Ingredient substitution guide
Best substitutes for flour
Best swap for flour: All-purpose flour. Same thing, different name. Use it 1:1.
How we checked this: these swaps come from the substitution list Well Stockd uses to match recipes, and their ratios follow ordinary kitchen practice rather than one published chart. For exact amounts on many common swaps, see the NDSU and Colorado State University extension tables listed below. Editorial policy
What can I use instead of Flour?
Flour and All-Purpose Flour are the same ingredient under different names, so swap one for the other 1:1. Another option is Bread Flour, 1:1 in yeast breads and pizza dough; higher protein, chewier, absorbs a bit more liquid; not for cakes, biscuits or pastry. The table below also lists Cake Flour, Self-Rising Flour and Whole-Wheat Flour, 5 swaps in all.
| Swap | Ratio and notes |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | Same thing, different name. Use it 1:1. |
| Bread flour | 1:1 in yeast breads and pizza dough; higher protein, chewier, absorbs a bit more liquid; not for cakes, biscuits or pastry |
| Cake flour | 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour per 1 cup all-purpose; lower protein, so it bakes more tender and will not build the gluten a bread dough needs |
| Self-rising flour | 1:1 for all-purpose, but leave out the recipe's baking powder and salt; self-rising already carries about 1 1/2 tsp baking powder and 1/4 tsp salt per cup How to use it: If the recipe uses more than 1 tsp baking powder per cup of flour, add the difference. Limits: Recipes leavened only with baking soda, or cookies that already spread a lot. |
| Whole-wheat flour | replace up to half the all-purpose flour; past that the crumb turns dense and dry unless you also add liquid |
Source and limits
These swaps come from the substitution list Well Stockd uses to match recipes to your kitchen, last updated . We remove swaps known to be unsafe, but not every swap has been tested in a kitchen, and a swap is cooking guidance, not an allergen or nutrition equivalent. Check labels and what the recipe needs before substituting.
The ratios and usage notes follow ordinary kitchen practice rather than a single published chart. These two university extension tables list exact amounts for many common swaps:
- Ingredient Substitutions (FN198), NDSU Extension (opens in a new tab)
- Ingredient Substitutions (9.329), Colorado State University Extension (opens in a new tab)
- King Arthur Baking, How to substitute self-rising flour for all-purpose flour (opens in a new tab)
Browse every ingredient and read how these swaps are sourced.
Buying more? Storage times for flour