1 tablespoon of almond flour weighs 6 g. Almond flour is light and fluffy, and a tablespoon of it weighs less than a tablespoon of any wheat flour. The tablespoon is a useful unit for almond flour, because it is often added a spoonful at a time to a recipe, for example to thicken a sauce, to dust a tin, or to adjust the texture of a gluten-free bake.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Putting the numbers to work
Dusting a cake tin for a gluten-free cake
A cake tin for a gluten-free cake is dusted with 1 tablespoon of almond flour, 6 g, instead of wheat flour, so the whole cake stays gluten-free. Tap the tin upside down to remove the excess, because too much flour leaves a coating on the outside of the cake.
Thickening a fruit filling
A fruit filling for a tart uses 2 tablespoons of almond flour, about 12 g, mixed with the fruit to absorb the juices. The almond flour thickens the filling without making it starchy, and it adds a nutty flavour that suits stone fruits like plums and apricots.
Adjusting a gluten-free batter
A gluten-free batter is too wet, and 2 tablespoons of almond flour, 12 g, stirred in at the end, thickens it without changing the flavour. Almond flour absorbs less liquid than wheat flour, so add it gradually and check the consistency after each spoonful.
The numbers in a table
| Amount | Grams of almond flour |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 6 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 12 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 18 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) | 24 g |
| 1/3 cup | 32 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) | 48 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) | 72 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 96 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Tips for best results
Spoon the flour into the cup and level it off with a straight edge. Scooping straight from the bag packs the flour down and can add 20 g or more per cup, which is enough to turn a tender cake dry and dense. Do not sift before measuring unless the recipe says sifted, because sifting adds air and changes the weight. If you bake often, the single best upgrade is a kitchen scale: weighing flour removes the biggest source of variation in home baking entirely. Until then, spoon and level every time, and use the same cup for the whole recipe so any small error stays consistent.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of almond flour, count out about 16.7 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 8.3 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 tablespoons means using 2 tablespoons, or 12 g, and doubling it means 8 tablespoons, or 48 g. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale: counting out 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh almond flour instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed cake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking: the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the almond flour until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for liquids, a jug is fine, but for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container in the fridge or freezer to stop the oils turning.
- Spoon almond flour into the measure; do not scoop it.
- Store in the fridge to protect the nut oils.
- Almond meal is lighter than almond flour per tablespoon.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Finely ground blanched almonds with a sweet, nutty flavour. Macarons, frangipane, financiers and gluten-free cakes.
A note on disputed figures. King Arthur lists 96 g per cup for blanched almond flour; coarser almond meal is lighter at about 84 g per cup.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the cup, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of almond flour?
One tablespoon of almond flour weighs 6 g, and one teaspoon is 2 g. A cup of almond flour is 96 g, and a tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup.
Is almond flour the same as almond meal by the tablespoon?
No. Almond meal is coarser and lighter, at about 5.3 g per tablespoon, against 6 g for almond flour. Almond flour is finely ground blanched almonds, while almond meal includes the skins and is coarser.
Can I substitute almond flour for wheat flour by the tablespoon?
For small amounts, yes, but the weights differ: a tablespoon of wheat flour is 7.5 g and a tablespoon of almond flour is 6 g. Almond flour also has no gluten, so it behaves differently in larger amounts.
How do I measure a tablespoon of almond flour?
Spoon it into the tablespoon measure and level it off. Do not scoop it from the bag, because almond flour compresses easily and a scooped tablespoon can be 8 g or more.
How long does almond flour keep?
A few months at room temperature, and longer in the fridge or freezer. The oils in the ground nuts turn rancid, so store it in an airtight container in the fridge and check for a stale smell before using older stock.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake with flour is scooping it straight from the bag, which packs it down and can add 20 g or more per cup. The second is shaking or tapping the cup to settle the flour, which has the same effect. The third is measuring flour that has just been sifted as if it were unsifted, because sifted flour is lighter and a cup of it weighs less. The fourth mistake is using a wet cup or spoon, because damp flour clumps and sticks, and the measurement becomes unreliable. Finally, do not assume that all flours weigh the same: a cup of whole wheat flour is 113 g, a cup of almond flour is 96 g, and a cup of rice flour is 142 g, and swapping them cup for cup without adjusting will change the recipe. When in doubt, weigh the flour, because a scale removes every one of these mistakes at once.