# what is self-raising flour?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [July 25, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895 "2010-07-25T00:24:39Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 12:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895/1 "2010-07-25T00:24:39Z")

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Does it have yeast mixed in or something? or will general purpose flour do?

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**Author:** ![Alice\_The\_Goon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed8c4c/32.png) [@Alice\_The\_Goon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alice_The_Goon)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895/2 "2010-07-25T00:27:29Z")

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Self-rising flour is just flour with baking powder and salt added. You can make your own by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon of salt per one cup of flour.

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**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895/3 "2010-07-25T00:36:39Z")

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It’s generally used for biscuits and soda bread, don’t use it to make “normal” yeast bread.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\
**Post date:** [July 25, 2010, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895/4 "2010-07-25T01:06:10Z")

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thanks!

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**Author:** ![Teacake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Teacake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Teacake)\
**Post date:** [July 26, 2010, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-self-raising-flour/547895/5 "2010-07-26T10:51:34Z")

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> [@devilsknew](#):
>
> It’s generally used for biscuits and soda bread, don’t use it to make “normal” yeast bread.

Because it has lower gluten content. Bread flour in the UK will be labelled as such, or as “strong” flour.