1/2 Cup Whole Wheat Flour in Grams

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour weighs 56.5 g (spooned and levelled, King Arthur Baking). A full cup weighs 113 g, so the half cup is exactly half of that. Flour milled from the whole wheat kernel, including bran and germ. 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.

Why weighing whole wheat flour beats measuring it in cups

Half a cup of whole wheat flour weighs 56.5 g, lighter than a half cup of white flour at 60 g, because the bran in whole wheat flour makes it lighter per cup. The bran is bulky and does not pack as tightly as the fine endosperm in white flour, so the same volume holds less weight. That 3.5 g difference per half cup is small, but it matters in a recipe that was developed with white flour and is being made with whole wheat: swapping the flours cup for cup without adjusting the weight leaves the recipe short on flour, and the bake will be wetter and denser than intended.

Whole wheat flour also absorbs more water than white flour, because the bran soaks up liquid, so a recipe made with whole wheat flour needs more water or a longer rest for the bran to hydrate. A half cup of whole wheat flour in a muffin recipe will drink up more milk than the same amount of white flour, and the muffins will be dry if the liquid is not increased. The King Arthur figure is 113 g per cup, though some sources quote 120 g, so this page uses 56.5 g per half cup and says so plainly. Store whole wheat flour in the fridge or freezer, because the germ oils go rancid at room temperature.

Whole Wheat Flour cups to grams conversion table

Cups Grams Tablespoons
1/8 cup 14.1 g 2
1/4 cup 28.2 g 4
1/3 cup 37.7 g 5.3
1/2 cup 56.5 g 8
2/3 cup 75.3 g 10.7
3/4 cup 84.8 g 12
1 cup 113 g 16
1 1/2 cups 169.5 g 24
2 cups 226 g 32
3 cups 339 g 48

The table is built around the half cup, which is the measure this page is about, with the full-cup weight of 113 g as the anchor. Every row is the full-cup weight multiplied by the fraction, so the numbers stay consistent as you scale up or down. One tablespoon of whole wheat flour weighs about 7.1 g, which is useful when a recipe calls for a spoonful rather than a cup.

Worked examples

Wholemeal muffins for a weekday breakfast

A batch of 6 wholemeal muffins uses about 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, which is 56.5 g, mixed with an equal amount of white flour, an egg, milk and honey. Weigh 56.5 g rather than measuring by cups, because whole wheat flour is lighter per cup than white flour and a cup-for-cup swap leaves the recipe short. Let the batter rest for ten minutes so the bran hydrates, which keeps the muffins moist.

A small wholemeal loaf for two

A small loaf for two people uses about 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, which is 56.5 g, mixed with white bread flour, water, yeast and salt. Weigh the flour so the hydration is right: whole wheat flour absorbs more water than white flour, so the dough may need an extra tablespoon of water. Knead well and let the dough rise until doubled.

Whole wheat cookies, a batch of 12

A batch of 12 cookies uses about 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour, which is 56.5 g, mixed with oats, butter, sugar and raisins. Weigh 56.5 g so the cookies are hearty rather than dry: whole wheat flour makes a denser cookie, and the amount needs to be right. Bake until the edges are set but the centres are still soft.

How the weight was measured

Spooned and levelled means spooning the ingredient into the measuring cup until it is heaped, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop the cup through the bag or jar, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight. The difference between a spooned cup and a scooped cup can be 15 to 25 percent, which is enough to change a bake from tender to tough, so the method matters as much as the number.

The source for the figure on this page is King Arthur Baking, and the confidence in the value is high. King Arthur Baking publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows that chart rather than any single cookbook. Where the chart gives a range or a note, we say so plainly instead of hiding the uncertainty. All the figures here are approximate conversions: natural ingredients vary by brand, variety, moisture and how finely they are chopped or ground, so when a recipe really matters, verify the weight with a kitchen scale.

King Arthur lists 113 g per cup; some sources quote 120 g. The bran makes it lighter per cup than white flour.

Practical guidance

Store whole wheat flour in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, because the germ oils go rancid at room temperature and the flour will taste bitter within weeks. Always spoon the flour into the cup and level it, never scoop, because scooping compresses the flour. Let batters made with whole wheat flour rest for ten minutes before baking, so the bran hydrates and the bake stays moist. If a recipe was written for white flour, do not swap in whole wheat flour cup for cup without adjusting the weight and the liquid: whole wheat flour is lighter per cup at 56.5 g per half cup and absorbs more water. If you do not have a scale, spoon the flour loosely into the half cup and level it, remembering that the 56.5 g figure is approximate and some sources quote 60 g per half cup.

Common mistakes with half-cup measures

The most common mistake is treating a half cup as a casual measure. Half a cup of flour is 60 g, and a scooped half cup can easily weigh 70 g or more, which is a 15 percent error in a recipe that may only contain two or three cups of flour in total. Small measures carry the largest relative errors, so weighing matters more, not less, at this size. The second mistake is using a liquid measuring jug for dry flour: the meniscus line is designed for liquids, and flour measured in a jug is almost always over- or under-filled. Use a dry cup, or a scale. The third is assuming every flour weighs the same per half cup: the flours on this page range from about 42 g to about 82 g per half cup, so swapping flours cup for cup without adjusting the weight changes the recipe. Finally, do not pack flour into the half cup to make it look full: spoon and level, every time.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams is 1/2 cup of whole wheat flour?

1/2 cup of whole wheat flour weighs 56.5 g when spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking, which lists 113 g per cup. Some sources quote 120 g per cup, which would make a half cup 60 g. This page uses the King Arthur value, and the figure is approximate.

Why is whole wheat flour lighter than white flour?

Because it contains bran, which is bulky and does not pack as tightly as the fine endosperm in white flour. A cup of whole wheat flour is 113 g and a cup of white flour is 120 g, so the same volume holds less weight.

Can I use whole wheat flour instead of white flour?

Yes, but adjust the recipe. Whole wheat flour is lighter per cup and absorbs more water, so weigh it rather than measuring by volume, increase the liquid slightly, and let the batter rest for ten minutes so the bran hydrates.

How should I store whole wheat flour?

In an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, because the germ oils go rancid at room temperature. White flour keeps in a cool cupboard for a year, but whole wheat flour will taste bitter within weeks at room temperature.

How many cups is 100 g of whole wheat flour?

100 g of whole wheat flour is about 0.88 cups, or just under 1 cup. At 113 g per cup, divide 100 by 113 to get the answer, and use a scale for the most accurate result.

Related conversions

If you need a different amount, the table above scales in both directions, and the converter tool will do the maths for any quantity. When a recipe really matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale rather than trusting the cup alone, because the figures on this page are approximate and natural ingredients vary by brand, variety and moisture.