One tablespoon of whole almonds is 8.875 grams, so converting tablespoons of whole almonds to grams means multiplying by 8.875. That factor is specific to this ingredient — it comes from its density, not from any relationship between the two units.
The density behind that figure is 0.6002 g per mL, against 1.00 for water. A cup of water weighs 236.6 g and a cup of whole almonds weighs 142 g, so this ingredient is 60.02% as heavy as the same volume of water — the single fact the whole page rests on.
A level tablespoon of whole almonds is 8.875 g, which puts a teaspoon at 2.958 g and a tablespoon and a half — the quantity recipes are fondest of — at 13.31 g. Levelling twice is where the error comes from, so the scale is the faster instrument once the quantity passes a couple of spoons.
Grams are the unit this conversion is really for. A domestic scale resolves to a gram, which is 0.704% of a cup of whole almonds, so weighing gets an accuracy no measuring cup can reach. A 500 g pack of it is 3.521 cups, and a 1 kg pack 7.042.
The condition this weight assumes: Whole and unblanched. The regular shape lets them pack closely, so a cup is reasonably consistent — unlike sliced or slivered almonds, which trap air and weigh far less for the same volume.
The formula
tablespoons- The amount of whole almonds you are converting, in tablespoons
8.875- Grams per tablespoon for whole almonds, from its density of 0.6002 g/mL
grams- The equivalent quantity in grams
How it works, step by step
- Enter the quantity in tablespoons.
- It is multiplied by 8.875, the grams-per-tablespoon figure for whole almonds.
- The result appears in grams, with a second reading in oz beneath it.
- Use the measure table if you want a standard recipe quantity rather than a number you type in.
Worked examples
2 tbsp of whole almonds in grams
A recipe calling for 2 tbsp of whole almonds needs 17.75 grams on the scale. The arithmetic is 2 × 8.875 = 17.75, and halving the recipe halves the weight to 8.875 grams.
4 tbsp of whole almonds in grams
4 tbsp of whole almonds weighs out at 35.5 grams. Divide 35.5 by 8.875 and you get back to 4 tbsp, which is the quickest check that the factor is the right way up.
12 tbsp of whole almonds in grams
A recipe calling for 12 tbsp of whole almonds needs 106.5 grams on the scale. The arithmetic is 12 × 8.875 = 106.5, and halving the recipe halves the weight to 53.25 grams.
How to read your score
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in 1 tbsp of whole almonds?
One tablespoon of whole almonds is 8.875 grams. Half that quantity is 4.4375 grams and double it is 17.75 grams, so the figure scales straight up and down — there is no offset in this conversion, only the factor.
Why is a cup of whole almonds not 236 g like water?
Because weight per cup depends on what is in the cup. Whole almonds has a density of 0.6002 g per mL where water has 1.00, so a cup of it weighs 142 g rather than 236.6 g. That is a difference of 94.6 g per cup, and it is the reason a single volume-to-weight factor cannot be applied to every ingredient.
Does how I measure it change the weight?
Yes, and by more than most people expect. Handling changes the weight of a cup of whole almonds by roughly 12% — about 8.52 g either side of 142 g — because whole and unblanched. Weighing removes the question entirely.
Is a fluid ounce of whole almonds the same as an ounce?
No. A fluid ounce is a volume — one eighth of a US cup, 29.57 mL — and an ounce is a weight. One fluid ounce of whole almonds weighs 0.6261 oz, so the two readings differ by 37.4%. They coincide only for something with the density of water, and then only roughly.
Is this a US cup or a metric cup?
US customary: 236.59 mL, which is the cup every US recipe means. A metric cup is 250 mL, so the same cup of whole almonds would weigh 150.05 g instead of 142 g — 8.05 g more, or 5.67%. Australian and some European recipes use the metric cup, and the difference is large enough to matter in baking.
Do I need a scale for this, or will measuring cups do?
A scale, if the result matters. Volume measuring carries a spread of about 12% for whole almonds — roughly 17 g on a 142 g cup — while a domestic scale is accurate to a gram or two. For anything where the ratio of ingredients drives the outcome, bread and pastry above all, weigh it.
How many tablespoons of whole almonds is 500 g?
500 g of whole almonds is 56.338 tablespoons — 0.112676 tablespoons to one gram, so 500 × 0.112676 = 56.338. Going that way is a division by 8.875, or a multiplication by 0.112676 if you prefer.
Whole almonds in tablespoons and grams
| Tablespoons | Grams | Unrounded |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 tbsp | 4.4375 g | 4.4375 |
| 1 tbsp | 8.875 g | 8.875 |
| 2 tbsp | 17.75 g | 17.75 |
| 3 tbsp | 26.625 g | 26.625 |
| 4 tbsp | 35.5 g | 35.5 |
| 6 tbsp | 53.25 g | 53.25 |
| 8 tbsp | 71 g | 71 |
| 12 tbsp | 106.5 g | 106.5 |
| 16 tbsp | 142 g | 142 |
Based on 142 g per cup of whole almonds. One tablespoon of whole almonds is 8.875 grams.
| Measure | Grams | Ounces | Millilitres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 142 g | 5.01 oz | 236.6 mL |
| 1 tbsp | 8.875 g | 0.313 oz | 14.79 mL |
| 2 tsp | 5.917 g | 0.209 oz | 9.858 mL |
| 1 tsp | 2.958 g | 0.104 oz | 4.929 mL |
| 3/4 tsp | 2.219 g | 0.0783 oz | 3.697 mL |
| 1/2 tsp | 1.479 g | 0.0522 oz | 2.464 mL |
| 1/4 tsp | 0.7396 g | 0.0261 oz | 1.232 mL |
| 1/8 tsp | 0.3698 g | 0.013 oz | 0.6161 mL |
US customary measures: 1 cup = 236.59 mL, 1 tbsp = 14.79 mL, 1 tsp = 4.93 mL.
| Ingredient | Grams per cup | Ounces per cup | Density (g/mL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frozen peas | 135 g | 4.762 oz | 0.5706 |
| Cashews | 140 g | 4.938 oz | 0.5917 |
| Sunflower seeds | 140 g | 4.938 oz | 0.5917 |
| Whole almonds (this page) | 142 g | 5.009 oz | 0.6002 |
| Sesame seeds | 144 g | 5.079 oz | 0.6087 |
| Raisins | 145 g | 5.115 oz | 0.6129 |
| Peanuts | 146 g | 5.15 oz | 0.6171 |
Ordered by weight. The spread across this group is why a single generic cups-to-grams factor cannot work.