Keep a batch of this Baking Powder Biscuit Mix in the refrigerator and you’re never far from hot biscuits. It’s a simple homemade baking mix made with flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, sugar, and shortening, then stirred with cold milk whenever you want a quick pan of drop biscuits.
One full batch makes about 12 cups of mix, enough for roughly 48 biscuits, so it earns its keep fast. It’s handy for everyday dinner biscuits, shortcake-style biscuits, or a quick topping for creamed chicken or turkey without hauling half the pantry onto the counter.
Ingredients
You only need pantry basics for this mix, and that’s exactly the point. The flour builds the bulk, the baking powder and cream of tartar help the biscuits rise, the sugar rounds out the flavor, and the shortening keeps the mix ready to turn tender once you add milk.
- 8 cups flour
- 1/3 cup baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 2 cups shortening, butter, or margarine
- Cold milk, for baking individual batches
If you want the mix to keep longer in the refrigerator, shortening is the most practical choice. Butter works, but it won’t hold as long and it makes the storage window tighter. For another homemade shortcut, take a look at Make Your Own Buttermilk Powder if you like a tangier biscuit situation.
Instructions
Make the base mix first, then pull out only what you need for each batch of biscuits. That keeps the work low and the payoff high, which is really how a mix recipe should behave.
- Measure the flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, and sugar into a large mixing bowl.
- Cut in the shortening, butter, or margarine until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal.
- Transfer the finished mix to an airtight container and refrigerate it.
- For one batch of biscuits, preheat the oven to 450°F and lightly spray a baking sheet with oil.
- Measure 1 1/2 cups of the biscuit mix into a bowl and add 1/3 cup cold milk.
- Stir with a fork just until a slightly stiff dough forms. Don’t beat it to death. Biscuits hold grudges.
- Drop the dough by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the biscuits are golden brown.
This method makes about 6 to 8 biscuits per batch, depending on how full you make each spoonful. A full recipe of mix yields about 48 biscuits total.
Tips for Better Biscuits
Use cold milk and stir just until the dough comes together. Overmixing makes biscuits tougher, not better, and no one has ever bragged about a heroic hockey puck.
When you cut the fat into the dry ingredients, stop when the mix looks like coarse cornmeal. That texture helps distribute the fat evenly so each biscuit bakes up tender instead of greasy or dense.
Keep the mix refrigerated in a tightly sealed container so the fat stays fresh. For the baked biscuits, cool them completely before storing. For general leftover safety, the USDA recommends refrigerating leftovers within 2 hours and using them within 3 to 4 days.
Variations
This base mix bends easily, which is why it’s worth keeping around.
- For creamed chicken or turkey biscuits: Add 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning to 1 1/2 cups mix before stirring in the milk.
- For shortcake biscuits: Add 1 tablespoon sugar to 1 1/2 cups mix before adding the milk.
- For a richer biscuit: Use butter in the mix instead of shortening, knowing the storage time will be shorter.
- For a tangier biscuit: Swap the cold milk for buttermilk if you have it on hand.
If biscuit mixes are your thing, you might also like Parmesan Herb Biscuits Mix or 7-Up Biscuits Mix.
Storage
Biscuit mix storage: Store the prepared mix in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. That’s a conservative estimate based on the fat in the mix staying fresh and the dry ingredients staying protected from moisture and off flavors.
Baked biscuit storage: Store cooled baked biscuits in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate them for up to 4 days. Freeze well-wrapped biscuits for up to 3 months for best quality.
Make-ahead note: You can mix the dry base and cut in the fat well ahead of time, then bake off only what you need. That’s the whole charm here.
Serving Suggestions
These biscuits fit just about anywhere you’d normally reach for bread. Serve them with soup, stew, sausage gravy, creamed chicken, or scrambled eggs. The shortcake version works especially well with sweetened strawberries and whipped cream.
For a savory side, split them warm and add butter or jam. For breakfast, pair them with eggs and bacon. For supper, they’re right at home next to roast chicken or a pot of chili.
💸 Budget101® Price Breakdown: Baking Powder Biscuit Mix
Ingredient |
Walmart Item |
Pkg Price |
Amount Used |
Cost Used |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Flour |
$2.96 |
8 C. |
$1.25 |
|
Baking powder |
$1.24 |
1/3 C. |
$0.35 |
|
Salt |
$0.62 |
2 t. |
$0.01 |
|
Cream of tartar |
$2.68 |
2 t. |
$0.38 |
|
Sugar |
$2.98 |
4 t. |
$0.03 |
|
Shortening |
$3.98 |
2 C. |
$1.20 |
|
Prepared biscuit mix |
$3.24 |
1 1/2 C. |
$0.51 |
|
Cold milk |
$2.52 |
1/3 C. |
$0.05 |
💸 |
Cost |
|---|---|
🧾 Total Batch Cost |
$3.78 |
👨👩👧👦 Cost Per Serving |
$0.08 |
📅 Walmart prices last verified August 26, 2026. Prices may vary by location and are subject to change. Learn how to calculate the cost of a recipe on your own!
🛒 Walmart Grocery List
- All-Purpose Flour, 5 lb
- Double Acting Baking Powder, 8.1 oz
- Iodized Salt, 26 oz
- Cream of Tartar, 3 oz
- Granulated Sugar, 4 lb
- Vegetable Shortening, 48 oz
- Whole Milk, 1 Gallon
Not sure exactly what this batch costs you per serving? Here’s how to break down the real cost of any recipe so you know before you shop.
Frequently Asked Questions about Baking Powder Biscuit Mix
You can, but shortening is the better long-haul choice if you want to keep the mix ready in the refrigerator. Butter adds flavor, but because it contains water and milk solids, the mix won’t keep as long and it can bake up a little differently from batch to batch.
Yes, margarine works here because the mix is meant to be flexible. Expect a slightly softer finished mix depending on the brand, so keep it cold and store it tightly covered so it doesn’t pick up fridge odors like an unpaid houseguest.
The cream of tartar boosts the tang and supports lift, while the baking powder handles the main leavening job. It’s a practical old-school combination that helps the biscuits bake up lighter instead of flat and dull.
Absolutely. Use the same 1/3 cup amount to start, then add another teaspoon or two only if the dough seems too dry. Buttermilk gives you a slightly tangier flavor and usually a bit more tenderness.
If it looks crumbly and won’t hold together, add milk 1 teaspoon at a time until it forms a slightly stiff dough. If it turns sticky and loose, sprinkle in a little extra mix, about 1 tablespoon at a time, so you can still drop it cleanly onto the pan.
Cut everything in half and you’ll get about 6 cups of mix, enough for roughly 24 biscuits. That smaller batch is handy if fridge space is tight or you don’t bake biscuits often enough to justify a full container.
The usual culprits are overmixing, warm milk, or baking powder that’s lost its punch. Stir only until the dough comes together, keep the milk cold, and bake right after mixing so the biscuits rise before they have time to think better of it.
Yes, and they freeze well. Cool them completely, wrap them airtight, and freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Reheat in a warm oven so the outside dries back out instead of turning limp in the microwave.
Use them with sausage gravy, creamed chicken, soup, chili, or roast chicken when you want a quick bread side. If you make the sweet variation, split them and pile on berries and whipped cream for an easy shortcake.
Look for golden tops and lightly browned edges, usually at 12 to 14 minutes in a fully preheated 450°F oven. If the tops still look pale, give them another minute or two because underbaked biscuits tend to stay gummy in the center.
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🖨️ Print-Friendly Baking Powder Biscuit Mix
Baking Powder Biscuit Mix
Ingredients
- 8 cups flour
- ⅓ cup baking powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 2 teaspoons cream of tartar
- 4 teaspoons sugar
- 2 cups shortening butter or margarine
- 1 ½ cups prepared biscuit mix
- ⅓ cup cold milk
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the flour, baking powder, salt, cream of tartar, and sugar in a large bowl.
- Cut in the shortening, butter, or margarine until the mixture resembles cornmeal.
- Refrigerate the mix in an airtight container.
- To make 6 to 8 biscuits, preheat the oven to 450°F and spray a baking sheet with oil.
- Combine 1 1/2 cups mix with 1/3 cup cold milk.
- Stir with a fork until a slightly stiff dough forms.
- Drop by tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake 12 to 14 minutes, or until golden brown.
Recipe Size Alteration
💡 If you altered the ingredients above by doubling or tripling the recipe, you may also need to change the pan/dish size and adjust the cook time.
Notes
For biscuits to serve with creamed chicken or turkey, add 1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning to the 1 1/2 cups mix before adding milk.
For shortcake biscuits, add 1 tablespoon sugar to the 1 1/2 cups mix before adding milk.
Estimated prep time includes measuring ingredients, cutting in the fat, and mixing one sample biscuit batch.
Estimated cost uses current researched retail prices and will vary by store, brand, and region.
Store the prepared mix in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Store baked biscuits at room temperature up to 2 days, refrigerate up to 4 days, or freeze up to 3 months.
