Name: Whole Wheat Baking Mix
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 15 min
Yield: about 6 cups mix
Ingredients: 2 1/2 cups (300 g) whole wheat flour; 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 1/2 cup (55 g) wheat germ, or more whole wheat flour; 6 tablespoons (about 80 g) baking powder; 2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar; 1 teaspoon fine salt; 1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) cold butter, salted or unsalted; 1 cup baking mix; 1/3 cup milk; Optional: shredded cheese or chopped fresh herbs; 2 cups baking mix; 1 cup milk; 2 large eggs; Optional: blueberries or chocolate chips

This make-ahead mix is a pantry shortcut from the KitchenSimplicity archive: whole wheat and all-purpose flour, a little wheat germ, leavening, sugar and salt, with cold butter grated straight in. Because the fat is already cut into the dry ingredients, the hardest part of biscuit making is done before you ever turn on the oven.

Make a batch on a quiet weekend and keep it chilled. On busy mornings, scoop out what you need for a pan of drop biscuits or a stack of pancakes, add milk (and eggs for pancakes), and breakfast is moving in minutes. It also makes a thoughtful jar gift for anyone who likes to bake.

Tips

Freeze the butter for 15 minutes before grating; it shreds faster and stays in distinct flakes, which gives flakier biscuits.
Spoon and level the mix when measuring rather than packing it, so biscuits and pancakes stay tender.
Label the container with the date and the milk ratios so anyone in the house can use it.
Store wheat germ and the finished mix cold, since whole grain products can turn stale faster at room temperature.

Whole Wheat Baking Mix

Prep

15 min

Cook

0 min

Total

15 min

Yield

about 6 cups mix

Ingredients

For the mix:
2 1/2 cups (300 g) whole wheat flour
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
1/2 cup (55 g) wheat germ, or more whole wheat flour
6 tablespoons (about 80 g) baking powder
2 tablespoons (25 g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) cold butter, salted or unsalted
To make drop biscuits (per batch):
1 cup baking mix
1/3 cup milk
Optional: shredded cheese or chopped fresh herbs
To make pancakes (per batch):
2 cups baking mix
1 cup milk
2 large eggs
Optional: blueberries or chocolate chips

Steps

In a large bowl, whisk the whole wheat flour, all-purpose flour, wheat germ, baking powder, sugar and salt until evenly blended.
Grate the cold butter on the large holes of a box grater directly into the bowl, adding it in two or three rounds and tossing the shreds through the flour after each round so they stay separate.
Work the mixture lightly with your fingertips for a few seconds until it looks like coarse crumbs with small flakes of butter. Move it to an airtight container and refrigerate for up to the life of the butter, or freeze for up to 3 months.
For drop biscuits: heat the oven to 450°F. Stir 1/3 cup milk into each 1 cup of mix (fold in any cheese or herbs first) just until a soft dough forms. Drop spoonfuls onto an ungreased baking sheet, about 6 per cup of mix, and bake 10 to 12 minutes until golden.
For pancakes: whisk the milk and eggs together, then stir in 2 cups of mix until just combined; a few lumps are fine. Cook 1/4-cup portions on a lightly greased griddle over medium heat until bubbles appear and the edges look set, then flip and cook until golden, about 2 minutes per side.