One cup of coconut flour weighs 128 g, spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. Coconut flour is made from dried coconut flesh, and it is one of the most absorbent flours in the kitchen — a little goes a very long way, because it soaks up liquid like a sponge. The cup weight of 128 g is deceptive: you will almost never use a full cup of coconut flour in a recipe, because a quarter cup is usually enough. This guide covers the weight, the measurement, the substitutes, and the recipes where coconut flour earns its keep. All weights on this page are approximate; coconut flour's absorbency means the weight matters more than the volume, so verify with a scale when precision matters.
Coconut Flour: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of coconut flour in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the King Arthur Baking figure of 128 g per cup, spooned and levelled. Every figure is approximate — spooned and levelled is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.
| Amount | Weight (approx.) |
| --- | --- |
| 1 teaspoon | 2.7 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 8 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 32 g |
| 1/3 cup | 42.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 64 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 96 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 128 g |
| 2 cups | 256 g |
| 100 g | 0.8 cups |
There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.8 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.
What is Coconut Flour?
Coconut flour is very absorbent flour made from dried coconut flesh; a little goes a long way. It is made by drying coconut meat, defatting it, and grinding it to a fine powder. The result is a flour that is high in fibre — about 40 percent — and very thirsty: it absorbs several times its weight in liquid, which is why recipes use it in small amounts and add extra eggs to bind it. It is used for gluten-free and keto baking, in small amounts, and it brings a mild coconut flavour and a dense, moist texture. It has no gluten, so it cannot replace wheat flour 1:1, and a recipe that uses coconut flour needs a completely different formula — more eggs, more liquid, and a much smaller amount of flour. It keeps for up to 1 year in an airtight container in a cool, dry place.
How to measure Coconut Flour correctly
Coconut Flour is measured spooned and levelled, and the method matters more than most cooks realise. For dry ingredients, spoon the ingredient into the measure with a smaller spoon, letting it fall loosely, then sweep a knife across the top to level it — never dip the measuring cup into the bag, because dipping compresses the ingredient and adds up to 20 percent. For liquids, pour into a liquid measuring jug and read the level at eye height, or weigh directly into the bowl, which is the most accurate method of all. The King Arthur Baking figure used on this page is 128 g per cup, and it is the figure the site's converters use, so the numbers here and the numbers in the tool always agree. Confidence in this figure is high.
Worked examples
Keto coconut flour pancakes
A keto pancake recipe uses 1/4 cup of coconut flour — about 32 g — with 4 eggs and a splash of cream. The weight matters because the ratio is extreme: 32 g of flour against 4 eggs is a batter that is mostly egg, and the coconut flour's job is to absorb the liquid and give the pancakes structure. Weighing 32 g keeps the ratio exact — a tablespoon too much and the pancakes are dry and crumbly, a tablespoon too little and they fall apart in the pan. The batter is rested for 5 minutes, which lets the coconut flour hydrate, and the pancakes are cooked on a low heat, because coconut flour browns fast.
A gluten-free coconut cake
A gluten-free cake uses 1/2 cup of coconut flour — about 64 g — with 6 eggs, butter and sugar. The weight is useful because the cake's structure depends on the eggs: coconut flour has no gluten, so the eggs are the binder, and 6 eggs against 64 g of flour gives a cake that holds together and stays moist. Weighing the flour also lets you scale the recipe — a single layer needs 32 g, and a double layer needs 128 g — and the cake is baked at a lower temperature than a wheat cake, because coconut flour browns faster. The finished cake is topped with a coconut frosting and toasted coconut flakes.
Thickening a curry
A curry is thickened with 2 tablespoons of coconut flour — about 16 g — stirred into the sauce. The weight matters because coconut flour thickens powerfully: 16 g thickens about 500 ml of sauce, and a tablespoon too many turns the curry into a paste. The flour is mixed with a little cold water first, then stirred into the simmering curry, which stops it clumping. The coconut flour adds a mild coconut flavour that suits the curry, and it is a useful thickener for anyone who cannot use wheat flour or cornstarch. The curry is simmered for 5 minutes after the flour goes in, until it reaches the right consistency.
Absorbency: a little goes a long way
Coconut flour's absorbency is its defining characteristic, and it is what makes it the hardest flour to use. It absorbs three to four times its weight in liquid, which means a recipe that uses coconut flour needs far more liquid and far more eggs than a wheat flour recipe — and far less flour. The standard rule is that 1/4 cup of coconut flour replaces 1 cup of all-purpose flour, with 1 extra egg per 1/4 cup to bind it. That ratio is not a suggestion — it is the formula, and deviating from it gives a bake that is either dry and crumbly or wet and gummy. The practical consequence is that you cannot adapt a wheat flour recipe to coconut flour by swapping the flour: you need a recipe written for coconut flour, with its own liquid and egg ratios. And when you measure coconut flour, always weigh it: 128 g per cup, 32 g per quarter cup, 8 g per tablespoon. A spoon-measured cup can vary by 20 g, and in a recipe that only uses a quarter cup, a 20 g error is catastrophic. Weigh the flour, count the eggs, and the recipe will work.
What to use instead
There is no single perfect substitute for coconut flour in every recipe, because it does different jobs in different dishes. In baking, the closest match is usually an ingredient from the same family used in a similar way — but always check a recipe written for the substitute rather than swapping blindly, and expect the texture and flavour to change. When a recipe depends on coconut flour for structure — as a binder, a leavener or a main ingredient — there is no substitute that behaves the same way, and the honest answer is to buy the ingredient or choose a different recipe. For a full list of tested swaps with ratios, see the substitution finder and the flour substitute converter.
Storage
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 1 year. That is the headline, but the details matter. Store coconut flour in an airtight container, away from heat, light and strong smells — dry ingredients absorb odours readily, and a bag of flour stored next to the spices will taste of them within a week. Label the container with the date you opened it, so you know how long it has been there, and check it before you bake: if it smells off, tastes bitter, or shows any sign of moisture or insects, discard it. Buying in smaller quantities and using it promptly is better than buying in bulk and storing it for a year, because every ingredient loses flavour with time, even the ones that never truly go bad.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of coconut flour?
One cup of coconut flour weighs 128 g, spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. One tablespoon weighs 8 g. You will rarely use a full cup — most recipes use 1/4 cup or less.
How many tablespoons of coconut flour are in 100 g?
There are about 12 tablespoons in 100 g of coconut flour (100 divided by 8 is 12.5). A standard 500 g bag holds about 62 tablespoons, which is roughly 4 cups.
Can I use coconut flour instead of all-purpose flour?
Not 1:1. Use 1/4 cup of coconut flour per cup of all-purpose flour, plus 1 extra egg per 1/4 cup, because coconut flour is extremely absorbent and has no gluten. You will also need more liquid. Use a recipe written for coconut flour rather than adapting a wheat recipe.
Why is my coconut flour bake dry?
Usually too much flour or too little liquid. Coconut flour absorbs three to four times its weight in liquid, so it needs far more eggs and liquid than wheat flour. Weigh the flour — a spoon-measured cup can be 20 g heavy — and rest the batter for 5 minutes so the flour hydrates fully.
How long does coconut flour last?
Up to 1 year in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Discard it if it smells musty or rancid. Coconut flour absorbs moisture easily, so keep it sealed.
Related pages
If you cook with this ingredient regularly, these pages will help: the cups to grams converter for any amount, the ingredient density lookup for the full table of 120 ingredients, the Coconut Flour cups to grams page for cup conversions, the Coconut Flour grams to cups page for working backwards from grams, and the Coconut Flour tablespoons to grams page for spoon measures. You may also want Almond Flour, All-Purpose Flour.