Spice Measurement Converter
A teaspoon measures space, not weight, so there is no single number that turns spoons into grams. This works from each spice’s own published weight, shows the range you should actually expect, and converts whole spice to ground.
Whole spice to ground
Choose a whole spice and how much of it you have.
Weights from Why Spice Conversions Fail When You Measure by Volume. Every gram figure is a working guide, not a specification.
What a level teaspoon actually weighs
| Spice | Grams | Range | What moves it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fine table salt | 6 g | 4.8 to 7.2 g | The heaviest thing in most spice racks. Swapping salts by volume is the single biggest measuring error in a kitchen. |
| Coarse sea salt | 4.5 g | 3.6 to 5.4 g | Larger crystals leave more air, so the same spoon holds noticeably less salt than the fine kind. |
| Black pepper, ground | 2.5 g | 2 to 3 g | Coarser grinds weigh less in the same spoon. |
| Black peppercorns, whole | 3.5 g | 2.8 to 4.2 g | Hard, dense, and consistent — one of the more predictable spoonfuls. |
| Cinnamon, ground | 2.5 g | 2 to 3 g | Light and very compressible, so how hard you pressed the spoon in matters. |
| Cumin, ground | 2 g | 1.6 to 2.4 g | One of the lightest powders on the rack. |
| Cumin seed, whole | 3 g | 2.4 to 3.6 g | Seeds pack more tightly than the powder they become. |
| Paprika, ground | 2.5 g | 2 to 3 g | Packs down easily, so level it rather than heaping it. |
| Ginger, ground | 2 g | 1.6 to 2.4 g | Fluffy and prone to lumping. Break up the clumps before you measure. |
Whole spice, once it is ground
| Whole | Gives roughly | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Cumin seed | 1 tsp whole → 7/8 teaspoon ground | A teaspoon of seed grinds down to a scant teaspoon of powder, so ground is slightly stronger spoon for spoon. |
| Coriander seed | 1 tsp whole → 7/8 teaspoon ground | Behaves like cumin: a little less powder than seed, and a little stronger for it. |
| Black peppercorns | 1 tsp whole → 1 1/2 teaspoons ground | Cracking opens the corn up considerably: a teaspoon of whole corns makes about one and a half teaspoons of ground pepper. |
| Whole cloves | 1 tsp whole → 3/4 teaspoon ground | Cloves are dense and grind fine, so the powder takes up less room than the buds did. |
| Cinnamon stick | 1 stick, 8 cm → 1/2 teaspoon ground | Varies with the thickness of the quill, so treat half a teaspoon as a starting point. |
| Whole nutmeg | 1 whole nutmeg → 2 to 3 teaspoons ground | Grate what you need and keep the rest whole — a grated nutmeg fades fast. |
| Green cardamom pods | 1 pod → 1/8 teaspoon ground | Six pods give about half a teaspoon of ground seed. The husk is discarded, so the loss is large. |
When the spoon is enough, and when to weigh
- A stew, soup, or braise Spoon is fine A fifth either way is not detectable here. Use the spoon.
- A spice blend to keep Weigh it Weigh it, or the next batch tastes different from this one.
- Curing or brining Weigh it Always weigh. Salt errors here are not recoverable.
- Baking with spice Spoon is fine Usually fine by volume — weigh if the spice is also drying the crumb.
- Ten portions or more Weigh it Errors multiply with the batch. Weigh once and be done.