Over 50 recipes for pantry staples like homemade sauces, syrups, baking supplies, soup mixes and bases, snacks, and more so you can make them yourself.
There are many reasons to make your own pantry staples. I started making them when I’d run out! Another reason is to control the ingredients in the items you are eating and cooking with. Most kitchen staples are actually very easy to make, and you probably have most of the ingredients on hand.
50 Pantry Staples to Make Instead of Buy
Homemade Bread and Dough Recipes:
- Pizza Dough: Homemade Pizza Dough is super easy to throw together.
- Tortillas: Feeling like Mexican? Try homemade flour tortillas and Corn Tortilla Chips!
- Croutons: Rosemary Croutons add homemade crunch to salads.
- Pie Crust: Pie Crust isn’t hard to make and can be whipped up in a flash.
- Bagels: Homemade Whole Grain Bagels are a fun family affair that kids will love to help make.
- Bread: You can make White Bread and Wheat Bread and it’s so much better than store-bought bread.
Homemade Dairy Products:
- Mayo, Yogurt, and Butter: Refrigerator staples like mayonnaise, yogurt, and butter can be easily made. Butter is a great project for the kids to do.
- Cheese: Homemade ricotta and mozzarella cheese is another great project to do with kids. Use the mozzarella with homemade pizza dough and homemade pizza sauce.
Homemade Baking Staples:
- Flavor Extracts: Vanilla Extract takes some time to make so start early. Mint Extract is made with just 2 ingredients. These make excellent homemade gifts.
- Almond Flour: If you bake gluten-free, save money by making your own Almond Flour.
- Brown Sugar: Everyone needs Brown Sugar in the pantry for baking tasty treats like Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Marshmallow Creme/Fluff: Maybe it’s not exactly a staple, but Homemade Marshmallow Creme or Fluff is such a cool recipe, and kids love to help make it.
Homemade Syrups and Sauces:
- Chocolate Syrup: Chocolate Syrup is a staple in every mom’s pantry and it’s easy to make with cocoa powder. If you prefer the powder, try homemade Nesquick Powder.
- Peanut Butter: Let the kids make their own Peanut Butter for toast and sandwiches (made on homemade bread!).
- Jelly or Jam: Pair homemade peanut butter with Grape Jelly or Strawberry Jam for an easy lunch. Or go bold with homemade Hazelnut Spread.
- Caramel Sauce: Top ice cream with Caramel Sauce or use in coffee for an extra treat.
- Chili Sauce: Sriracha Chili Sauce is a popular sauce for everything, and you can make it yourself.
- Enchilada Sauce: Skip the cans and make your own Red Enchilada Sauce for Taco Tuesdays.
- Barbecue Sauce: Barbecue Sauce is a summer staple, and the homemade version is free of high fructose corn syrup.
- Pesto: Basil Pesto from the idea room is delicious for pasta or pizzas.
- Pasta Sauces: You won’t believe how easy making homemade Spaghetti Sauce and Alfredo Sauce for spaghetti night.
- Sweet Chili Sauce: Zing up stir fry and other Asian dinners with homemade Sweet Chili Sauce from No Biggie.
- Buffalo Sauce: Homemade Buffalo Sauce is super quick and easy to make with just 3-4 ingredients. Use it to make Baked Chicken Wings or Buffalo Chicken Air Fryer Meatballs.
- Tomato Paste: Tomato Paste is used to make pizza sauce and marinara sauce.
Homemade Snacks:
- Applesauce: Applesauce is great to make in the fall when apples are in season. Just freeze to use all year round.
- Granola Bars: Mix in anything you like to homemade granola bars or homemade granola. It can also be used as a cereal. Just eat in a bowl with milk.
- Crackers: Keep the kids happy with homemade Graham Crackers and Homemade Cheese Crackers.
- Pickles: You can make all kinds at home, including Bread and Butter Pickles, Dill Pickles, and Full Sour Fermented Pickles.
- French Fries: More of a side dish, but you can keep Frozen French Fries in the freezer for an easy side dish or snack.
- Potato Chips and Dip: Make homemade Potato Chips and Chip Dip for your next party or movie night.
Homemade Mixes and Blends:
- Breading Mix: Mixes make life convenient. Make up large batches of Shake and Bake to use on chicken or pork.
- Baking Mix: Baking Mix can be made and stored for pancakes, muffins, and more.
- Soup Mix: We love Onion Soup Mix on chicken and in dips.
- Pudding Mix: Instant Vanilla Pudding Mix for a snack, in cakes, or to make no bake desserts.
- Cornbread Mix: Use homemade Cornbread Mix in our famous Cornbread Chicken Casserole.
- Italian Dressing Mix: Make a batch of Italian Dressing Mix and leave it in the spice cabinet for easy use.
Homemade Soup:
- Cream Soup: Skip the cans and make your own cream soups for casseroles with Cream of Anything Soup Mix.
- Chicken Stock/Broth: Chicken Stock gets constant use for soups and gravies, and it’s easy to make in a slow cooker.
Homemade Coffee:
- Coffee Creamer: Flavor your coffee with Hazelnut Coffee Creamer and Irish Cream Coffee Creamer.
- Flavored Coffee: Don’t spend extra money on flavored coffee when you can make it yourself.
