a 1/2 c. water and add more as needed until desired consistency.)

On my second attempt making this mix I substituted 2 cups of whole wheat pastry flour for 2 cups of the all-purpose flour and sucanat for the sugar. The final product (pancakes) was just as good as with the original recipe. I'm going to experiment more next time by trying to replace some or all of the butter with coconut butter (coconut oil in its solid state) to make this recipe even healthier.

* * Edited to Add * *
I've now made all the substitutions and this mix still works great for pancakes. I have not tried it in any other baking so far, but I think it will work fine. I'm now using 3 cups whole wheat pastry flour, 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup sucanat, and 1/2 cup coconut butter (coconut oil in solid form).

You’ll find all kinds of new recipes this weekend at Heavenly Homemakers Recipe Parade!!
Homemade Bisquick Mix Works for Me!
For more frugal ideas visit Life as Mom.

Do you have any favorite Homemade Mixes that shorten your time in the kitchen? We'd love to hear about them.