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Updated on 10/6/23
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Prep: 3 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 3 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 cup
205 ratings
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Got a recipe that calls for self-rising flour and don't have it on hand? Or don't have any idea what self-rising flour is? It's just what it sounds like—a type of flour that makes baked goods rise without the addition of baking powder or yeast.
Self-rising flour is often called for in recipes forbiscuits, cornbread, and quick breads. It's particularly popular in Southern recipes. Because the leavening agents are already included there's less measuring and mixing involved when you use it. But if you don't have it on hand there's absolutely no need to run out to the store to buy it—you can whip up self-rising flour at home with three ingredients you almost surely have in your pantry.
What Is the Difference Between All-Purpose Flour and Self-Rising Flour?
All-purpose flour is just straight-up flour with nothing added to it. Self-rising is a combination of flour, baking powder, and salt.
The self-rising flour you buy at the store is usually made with soft wheat, which has less protein than the hard wheat used to make all-purpose flour. Self-rising flour is usually 8.5 percent to 10.5 percent protein, whereas all-purpose flour is in the 10 percent to 12 percent range.
As a result, your homemade self-rising flour, made with all-purpose flour, should have a slightly higher protein content than you're used to if you bake with store-bought self-rising flour regularly. Because of the protein difference, you may find that baked goods come out a bit less tender than usual, but most people can't tell the difference.
How Do I Turn All-Purpose Flour into Self-Rising Flour?
To turn all-purpose flour into self-rising flour you just need to add baking powder and regular old fine table salt. You'll need 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of salt for each cup of flour. You can scale up the recipe if needed; just be sure to add the proper amount of baking powder and salt per cup of flour.
Can I Substitute Self-Rising Flour for All-Purpose Flour?
Yes! Self-rising flour will work in recipes that call for about 1/2 teaspoon (and up to 1 teaspoon) baking powder per cup of flour. If, however, your recipe calls for more than 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour, just add sufficient baking powder to compensate for the difference.
Tips for Working With Self-Rising Flour
- Omit the salt—If using this self-rising flour in yeast breadsor rolls,omit any salt called for in the recipe.
- Measuring flour—The most accurate way to measure flour is by weight. One cup of flour typically weighs about 4 1/2 ounces. If you don't have a scale, stir the flour and spoon it into the measuring cup (without compacting it). Level off the flour with a knife or the handle of a wooden spoon.
- Don't skip the soda!—If the recipe you're making calls for baking soda, make sure to include it. Baking soda and baking powder have different chemical makeups and one cannot be substituted for the other.
How to Store Self-Rising Flour
You can make just enough self-rising flour for one recipe or mix up a bigger batch to keep on hand. If you make it ahead, proper storage is key—keep it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place so that the baking powder doesn't activate prematurely.
The Right Way to Store Flour at Home
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"Many biscuit recipes call for self-rising flour, and since the potency of baking powder diminishes over time, you'll have wasted your money if you don’t use up the flour. Make it yourself! I mixed this up in no time and used it to make a scone recipe that called for self-rising flour. It worked great." —Danielle Centoni
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A Note From Our Recipe Tester
Ingredients
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
Steps to Make It
Gather the ingredients.
Measure the flour into a bowl or container.
Add the baking powder and salt to the flour.
Use a whisk or spoon to blend the flour mixture thoroughly before you use it in a recipe.
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Helpful Links
- Simple Recipe for Cake Flour Substitute
- The Best Substitute for Bread Flour
- DIY Pastry Flour Substitutes
Recipes That Use Self-Rising Flour
Try your homemade self-rising flour in the following recipes:
- Ice cream bread
- Buttermilk biscuits
- Traditional rock cakes
- Easy cinnamon rolls
- Nutella cookies
4-Ingredient Mayonnaise Biscuits Recipe
- Basic Ingredients
- Southern Food
| Nutrition Facts (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 459 | Calories |
| 1g | Fat |
| 97g | Carbs |
| 13g | Protein |
Show Full Nutrition Label
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| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings: 1 | |
| Amount per serving | |
| Calories | 459 |
| % Daily Value* | |
| Total Fat 1g | 2% |
| Saturated Fat 0g | 1% |
| Cholesterol 0mg | 0% |
| Sodium 1263mg | 55% |
| Total Carbohydrate 97g | 35% |
| Dietary Fiber 3g | 12% |
| Total Sugars 0g | |
| Protein 13g | |
| Vitamin C 0mg | 0% |
| Calcium 425mg | 33% |
| Iron 7mg | 36% |
| Potassium 135mg | 3% |
| *The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice. | |
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)
Recipe Tags:
- flour
- self rising flour
- british
- fall
Article Sources
The Spruce Eats uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read our editorial process to learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
Self rising flour. USDA Agricultural Research Service: FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/497310/nutrients.
Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, unenriched. USDA Agricultural Research Service: FoodData Central. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov/fdc-app.html#/food-details/497310/nutrients.
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