Bisquick is buttermilk baking mix, a blend of shortening, powdered buttermilk, flour and leaving agents, which has a long shelf-life when kept in a cool, dry place. It is popular for everything from pancakes to dumplings, but when you usually make homemade versions of those things, a box of Bisquick can last you a long time.

I searched through Allrecipes.com to find a way to use it up and came across a semi-homemade recipe that was ideal for springtime pantry cleaning: bisquick cookies. The recipe also calls for boxed pudding mix – mostly sugar and cornstarch – to be used. Fortunately, I had a box of pudding mix remaining after I disposed of the packages that looked as though they were bought in the 1980’s. The only thing you really need to make these cookies that can’t be found in your pantry is an egg. And if you keep your eggs there, I strongly recommend using some fresh ones.

The cookies are surprisingly delicious. They are light and crisp, with a good vanilla flavor from the pudding mix. As the original recipe suggests, they would likely do well with a lemon pudding mix, too. They don’t taste quite the same as homemade cookies, but it’s not so bad if everyone thinks you bought them at a bakery, right? They taste especially good if you frost them with a light icing, too.

Spring Cleaning Bisquick Cookies
(from Allrecipes.com)
1 cup Bisquick (buttermilk baking mix)
1 3-ounce package vanilla pudding mix
1 large egg
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/3 cup sugar for rolling, optional

Preheat oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, stir together Bisquick, vanilla pudding mix, egg and vegetable oil until well-combined. Drop tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet, rolling each spoonful in sugar, if desired. Flatten cookies slightly with a finger.
Bake for about 10 minutes, until just browned at the edges.
Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Frost with simple icing(http://cookie.allrecipes.com/az/SugarCookieIcing.asp), if desired.
Makes 1 ½ dozen cookies

Variations:

• Use lemon pudding mix in place of vanilla pudding mix for lemon cookies.
• Add ¼ tsp vanilla extract and ¼ tsp almond extract to dough for a more intensely flavored cookie
• Add zest of one orange to dough for a light citrus flavor.