Gluten Free Bisquick

The Original Bisquick Pancake & Baking Mix is a General Mills/Betty Crocker product created in 1930, that has become the go-to product for making quick-fix pancakes, waffles, biscuits, desserts and more. Betty Crocker introduced the gluten-free version in 2010, much to the delight of those with gluten issues and celiac disease.

How the Ingredients Differ

Both mixes are designated kosher. The main difference is the lack of fat from oil or shortening in the gluten-free version.

Original	Gluten-Free
Enriched bleached wheat flour, partially hydrogenated soybean and/or cottonseed oil, leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), dextrose, and salt	Rice flour, sugar, leavening (baking soda, sodium aluminum phosphate, monocalcium phosphate), modified potato starch, salt, and xanthan gum

The original Bisquick is dairy kosher. The gluten-free version is kosher pareve, made in a gluten-free processing facility.

Nutrition Information

The biggest difference in nutritional statistics between the two mixes is the gluten-free version has more sugar than original Bisquick and is lower in fat because no shortening is present in the mix.

How to Use the Gluten-Free Version

The gluten-free and original Bisquick baking mixes cannot be used interchangeably. Ask Betty, Betty Crocker's question-and-answer forum, states Bisquick Gluten-Free is not a one-to-one substitute for Original Bisquick. You must use a special Bisquick gluten-free recipe because the two mixes are very different. Most notably, you must add shortening to the gluten-free version.

Betty Crocker offers full disclosure by stating repeatedly the product is designed for specially formulated Betty Crocker gluten-free recipes, from which there are many to choose. The rules are simple. Don't use their mix in a non-approved recipe and don't use another gluten-free baking mix (like the copycat recipe below, which contains shortening) in one of their recipes. Following these rules should yield good results.

Recipes to Try

Here are some tasty Bisquick Gluten Free recipes:

• 

  Gluten-Free Impossibly Easy Taco Pie Recipe: Made with gluten-free taco seasoning mix, chopped green chiles, Monterey Jack cheese and ground beef, this dinner comes together in about 50 minutes.
• Gluten-Free Impossibly Easy Chicken and Broccoli Pie Recipe: Cheddar cheese, cooked chicken and broccoli are topped with a gluten-free biscuit topping for a dinner that's ready in about 30 minutes.
• Gluten-Free Chicken Cordon Bleu Recipe: Boneless, skinless chicken breasts are stuffed with ham and cheese and rolled in crushed Rice Chex cereal and gluten-free Bisquick.
• Gluten-Free Russian Tea Cakes Recipe: Also known as Mexican wedding cookies, these buttery cookies are rolled in gluten-free confectioners' sugar while still warm.

Critical Reviews

In general, Amazon.com reviews are positive with comments like, "I can eat pancakes again!" The biggest gripe is the gluten-free package is smaller than the original mix and yields less product yet costs more.

Gluten-free bloggers have less glowing reviews. Adventures of a Gluten-Free Mom said the shortcakes she made used one entire package of the mix and were "rather dense." Gluten-Free Goddess imagined a golden-topped shortcake crust but ended up with "a bone-white mound of anemic dough" that didn't melt in your mouth like a biscuit.

Copycat Recipe

This recipe from Gluten Free Baking can be used as a cup-for-cup substitute for regular Bisquick but cannot be used as a substitute for the gluten-free version in the Betty Crocker recipes because it contains shortening and will not perform in the same way.

It's Worth Taking a Shot

If you have worked with gluten-free mixes in the past, you are familiar with the flavor and texture they produce. Bisquick's gluten-free mix delivers the same taste without the hassle of combining many non-wheat flours, xantham gum, and other ingredients familiar to the gluten-free baker. It's a convenience item and, as most convenience items are, it's a bit pricey. However, it's a timesaver to use in a pinch and, when used with sanctioned Betty Crocker recipes (especially pancakes), it can produce an amazing result.