Bisquick is a prepared baking mix that can be used to make muffins and other food items quickly. It contains flour, oil, leavening and salt, among other ingredients, allowing a cook to avoid assembling and measuring all of these ingredients separately. Bisquick muffins, if made properly, should have approximately the same consistency and taste as muffins made with separate ingredients. While there are many varieties of Bisquick muffins, some of the most common are fruit, breakfast, and savory muffins; healthy varieties of each can also be made.
One of the most common varieties of Bisquick muffins are made with fruit and can be served after a meal as dessert, or eaten as a snack. This type of muffin is typically made by combining Bisquick with sugar, milk, oil, egg and whatever variety of fruit the cook decides to put in the muffins. Blueberries are a standard fruit ingredient in these types of Bisquick muffins, as are strawberries, peach, cranberries and pears. Cooks will sometimes combine two or more of these fruits to offer a variety of flavors.
Bisquick muffins can also serve as a main or side dish at breakfast. When making breakfast muffins using this mix, cooks want to make sure to include ingredients that are more filling while providing energy throughout the day. To this end, it is common to find breakfast Bisquick muffins made with oats or another cereal variety. These types of muffins can also contain apple, cinnamon, raisins and nuts.
Although Bisquick muffins often contain sweet ingredients, they can also be made as a savory side dish. Dinner muffins are typically made with milk, egg and oil, but can also contain such ingredients as cheddar cheese or bacon. Another option is to make savory Bisquick muffins with caramelized or blackened onions, giving a smoky taste, or with corn, pepper and sour cream.
In addition to fruit, breakfast and savory varieties, Bisquick muffins can be made with healthy ingredients, appropriate for people trying to lose weight, people with healthy or vegan lifestyles or those with dietary restrictions. To make a healthier Bisquick muffin, cooks can use raisins, molasses, spices or higher fruit content instead of sugar. They can also substitute applesauce for oil, and use skim milk instead of milk with a higher fat content. It is also common to use whole wheat flour instead of white flour, or to make muffins using low-fat yogurt.