The Story Behind the Recipe
Every family has a recipe they guard carefully.
Ours wasn’t for cookies.
It was for baking powder.
Years ago, my sister wrote to Royal Baking Powder because the commercial brands available to us left a metallic taste in baked goods. Royal kindly mailed back their own homemade baking powder recipe.
Not long afterward, the Royal brand disappeared, becoming part of Nabisco in 1981.
The recipe, however, never disappeared.
When I moved away from home that same year, I filled an empty French’s Mustard jar with Mom’s baking powder.
I’ve been refilling that very same jar ever since.
Every batch of Bishop’s Bread…
Every batch of Yum Yums…
Every cookie…
They’ve all begun here.
Mom’s Original Recipe
The original recipe clipping, complete with Mom’s handwritten notes and adjustments.
Ingredients
2 tablespoons cream of tartar
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Yield: Approximately ¼ cup homemade baking powder
Instructions
Measure the cream of tartar, baking soda, and cornstarch into a small mixing bowl.
Whisk thoroughly until the ingredients are completely blended and no lumps remain.
Transfer the baking powder to an airtight container or glass jar.
Store in a cool, dry place.
Use as a 1:1 substitute for commercial baking powder in your favorite recipes.
💛 Mom’s Notes
Only use the best ingredients, even if the price is a little higher than the store brand. The quality will never let you down.
This simple recipe became the baking powder our family relied on for decades. After my sister wrote to Royal Baking Powder asking why other brands left a metallic taste in baked goods, the company generously mailed her this homemade formula. When the Royal brand disappeared, the recipe remained—and so did the tradition.
Since moving away from home in 1981, I’ve kept my baking powder in the same old French’s Mustard jar, refilling it whenever it gets low. Every loaf of Bishop’s Bread, every cookie, and every Christmas recipe begins right here.
From Gregory’s Kitchen
This isn’t just the oldest recipe in my kitchen.
It’s probably the oldest ingredient.
The French’s Mustard jar has been sitting in my cupboard since November 1981. Every time it gets low, I simply make another batch using the same recipe Royal Baking Powder mailed to my sister decades ago.
Most people would probably buy another can at the grocery store.
I’ve never had a reason to.
Some traditions don’t need replacing.
They simply need refilling.
Some of the sweetest things we inherit aren’t recipes… they’re the memories we made while preparing them together.
Thank you, Mom, for filling our home with traditions that continue to bring joy, one recipe and one memory at a time