Self-rising flour substitutes
Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour pre-mixed with baking powder (roughly 1½ tsp per cup) and a small amount of salt (about ¼ tsp per cup). It provides both structure and lift in a single ingredient, which is why recipes written for it don't call for additional leavener or salt. Substituting requires you to replicate both the flour base and the leavening balance precisely — off ratios produce flat, dense, or bitter results.
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| Rank | Substitute | Ratio (replaces 1 cup Self-rising flour) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | All-purpose flour plus baking powder plus salt | 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp fine salt | This is the standard formula used by King Arthur Baking and America's Test Kitchen — it matches commercial self-rising flour exactly and works in every recipe without detectable difference. |
| #2 | All-purpose flour plus baking powder (no added salt) | 1 cup (120 g) all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder | Use this when the original recipe already includes salt as a separate ingredient, or when you want to control sodium precisely; omitting the ¼ tsp salt causes no structural difference. |
| #3 | Cake flour plus baking powder plus salt | 1 cup (100 g) cake flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp fine salt | Cake flour's lower protein (7–9%) produces a more tender, fine-crumbed result than all-purpose — suitable for soft biscuits or delicate cakes, but will make pancakes and muffins noticeably softer and more fragile. |
| #4 | White whole wheat flour plus baking powder plus salt | 1 cup (120 g) white whole wheat flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp fine salt | Works in a pinch but noticeably worse — whole wheat adds density and a mild wheaty flavor; best reserved for recipes like whole-grain pancakes or hearty muffins where that flavor is acceptable. |
| #5 | Gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour plus baking powder plus salt | 1 cup (140 g) gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp fine salt | Check the blend's label first — some gluten-free 1-to-1 flours already contain leavener; if so, omit or reduce the added baking powder. Texture will differ from wheat-based self-rising flour, but this is the most reliable gluten-free path. |
| #6 | Bisquick baking mix | 1 cup (120 g) Bisquick in place of 1 cup self-rising flour; reduce or omit any added fat called for in the recipe | Works in a pinch but noticeably worse — Bisquick contains added fat and sugar alongside flour and leavener, so it alters flavor and richness; acceptable for pancakes and drop biscuits, less reliable for layer cakes or anything where fat ratio is critical. |
When to be careful
Recipes that depend on precise gluten development — such as yeasted breads or croissants — are not written for self-rising flour and substituting in that direction doesn't apply. In the other direction, very lean, high-hydration recipes (some flatbreads, certain crepes) can be thrown off by the added leavener producing unwanted bubbling or bitterness if baking powder isn't adjusted carefully.
Why these substitutes work
Self-rising flour's leavening comes from baking powder, which is a mixture of an acid (usually sodium aluminum sulfate or cream of tartar) and a base (baking soda) that release CO₂ in two stages — once when wet and again when heated. The ratio of 1½ tsp baking powder per cup of flour is calibrated to produce adequate lift without leaving a metallic or soapy aftertaste from excess leavener. Replicating this at home with all-purpose flour and measured baking powder reproduces the same gas production and pH balance, which is why the DIY formula is functionally identical to the commercial product.
For nearly every recipe that calls for self-rising flour, the substitute in rank 1 — 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt — is all you need. It’s the formula endorsed by every major baking authority, it requires no specialty ingredients, and it produces results indistinguishable from the packaged product. Scale it up by multiplying the baking powder and salt proportionally for any quantity.
The other substitutes in the table cover specific situations: cake flour if you need extra tenderness, white whole wheat if you’re after more fiber and don’t mind a denser crumb, and gluten-free blends if wheat is off the table. Bisquick is a last resort for quick applications like pancakes or drop biscuits, where its added fat and slight sweetness are less likely to throw off the final dish.
Frequently asked questions
- Can I use self-rising flour in place of all-purpose flour?
- Yes, but you must reduce or eliminate any baking powder and salt the recipe calls for. For every 1 cup of self-rising flour used in place of all-purpose, remove 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt from the recipe.
- Does homemade self-rising flour substitute work the same as store-bought?
- Yes. King Arthur Baking has confirmed that 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt matches the leavening and protein content of commercial self-rising flour closely enough to be interchangeable in any recipe.
- Can I use bread flour to make a self-rising flour substitute?
- Technically yes, but the higher protein content (12–14%) will produce noticeably tougher, chewier results in most self-rising flour recipes like biscuits and cakes. It's not recommended unless you have no other option.