Almond Flour: Texture, Weight & Baking Guide

Fine, gluten-free flour ground from blanched almonds — the base of macarons, financiers, and low-carb baking.

1 cup = 96g

Almond flour

Measured

spooned and leveled

What is almond flour?

Almond flour is simply blanched almonds ground to a fine powder. It has no gluten, plenty of natural fat, and a mild sweet flavor, which makes bakes moist and tender but without the stretch and structure wheat gives. A cup is fairly light — about 96 grams.

It’s the backbone of macarons, financiers, frangipane, and many low-carb and gluten-free recipes. Because nut flour compresses and clumps, and because it can’t be swapped 1:1 for wheat flour, weighing is the safest approach — 1 US cup is about 96g.

Measurement profile

Grams per cup: 96g
Cup standard: US cup / 240 ml
Ingredient state: unsifted, spooned
Confidence: Medium

Data last verified: 2026-07-18

Source observations

King Arthur Baking — Ingredient Weight Chart 96 g per 1 cup (volume not stated) · not stated (the chart lists weights only)
Bob's Red Mill — Super-Fine Almond Flour (via USDA FoodData Central) 14 g per 2 tablespoons (volume not stated) · not stated (the label gives a serving size only)

Why measurements vary

Grind size

Fine blanched flour and coarser almond meal leave different amounts of air between particles.

Clumping

Natural oils form soft clumps that make a cup heavier unless they are broken up before measuring.

How to measure almond flour

Almond flour is less dense than wheat flour, so it should be spooned into the cup and leveled, not packed.
Blanched (skinless) and natural almond flour can differ slightly in weight depending on grind fineness.
Because almond flour clumps easily from natural oils, breaking up lumps before measuring gives a more accurate cup.

Types & varieties

Blanched almond flour

96g per cup

Skins removed, finely ground; the standard for delicate bakes.

Almond meal

Coarser, often with skins; heartier texture.

Hazelnut flour

Another nut flour; denser with a toasty flavor.

Coconut flour

Not a nut flour, but a common gluten-free swap — extremely absorbent.

Common almond flour measurements

These limited reference values are derived from the canonical cup weight. Use the converter for any other amount.

Cups	Grams
¼ cup	24g
⅓ cup	32g
½ cup	48g
1 cup	96g

Common substitutes

All-purpose flour

Not a 1:1 swap — wheat flour absorbs liquid differently and adds gluten.

Coconut flour

Very thirsty, so it does not replace almond flour in the same amount; use a recipe written for coconut flour.

Related measurement resources

Convert almond flour grams to cups

Convert cups of almond flour to grams

Browse related ingredient guides

How ingredient measurements are verified

Frequently asked questions

How many grams are in 1 cup of almond flour?

1 US cup of blanched almond flour weighs about 96 grams. It's lighter than wheat flour, so weighing avoids the big swings a packed cup can cause.

What's the difference between almond flour and almond meal?

Almond flour is made from blanched (skinless) almonds ground fine, giving a smooth crumb. Almond meal is coarser and often includes the skins, so it bakes denser and speckled.

Can I substitute almond flour for all-purpose flour?

Not directly. Almond flour has no gluten and more fat, so bakes are denser and moister. It works best in recipes designed for it, or as a partial swap with added binders.

Why does gluten-free baking behave differently?

Without gluten there's no elastic protein network to trap gas and give structure, so recipes rely more on eggs, starches, and binders to hold together.