Hello, homemaker!
Since starting Joys of Homemaking, I’ve made it my mission to learn how to make more things from scratch at home.
One of the biggest ways I challenged myself was by starting my 100 Homemade Projects in 1 Year Series. So far, I’ve completed 71 homemade projects, and what started as a fun homemaking challenge has turned into something much bigger.
I’ve discovered that so many things we automatically buy at the grocery store can actually be made at home. Even better, quite a few of the recipes I tried for this challenge have become regular staples in my kitchen.
Some save us money. Some help me use ingredients I already have. Some reduce the number of last-minute trips to the grocery store. And others simply taste so good homemade that I happily make them again and again.
I’m definitely not saying you have to make everything from scratch. I still buy plenty of things at the store! But learning how to make everyday foods has given me more confidence in the kitchen and helped me create the simple, old-fashioned, homestead-inspired home I love.
Here are some of the easy homemade staples I now make at home.
1. Homemade Sandwich Bread
Homemade sandwich bread has to be near the top of my list.
There is something so comforting about having a loaf of bread rising on the counter and then smelling it baking in the oven.
Bread making can seem intimidating when you're just getting started, but after a few loaves, you begin to understand the rhythm of the dough—mixing, kneading, rising, shaping, and baking.
And homemade bread doesn't have to be perfect.
Mine certainly haven't all been bakery-perfect!
But warm homemade bread with a little homemade butter? That is one of those simple pleasures that makes all the effort worthwhile.
I use homemade bread for sandwiches, toast, breakfast, and alongside soups and dinners. It is one of the homemade skills that has become genuinely useful in our everyday life.
Check out my homemade sandwich bread here.
2. Homemade Pizza Dough
Pizza dough is another staple I love having in my homemaking toolbox.
Instead of ordering pizza every time we want it, I can make a simple dough using basic pantry ingredients.
Homemade pizza is also wonderful for using up leftovers. Extra cheese, vegetables, cooked meat, herbs, or sauce can all find their way onto a pizza.
Once you have a reliable pizza dough recipe, homemade pizza night becomes surprisingly easy.
Check out my easy pizza dough recipe here.
3. Homemade Tortillas
Homemade tortillas were another one of those foods that made me wonder, Why didn't I try making these sooner?
They require just a few basic ingredients, and you don't necessarily need any fancy equipment.
My homemade tortillas aren't always perfectly round, but that is part of the charm of homemade food.
Fresh tortillas straight from the skillet are wonderful for tacos, quesadillas, breakfast wraps, and quick lunches.
Check out my simple flour tortilla recipe here.
4. Homemade Pita Bread
Pita bread is another bread I learned to make during my homemade journey.
Watching those little rounds of dough puff up is so satisfying!
Homemade pita can be stuffed for sandwiches, dipped in hummus, served with soups and salads, or cut and baked into pita chips.
It is another reminder that foods that seem complicated at the grocery store aren't always difficult to make at home.
Learn how to make pita bread here.
5. Homemade Burger Buns
Once you start making bread, it becomes very tempting to ask:
What else can I bake instead of buying?
Homemade burger buns were one of my answers.
They turn an ordinary burger night into something that feels a little more special, and they're also wonderful for pulled meat sandwiches, chicken sandwiches, or breakfast sandwiches.
My easy homemade burger buns recipe here.
6. Homemade Ciabatta
I love the rustic look of homemade ciabatta.
It doesn't have to be perfectly shaped. In fact, the flour-dusted, slightly imperfect appearance is part of what makes it beautiful.
Ciabatta is wonderful for sandwiches and paninis, dipped into olive oil, or served alongside a bowl of soup.
7. Homemade Focaccia
Focaccia is another bread that is so much fun to make at home.
The best part may be pressing those little dimples into the dough before adding olive oil and toppings.
You can keep it simple with salt and herbs or add garlic, tomatoes, onions, olives, and whatever else you have on hand.
It is delicious alongside pasta and soup, but I won't pretend I haven't eaten plenty of it straight from the pan.
Check out my easy homemade focaccia recipe here.
8. Homemade Bread Flour
Another handy thing I've learned is how to make a homemade bread flour substitute when I don't have bread flour in the pantry.
Rather than buying a separate type of flour for every baking project, I can sometimes adapt what I already have depending on the recipe.
This is the kind of little kitchen skill that may not seem exciting, but it can be incredibly useful when you're in the middle of baking and realize you're missing an ingredient.
The more I cook from scratch, the more I appreciate knowing these simple substitutions. Here's how I make homemade bread flour.
9. Homemade Pancake Mix
There are mornings when I want a homemade breakfast without measuring a long list of ingredients before I've even had my coffee.
That is where homemade pancake mix comes in.
I prepare the dry ingredients ahead of time and keep the mixture in the pantry. When we want pancakes, most of the measuring is already finished.
It gives me the convenience of boxed pancake mix while still letting me make it myself.
10. Homemade Cornbread Mix
I use the same idea for homemade cornbread mix.
Instead of pulling out several containers every time I want cornbread, I can combine the dry ingredients ahead of time and keep them ready in the pantry.
Then all I have to do is add the wet ingredients and bake.
Homemade cornbread is perfect alongside chili, beans, soups, and hearty homestyle dinners.
These make-ahead mixes are proof that cooking from scratch doesn't always have to take more time. Sometimes you simply move part of the work to a day when you have more time.
Here's my easy cornbread mix recipe.
11. Homemade Granola
Granola has become one of my favorite easy pantry staples.
A basic batch starts with rolled oats and can be customized with whatever we have—nuts, seeds, coconut, cinnamon, honey, maple syrup, dried fruit, or chocolate.
We can eat it with milk, sprinkle it over homemade yogurt, add fresh fruit, or grab a handful for a snack.
And it makes the kitchen smell wonderful while it bakes.
Check out my homemade granola recipe here.
12. Homemade Probiotic Sodas
One of the more interesting things I've experimented with during my homemade challenge is homemade fermented or probiotic-style sodas.
These have been such fun projects because you can transform simple ingredients into naturally bubbly drinks.
Depending on the recipe, you can experiment with fruit, herbs, spices, and different flavor combinations.
Fermentation does require more care than making lemonade, so clean equipment, safe fermentation practices, and a trusted recipe are important.
Still, learning how fermentation works has been one of the most interesting parts of my from-scratch journey.
Related:
13. Homemade Gatorade-Style Drink
Another drink I like knowing how to make is a homemade alternative to bottled sports drinks.
A simple version can be made using water, citrus juice, a sweetener, and a carefully measured amount of salt.
I especially like being able to adjust the sweetness and flavor myself.
I think of this as an everyday homemade refreshment rather than a replacement for a medically formulated oral rehydration drink, especially when someone is sick or significantly dehydrated.
Check out how I make homemade electrolyte drinks here.
14. Homemade Wellness Shots
I've also started making little ginger, orange, and lemon wellness shots at home.
These are essentially concentrated citrus-and-ginger drinks that are quick to prepare and easy to keep in the refrigerator.
I love the bright combination of fresh orange, lemon, and spicy ginger, especially first thing in the morning.
I don't think homemade food needs exaggerated health claims to be worthwhile. Sometimes it's enough that you're making a flavorful drink with simple ingredients you enjoy.
And these certainly wake up your taste buds!
Here's how I make these wellness shots.
15. Homemade Seasoning Mixes
Seasoning mixes are probably some of the easiest things to stop buying and start making at home.
Some of the blends I like making include:
- Homemade ranch seasoning
- Homemade taco seasoning
- Italian-style seasoning
- Garlic and herb blends
The wonderful thing about making seasonings yourself is that you control the flavor.
Want more garlic? Add it.
Prefer less salt? Reduce it.
Like taco seasoning a little smokier or spicier? Adjust the spices.
I like making larger batches and storing them in labeled jars so they're just as convenient as packets from the store.
16. Homemade Baking Powder
Yes, even baking powder is something you can mix at home.
This isn't necessarily something I need to make every single week, but it's a very useful kitchen skill when I realize I'm out of baking powder halfway through a recipe.
That is one of my favorite things about this homemade challenge.
Even when I decide an ingredient is worth buying, I understand a little more about how it works and what I can do when I don't have it.
Here's how to make baking powder.
17. Homemade Yogurt
Homemade yogurt was one of those projects that made me feel like I had unlocked an entirely new homemaking skill.
Milk and live cultures are transformed into something completely different with the help of time and the right temperature.
Once you have homemade yogurt, there are so many ways to use it.
Serve it with fruit and homemade granola, blend it into smoothies, use it in sauces and marinades, or strain it for a thicker yogurt.
Here's how I make homemade yogurt with just two ingredients.
18. Homemade Buttermilk
Buttermilk is another useful dairy staple to know how to make.
There is a difference between true cultured buttermilk and the quick milk-and-acid substitute often used when baking, and learning about both has helped me understand recipes a little better.
Buttermilk is useful for pancakes, biscuits, muffins, cakes, marinades, salad dressings, and plenty of other recipes.
Check out how to make buttermilk and buttermilk powder.
19. Homemade Buttermilk Powder
I've even experimented with homemade buttermilk powder.
This was definitely one of the more unusual projects in my challenge!
I love learning ways to preserve or extend the usefulness of ingredients, although homemade dehydrated dairy requires extra care with preparation, drying, and storage.
Not every project has to completely replace a commercial product. Sometimes the value is simply in learning the process and understanding how food is made.
20. Homemade Butter
Making butter is one of those old-fashioned homemaking skills that sounds much more difficult than it really is.
You agitate cream until the butterfat separates from the liquid, and suddenly you have butter!
The first time you watch it happen feels almost magical.
Homemade butter is delicious spread over warm bread, cornbread, rolls, or pancakes.
You can also turn it into flavored butter with herbs, garlic, cinnamon, or honey.
21. Homemade Mozzarella Cheese
Cheesemaking was another area I wanted to explore during my 100 Homemade Projects challenge.
Homemade mozzarella is fascinating because you get to see milk transform into curds and eventually into cheese right in your kitchen.
And, of course, there is no better excuse to make homemade pizza dough than having a batch of homemade mozzarella ready to go on top.
That is one of the things I love most about learning these skills.
Eventually, all the projects begin connecting.
22. Homemade Farmer's Cheese
Farmer's cheese is another simple cheese worth learning.
It's fresh, mild, and useful in both sweet and savory dishes.
Unlike aged cheeses, you don't have to wait months before enjoying it, which makes it an approachable introduction to homemade cheesemaking.
23. Refrigerator Pickles
Refrigerator pickles are one of my favorite ways to dip my toes into preserving.
You don't need to pull out the canner or make a huge batch.
A simple refrigerator pickle recipe lets you turn cucumbers and other vegetables into something tangy and delicious using a prepared brine.
They are wonderful on burgers, sandwiches, alongside meals, or eaten straight from the jar.
Because refrigerator pickles aren't processed for shelf-stable storage, I keep them refrigerated and follow a reliable recipe for the brine and storage time.
For anyone intimidated by traditional canning, this is a fun place to begin.
24. Homemade Pesto
Homemade pesto is especially wonderful when herbs are growing abundantly.
Fresh basil, garlic, cheese, nuts or seeds, and olive oil can turn into one of the most flavorful things in my refrigerator.
I love pesto tossed with pasta, spread on sandwiches, spooned over chicken, added to pizza, or mixed into other sauces.
It is also a wonderful way to use an abundance of basil before it goes to waste.
Learning to preserve what we grow—or even simply what we find on sale at the grocery store—is one of the homesteading habits I want to practice more.
25. Homemade Applesauce
Homemade applesauce is such a simple, cozy recipe.
When apples are plentiful, I can cook them down into applesauce and adjust the sweetness and spices to our taste.
Some batches can be smooth, while others can be left chunky.
Add a little cinnamon and the whole kitchen smells like fall.
It's also a great way to use apples that are getting a little too soft for eating fresh.
26. Homemade Tomato Paste
Homemade tomato paste is another project that fits perfectly into the use what you have side of homemaking.
When tomatoes are abundant, concentrating them into a thick, intensely flavored paste can help turn a large amount of produce into something incredibly useful.
Tomato paste goes into soups, stews, pasta sauces, pizza sauce, and so many other meals.
Because tomatoes and home preservation require specific food-safety practices, I use appropriate storage or tested preservation methods rather than assuming a homemade batch is shelf stable.
27. Homemade Jams
Homemade jam feels like the perfect combination of homemaking and homesteading.
When fruit is plentiful, turning it into jam lets you enjoy those flavors long after the season has passed.
Depending on the recipe, I can make refrigerator jam, freezer jam, or properly canned jam.
For anything I plan to keep at room temperature, I stick with a current, tested canning recipe rather than changing ingredient ratios or processing times.
Homemade jam spread over freshly baked bread is about as cozy as breakfast gets.
28. Homemade Extracts
Homemade extracts are among my favorite slow homemaking projects because most of the work is done by time.
I've made flavors such as:
- Homemade vanilla extract
- Homemade orange extract
- Homemade mint extract
I love putting a jar away and waiting while the flavors slowly develop.
Eventually, I have an ingredient I can use in cookies, cakes, frostings, drinks, and other recipes.
These projects remind me that not everything in homemaking has to happen quickly.
Some things are worth waiting for.
29. Homemade Chocolate Bars
Making chocolate bars at home might not be a traditional pantry staple for everyone, but it's definitely one of the more fun things I've tried.
I love realizing that even treats we normally think of as something that has to come wrapped in a package can be experimented with at home.
You can also customize homemade chocolate with ingredients like nuts, coconut, dried fruit, or a sprinkle of sea salt.
Necessary?
Probably not.
Fun?
Absolutely.
And I think every homemade challenge needs a few projects that are there simply because they're enjoyable.
30. Homemade Chocolate Syrup
Chocolate syrup is another sweet staple that's surprisingly useful to know how to make.
Instead of automatically buying a bottle, I can make a batch at home for chocolate milk, ice cream, desserts, pancakes, or coffee drinks.
It's the kind of simple recipe that can be made with pantry ingredients, which is exactly why I love adding recipes like this to my homemaking collection.
Knowing I can make something when the store-bought bottle runs empty is a small thing, but it's also very satisfying.
31. Homemade Cake Mix
Homemade cake mix is another pantry shortcut I love.
The whole point of boxed cake mix is convenience, so I wanted to see whether I could bring some of that same convenience into my homemade kitchen.
By combining the dry ingredients ahead of time, part of the work is already finished when I decide to bake.
I simply add the appropriate wet ingredients when I'm ready.
32. Homemade Brownie Mix
The same idea works beautifully for homemade brownie mix.
Prepare the dry ingredients ahead of time, keep the mixture properly labeled, and write the remaining instructions right on the container.
Then, when a brownie craving strikes, you're already halfway there.
These little make-ahead mixes have taught me an important lesson:
Cooking from scratch doesn't have to mean making life harder.
Sometimes homemaking is simply doing a little work today so tomorrow's job becomes easier.
Why I Keep Making Homemade Staples
When I started my 100 Homemade Projects in 1 Year Series, I wanted to challenge myself.
I wanted to find out just how many everyday things I could learn to make with my own hands.
Now, 71 projects later, one of the biggest surprises is how many of these experiments have stayed.
They aren't really experiments anymore.
They're part of my kitchen.
I make the bread again.
I mix another jar of taco seasoning.
I prepare pancake or cornbread mix.
I bake pizza dough.
I make yogurt.
I turn extra basil into pesto.
I use ripe fruit for jam or applesauce.
That is when you know a homemade project has truly become a staple.
One Homemade Staple Often Leads to Another
Something else I've noticed during this challenge is that the more I learn to make, the more all these homemade projects begin to connect.
I can make homemade bread and spread homemade butter and jam over it.
I can make homemade pizza dough, top it with homemade tomato sauce or pesto and homemade mozzarella, and serve it with a homemade drink.
I can spoon homemade granola over homemade yogurt.
I can make burgers using homemade buns and top them with homemade refrigerator pickles.
Suddenly, making one thing from scratch leads naturally into learning another.
That's probably my favorite part of this entire challenge.
I'm not simply collecting recipes.
I'm building skills.
Homemade Doesn't Mean You Have to Make Everything
There is one thing I always want to make clear about this kind of homemaking:
You do not have to make everything from scratch to be a good homemaker.
Sometimes I bake bread.
Sometimes buying bread is exactly what makes sense that week.
Sometimes I have the time and energy for a long kitchen project.
Other days, convenience wins.
My goal with the 100 Homemade Projects challenge isn't perfection, and it certainly isn't proving that I never need the grocery store.
For me, it's about learning skills and giving myself options.
Every time I learn to make something new, I understand another ingredient.
I gain another recipe.
I become a little more resourceful in my own kitchen.
And there is something incredibly satisfying about that.
Start With Just One Thing
If you'd like to start making more things from scratch, please don't look at this list and think you need to make all of these things at once.
Pick one.
Make taco seasoning.
Try a loaf of bread.
Mix pancake mix.
Make refrigerator pickles.
Bake homemade pizza.
Whip up a batch of granola.
Choose something your family already uses regularly and start there.
Once it feels familiar, try something else.
That's exactly how my own homemade journey has grown—one project at a time.
And somewhere along the way, many of those projects stopped feeling like “projects” at all.
They simply became part of the way I keep our home.
That is one of my favorite things about this slower, more intentional style of homemaking.
We don't have to know how to do everything today.
We can learn.
We can experiment.
We can make mistakes.
We can try again.
And little by little, we can fill our pantries, refrigerators, freezers, and tables with things made by our own hands.
71 projects down—and I'm excited to see what homemade staple becomes part of our kitchen next.
