Self-Rising Flour
A convenient flour blend premixed with baking powder and salt, widely used for biscuits and quick breads.
1 Cup Self-Rising Flour = 120g • 1 Cup = 1 Cup AP Flour + 1.5 Tsp Baking Powder + 0.25 Tsp Salt
Self-rising flour is a convenience product made from low-protein wheat flour (typically around 8.5% protein) that has been pre-blended with chemical leaveners and salt. Specifically, one cup of self-rising flour contains approximately 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon of fine salt. Milled from soft wheat, it is designed to yield extremely tender baked goods, making it a staple of Southern US baking, particularly for biscuits, pancakes, muffins, and quick cobblers. The uniform distribution of the baking powder throughout the flour ensures an even, consistent rise during baking.
Because self-rising flour contains active leaveners, it has a limited shelf life compared to standard flours. Over time, exposure to moisture and heat will cause the baking powder to degrade, resulting in a poor rise. It is crucial to never use self-rising flour in recipes that call for yeast, or in recipes that already specify baking soda or baking powder, as this will lead to over-leavening, bitter chemical flavors, and structural collapse.
Using self-rising flour in a recipe that calls for plain all-purpose flour and adding extra leaveners. This results in over-expanded batters that spill over baking pans and taste metallic.
In the UK, this is sold as Self-Raising Flour. UK self-raising flour uses a slightly different leavening ratio and does not always include salt, so check labels when adapting British recipes.
Perfect for traditional Southern biscuits, pancakes, quick breads, cobbler toppings, and simple two-ingredient doughs (with Greek yogurt).
Replace 1 cup self-rising flour with 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1.5 teaspoons baking powder + 1/4 teaspoon fine salt.
Store in an airtight container in a cool, dry pantry. Use within 4 months of opening to ensure the leaveners remain active.