Running out of self-rising flour mid-recipe is a surprisingly fixable problem. The flour itself is just all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt already measured in, so rebuilding that chemistry from scratch is easier than it sounds.
The key is getting both the leavening and the salt right. Skip one, and your bake may come out flat or under-seasoned.
Most substitutes below use ingredients you already have on the shelf.
Self-rising flour is all-purpose flour plus baking powder and salt. The best substitutes rebuild that formula directly. For 1 cup of self-rising flour, use 1 cup all-purpose flour plus 1½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt. Adjust leavening if your recipe already includes it.
5 Best Self Rising Flour Substitutes, Ranked
Self-rising flour substitutes all share the same goal: match the lift. The table below gives you the ratio and best use at a glance before you get into the details.
| # | Substitute | Best For | Ratio | Key Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | All-purpose + baking powder + salt | Both | 1:1 | Closest match overall |
| 2 | All-purpose + baking powder (salt separate) | Both | 1:1 | Simple, reliable lift |
| 3 | Cake flour + baking powder | Baking | 1:1 | Softer, tender crumb |
| 4 | All-purpose + cream of tartar + baking soda | Baking | 1:1 | No baking powder needed |
| 5 | All-purpose + baking soda only | Baking | 1:1 | Needs acid in batter |
1. DIY Self-Rising Flour
This is the most accurate swap you can make. It mirrors the exact formula manufacturers use, so lift, flavor, and crumb structure stay consistent with what your recipe expects.
The ratio is straightforward: 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon salt. Whisk the dry ingredients together before adding any wet components so the leavening distributes evenly.
DIY Self-Rising Flour
Works for: biscuits, pancakes, quick breads, and any recipe where rise and flavor consistency are the priority
Skip if: your recipe already lists baking powder and salt separately, meaning the recipe treats flour and leavening as two distinct components
One thing to watch: old baking powder causes flat results. If yours has been open more than 6 months, test it first by dropping a teaspoon into hot water.
No fizz means it's done.
- Flour amount: Use the same quantity your recipe specifies, swapping 1:1.
- Baking powder: Add 1½ teaspoon per cup of flour, measured level.
- Salt: Add ¼ teaspoon per cup unless your recipe already includes it.
- Mixing: Whisk dry ingredients together before adding liquid to distribute leavening evenly.
If you're also working with specialty flours, the lighter flour choice between cake and 00 flour affects crumb texture in ways worth knowing before you commit to a recipe.
2. All-Purpose Flour + Baking Powder
This option is nearly identical to option 1, with one difference: you handle salt separately based on what your recipe already calls for. It's the right move when you're unsure whether the original recipe's salt expectation is already built in elsewhere.
Understanding all-purpose flour flavor notes helps here, especially if you're scaling a recipe where small differences in salt and lift become more noticeable.
- Flour: 1 cup all-purpose flour, replacing 1 cup self-rising flour.
- Baking powder: 1½ teaspoon per cup, measured level and fresh.
- Salt check: If your recipe already lists ¼ teaspoon or more of salt, skip adding extra. If it lists none, add ¼ tsp.
- Best uses: Pancakes, waffles, and muffins where a straightforward swap is preferred.
Skip if: your recipe already includes both baking powder and salt in the ingredient list. Adding more leavening on top may cause an over-risen, coarse crumb.
3. Cake Flour + Baking Powder
Cake flour has less protein than all-purpose flour, which means less gluten development and a noticeably softer bite. For delicate muffins or tender cakes, that's exactly what you want.
The tradeoff is structure. Tall biscuits or rustic quick breads need the firmness that comes from all-purpose flour's higher protein.
Cake flour won't hold up as well there. If you're wondering about shelf life before committing to a bag, the expired flour tradeoff is worth a quick check.
- Flour amount: 1 cup cake flour for every 1 cup self-rising flour called for.
- Baking powder: 1½ teaspoon per cup, same as the DIY formula.
- Salt: Add ¼ teaspoon only if your recipe doesn't already include salt.
- Best uses: Tender muffins, delicate layer cakes, and fine-crumb quick breads.
Skip if: you need strong structure and good height - like a fluffy biscuit or a hearty scone. Go back to all-purpose for those.
4. All-Purpose Flour + Cream of Tartar + Baking Soda
This swap works on acid-base chemistry. Cream of tartar is an acid.
Baking soda is a base. When they meet in a wet batter, they react and produce CO₂, which creates lift.
No baking powder required.
The timing matters more here than with other swaps. Once liquid hits the dry mix, that reaction starts. Get the batter into the oven quickly or you'll lose lift before it sets.
- Flour: 1 cup all-purpose flour per cup of self-rising flour.
- Cream of tartar: ½ teaspoon per cup of flour.
- Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon per cup of flour.
- Salt: Add ¼ teaspoon if your recipe doesn't include it.
- Speed: Mix and bake promptly - don't let the batter sit.
Skip if: you don't have cream of tartar and your recipe contains no other acid (like buttermilk, yogurt, or lemon juice). Without acid, baking soda won't activate properly and the result will be flat and slightly soapy.
5. All-Purpose Flour + Baking Soda Only
This one comes with a condition. Baking soda needs an acidic ingredient to activate, and if your recipe already has buttermilk, yogurt, sour cream, or vinegar in it, that acid is already there.
The baking soda reacts with it and creates lift just fine.
Without that acid, the soda sits inert and may leave a metallic or soapy aftertaste. Check the recipe before you reach for the baking soda.
| Recipe Includes | Baking Soda Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Buttermilk or yogurt | ¼ teaspoon per cup flour | Good lift, clean flavor |
| Vinegar or lemon juice | ¼ teaspoon per cup flour | Works, slightly sharper taste |
| Cocoa powder (natural) | ¼ teaspoon per cup flour | Solid rise in chocolate batters |
| No acid present | Do not use | Flat result, bitter aftertaste |
- Flour: 1 cup all-purpose flour per cup of self-rising flour called for.
- Baking soda: ¼ teaspoon per cup - do not exceed this without testing, as more causes bitterness.
- Salt: Add ¼ teaspoon if your recipe doesn't include it.
Skip if: the recipe has no acidic ingredient. Buttermilk pancakes and yogurt muffins are ideal here. Plain cake batter with no acid is not.
Making Self Rising Flour Substitutes Work
The most common failure with these swaps isn't the flour - it's the leavening. Either the baking powder is old, the amount is off, or it gets added too late and loses lift before the batter hits the oven.
Pick your substitute, then double-check three things before you mix.
- Test your leavening: Drop ½ teaspoon baking powder into hot water. If it doesn't bubble actively, replace it before baking.
- Check for salt twice: Read your recipe's full ingredient list. If salt already appears, don't add more when building your substitute.
- Bake without delay: Once wet and dry ingredients combine, leavening begins reacting. Let the batter rest too long and the rise happens in the bowl, not in the oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, but you must add leavening and salt. Use 1 cup all-purpose flour with 1½ teaspoon baking powder and ¼ teaspoon salt to match the chemistry of self-rising flour.
Whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1½ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Use immediately or store in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Only if your recipe doesn't already list salt. Self-rising flour includes about ¼ teaspoon salt per cup, so match that amount unless your ingredient list accounts for it.
Use baking soda only when your recipe already contains an acid like buttermilk, yogurt, or vinegar. Without acid, baking soda won't activate and may leave a bitter taste.
Flat results usually mean old or undermeasured baking powder. Bitterness points to too much baking soda or soda used without an acid to neutralize it.
5 Best Self Rising Flour Substitutes (Ranked)
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Measure the amount of substitute flour using the same flour quantity your recipe specifies (use the table’s 1:1 guidance where listed).
- If your substitute is DIY-based (flour + leavening), measure baking powder/baking soda precisely and add salt only if your recipe doesn’t already include it.
- Mix the dry ingredients thoroughly before adding wet ingredients so the leavening distributes evenly.
- Expect faster lift than plain flour: once mixed, proceed promptly to the oven to preserve carbonation/leavening strength.
- If your bake turns out flat, increase leavening slightly next time (small increments) and verify your baking powder is fresh.
Notes
- Self rising flour already contains baking powder and salt; most substitutes must recreate both to match flavor and rise.
- Baking powder strength varies by brand; if you’re substituting for a critical rise (biscuits, quick breads), measure carefully and consider testing with a small batch.
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Carrie is a food writer and editor with more than 15 years of experience. She has worked for some of the biggest names in the food industry, including Bon Appétit, Food & Wine, and Martha Stewart Living.
As the Editor in Chief of EpicureDelight, Carrie oversees all of the content on the site. She also manages the team of contributing writers and editors, who help to create delicious recipes, helpful tips, and informative articles that you’ll find on the site.
A native of the Chicago area, Carrie is passionate about all things food. She loves trying new restaurants and experimenting with new recipes in her kitchen. She’s also a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America, so she knows a thing or two about food!
