1 Cup Peanuts in Grams
1 cup of peanuts weighs 142 g (spooned and levelled, King Arthur Baking). Shelled whole peanuts. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the King Arthur Baking value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Peanuts are shelled whole peanuts, and a cup of them weighs 142 g, the same as a cup of almonds. They are technically a legume rather than a nut, but in the kitchen they behave like one, and they are used in snacking, stir-fries, sauces and baking, where their mild, earthy flavour and their crunch are an asset. Peanuts keep for up to three months in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, which is longer than most nuts, because their oils are more stable. They are the base of peanut butter and satay sauce, and they are one of the most common allergens in the world, so any recipe using them should be labelled clearly.
Peanuts cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 35.5 g | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 47.3 g | 5.3 |
| 1/2 cup | 71 g | 8 |
| 2/3 cup | 94.7 g | 10.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 106.5 g | 12 |
| 1 cup | 142 g | 16 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 213 g | 24 |
| 2 cups | 284 g | 32 |
| 3 cups | 426 g | 48 |
| 4 cups | 568 g | 64 |
One tablespoon of peanuts weighs about 8.9 g, and a cup is 16 tablespoons, so the tablespoon column is simply the cup weight divided by 16. For small amounts, a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one. All the values in this table are approximate, and they assume the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled, exactly as the source measured it.
Why a scale beats a cup for peanuts
Dry pantry ingredients are the ones where a scale earns its keep fastest, because the amounts are small and the consequences are large. A teaspoon of baking soda is only about 6 g, but the difference between the right amount and double the amount is the difference between a cake that rises and one that tastes of soap and collapses. Spices are even more concentrated: a tablespoon of ground ginger weighs about 5 g, and that is enough to flavour a whole batch of biscuits. Nuts and dried fruit sit at the other end of the scale, where a cup is a substantial amount and the weight depends on how whole, chopped or packed the pieces are. Weighing dry ingredients is the only way to be consistent with small amounts, because a heaped spoon and a level spoon can differ by half.
Worked examples
A stir-fry sauce with peanuts
A stir-fry sauce that calls for 1 cup of peanuts needs 142 g, ground coarsely and mixed with soy sauce, chilli and lime. The peanuts give the sauce its body and its crunch, and they should be ground coarsely rather than finely, because large pieces give the sauce texture while a fine grind makes it pasty. Weigh the peanuts whole and grind them afterwards, because a cup of ground peanuts weighs more than a cup of whole peanuts.
Peanut butter cookies
A batch of peanut butter cookies that uses 1/2 cup of chopped peanuts needs 71 g, folded into the dough with the peanut butter. The chopped peanuts give the cookies a crunch that peanut butter alone cannot, and they toast in the oven as the cookies bake, deepening their flavour. Weigh the peanuts before chopping them, because a cup of chopped peanuts weighs more than a cup of whole peanuts, and the cookies will be too nutty if you measure after chopping.
Trail mix for a hike
A trail mix that calls for 2 cups of peanuts needs 284 g, mixed with raisins, chocolate chips and seeds. The peanuts give the mix its protein and its staying power, and they are the cheapest ingredient in the mix, which is why commercial trail mixes are mostly peanuts. Weigh the peanuts rather than measuring by volume, because a cup of peanuts is a substantial amount and a scooped cup can be 20 g off, which changes the balance of the whole mix.
How the weight was measured
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled unless the method line says otherwise. Spooning means filling the cup with a spoon rather than plunging the cup into the bag, and levelling means sweeping a knife across the rim. Scooping packs the ingredient down and can add a fifth or more to the weight, which is why two bakers following the same cup-based recipe can get visibly different results. Confidence in this value is high. That reflects how consistent the ingredient is from brand to brand: a uniform, factory-packed ingredient is more predictable than a fresh, variable one. Even a high-confidence figure is still an approximation, because moisture, grind size and settling all shift the weight a little. Treat the grams on this page as a reliable starting point and check with a scale when the recipe is fussy, expensive, or being made for the first time.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is using a heaped spoon when the recipe means a level one. A heaped tablespoon of a ground spice can weigh half as much again as a level tablespoon, which is enough to make a curry bitter or a cake taste of baking soda. The second is scooping a dry ingredient straight from the jar with the measuring spoon, which packs it; spoon it in and level it with a knife instead. The third is measuring over the mixing bowl, so an overshoot falls in and cannot be taken out; measure over a plate or a piece of paper. And the fourth is confusing ingredients that look alike: baking soda and baking powder, ground ginger and ground cinnamon, salt and sugar. They weigh differently and behave differently, and a mix-up cannot be fixed after mixing.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most with leavening, salt and spices, where the amounts are small and the effect is large. Baking soda, baking powder and yeast all work within narrow ranges, and too much or too little changes the rise, the flavour and the texture. It matters less with nuts and dried fruit in a trail mix or a salad, where a few grams either way is invisible. It matters again in bulk baking and preserving, where a spice blend or a leavening mix is made in quantity and a cup-based error is multiplied across dozens of batches. When the ingredient is the difference between rising and not rising, weigh it.
What to do if you do not have a scale
If you do not have a scale, use proper measuring spoons for small amounts and level every spoon with the back of a knife. For cups of nuts, seeds or dried fruit, spoon the ingredient into a dry cup and level it, without pressing it down, because pressing packs the pieces and adds weight. For ground spices, spoon them in lightly and level them; do not tap the spoon, which settles the powder. For leavening and yeast, which are used in tiny amounts, a scale that reads to the gram is genuinely worth owning, because a single gram too much baking soda is noticeable in the finished cake.
Storing peanuts
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 3 months. Keeping peanuts properly stored matters for the conversion as well as for the flavour: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, and one that has dried out weighs less. Store it in an airtight container, away from heat and light, and measure it in the state the recipe expects, not straight from a damp or stale bag.
Frequently asked questions
Are peanuts a nut?
No, botanically. Peanuts are a legume, related to beans and lentils, and they grow underground rather than on a tree. In the kitchen they are treated as a nut, because they look, taste and behave like one, and they are used in the same recipes. A cup of peanuts weighs 142 g, the same as a cup of almonds. The distinction matters most for allergies: a peanut allergy is different from a tree nut allergy, though some people have both, so recipes using peanuts should always be labelled clearly.
Do peanuts go rancid?
Yes, but more slowly than most nuts, because their oils are more stable. Peanuts keep for up to three months in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, and longer in the fridge or the freezer. Taste one before cooking with peanuts that have been stored for a while: a rancid peanut tastes bitter and stale, and it will flavour the whole dish. Roasting peanuts improves their flavour and their texture, but it will not fix a peanut that has already gone rancid.
Can I use cups instead of a scale for peanuts?
Yes, but a scale is more accurate. If you measure peanuts spooned and levelled, exactly as the figure on this page was measured, a cup will be close to 142 g, within a few grams. The problem is that most people scoop rather than spoon, which can add 15 to 25 percent to the weight, and that error is enough to change a bake. For everyday cooking, cups are fine. For baking, where the ratio of ingredients decides the result, weigh it and check the number on the scale.
How many tablespoons are in a cup of peanuts?
There are 16 tablespoons in a US cup, so a cup of peanuts is 16 tablespoons, and one tablespoon weighs about 8.9 g. A teaspoon weighs about 3 g. Tablespoons are useful when a recipe calls for a small amount, but they carry the same packing problem as cups: a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one, so level every spoon with the back of a knife, and use a scale for small amounts when accuracy matters.
Does the weight change if I pack or sift peanuts?
Yes, and this is the single biggest source of error in cup measurements. peanuts is measured spooned and levelled, and a scooped cup can weigh 15 to 25 percent more than a spooned cup, because scooping packs the ingredient down. Sifting has the opposite effect: it adds air and makes the cup lighter. Always measure the way the figure on this page was measured, spooned and levelled, and the weight will match the table.