100 grams of whole wheat flour is about 14.2 tablespoons. A tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, and a cup of whole wheat flour is 113 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 1600 ÷ 113 = 14.2 tbsp — or, the other way round, one tablespoon weighs 7.1 g. If you cook from recipes written in grams and spoons, this page is the bridge between the two, and the worked examples show the conversion inside real dishes rather than in isolation.

Whole wheat flour is the flour for hearty baking: wholemeal breads, muffins and cookies with a nutty flavour and extra fibre. A hundred grams is about 14.2 tablespoons, which is more spoons than white flour needs, because whole wheat flour is lighter per cup — 113 g against 120 g. The bran is the reason: it makes the flour lighter, thirstier and slower to absorb water, which is why the practical notes below are mostly about hydration and resting time, not about the number of spoons.

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.

Conversion table

One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure here is the gram amount divided by the weight of one tablespoon. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.

Grams Tablespoons (approx.)
10 g 1.4 tbsp
20 g 2.8 tbsp
25 g 3.5 tbsp
30 g 4.2 tbsp
40 g 5.7 tbsp
50 g 7.1 tbsp
60 g 8.5 tbsp
75 g 10.6 tbsp
80 g 11.3 tbsp
100 g 14.2 tbsp
120 g 17.0 tbsp
125 g 17.7 tbsp
150 g 21.2 tbsp
200 g 28.3 tbsp
250 g 35.4 tbsp
300 g 42.5 tbsp
500 g 70.8 tbsp

The reverse table is just as useful: when a recipe gives tablespoons and you want to know the weight before you reach for the scale.

Tablespoons Grams (approx.)
1 tbsp 7.1 g
2 tbsp 14.1 g
3 tbsp 21.2 g
4 tbsp 28.2 g
5 tbsp 35.3 g
6 tbsp 42.4 g
7 tbsp 49.4 g
8 tbsp 56.5 g
9 tbsp 63.6 g
10 tbsp 70.6 g
11 tbsp 77.7 g
12 tbsp 84.8 g
13 tbsp 91.8 g
14 tbsp 98.9 g
15 tbsp 105.9 g
16 tbsp 113.0 g

One tablespoon of whole wheat flour weighs 7.1 g, and one cup weighs 113 g. Those two figures are all you need to move between grams, tablespoons and cups for this ingredient.

Cups to grams for reference

When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.

Cups Grams (approx.)
1/4 cup 28.2 g
1/3 cup 37.7 g
1/2 cup 56.5 g
2/3 cup 75.3 g
3/4 cup 84.8 g
1 cup 113.0 g

How the measurement works

The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Flour milled from the whole wheat kernel, including bran and germ. Wholemeal breads, muffins and hearty cookies.

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

All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, 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. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of whole wheat flour measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the King Arthur Baking value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.

Worked examples

A wholemeal loaf for two

A small wholemeal loaf calls for 100 g of whole wheat flour, which is about 14.2 tablespoons spooned and levelled, and the flour needs more water than white flour would — the bran drinks it up. Let the dough rest for twenty minutes after mixing before you knead it, so the bran hydrates, or the loaf will bake dry and crumbly.

Whole wheat muffins

A batch of six muffins takes 200 g of whole wheat flour, which is about 28.3 tablespoons — and this is the amount where the spoon table stops being practical and the scale takes over. Counting out 28 spoonfuls invites mistakes, so weigh the flour and use the tablespoon table only to check that the amount looks right.

A spoonful in a cookie dough

A cookie dough takes 4 tablespoons (28.2 g) of whole wheat flour swapped in for part of the white flour, and the bran gives the cookies a nutty flavour and a chewier bite. Swap only part of the flour — a cookie made with all whole wheat flour is dense and heavy, because the bran cuts the gluten strands.

Practical guidance

Spoon whole wheat flour into the measure and level it off, and never scoop: the bran makes it pack unevenly, and a scooped spoon can hold much more than a level one. Whole wheat flour absorbs water slowly, so a dough that looks too wet at first may be perfect after twenty minutes of resting — do not add more flour during the rest, or the finished loaf will be dry. If a recipe is written for white flour and you are swapping in whole wheat, add 2 tablespoons of extra liquid per cup of flour swapped, and expect a denser crumb.

Whole wheat flour goes rancid faster than white flour, because the germ contains oils that oxidise. Keep it in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer, not in a cupboard, and use it within a few months — rancid whole wheat flour smells stale and bitter, and no amount of baking fixes it. King Arthur lists 113 g per cup for whole wheat flour, while some sources quote 120 g; we use the King Arthur value, and the bran is the reason it is lighter than white flour.

Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of whole wheat flour, count out about 14.2 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 7.1 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 tablespoons means using 2 tablespoons, or 14.1 g, and doubling it means 8 tablespoons, or 56.5 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, since counting out tablespoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.

When should you weigh whole wheat 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 bake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking, which is the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the whole wheat 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 anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.

Storage. Airtight container in the fridge or freezer; the germ oils go rancid at room temperature.

  • Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
  • Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
  • Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.

Frequently asked questions

How many tablespoons is 100 g of whole wheat flour?

100 g of whole wheat flour is about 14.2 tablespoons, measured spooned and levelled. Because a level tablespoon is not always exactly the same, treat that as an approximation and verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe has to work the first time.

How many grams is 1 tablespoon of whole wheat flour?

One level tablespoon of whole wheat flour weighs approximately 7.1 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 113 g by 16, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.

Why is whole wheat flour lighter than white flour per cup?

Because of the bran. Whole wheat flour is milled from the whole kernel, including bran and germ, and the bran makes it lighter per cup — 113 g against 120 g for white flour. Some sources quote 120 g, but we use the King Arthur value of 113 g, and the difference is the bran.

Can I swap whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour?

Yes, but expect a denser, heartier result. Whole wheat flour absorbs more water and the bran cuts gluten strands, so the crumb is denser and the flavour nuttier. For the best result, swap half the flour first, add 2 tablespoons of extra liquid per cup of flour swapped, and let the dough rest so the bran hydrates.

How should I store whole wheat flour?

In an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. The germ oils go rancid at room temperature, so whole wheat flour does not keep the way white flour does. Use it within a few months, and throw it away if it smells stale or bitter.

How should I store whole wheat flour?

Airtight container in the fridge or freezer; the germ oils go rancid at room temperature. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.

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