Self-rising flour is a soft, lower-protein wheat flour premixed with baking powder and salt, so recipes that call for it need no separate leavening. To make 1 cup at home, whisk 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.
Key facts
- Self-rising flour = flour + baking powder + salt, already blended.
- Homemade version: 1 cup minus 2 tsp all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/2 tsp salt (Nebraska Extension).
- King Arthur Baking's version: 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour + 1 1/2 tsp baking powder + 1/4 tsp table salt.
- King Arthur lists its self-rising flour at 8.5% protein, versus 11.7% for all-purpose and 10% for cake flour.
- FDA's standard of identity requires self-rising flour to give off at least 0.5% carbon dioxide when tested.
- In the UK the same product is called self-raising flour.
What is self-rising flour?
Self-rising flour is white wheat flour that already contains a leavening agent and salt. It was made for convenience: a biscuit, pancake or quick-bread recipe written for self-rising flour skips the baking powder and salt because the flour supplies both.
In the US, what goes into it is set by a federal standard. Under FDA's standard of identity (21 CFR 137.180), self-rising flour is an intimate mix of flour, sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) and one or more acid-reacting ingredients, which together act as baking powder, and it is seasoned with salt. The acid and soda combined may not exceed 4.5 parts per 100 parts of flour, and the flour must release at least 0.5% carbon dioxide in the standard test. That's the "rising" part.
King Arthur Baking notes that self-rising flour is milled from soft wheat, which is lower in protein than the wheat used for all-purpose and bread flour. Less protein means less gluten, which is why self-rising flour gives tender, light biscuits and scones.
What does self-rising flour have in it?
Three things: flour, baking powder and salt. The baking powder is made of baking soda plus a dry acid, so self-rising flour does contain baking powder; it just comes pre-measured. Some brands use bleached flour, which the federal standard allows.
How much baking powder is in self-rising flour depends on the brand, and the standard caps it rather than fixing one amount. Homemade versions from university extension services and King Arthur Baking settle on about 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder per cup of flour. Colorado State University Extension lists a slightly lighter 1 1/4 teaspoons.
How to make self-rising flour
To make self-rising flour from all-purpose flour, combine flour, baking powder and salt and whisk until fully blended. Sources agree on the baking powder and differ a little on salt and flour:
| Source | All-purpose flour | Baking powder | Salt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nebraska Extension (used on our substitute page) | 1 cup minus 2 tsp | 1 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp |
| Utah State University Extension | 1 cup, sifted | 1 1/2 tsp | 1/2 tsp |
| King Arthur Baking | 1 cup (120 g) | 1 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp table salt |
| Colorado State University Extension | 1 cup | 1 1/4 tsp | 1/4 tsp |
Any of these works. The main difference is salt: 1/4 teaspoon gives a milder-tasting result than 1/2 teaspoon. Whichever you choose, use the same version for the whole recipe and don't add the recipe's own salt on top.
Tips for DIY self-rising flour
- Measure the flour correctly. Spoon it into the cup and level it, or weigh it: King Arthur puts a cup of all-purpose flour at 120 g. Scooping packs in extra flour and throws off the ratio. See how to measure flour and all-purpose flour cups to grams.
- Whisk thoroughly. Pockets of baking powder can leave bitter spots or uneven rise.
- Scale up by the cup. For 2 cups, double everything: 3 tsp (1 tbsp) baking powder and 1 tsp salt with the extension ratio. Our teaspoons in a tablespoon page helps with the math.
- Use fresh baking powder. It's the only thing making the flour rise.
More swaps, including what to do if you're also out of baking powder, are on our self-rising flour substitutes page.
Can you make self-rising flour with baking soda?
Only if you add an acid as well. Baking soda alone barely reacts in a neutral dough, so the bake won't rise properly. Build your own baking powder first: King Arthur Baking and Iowa State University Extension use 1/4 tsp baking soda plus 1/2 tsp cream of tartar for each 1 tsp baking powder. For 1 cup of self-rising flour, that works out to about 3/8 tsp baking soda (1/4 tsp plus 1/8 tsp) plus 3/4 tsp cream of tartar with the flour and salt. This blend starts reacting as soon as it's wet, so bake promptly. Our guide to baking soda vs baking powder explains why, and the baking powder substitutes page lists other options.
Self-rising flour vs all-purpose flour: what's the difference?
The difference between self-rising flour and regular flour is the added leavening and salt, plus lower protein. All-purpose flour is plain flour with nothing added, so it works in any recipe as long as you add your own leavening.
| Self-rising | All-purpose | Cake flour | Bread flour | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Protein (King Arthur) | 8.5% | 11.7% | 10% | 12.7% |
| Leavening added? | Yes, baking powder | No | No | No |
| Salt added? | Yes | No | No | No |
| Typical uses | Biscuits, scones, pancakes | Cookies, muffins, pie crust, most baking | Fine-crumbed cakes | Yeast breads, bagels, pizza |
Protein figures are King Arthur Baking's for its own flours; other brands vary. Cake flour is also unleavened, so it isn't a stand-in for self-rising flour without baking powder and salt. See cake flour cups to grams or our cake flour substitutes.
Can you use self-rising flour instead of all-purpose?
Often, yes. King Arthur Baking suggests self-rising flour works well in recipes that call for about 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of baking powder per cup of flour. Leave out the recipe's baking powder and salt. If the recipe uses more than 1 teaspoon baking powder per cup, add the difference yourself.
Can you use all-purpose flour instead of self-rising?
Yes, but only with added leavening. Use the homemade mix above cup for cup. Plain all-purpose flour on its own will leave a self-rising recipe flat, because there's no other baking powder in it. King Arthur notes the higher protein can also make the result slightly less tender, and a little extra liquid may help.
What is self-rising flour used for?
Self-rising flour is used for tender, quick-leavened bakes: biscuits, scones, pancakes, quick breads such as banana bread, and some cakes and cookies.
When not to use self-rising flour
- Yeast breads. They need stronger, higher-protein flour to build gluten. King Arthur advises against swapping self-rising and bread flour for each other, so there's no simple self-rising bread flour swap.
- Cookies that already spread a lot. King Arthur found self-rising flour makes them spread even more.
- Recipes leavened only with baking soda. Those rely on an acid such as buttermilk; adding self-rising flour stacks extra leavening on top and is hard to predict.
- Thickening sauces, breading and pasta. The baking powder and salt don't belong there; use plain flour.
Does self-rising flour go bad?
Self-rising flour won't become unsafe just because it's old, but its baking powder slowly loses strength, and weak leavening means flat biscuits. Iowa State University Extension puts opened baking powder at about 6 months for best quality, so the same clock is a sensible guide for an open bag of self-rising flour. Check the package date, store the flour airtight in a cool, dry place, and if you bake with it only occasionally, mixing small DIY batches with fresh baking powder may be the better choice.
Self-raising vs self-rising flour
Self-raising flour is the British name for self-rising flour: plain flour with baking powder added. If a UK recipe calls for self-raising flour, use US self-rising flour or the homemade mix. UK recipes usually call all-purpose flour "plain flour."
Questions people ask
How do you make self-rising flour?
Whisk 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons all-purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt. King Arthur Baking uses a full cup of flour and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Does self-rising flour have baking powder in it?
Yes. Self-rising flour contains baking powder (baking soda plus an acid) and salt, so recipes written for it don't add more.
What can I use in place of self-rising flour?
All-purpose flour with 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt per cup. Plain flour without added leavening won't rise.
Is self-rising flour the same as plain flour?
No. Plain (all-purpose) flour has nothing added; self-rising flour contains baking powder and salt and is lower in protein.
Can I use self-rising flour for bread?
It's not a good fit for yeast bread, which needs higher-protein flour. Save self-rising flour for biscuits, scones, pancakes and quick breads.
Is self-rising flour the same as cake flour?
No. Cake flour is low in protein but has no leavening or salt, so you'd still need to add baking powder and salt.
Sources
- eCFR: 21 CFR 137.180, Self-rising flour
- King Arthur Baking: How to substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour (and vice versa!)
- King Arthur Baking: How do you choose the right flour?
- Nebraska Extension: Ingredient substitutions
- Utah State University Extension: Ingredient substitution (FN 255)
- Colorado State University Extension: Ingredient substitutions (Fact Sheet 9.329)
- Iowa State University Extension AnswerLine: Holiday baking ingredients
- Oxford Learner's Dictionaries: Self-raising flour
