Quick Summary: Yes, all-purpose flour and plain flour are essentially the same thing. "All-purpose flour" is the American name, and "plain flour" is the British and Australian name for the same versatile white wheat flour. Both have no added raising agent, and you can substitute one for the other 1:1. The only minor difference is protein content (about 9% to 11% for all-purpose, 8% to 10% for plain), which rarely matters in everyday baking.
Are all-purpose flour and plain flour interchangeable?
If a recipe from another country calls for one and your kitchen has the other, go ahead and use what you have. The swap works by volume and by weight, so 1 cup (or 125 grams) of all-purpose flour equals 1 cup of plain flour. You do not need to adjust the liquid or leavening.
For most everyday baking, cookies, pancakes, muffins, quick breads, and sauces, the swap is seamless. The tiny protein difference only becomes noticeable in a few delicate cases, which the next section explains.
Finding the right flour can sometimes be challenging while traveling.
- All-purpose flour is regular flour in the United States. Plain flour is mainly found in the United Kingdom and Australia.
- American self-rising is called self-raising in the UK.
- Indian plain flour, Maida, differs from its British and American cousins.
All-purpose flour vs. plain flour: the protein nuance
Although the two flours are the same in practice, there can be a small difference in protein content depending on where they are milled. That protein level affects gluten formation, which determines the texture and structure of baked goods.
All-purpose flour, with its moderate protein range of about 9% to 11%, develops enough gluten to give elasticity and strength, making it a versatile choice for most recipes.
Plain flour usually sits in a similar range, roughly 8% to 10%. When it is on the lower end, the slightly reduced protein means less gluten, which gives softer, lighter crumbs in pastries and cakes.
In most home baking, this small difference will not matter, and you can swap the two flours 1:1. It only becomes noticeable in delicate recipes: a very low-protein plain flour gives a lighter sponge cake, while a higher-protein all-purpose flour adds more structure to bread loaves.
What is all-purpose flour?
All-purpose flour is a medium-gluten flour that falls between the two extremes of bread and pastry flour. It is usually made from hard red winter wheat and contains around 9 to 11% protein, depending on the brand.
All-purpose flour is usually abbreviated as AP flour or APF. The term "all-purpose" means that it can be used for all purposes, so you can also call it multi-purpose flour. However, it doesn't work for everything.
The most versatile flour is perfect for making pie crusts, biscuits, and quick breads, including soda bread, different types of pastries, crepes, pancakes, etc. If a recipe calls for "flour," it likely means all-purpose flour.
Some flour manufacturers mix in soft wheat to meet protein specifications, lowering the protein content to 8 to 10%. Be aware that all-purpose flour contains different amounts of protein depending on the brand and region.
For example, national American brands (King Arthur, Pillsbury, or Gold Medal) have about 11 to 12% protein, while Southern American flour (White Lily, Martha White, etc.) contains only about 9% protein.
Interestingly, in some countries, such as Canada, it is mandatory to fortify white flour with folic acid, iron, and vitamin B, enriching the flour.
Note: American all-purpose flour is equivalent to French T55 flour, type 0 Italian flour, and Euro 550 flour.
What is plain flour?
Plain flour, also known as soft wheat flour, typically has a protein content of 8% to 9%. The lower protein content means less gluten, giving baked goods a tender, delicate crumb.
For instance, when I make pastries and cakes using plain flour, they come out soft and crumbly, precisely what you'd want in a melt-in-your-mouth dessert.
Reduced gluten development prevents the formation of an elastic dough, which is undesirable in such delicate confections. This characteristic makes plain flour the go-to option for pastry chefs.
Can you swap all-purpose flour for plain flour?
While possible, remember that the finished results may differ. Substituting flours could result in a texture that isn't quite as soft, turning your cupcakes into something chewier.
Specialty flours
Self-rising flour
Self-rising flour is flour mixed with a raising agent. It is milled from hard and soft types of wheat and has about 8.5% protein, depending on the brand. Some recipes specifically call for self-rising flour and don't require any additional leavening agent like baking powder or baking soda.
Cake flour
Cake flour (soft flour in the UK) is made from exceptionally finely milled soft wheat and contains the lowest protein content. The exact protein content varies by brand, usually around 9%. Cake flour contains more starch and, as the name suggests, is used to make cakes, cupcakes, muffins, etc.
Cake flour is the best for making cakes because it is bleached. This unique bleaching process increases the flour's acidity and changes its starches and fats. This helps the cake rise rather than collapse while baking.
Note: American cake flour is equivalent to French T45 flour, type 00 Italian flour, and Euro 450 flour.
Pastry flour
Pastry flour comes from soft wheat but sometimes is milled from durum wheat. It has a moderate protein content that falls between cake flour and all-purpose and plain flour.
Low in gluten, pastry flour is a very fine powder used to make pastries, cookies, or tender cakes. Its low protein content gives baked goods a tender, flaky texture.
Prepared flour
Prepared flour is a cake and pastry flour that contains 1 ½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt per 1 cup (125 g).
Bread flour
Bread flour, also known as strong or hard flour in the UK, contains one of the highest gluten contents of all the flour types. It is milled entirely from durum wheat, which provides a higher proportion of gluten and protein (11 to 14% protein, depending on the brand), which helps the bread rise.
Bread flour requires a lot of kneading to make good bread dough. The more you knead, the more the flour rises, which allows you to make good bread. Bread flour is used to make yeast breads, bagels, etc.
Note: American high-gluten bread flour is equivalent to French T65 flour, type 1 Italian flour, and Euro 650 flour.
Whole wheat flour
Whole wheat flour (wholemeal flour in the UK) is made by milling whole wheat and contains bran flakes. Wheat germ is often removed from this type of flour to prevent rancidity.
Although some stone-ground flours contain the germ, read the package information. Depending on the brand, it contains 9-10% protein, sometimes even 14% protein.
You can use whole wheat flour instead of white flour, 1 cup for 1 cup, in almost any recipe. But you should expect a darker crumb and a slightly heavier texture. To get lighter baked goods, sift the whole wheat flour a few times before using it, and be sure to reintegrate the bran collected in the sieve into the flour.
Whole wheat flour is mainly used to make brown bread, wholemeal bread, shortbread, cookies, etc.
Note: wholemeal bread flour is equivalent to French T150 flour, type 2 Italian flour, and Euro 1150 flour.
00 Flour
Type 00 (pizza flour) is a staple of Italian baking for making pizzas and pasta. It is made from very hard wheat and has a protein content of 11-12.5%, depending on the brand.
00 flour is a highly refined flour, milled to the finest texture possible. As a result, it lends itself to doughs that leaven quickly but naturally, especially for pizza dough and fresh pasta.
Note: Type 00 Italian flour is equivalent to Swiss-bake pizza flour and other imported pizza flour.
Semolina flour
Semolina flour is a coarse flour with 13% protein content made from very hard durum wheat. This flour is darker and more golden than all-purpose flour. Food manufacturers can fortify it by adding back nutrients lost during the processing of durum wheat grain. Semolina flour is mainly used to make bread, pasta, focaccia, and porridge.
Six-grain flour
This type of flour is made with durum wheat, rye, corn, barley, millet, and brown rice. It enriches the taste of bread, muffins, and pancakes.
Gluten-free flour
Gluten-free flour (often written as GF flour) is flour without gluten. Because it lacks gluten, you will need to add other thickeners, such as xanthan gum or guar gum, while baking. These gluten substitutes are available online and in the baking aisle of your favorite grocery store.
Oat flour
Oat flour is a protein-rich flour made by grinding rolled oats or old-fashioned oats. It contains about 17% protein, depending on the brand.
Since it is gluten-free, baked goods may not rise as much as you want, so mixing it with another flour is better. The most popular products are oatmeal pancakes, oatmeal muffins, cookies, and oatmeal bread.
Buckwheat flour
Buckwheat flour is ground from buckwheat and has a pronounced rustic and nutty flavor and taste. It is also a gluten-free flour that makes pancakes, crumbles, biscuits, pasta, and the famous Breton crêpes (aka galettes).
Buckwheat flour is challenging to work with to achieve a homogeneous, light preparation. Therefore, it is hard to replace wheat flour with buckwheat flour; it is better to combine it with other flours.
Rice flour
White and brown rice can be used to make a variety of flours. Rice flour is the most common gluten-free option. It is relatively inexpensive and neutral in flavor compared with grains like wheat or rye, to which many people with allergies may be sensitive.
Rice flour is low in protein, which means it won't hold structure and shape in your baked goods like all-purpose flour. Combine rice flour with another gluten-free flour for better baking results.
Corn flour
Corn flour is made by grinding dried corn kernels. It is one of the most used gluten-free flours, especially in pastry recipes.
It should not be confused with cornstarch, which has a different composition and uses. Likewise, corn flour is not the same as masa harina, a specific type of quick-cooking corn flour. Masa harina makes corn tortillas, crisps, bread, and other Latin American dishes.
Because of its low protein content, you cannot use corn flour as a substitute for all-purpose flour. However, you can combine it with all-purpose flour for better results.
Almond flour
Almond flour is made by blanching and drying almonds, then grinding them into flour. It has a sweet, nutty flavor and is considered a versatile gluten-free flour. You can buy it online or make it yourself.
Although many recipes, such as French macarons, are designed specifically for almond flour, most plain flour recipes can be adjusted with a few substitution tricks.
Almond flour doesn't contain gluten, so it will not work the same for bread recipes, for example, even if you use yeast. Working with this flour, you may add ingredients to help absorb liquid, such as flax eggs for vegans.
Still, if you want to adapt a recipe based on all-purpose flour, you must do some baking testing.
Coconut flour
Coconut flour is made by grinding dried, deglazed coconut flesh. It is used for making shakes and smoothies. Very delicate and soft, this flour is ideal for gluten-free baking, but it isn't easy to work with due to its high protein content.
Recipes are available that use coconut flour, like this coconut dacquoise cake.
If you want to substitute it for all-purpose flour, you need to adjust the amount. Because it is very absorbent, use only ¼ the amount of coconut flour to replace the same amount of all-purpose flour.
But you can easily replace ground almonds or oat bran with coconut flour in certain gluten-free preparations.
Always measure the flour
A kitchen scale is one of the best and most precise ways to weigh flour. If you are used to measuring flour with the spoon-and-level method, aerate it first, then spoon it into a measuring cup and level it with a butter knife.
Please avoid sinking the cup directly into the bag of flour, shaking it, or pressing it down. Otherwise, you risk adding up to 1 oz. (30 g) per cup. That's enough to ruin any recipe!
FAQ
Is plain flour the same as all-purpose flour?
Yes. Plain flour and all-purpose flour are the same versatile white wheat flour; "plain flour" is simply the British and Australian name, and "all-purpose flour" is the American name. You can substitute one for the other 1:1.
What is plain flour?
Plain flour is a general-purpose white wheat flour with no added raising agent. It is the standard everyday flour in the UK and Australia and is used for cakes, pastries, sauces, and most baking.
What does AP flour mean?
AP flour is short for all-purpose flour (sometimes written APF). "All-purpose" means it works for a wide range of recipes, from cookies and pancakes to quick breads.
Can I use all-purpose flour instead of plain flour?
Yes, you can use all-purpose flour instead of plain flour at a 1:1 ratio. The two are essentially the same, with only a small possible difference in protein content that rarely affects home baking.
What is cream flour?
Cream flour is plain flour produced by the Irish brand Odlums. It contains a low level of added raising agents and is used for home baking, such as pastries and biscuits.
Is all-purpose flour the same as self-rising flour?
No. All-purpose flour and self-rising flour are not the same. All-purpose flour is just ground wheat endosperm, while self-rising flour is all-purpose flour with baking powder and salt already added.
Is Maida flour the same as plain flour?
Maida is a refined wheat flour that is not quite the same as plain flour. It is finely milled, has less protein than all-purpose flour, is closer to US cake flour, and is used for bread, cakes, chapatis, parathas, and puris.
Conclusion
All-purpose flour and plain flour are essentially the same versatile white wheat flour, and the main difference is the name: "all-purpose" in the US and "plain" in the UK and Australia. There is only a small, brand-dependent difference in protein content, so in most home baking you can swap them 1:1 with confidence.
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