How to Make Self-Rising Flour
Self-rising flour is a staple ingredient in so many southern recipes! Learn how to make your own self-rising flour with this quick and easy substitution recipe. All you need are 3 simple ingredients!
Have you ever started a recipe and realized that you didn’t have enough of a specific ingredient called for in that recipe? It is a frustrating thing when that happens. That’s when simple substitutions come to the rescue like this simple self-rising flour recipe for a homemade substitution.
Self-rising flour is used in so many southern recipes and has become a staple ingredient in my kitchen forperfect buttermilk biscuit, buttermilk pancakes, and cinnamon roll biscuits and more. But, when I run low on it, I just make my own using just 3 ingredients that I always keep on hand.
This homemade self-rising flour works perfectly in recipes that call for self-rising flour. I’ve included the recipe to make one cup of the homemade substitute, but it can easily be scaled up or down based on your specific needs.
It’s really simple to make and only takes about two seconds.
Here’s how I make it my own self-rising flour substitute. I hope you find it as helpful as I do!
How to Make Self-Rising Flour
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
- Measure all ingredients and whisk to combine.
Notes
Measurements to equal each cup of self-rising flour.
All images and text © Robyn Stone for Add a Pinch
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Originally published April 2012. Republished August 2015.
You don’t know how many times I’ve needed self rising flour and didn’t have any…this will definitely be put to good use!!
I hope this comes in handy for ya, Kristan.
Thanks for putting this online it comes in handy for small amounts
Great post Robyn! Thanks for sharing!
Thanks so much, Maria. It’s definitely helped me out a bunch! 🙂
Handy dandy tip for sure!
Thank ya much! It’s perfect for those early morning pancakes and waffles and let’s not get started on the biscuits! 🙂
This is great information! I had no idea that I could just make it myself. Thank you!
Thanks, Natalie. It’s freed up a canister on my counter top that now gets used for chocolate! 🙂
I am saving this for SURE!
Thanks, Sommer. Hope it comes in handy.
I never think to buy self-rising flour, this is such a great tip!
Thanks, Missy. So great to just whip it up quickly and not have to add something else to my grocery list.
I love kitchen substitutions! Always great to know how to make something quickly : )
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Bookmarking! Love this! 😀
Great tip to have on Pinterest board!! Thanks Robyn!
Wow, that’s awesome!! I resort to keeping Bisquick on hand. My husband does the breakfast cooking so I’ll have to tell him about this. I have been wanting to experiment more with wheat flour but I’m not sure where to start.
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This is such a great tip, Robin. Thanks for sharing!
WoW!!! Just stumbled upon your blog and this
…oops…
Just stumbled upon this amazing recipe and your wonderful blog. Thanks for this. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve tried to make something and then realized that I don’t have self-rising flour. I use it so seldom that I would hate to buy a whole bag. Now I don’t have to!!!
how big is a cup?
Hi Tina,
Depending on if you spoon or dip the all-purpose flour into your measuring cup, you’ll have between 4.5 ounces and 5 ounces.
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can i make up a lot of this flour at once
Hi Ellen,
You sure can. If I know I’ll be using a good bit for various recipes, I’ll mix up a batch to keep on hand.
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Just gave this info to my niece. I didn’t know exact measurements for a cup, so thanks. Also, if you’re using buttermilk or “sour milk” we were always told that you needed to add 1 tsp baking soda along with the baking powder and salt. That info was passed by my grandmother, now I’m the granny. 😉
I never keep self-rising flour on hand. It just works better for me to make my own.
This is such a great tip! So handy!
Hello. Thanks for sharing the recipe but will it really work? I read many articles about DIY flours you know like self-rising flour and cake flour or how to add lemon juice or vinegar to milk to get buttermik etc… and every time the writer will end up like “of course it would be better to use whatever the recipe calls for”. So, will this really work? Just asking.
Thanks
Hi Hala,
It absolutely works – as does the buttermilk substitute. Hope you find it helpful!
I have been using all purpose, salt together with baking powder but i had no idea that when you put this three ingredients they make self raising. Thank you for sharing with us.
Good tips 🙂 thanks.
Do y just double the recipe for 2cups?
This is a Great Recipe I just Double it if I need 2 cups or if I need more I double that to get 4 cups works great . Thank’s for a Great recipe . I never buy at the store any more . I thank this is better .
I seen that some of you didn’t know how much was in a cup so here“s a little table that might help . when Making Self Rising Flour or any thing else .
Tablespoon Conversions
16 tablespoons = 1 cup
12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup
8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
6 tablespoons = 3/8 cup
5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
2 tablespoons = 1/8 cup
2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 1/6 cup
1 tablespoon = 1/16 cup
2 cups = 1 pint
2 pints = 1 quart
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
48 teaspoons = 1 cup
Sorry had to re do some of Spelling . All good now . Thank you .
This is great. I actually hate self rising flour because I find it too salty. So it is good I can make my own and skip or reduce the salt. Thanks!!!!
I’m not sure it will work out,as,well . Chemistry plays a big part in baking.
This is great! I will usually just skip a recipe if it calls for self-rising flour- I only use whole wheat. I’m going to play around and see how this works with whole wheat flour and maybe give some recipes a try that I wouldn’t have before.
I’m so glad you found it helpful! There are so many great recipes using self-rising flour that I bet will work beautifully with whole wheat! xo
I guess it’s the baking powder that makes it self rising
Actually making your own self-raising flour is better than buying the packed ready-made one from the store. One reason is that the leavening agent in the ready-made ones could expire and go stale before the actual expiry date of the flour itself which is found on the package. It did not happen to me yet but I have read comments by a few home bakers regarding self-raising flour. Also, as Regine says the ready-made ones are too salty and she is right. If you make your own then you have contol on how much salt you should put. As for Stacey’s concern, no cause for concern about the chemistry involved. I have always made my own self-raising flour and it worked magnificiently every time.
Needed self rising flour for fried chicken will see hoew it works Biscuits lioked interesting mine never rise so will use this flour recepie
If I wanted to make a self-raising flour good for a 1/4 cup. What are the measurements for all these three ingredients?
Why don’t you make for 1 cup, then take 1/4 cup from the final mix?
To reduce the recipe by 4 – 1/4 cup flour – 3/8 tspn of baking powder and pinch of salt.
I need help the recipe is sugar cookies o need all purpose flor but have self rising what can I do
Meant I have self rising no all purposes what do I do
How much is 1 cup in ml or gms?
Hi Disha,
Here is a link to my Conversion Chart. It should help you. Thanks!
I need the amount of ingredients to add to 5 pounds regular flour to make 5 pounds self rising flour
Do you use this amount of baking powder & salt for each cup of flour used in a recipe, or do you only add these two to just 1 cup of the flour used in a recipe, & mix it with the rest of the flour? (Say , for instance a recipe calls for 4 cups flour, do you add the b. pow & salt to each cup?)
Hi Betty,
You’ll use these ratios for every cup of flour called for in a recipe. I hope that helps! xo
worked great and thank you and will save this recipe and pass it on….
I’m glad it helped you, Judy! Thank you! xo
Hi, if im using this substitute in a recipe that calls for baking powder and salt, will I add the baking powder and salt on top of the amount you’ve used? So, that would basically double the baking soda and salt.
Hi Linnea,
I’m not sure what your recipe ingredients are, but please make sure what type of flour is needed. If it indeed calls for self-rising flour instead of all-purpose, then you would use the completed self-rising flour recipe, and then your additional recipe ingredients. Thanks!
Perfect
worked perfectly for me has risen very nicely I’ve yet to give it the taste test
I’m glad it helped you, Kerry! Thanks! xo
I had the opposite dilemma…my spouse brought home self rising instead of regular and your recipe helped me figure out if I needed to add baking powder to my cake or not! Thanks
Oh I’m glad it was helpful to you, Lisa! Thanks for letting me know! xo
Really helpful website 🙂
Glad it was helpful to your, Promise! Thanks!
Made scones. It worked perfectly!
Wonderful to hear! Thanks!