Make Your Own Self-Rising Flour With One Easy Trick

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 for biscuits, 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.

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