One cup of ground cinnamon weighs 125 grams when spooned and levelled, according to the USDA. That is a light, fluffy spice — far lighter per cup than sugar at 198 grams, but heavier than cocoa powder at 84 grams. A single teaspoon of ground cinnamon weighs about 2.6 grams, and a tablespoon weighs about 7.8 grams. These are approximate figures, because ground cinnamon settles and compacts easily, and different grinds pack differently, but 125 grams per cup is the reliable reference value, and you should verify with a kitchen scale whenever the amount matters — which, with a spice as potent as cinnamon, it usually does.

Cinnamon is the most-used spice in baking, and the one where a small measuring error has the biggest flavour consequence. A teaspoon too much in a cinnamon roll filling makes it bitter and medicinal; a teaspoon too little in an apple pie makes the pie taste flat. Most recipes call for 1 to 3 teaspoons, which is only 2.6 to 7.8 grams, so the difference between a level teaspoon and a heaped teaspoon — about 1 gram — is a third of the total amount in a lightly spiced recipe. That is why weighing cinnamon, even in such tiny amounts, is worth doing when the recipe matters: a scale that reads to a tenth of a gram costs little and removes the guesswork entirely.

How much does cinnamon weigh?

The table below gives the weight of ground cinnamon for the amounts you are most likely to meet, from a single teaspoon up to four cups. All figures come from the USDA value of 125 grams per cup, spooned and levelled. Because cinnamon is a fine powder, how you fill the measure matters: a scooped cup can weigh 135 grams or more, and a cup that has been tapped down can weigh more still. Spoon it in lightly and level it off, or weigh it.

Amount Weight (grams) Weight (ounces)
1 teaspoon 2.6 g 0.09 oz
1 tablespoon 7.8 g 0.28 oz
1/4 cup 31 g 1.10 oz
1/3 cup 42 g 1.47 oz
1/2 cup 63 g 2.21 oz
2/3 cup 83 g 2.94 oz
3/4 cup 94 g 3.31 oz
1 cup 125 g 4.41 oz
1 1/2 cups 188 g 6.61 oz
2 cups 250 g 8.82 oz
3 cups 375 g 13.23 oz
4 cups 500 g 17.64 oz

A useful comparison: one cup of cinnamon weighs almost exactly the same as one cup of chili powder (128 grams) and a little more than one cup of nutmeg (112 grams), but far less than one cup of salt (288 grams) or turmeric (144 grams). Spices vary enormously in density per cup — a cup of dried oregano weighs only 48 grams, while a cup of salt weighs 288 grams — so you cannot guess one spice's weight from another's. Each spice needs its own number, and 125 grams is cinnamon's.

For everyday baking, the teaspoon and tablespoon rows are the ones that matter. Most recipes use cinnamon by the teaspoon: 1 teaspoon in a batch of snickerdoodles (2.6 grams), 2 teaspoons in an apple pie (5.2 grams), 1 tablespoon in a cinnamon roll filling (7.8 grams). If your scale reads to the nearest gram, 2.6 grams will show as 3 grams — close enough. If it reads to a tenth of a gram, you can be exact. Either way, weighing beats spooning, because a "teaspoon" of cinnamon from a cutlery drawer can hold anywhere from 2 to 4 grams.

Worked examples

Example 1: A cinnamon roll filling that is always too strong

A cinnamon roll recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of cinnamon in the filling — 15.6 grams — mixed with 200 grams of brown sugar. You have always measured heaped tablespoons, which hold about 10 grams each, so you have been adding 20 grams: nearly 30 percent too much. The rolls taste bitter and the cinnamon overpowers the butter and sugar. The fix is to weigh 16 grams on the scale, or to spoon the cinnamon into the tablespoon and level it with the back of a knife. Once you do, the filling tastes warm and sweet rather than harsh, and the rolls taste like the bakery's. This is the single most common cinnamon mistake in home baking, and it is entirely a measurement problem.

Example 2: Scaling a spice blend for a market stall

You sell a chai spice blend at a farmers' market, and your recipe makes 1 cup of blend using 1/4 cup of cinnamon — 31 grams. A customer orders 20 jars, and you need to scale up twenty times: 5 cups of cinnamon, or 625 grams. Measuring 5 cups of cinnamon by volume means twenty quarter-cup measures, each with its own small error; weighing 625 grams once is faster and exact. It also matters for consistency: your customers come back because the blend tastes the same every time, and a 5-gram error per batch would be noticeable across twenty jars. Weighing every spice in the blend is the only way to keep it consistent.

Example 3: Converting an apple pie recipe to grams

An American apple pie recipe calls for 1 1/2 teaspoons of cinnamon, and you are converting it to grams for a friend who bakes by weight. One and a half teaspoons is 3.9 grams — call it 4 grams on a home scale. The recipe also calls for 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg, which is a different spice with a different weight, so do not apply the cinnamon number to it. The point of converting is that your friend can weigh 4 grams of cinnamon and know it is right, rather than guessing what your "teaspoon and a half" looked like. Small amounts, precisely weighed, are what make a converted recipe work.

Method and source

The figure of 125 grams per cup comes from the USDA, measured spooned and levelled: the cinnamon is spooned lightly into the cup and the top is levelled off with a straight edge, without tapping, shaking or packing. The USDA lists the value with medium confidence, because ground spices vary: the fineness of the grind, the moisture content and the variety of cinnamon all shift the weight by a few grams per cup.

There are two main types of cinnamon, and they weigh almost the same but taste different. Cassia cinnamon — the common supermarket cinnamon, from the bark of the Cinnamomum cassia tree — is strong, hot and slightly bitter. True cinnamon, or Ceylon cinnamon, from Cinnamomum verum, is milder, sweeter and more delicate, with citrus notes. Both weigh about 125 grams per cup when ground. Cassia contains much more coumarin, a compound that can be harmful in large daily doses, which is why heavy daily users of cinnamon — a teaspoon or more every day — are often advised to use Ceylon. For occasional baking, the difference does not matter; for a daily habit, it does.

One thing to be careful about is that this page's figures are for ground cinnamon. A cup of cinnamon sticks weighs far less — the sticks do not pack together, and a cup of them might weigh 60 to 80 grams depending on the size. If a recipe calls for cinnamon sticks, measure by count (usually 1 to 3 sticks), not by weight, and do not use the 125-gram figure.

Practical guidance

Cinnamon is best added to the dry ingredients or creamed with the butter and sugar, so that it distributes evenly through the batter or dough. In a pie filling, toss it with the fruit and sugar before filling the pie. In a spice blend, weigh each spice separately and mix thoroughly — a blend that is not mixed well will have pockets of pure cinnamon that taste bitter. Cinnamon's flavour comes from cinnamaldehyde, a volatile oil that fades with heat and time, so add cinnamon late in long-cooked dishes and do not overbake cinnamon goods: a cinnamon roll baked 5 minutes too long loses much of its aroma.

The most common mistakes are using a heaped spoon instead of a level one; using old cinnamon that has lost its aroma (ground cinnamon keeps for about a year, and after that it is mostly brown dust); and confusing cinnamon with other warm spices. Nutmeg, allspice and cloves are not substitutes for cinnamon — they are different flavours, and a teaspoon of cloves in place of a teaspoon of cinnamon will ruin a cake. If you are out of cinnamon, the closest substitute is a mix of nutmeg and allspice, but the result will taste different, and you should use slightly less.

Storage is simple but important: ground cinnamon keeps for about a year in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place. Light and heat destroy cinnamaldehyde, so do not store spices above the stove or on a sunny windowsill. Whole cinnamon sticks keep for two to three years and can be ground fresh in a spice grinder when needed — freshly ground cinnamon is noticeably more fragrant than a jar that has been open for a year. If your cinnamon smells faintly of wood rather than warm and sweet, it has faded and should be replaced.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams is 1 teaspoon of cinnamon?

One teaspoon of ground cinnamon weighs about 2.6 grams. On a home kitchen scale that reads to the nearest gram, that will show as 3 grams. Most recipes use 1 to 3 teaspoons, which is roughly 3 to 8 grams. For amounts this small, a scale that reads to a tenth of a gram is ideal, but a level measuring teaspoon is a good second choice — a heaped teaspoon can hold 4 grams.

How many grams is 1 tablespoon of cinnamon?

One tablespoon of ground cinnamon weighs about 7.8 grams — call it 8 grams on a home scale. Two tablespoons is about 16 grams, and three tablespoons (a quarter cup) is about 31 grams. A tablespoon is the amount typically used in a cinnamon roll filling, where the cinnamon is mixed with brown sugar and butter.

Is Ceylon cinnamon the same as cassia cinnamon?

They are both sold as cinnamon, but they are different species with different flavours. Cassia is the common supermarket cinnamon: strong, hot and slightly bitter, with high levels of coumarin. Ceylon, or true cinnamon, is milder, sweeter and more delicate. They weigh the same per cup (about 125 grams), so you can swap them gram for gram, but the flavour will change — use Ceylon for delicate desserts and cassia for robust spice cakes and curries.

Does cinnamon go bad?

Ground cinnamon does not go mouldy or unsafe, but it loses its aroma. Stored in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place, it keeps for about a year. After that it fades and tastes woody rather than warm. Whole cinnamon sticks keep for two to three years. If your cinnamon smells faintly of sawdust instead of warm spice, replace it — it will not flavour your baking.

Can I substitute nutmeg for cinnamon?

Not directly. Nutmeg is a different flavour — warm and slightly sweet, but with a distinct character of its own — and it is much stronger than cinnamon, so a teaspoon of nutmeg in place of a teaspoon of cinnamon will overpower the dish. If you are out of cinnamon, a mix of nutmeg and allspice in a smaller amount is the closest approximation, but the result will taste different. For a cinnamon roll or an apple pie, there is no real substitute.

How much cinnamon should I use in a cake?

Most cake recipes use 1 to 2 teaspoons (about 3 to 5 grams) of cinnamon per batch. A good rule is 1 teaspoon per 250 grams of flour. Using more will not make the cake taste more cinnamon — it will make it taste bitter and medicinal, because cinnamon's flavour compounds become harsh in large amounts. If you want a stronger cinnamon flavour, add it to the filling or topping as well as the batter, rather than doubling it in the batter.

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