Yes – you can easily make fluffy biscuits using pancake mix! It sounds unusual, but pancake mix already contains flour, sugar and leavening (baking powder) – everything you need for biscuits. All it takes is mixing in some cold butter and a little milk to form a dough. Then simply shape (or drop) the dough and bake. For example, one recipe sums it up perfectly: “It is easy to make homemade biscuits with pancake mix. Simply add butter and milk, then bake them in the oven for ten minutes!”. In about 10–15 minutes at around 400°F (200°C), you’ll have golden, tender biscuits ready to eat.
Think of this as a pantry shortcut: the pancake mix does the heavy lifting of measuring flour and baking powder. Fox Valley Foodie notes that using pancake mix “greatly simplifies the process” by eliminating “a half dozen other ingredients”. In fact, cooks often turn to pancake mix as an emergency substitute for flour. One blogger even jokes that pancake mix can’t make soup, but it can act as “emergency flour and leavener” when you’re out of flour. Essentially, with pancake mix in the pantry, you’re only a couple of extra ingredients away from biscuits.
Why Pancake Mix Works
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Pre-measured leavening and flavor: Pancake mixes usually contain flour, baking powder (for rise), and often a bit of sugar or buttermilk flavor. This means you don’t have to measure baking powder or salt – the mix has them built in. It’s practically a “mix-in-a-box” shortcut for baking.
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Consistent results: Using pancake mix is nearly foolproof. The mix has a standard ratio of flour to leavener, so your biscuits should come out reliably fluffy. As one guide said, pancake-mix biscuits are “quick, easy, and perfect” – just add two ingredients (butter and milk).
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Handy pantry ingredient: Many people keep pancake mix on hand for breakfasts or quick fixes. A blogger notes that during flour shortages, “most households have pancake mix… it’s a common pantry staple”. So even if you’re missing some ingredients, pancake mix is there to save the day.
Because pancake mix already contains what biscuits need, you won’t taste “pancake” in the biscuits. Instead, you get a lightly sweet, fluffy biscuit that reminds you of homemade buttermilk biscuits. You can serve them with savory gravy or sweet jam – just like any biscuit.
Ingredients
You only need a few simple ingredients:
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2 cups pancake mix (about 250–300 g). A complete pancake mix (one labeled “just add water” or buttermilk pancake mix) works best. The buttermilk variety adds extra tangy flavor. You can use plain pancake mix, just check that it has baking powder/soda listed.
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¾ cup cold milk (about 180 mL). Cold milk helps keep the dough cool. You can use any milk (whole, low-fat, or even buttermilk). Optional: a teaspoon of vinegar mixed with the milk will curdle it slightly, mimicking buttermilk and giving extra tang (this is optional).
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4–6 tablespoons cold butter. Keep the butter very cold, and cut it into small cubes or even grate it. The cold butter pieces create steam pockets in the dough, making the biscuits flaky. (One recipe suggests grating the butter into the mix.)
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(Optional extras): A pinch of salt if your mix is low-salt; shredded cheddar or herbs if you want savory biscuits; a little sugar or cinnamon for a sweet twist. You can be creative once you have the basic dough.
Tip: If your pancake mix is slightly sweet, these biscuits will have a hint of sweetness (like traditional biscuits). That usually tastes fine with both sweet and savory toppings.
Step-by-Step Recipe
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Preheat the oven. Heat to about 400–450°F (200–230°C). Hot ovens give biscuits a quick rise. (Some recipes use 450°F for a very quick bake; others use 350–400°F for a slightly longer bake. If baking at 350°F, plan about 12–15 minutes.) Line a baking sheet with parchment or lightly grease it.
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Combine dry mix and butter. In a large bowl, pour in the pancake mix. Add the cold butter pieces. Use a pastry cutter, two forks, or your fingertips to work the butter into the mix. You want pea-sized bits of butter coated with flour. (Fox Valley Foodie suggests shredding the butter with a box grater for even distribution.) Try to work quickly so the butter stays cold.
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Add the milk and form dough. Gradually pour in the cold milk while stirring. You may not need all the milk; stop once the mixture comes together into a soft dough. The dough should be cohesive but still a bit sticky – don’t overmix. (One recipe warns to avoid adding all the liquid at once and to stop when “the dough starts coming together”.) If it seems too dry, add a splash more milk. If too wet, add a spoonful more pancake mix or flour.
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Shape the dough. Turn the dough onto a lightly floured surface. Gently pat or roll it to about 1–1.5 inches thick. (Use a rolling pin or your hands.) For extra-fluffy layers, fold the dough on itself a couple of times before flattening – this layering trick helps create flakiness. You don’t need to knead; just fold and press gently.
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Cut or drop the biscuits. Use a round cutter (or the rim of a glass) to cut biscuit shapes from the dough. Place the rounds on the baking sheet. You can re-roll the scraps once or twice until you use up the dough. Alternatively, for “drop biscuits,” simply drop mounds of dough (about golf-ball sized) onto the sheet – no cutting needed. Either way works; traditional cuts give nice rounds, while drop biscuits are easier and rustic.
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Bake. Bake the biscuits in the preheated oven. Bake time: about 10–12 minutes at 400–450°F, until the tops are lightly golden. (If baking at 350°F, bake closer to 12–15 minutes.) Because pancake mix already has leavening, these biscuits rise quickly. One guide says biscuits bake to golden in about 10 minutes at 450°F. If using drop biscuits, space them apart so they bake evenly.
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Finishing touch. When hot biscuits come out of the oven, brush their tops with a little melted butter. This makes them golden, tender, and shiny. (For example, one recipe brushes the warm biscuits with melted butter immediately.) Then serve warm.
Tips for Fluffy Biscuits
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Keep ingredients cold. Use chilled butter and cold milk. Warm hands can melt the butter, so work quickly. Cold butter bits turn to steam in the oven, helping the biscuits puff up.
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Handle dough gently. Don’t overwork or knead the dough; mix until just combined. Fox Valley Foodie warns: the warmth from your hands will melt the butter – you want it solid until baking. Similarly, one expert tip is to skip kneading altogether.
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Stack and fold. For extra layers, fold the dough. Fox Valley Foodie suggests stacking the dough and folding 4–5 times to create flaky layers. (Imagine making a simple pastry by folding a dough-on-itself sandwich.)
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Bake close for more rise. Placing biscuits close together (touching) helps them rise up rather than out. If you want very puffy biscuits, space them so the edges just touch.
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Don’t skip resting (if needed). If your kitchen is warm or your butter softens, you can chill the formed dough rounds in the fridge for a few minutes before baking. This ensures the butter stays firm going into the oven.
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Use buttermilk or vinegar (optional). If you have buttermilk, use it in place of milk for richer flavor. Or stir in a teaspoon of vinegar to the milk (as some recipes do) and let it sit for a minute; this mimics buttermilk tang and balances sweetness.
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Add flavorings if you like. Once you have the basic dough, you can mix in herbs, garlic powder, cheese (cheddar biscuits are delicious!), or even a tablespoon of sugar and a dash of cinnamon for sweet biscuits. One writer suggests adding cheddar and garlic for “cheddar garlic biscuits” as a tasty variation.
Serving and Storage
Serve your pancake-mix biscuits warm. They’re great with butter and jam for breakfast, or alongside gravy, soup, or any main dish. (One blog notes these biscuits are tasty with sausage gravy or as breakfast sandwich rolls.)
To store leftovers: Keep cooled biscuits in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for 1–2 days. For longer storage, you can refrigerate them or even freeze the baked biscuits (or raw dough!). Wrap them well; baked biscuits can be frozen for a few months.
To reheat: Warm biscuits in a low oven or toaster oven (about 350°F for 5–6 minutes) until heated through. This revives their crisp edges. (Microwaving makes them soft, so an oven gives a better texture.)
In summary, making biscuits with pancake mix is a quick, reliable hack when you want fresh biscuits with minimal fuss. With just pancake mix, milk, and butter, you’ll bake up tender biscuits in minutes. Enjoy them fresh from the oven – you’ll be amazed how easily it works!
