Can You Use Bisquick Instead of Flour? Solved

Last Updated on September 12, 2024 by Shari Mason

The convenience of Bisquick Baking Mix became highly sought after due to its ability to provide a fast and effortless solution for baking needs. Nevertheless, certain baked goods require the use of all-purpose flour as their main ingredient in their recipes.

What if you run out of self-rising flour and only have Bisquick? Can you use Bisquick instead of flour? Will there be many adjustments in the recipe? Stay tuned to find out.

Can You Use Bisquick As A Substitute for Flour?

Yes, you can use Bisquick as a substitute for flour, but only on certain baked goods and dishes. Since Bisquick is a premix baking mix, you must adjust all the measurements accordingly.

Bisquick is a pre-made mix of salt, baking soda, sugar, shortening, hydrogenated oil, and rice flour or wheat flour. 

It is labeled as a baking mix and can be used in making pancakes, banana bread, cake, cookies, and even gravy and dumplings to replace flour.

It is technically inconvenient to use Bisquick to replace all-purpose flour because it is not a self-rising flour, but if there are no other options, the Bisquick baking mix is worth trying.

Read: Can You Use Self-Rising Flour For Gravy?

Everything About Bisquick 

Bisquick was first discovered in the 1930s by General Mills salesman Carl Smith when a trained chef served him hot biscuits in just a few minutes.

Smith then got the idea of producing a pre-made baking mix. It was the first premix bread flour called Bisquick in the 1930s and is still popular today. [1] 

Bisquick, from the name itself, is making biscuits quickly. A ready mixture of whole wheat flour, sugar, salt, shortening, baking powder, and salt will save you time making your favorite cookie recipes.

Read: Can I Substitute Almond Flour For Ground Flaxseed?

Flour vs. Bisquick 

All-purpose is self-rising flour needed for baking, and Bisquick is not. [2] However,  Bisquick is a premix flour with multiple ingredients, like baking powder, used in baking. 

“A recipe has no soul. You, as the cook, must bring soul to a recipe.”

– Thomas Keller, American Chef, Restaurateur, and Author

Bisquick has the initial baking powder mixes, while flour is a single ingredient in most recipes. It is a mixture of sugar, shortening, vegetable oil, salt, and baking powder, 

Bisquick is convenient, fast, and easy to use. It is ideal for baking pancakes fast at home.

Read: Can You Eat Pillsbury Biscuits After Expiration Date?

How To Use Bisquick As Substitute

To use Bisquick as a substitute flour, you must note every ingredient in the commercial baking mix to know which component must be adjusted according to recipe calls.

If you need 2 cups of flour, use 2 cups of Bisquick to replace the flour. The ratio of Bisquick and flour has to be 1:1.

However, other extra ingredients, like baking powder, sugar, salt, shortening, vegetable oil, and cornstarch, must be adjusted accordingly.

You can’t separate the Bisquick ingredients and adjust each according to your recipe; you will adjust the additional ingredients based on Bisquick’s contents. But is it okay to eat an expired pancake mix?

Some Recipes Where You Can Use Bisquick 

Biscuits

Bisquick is basically for making biscuits quickly. The owner, Betty Crocker, put official biscuit recipes in the product’s box.

If you’re replacing flour in making biscuits, you don’t need to add flour, salt, or other ingredients that a Bisquick has. Mix 2 ¼ cups of Bisquick with ⅔ cup of milk, and you’re off to go.

Read: Can You Eat Flout Tortillas Without Cooking Them?

Pancake

You can make pancakes with 2 cups of Bisquick, 1 cup of milk, and 2 eggs if you don’t have flour. 

Like in a typical pancake mix, you must adjust the other ingredients based on how many pancakes you will make. It has the same amount of pancake original recipe.

Bisquick is a mixture of salt, sugar, shortening, baking powder, and chickpea flour. If you’re using it to make fluffy pancakes, you don’t have to add those ingredients anymore.

But can you make Betty Crocker cookies without any egg?

Gravy 

You can use Bisquick to make gravy, too. Just pour 2 tablespoons of Bisquick mix into the drippings on your pan and stir to create a paste while the pan is heating.

Then add the stock of your choice and stir until it reaches your preferred consistency.

Bread

If you want to substitute Bisquick mix to make quick bread, pie crusts, or pizza dough, even without flour, Bisquick, with its leavening agent ingredients, can do the work. 

In making banana bread, mix in a large bowl the 2 ⅔ cups of original Bisquick with additional ⅔ cup sugar and other ingredients to make a dough.

Use Bisquick to make unique bread and pie crust recipes by visiting the Betty Crocker website. Quickly make your favorite banana bread with Bisquick as your own substitute for flour.

Dumplings

You can make dumplings out of Bisquick instead of flour. Just mix 2 cups of Bisquick with a ⅔ cup of milk and form dumplings with your hands. Steam or plop them directly into the soup.

Some cooks said you must add some shortening to achieve perfect Bisquick dumplings consistency.

Cake

You can also use 1-2 ½ cups of Bisquick to make a cake instead of flour. However, only selected cakes, like spongy cakes, can be made using a regular Bisquick baking mix.

Making a cake is a complex process, and you can’t just change the ingredients, especially if you want to achieve a perfect cake.

Cookies

Bisquick has official recipes for Bisquick cookies. You can use 4 cups of Bisquick and 1 ½ cups of sugar if you want to bake sugar cookies.

There’s only minimal adjustment in sugar because Bisquick already has it, but it is perfectly safe to use Bisquick to make your favorite cookies.

General Rule When Using Bisquick Instead Of Flour

The general rule when using Bisquick instead of flour is you can only use Bisquick as a substitute flour as long as all its extra ingredients can go well with your preferred recipes.

It will help if you remember that Bisquick is a baking mix with extra ingredients for baking soft and spongy pastries.

It is also important to remember that you can’t substitute Bisquick for flour in all baked goods. You must know your recipe before making changes, especially in flour.

Is Bisquick A Great Alternative For Flour?

Yes, Bisquick is a great alternative to flour and can also be used as a thickening agent for sauces.

You can use Bisquick recipes to make cookies, banana bread, and such. However, you must be keen to substitute Bisquick in all baked goods. 

You can also use Bisquick to make a thick gravy, as it is a perfect thickening agent for sauces.

Bisquick is composed of many ingredients. To use it without ruining the food’s texture and taste, you must get familiar with its components to know when and how to adjust measurements.

FAQs 

In Conclusion

Generally, Bisquick is all-purpose flour with added ingredients that can be a suitable replacement for regular flour if you run out of stock at home. 

You can use Bisquick to make pancakes and other simple treats. You can also use it in some pastry dishes in place of flour. 

However, you must adjust your recipe according to the present ingredients in the box to avoid measurement mistakes.

Bisquick only applies to certain dishes because it’s not a self-rising flour, be sure to study your recipe before using Bisquick as a replacement.

References:

1. https://www.generalmills.com/news/stories/how-bisquick-got-its-start 
2. https://www.britannica.com/topic/flour