Baking Mix Recipes: 14 Grandma Classics From One Box That Go Way Beyond Pancakes

Baking mix recipes were grandma’s secret weapon, and that one box in the pantry did a lot more than pancakes. With a scoop of biscuit mix, some milk and eggs, she could turn out a savory pie that made its own crust, fluffy dumplings, warm shortcakes or a tray of muffins before anyone asked what was for dinner. These are the recipes printed on old box panels and handwritten on church cookbook cards, and they still work today. Below you will find 14 of the best baking mix recipes, from the famous impossible cheeseburger pie to shortcakes, coffee cake, pizza puffs and chewy chocolate chip bars. Every one starts with the same pantry staple, so grab the box and preheat the oven..

Impossible Cheeseburger Pie, the Baking Mix Recipe That Started It All

This is the one every grandma seemed to know by heart. You brown ground beef with onion, spread it in a pie plate, cover it with cheddar and pour a thin batter of baking mix, milk and eggs over the top. In the oven the batter sinks and sets into a soft, custardy crust underneath while the top turns golden, so the pie looks like you rolled out pastry when you did not. It slices cleanly, tastes like a cheeseburger without the bun, and it is the reason so many families kept a box in the pantry. Of all the baking mix recipes grandma clipped, this is still the star..

You will need: 1 pound ground beef, 1 small onion chopped, 1 cup shredded cheddar, 1/2 cup baking mix, 1 cup milk, 2 eggs, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 9-inch pie plate. 2. Brown the beef with the onion, drain, season and spread in the plate. 3. Sprinkle the cheese over the beef. 4. Whisk the baking mix, milk and eggs until smooth and pour over the top. 5. Bake 25 minutes until a knife comes out clean, then rest 5 minutes before slicing.

Impossible Coconut Pie That Makes Its Own Crust

Grandma called it impossible because nobody believed it until they cut a slice, and these pies took off once boxed baking mix became a pantry staple. Everything goes into the blender at once, gets poured into a pie plate and bakes into three neat layers: a tender bottom crust, a creamy coconut custard middle and a golden toasted coconut top. It was the go-to dessert for church suppers because it took five minutes of work and used things she always had. Serve it cold with a spoon of whipped cream and extra toasted coconut and it tastes like something from a diner pie case.

You will need: 2 cups milk, 3/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup baking mix, 4 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla, 1 cup sweetened shredded coconut, whipped cream for serving.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 10-inch pie plate. 2. Blend the milk, sugar, baking mix, eggs, butter and vanilla for 15 seconds. 3. Pour into the plate and sprinkle the coconut on top. 4. Bake 50 to 55 minutes until golden and a knife comes out clean. 5. Cool, chill and top with whipped cream.

Chicken and Dumplings, the Cozy Baking Mix Recipe for Busy Nights

Real chicken and dumplings used to take all afternoon, but the baking mix version gets you there in about 40 minutes. You simmer chicken with carrots, celery and broth, then drop spoonfuls of a quick dough right on top, cover the pot and let them steam into big, soft, pillowy dumplings. The trick grandma swore by in all her baking mix recipes for dumplings is to never lift the lid for the first ten minutes. If your family loves noodle suppers too, try these cozy dinners grandma made with a bag of egg noodles next time.

You will need: 2 cups cooked shredded chicken, 4 cups chicken broth, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup diced carrots and celery, 2 cups baking mix, 2/3 cup milk, parsley, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the broth, soup and vegetables 10 minutes. 2. Stir in the chicken and season. 3. Mix the baking mix and milk into a soft dough. 4. Drop spoonfuls onto the simmering stew. 5. Cook 10 minutes uncovered, then cover and cook 10 minutes more without lifting the lid. Sprinkle with parsley.

Old-Fashioned Strawberry Shortcakes

Before sponge cups came in plastic packs, strawberry shortcake meant warm, sugary biscuits split open and piled with juicy berries. Baking mix makes the dough in one bowl, and a little sugar and butter in the batter gives you a tender, slightly crisp shortcake that soaks up the berry juice without going soggy. Grandma sugared her strawberries an hour ahead so they made their own syrup. Bake the shortcakes while dinner is on the table and they will still be warm when it is time to build them.

You will need: 2 1/3 cups baking mix, 1/2 cup milk, 3 tablespoons sugar, 3 tablespoons melted butter, 1 quart strawberries sliced, 1/4 cup sugar for berries, whipped cream.

How to make it: 1. Toss the berries with 1/4 cup sugar and let stand 1 hour. 2. Heat the oven to 425°F. 3. Stir the baking mix, milk, sugar and butter into a soft dough. 4. Drop 6 mounds onto a baking sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden. 5. Split, fill with berries and cream and serve.

Buttery Drop Biscuits, the Easiest Baking Mix Recipe of All

No rolling pin, no cutter, no mess. Drop biscuits are the first recipe most grandmas taught, and with baking mix they are ready in about 15 minutes from bowl to basket. You stir in cold milk just until a shaggy dough forms, drop big spoonfuls onto a sheet and bake until the craggy tops turn golden. For a dinner version, fold in shredded cheddar and a pinch of garlic powder, then brush the hot biscuits with melted garlic butter and parsley. They disappear faster than you can bake them.

You will need: 2 1/4 cups baking mix, 2/3 cup cold milk, 1/2 cup shredded cheddar (optional), 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder (optional), 2 tablespoons melted butter, chopped parsley.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 450°F. 2. Stir the baking mix, milk, cheese and garlic powder just until a soft dough forms. 3. Drop 9 spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet. 4. Bake 8 to 10 minutes until golden. 5. Brush with melted butter, sprinkle with parsley and serve warm.

Taco Bake With a Fluffy Biscuit Crust

Taco night turned into a casserole the day someone pressed a baking mix crust into a pan and piled seasoned beef on top. The bottom bakes into a soft, sturdy biscuit layer that holds everything together, so you can cut neat squares instead of chasing broken shells around the plate. Kids love building their own toppings, and it feeds a family of six for the price of one pound of beef. Among all the baking mix recipes in grandma’s box, this is the one teenagers still ask for.

You will need: 1 pound ground beef, 1 packet taco seasoning, 1 can refried beans, 2 cups baking mix, 1/2 cup water, 2 cups shredded cheddar, lettuce, tomatoes, olives, sour cream.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 9×13 pan. 2. Mix the baking mix and water and press into the pan. 3. Brown the beef with the seasoning and a splash of water. 4. Spread the beans over the crust, then the beef and cheese. 5. Bake 25 to 30 minutes and top with lettuce, tomatoes, olives and sour cream.

One-Dish Chicken Pot Pie Bake

Grandma’s weeknight pot pie skipped the pastry entirely. Creamy chicken and vegetables go into a dish, and a pourable batter of baking mix, milk and egg spreads over the top and bakes into a golden, biscuit-like lid. It tastes like the long-cooking classic but takes about 15 minutes of hands-on work, and a bag of frozen mixed vegetables is all the chopping you need. Leftover rotisserie chicken or Thanksgiving turkey both work beautifully, which makes it one of the thriftiest baking mix recipes around. Let it rest a few minutes so the filling thickens before you scoop.

You will need: 2 cups cooked diced chicken, 1 bag (12 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables thawed, 1 can cream of chicken soup, 1 cup baking mix, 1/2 cup milk, 1 egg, salt, pepper and thyme.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F. 2. Mix the chicken, vegetables, soup and seasonings in a 9-inch deep dish or skillet. 3. Whisk the baking mix, milk and egg until smooth. 4. Pour evenly over the filling. 5. Bake 30 minutes until the top is golden, then rest 5 minutes.

Apple Fritter Bread Swirled With Cinnamon Sugar

All the flavor of a bakery apple fritter, baked in a loaf pan with no frying. The batter comes together fast with baking mix, and you layer it with chopped apples and a brown sugar cinnamon mixture so every slice has sweet ribbons running through it. A simple vanilla glaze drizzled over the warm loaf soaks into the cracks and sets into that classic crackly fritter coating. It is one of those baking mix recipes that makes the whole house smell like fall, and it rarely survives past breakfast.

You will need: 2 cups baking mix, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 1/2 cup milk, 2 apples peeled and diced, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 2 teaspoons cinnamon, 1 cup powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons milk for glaze.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a loaf pan. 2. Mix the baking mix, sugar, eggs and milk. 3. Toss the apples with the brown sugar and cinnamon. 4. Layer half the batter, half the apples, then repeat and swirl with a knife. 5. Bake 50 to 55 minutes, cool 15 minutes and drizzle with the powdered sugar glaze.

Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake for Sunday Mornings

Every grandma had a coffee cake recipe for unexpected visitors, and this is the one that lived on the back of the box. A tender sour cream cake gets a thick, buttery cinnamon streusel on top that bakes into crunchy clusters, the best part by far. Because baking mix already has the leavening and salt measured in, it is nearly impossible to get wrong. Bake it in a square pan, cut it while warm, and serve it with hot coffee on the porch, just the way it was meant to be eaten.

You will need: 2 cups baking mix, 2/3 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup sour cream, streusel: 1/3 cup baking mix, 1/3 cup brown sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 3 tablespoons cold butter.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan. 2. Mix the baking mix, milk, egg, sugar and sour cream and spread in the pan. 3. Rub the streusel ingredients together until crumbly. 4. Scatter evenly over the batter. 5. Bake 25 minutes until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Pizza Puffs Baked in a Mini Muffin Tin

These little bites are the snack that always disappears first at game day parties. A simple batter of baking mix, milk and egg gets loaded with mozzarella, chopped pepperoni and Italian seasoning, then spooned into a mini muffin tin and baked until puffy and golden. They come out crisp on the edges and soft and cheesy inside, and dunking them in warm marinara is half the fun. Make a double batch: they freeze well and reheat in minutes for after-school snacks.

You will need: 3/4 cup baking mix, 3/4 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 cup shredded mozzarella, 1 cup chopped pepperoni, 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning, 1/4 cup grated parmesan, 1 cup warm marinara for dipping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 375°F and grease a 24-cup mini muffin tin. 2. Whisk the baking mix, milk, egg and seasoning. 3. Stir in the mozzarella, pepperoni and parmesan and let stand 10 minutes. 4. Stir again and spoon into the cups. 5. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until puffed and golden and serve with marinara.

Impossible Quiche With Ham, Cheese or Garden Vegetables

This impossible quiche was brunch insurance in the 1980s, and it still is. Diced ham or chopped vegetables, Swiss cheese and green onion go into a pie plate, a quick batter of eggs, milk and baking mix pours over, and it bakes into a quiche with its own tender crust, no pastry required. It is perfect for using up holiday ham, and like most baking mix recipes it reheats well for weekday breakfasts. Swap in roasted red peppers, bacon, broccoli or whatever is in the fridge. Grandma never made it the same way twice.

You will need: 1 cup diced cooked ham, 1 cup shredded Swiss cheese, 1/3 cup chopped green onion, 2 cups milk, 4 eggs, 1 cup baking mix, 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and grease a 10-inch pie plate. 2. Scatter the ham, cheese and onion in the plate. 3. Blend or whisk the milk, eggs, baking mix and pepper until smooth. 4. Pour over the filling. 5. Bake 35 to 40 minutes until golden and a knife comes out clean, then rest 5 minutes.

Garden Zucchini Pie With Parmesan

When the garden overflowed every August, grandma turned the extra zucchini into this savory pie. Thin slices of zucchini and onion get folded into a cheesy batter of baking mix, eggs and parmesan, then baked until the top is golden and the inside is soft and set. It works as a side dish next to grilled chicken or as a light lunch with a tomato salad. It is also one of the easiest ways to get kids to eat their vegetables, because it tastes more like a cheesy bake than a plate of squash.

You will need: 3 cups thinly sliced zucchini, 1 small onion chopped, 1 cup baking mix, 1/2 cup grated parmesan, 4 eggs beaten, 1/2 cup vegetable oil, 1 teaspoon dried oregano, salt and pepper.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch pie plate or square dish. 2. Mix the baking mix, parmesan, eggs, oil and seasonings. 3. Fold in the zucchini and onion. 4. Spread in the dish. 5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until golden brown, then cut into wedges.

Bakery-Style Blueberry Muffins From a Baking Mix Recipe

Sometimes the simplest baking mix recipes are the ones you make most. These blueberry muffins stir together in one bowl in about five minutes, and a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top before baking gives them that crunchy, sparkly bakery dome. Toss the berries in a spoonful of the dry mix first so they do not sink to the bottom. Fresh or frozen blueberries both work, so you can make them any time of year. Grandma tucked them in lunch boxes, and they still make the best grab-and-go breakfast.

You will need: 2 cups baking mix, 1/3 cup sugar, 2/3 cup milk, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, 1 cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon coarse sugar for topping.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 400°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. 2. Toss the berries in 1 tablespoon of the baking mix. 3. Stir the remaining baking mix, sugar, milk, egg and oil just until moistened. 4. Fold in the berries and fill the cups. 5. Sprinkle with coarse sugar and bake 15 to 18 minutes.

Chewy Chocolate Chip Bars, the Bake Sale Baking Mix Recipe

When grandma needed a quick treat for the bake sale table, she skipped scooping cookies and pressed the dough into a pan instead. Baking mix, brown sugar, butter and an egg make a chewy, buttery base, and a full bag of chocolate chips goes right in. The bars bake in about 25 minutes and cut into neat squares that travel well in a lunch box or a church potluck basket. Underbake them slightly for the gooiest centers, and let them cool in the pan so they hold together.

You will need: 2 cups baking mix, 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/3 cup melted butter, 1 egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips, 1/2 cup chopped pecans (optional).

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8 or 9-inch square pan. 2. Mix the brown sugar, butter, egg and vanilla. 3. Stir in the baking mix, then the chocolate chips and nuts. 4. Press into the pan. 5. Bake 22 to 25 minutes until golden at the edges, cool completely and cut into bars.