A box of baking mix is mostly flour, sugar, leavening and salt, and you pay extra for someone else to stir it together. Make your own and you get the same head start for less, without ingredients you can’t pronounce.
One big batch made on a Sunday means biscuits, pancakes, muffins and cornbread in minutes all month. Here is how I mix and store them, plus ten mixes worth keeping on the shelf.
What you need
- A very large bowl, a whisk and a pastry blender (or two knives) for cutting in the fat.
- Airtight containers: big glass jars, plastic tubs or zip-top freezer bags.
- Labels or masking tape and a marker for the name, the date and the directions.
How to make a baking mix
- Whisk the dry ingredients together well, so the baking powder and salt are spread through every cup.
- If the mix has shortening or butter, cut it in until the mix looks like coarse crumbs with no big lumps.
- Spoon the mix lightly into your container. Packing it down makes your cup measurements heavy later.
- Label it with the name, the date and what to add when you bake.
Good to know
Stir or shake the mix before you measure it. Flour settles, and a quick stir gives you the same result every time.
How to store baking mixes
Keep mixes airtight in a cool, dry cupboard and use them within a few months. Mixes made with butter, buttermilk powder or whole wheat flour keep best in the refrigerator or freezer. Baking powder slowly loses its punch, so an old mix may bake up flat.
10 favorite homemade baking mixes
1. Copycat Bisquick Mix
The one to start with. Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and shortening make about 9 cups of all-purpose mix for biscuits, pancakes, dumplings and coffee cake.
2. Pancake and Waffle Mix
Buttermilk powder means no buttermilk in the fridge. For a batch, whisk 1 1/2 cups of mix with an egg, oil and water.
3. Copycat Jiffy Cornbread Mix
Sweet, tender cornbread like the little blue box, from flour, cornmeal, sugar and baking powder.
4. Make Your Own Yellow Cake Mix
Cake flour and dry milk give a soft, fine crumb. One batch makes a 12-serving cake for birthdays and potlucks.
5. All-Purpose Muffin Mix
One plain base for any muffin you like. Two cups of mix, two eggs and melted butter, then add berries, nuts or chocolate chips.
6. Super Fudge Brownie Mix
Rich cocoa brownies, and this mix even skips the eggs: chia seeds or ground flax do the job. It makes two batches.
7. Buttermilk Scone Mix
A big batch for about 55 scones. It is made with cold butter, so keep it in the freezer and bake a few at a time.
8. Hot Roll Mix
Bread flour, dry milk, sugar and shortening, ready for soft yeast rolls. Add yeast, warm water and an egg for a dozen rolls.
9. Beer Bread Mix
The easiest bread there is. Stir in one can of beer and bake, with no yeast and no kneading.
10. Pizza Dough Mix
Bread flour, yeast and salt in a jar, so pizza night is only a bowl and some warm water away.
See all the baking mixes in the Homemade Mixes library →
Frequently asked questions
Is homemade baking mix cheaper than store-bought? Usually, yes. Flour, sugar, baking powder and salt bought in bulk cost much less than a box of mix, and you can make as much as you need.
Can I use butter instead of shortening? Yes, but a mix made with butter should be kept in the refrigerator or freezer, since butter goes rancid faster than shortening.
How do I know if my mix is too old? If the mix smells stale or your biscuits come out flat, it is time for a fresh batch. Old baking powder is usually the reason.
Can I make a baking mix gluten-free? Yes. Swap the flour for a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend, and check that your baking powder is labeled gluten-free.