Baking
Substitute for Self-Rising Flour
Make self-rising flour in a minute: whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt. Pastry flour gets closer to soft Southern brands.
- vegetarian
- vegan
- gluten free options
Quick answer
Out of self-rising flour? The most versatile swaps:
- 1
All-purpose flour + baking powder + salt
1 cup all-purpose + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt
- 2
Pastry or cake flour + baking powder + salt
1 cup pastry flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt
- 3
All-purpose + baking soda + cream of tartar + salt
1 cup flour + ⅜ tsp baking soda + ¾ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp salt
Self-rising flour is soft-wheat flour premixed with baking powder and salt. King Arthur’s runs about 8.5% protein, against 11.7% for its all-purpose, and weighs 113 g per cup. Recipes written for it, mostly biscuits, pancakes and Southern cakes, rely on all three parts: the leavening for rise, the salt for flavor and the low protein for tenderness. A good substitute replaces all three.
Biscuits and scones
Whisk 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ¼ teaspoon table salt, King Arthur’s formula, and use it cup for cup. Biscuits made this way are a little firmer than ones made with soft Southern flour. For the fluffiest result, start from pastry flour instead, handle the dough as little as possible and cut straight down without twisting.
Pancakes, muffins and quick breads
The all-purpose mix works without changes. Add a tablespoon of extra milk or buttermilk per cup of flour if the batter looks thicker than the recipe describes, since higher-protein flour absorbs more liquid.
Without baking powder
Baking powder is baking soda plus a dry acid. King Arthur’s homemade version is ¼ teaspoon soda and ½ teaspoon cream of tartar per teaspoon, so a cup of self-rising flour needs ⅜ teaspoon soda and ¾ teaspoon cream of tartar. Unlike commercial double-acting powder, this releases all its gas on contact with liquid: mix fast and bake at once.
When not to substitute
If a recipe uses self-rising flour and also adds buttermilk or other acid with baking soda, the leavening balance was built around the flour’s powder. The homemade mix handles this fine, but don’t improvise by leaving the powder out. Avoid self-rising flour, homemade or bought, in yeast doughs and in pie crusts, where leavening makes the pastry puffy and cakey.
Common mistakes
- Forgetting the salt. Biscuits taste flat; the ¼ teaspoon matters.
- Using old baking powder. Test it by stirring a little into hot water; weak bubbling means weak biscuits.
- Measuring flour by scooping. Packed flour plus the right leavening still gives dense, dry biscuits.
- Mixing a big batch ahead. The powder settles and weakens, so rise varies between bakes.
All 4 substitutes at a glance
| Substitute | Ratio | Best for | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour + baking powder + salt Baking | 1 cup all-purpose + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt | biscuits, pancakes, muffins, dumplings | Matches the leavening and salt in commercial self-rising flour. All-purpose has more protein than the soft wheat used for self-rising, so add a splash more liquid and expect a slightly less tender crumb. |
| Pastry or cake flour + baking powder + salt Baking | 1 cup pastry flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt | Southern biscuits, shortcakes, tender cakes | Low-protein soft flour mirrors what self-rising brands use, so biscuits stay fluffy and light. Cake flour works the same way but gives a finer, more cake-like crumb. |
| All-purpose + baking soda + cream of tartar + salt Baking | 1 cup flour + ⅜ tsp baking soda + ¾ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp salt | biscuits, scones, quick breads | Builds the 1½ tsp baking powder from its parts (¼ tsp soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar per teaspoon). This mix reacts as soon as it gets wet, so bake straight after mixing. |
| Gluten-free blend + baking powder + salt Baking | 1 cup gluten-free 1:1 blend + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt | gluten-free biscuits, pancakes, muffins | Use a blend that already contains xanthan gum. Gluten-free doughs are stickier; pat biscuits out rather than rolling, and check the baking powder is labelled gluten-free. |
Substitute calculator
How much self-rising flour does your recipe call for?
- All-purpose flour + baking powder + salt1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt
- Pastry or cake flour + baking powder + salt1 cup pastry flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt
- All-purpose + baking soda + cream of tartar + salt1 cup all-purpose flour + ¼ tsp baking soda + ¾ tsp cream of tartar + ¼ tsp salt
- Gluten-free blend + baking powder + salt1 cup gluten-free 1:1 flour blend + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt
Amounts are rounded to practical kitchen measures. Swaps without a fixed ratio, or that can't be measured in the unit you picked, show their ratio instead.
Topics: bakingflourleaveningpantryhomemade All baking guides
Frequently asked questions
Why do extension charts give a different self-rising formula?
Several, including Nebraska and Mississippi State, use 1 cup minus 2 teaspoons flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. It is saltier than King Arthur's version. Either works; the leavening is the same.
Can I use self-rising flour in yeast bread?
Avoid it. Yeast already supplies the gas, and the added baking powder and salt change flavor and fermentation. The low protein also makes a weak, flat loaf.
Is UK self-raising flour the same thing?
Close, but not identical. Many British self-raising flours list no salt on the label, so a recipe written for one may need a pinch added. Leavening levels also vary by brand, so read the ingredients.
How long does homemade self-rising flour keep?
Mix only what the recipe needs. Baking powder slowly loses strength once opened, especially in humid kitchens, and a stored mix gives no warning that it has weakened until the biscuits come out flat.
Sources
- How to substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour, King Arthur Baking
- What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?, King Arthur Baking
- Ingredient weight chart, King Arthur Baking
- Basic ingredient substitutions, University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
- Ingredient substitutions and equivalents, Mississippi State University Extension
- Protein percentage in flour: why it matters, King Arthur Baking
More baking substitutes
Substitute for Baking Powder
No baking powder? Mix ¼ tsp baking soda with ½ tsp cream of tartar for each teaspoon, or pair the soda with lemon juice, vinegar or buttermilk instead.
Read
Substitute for Baking Soda
Out of baking soda? Use 3 tsp baking powder per teaspoon and swap the recipe's acidic liquid for milk, or potassium bicarbonate 1:1 for low-sodium baking.
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Substitute for All-Purpose Flour
No all-purpose flour? Bread flour swaps cup for cup, use 1 cup + 2 tbsp cake flour per cup for tender cakes, and half whole wheat for muffins and breads.
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Substitute for Bread Flour
Out of bread flour? All-purpose works cup for cup with a little less water; add 1 tsp vital wheat gluten per cup for chewy bagels, pizza and crusty loaves.
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