Ground Cloves vs. Whole Cloves: When to Use Each, and How to Convert

Whole and ground cloves are the same spice: the dried, unopened flower bud of Syzygium aromaticum, a tree in the myrtle family native to the Maluku islands of Indonesia. The difference is how they deliver it. Use whole cloves to flavor a liquid and fish them out, or to stud a ham; use ground cloves for anything the spice has to vanish into, like a batter, a rub or a pie filling. Pick wrong and you’ll notice: mulled cider made with ground cloves turns grainy.¹ Ground cloves are also strong enough that America’s Test Kitchen uses them sparingly in baking.²

Side by side

The shelf-life row is three named sources disagreeing, and none of them measured cloves. Every source gives whole spices the same or a longer window than ground. More on how long spices last.

What grinding changes

Cloves are strong in aroma and hot and pungent in taste, and Britannica puts their essential oil at 14 to 20 percent of the bud.³ That oil is mostly eugenol.⁴ Whole and ground carry the same oil. What differs is how each form behaves in the jar and in the pot.

• In the jar. Tasting Table gives the general rule that pre-ground spices start losing flavor and aroma almost as soon as they’re ground,¹⁰ and America’s Test Kitchen says to buy spices whole and grind just before using.⁷ Both are about spices in general. We found no study measuring how fast ground cloves lose their oil compared with whole buds.
• In the pot. Long-simmered recipes tend to use whole cloves. Oregon State University’s hot cider simmers 12 whole cloves for 2 hours.¹¹ Ground cloves stay in the dish and can’t come out, so too much is hard to undo. See too much clove. We found no measurement of how fast either form gives up its flavor.
• In hot fat. In Indian tempering, whole or ground spices are heated in hot oil or ghee, and the flavored fat goes into the dish. NPR’s guide notes that a burned tempering can’t be saved.¹² America’s Test Kitchen says ground spices burn fairly quickly when bloomed and leave a scorched flavor.⁵ If you put ground cloves in hot fat, add them last and keep them moving.

When whole cloves are the right choice

• Studding. America’s Test Kitchen uses whole cloves to stud holiday hams,² and A Couple Cooks says you can’t swap ground for cloves poked into oranges or meat.¹
• Steeped liquids. Poaching liquids, stocks and mulled drinks. A Couple Cooks says most recipes that call for whole cloves really need them, and that mulled cider made with ground cloves turns grainy.¹
• Braises you want to fish them out of. Bundle them up. Saveur’s choucroute garnie ties cloves with juniper, garlic and bay leaf in cheesecloth.¹³ Whole cloves are hard and unpleasant to bite into, so it’s worth pulling them out.

When ground cloves are the right choice

• Baking and sweet fillings: gingerbread, spice cake, pumpkin pie, where the spice has to be spread evenly. America’s Test Kitchen uses ground cloves sparingly in baked goods because they’re potent.²
• Rubs, sauces and spice blends where nothing gets removed.
• Short cooking. Ground cloves suit dishes that don’t simmer long enough to pull flavor out of whole buds.

Can one stand in for the other?

Yes, as long as the recipe isn’t studding or steeping with them.

Ratio (Attributed): The Spice House and A Couple Cooks both say to use ¾ teaspoon of ground cloves for every 1 teaspoon of whole cloves.⁹¹ McCormick counts it differently: 3 whole cloves equal ¼ teaspoon ground.¹⁴ No source we found says how many whole cloves fill a teaspoon, so there’s no way to check the two rules against each other. Cloves vary in size, so measure loosely and taste.

• Ground in place of whole, in a liquid: use the conversion, add it later in the cooking, and expect some cloudiness. A tea ball or a twist of cheesecloth keeps ground spice out of a clear drink.
• Whole in place of ground: grind them. A spice grinder or a mortar and pestle works, and for a few cloves you can crush them in a folded towel with something heavy. Ground cloves are potent, so start at the low end of the conversion and taste.

For other swaps, see clove substitutes.

Storage

Keep both forms tightly closed and away from heat and light. The windows in the table are general spice guidance. For a quick check, press a whole clove with a fingernail or open the jar and smell. A faint aroma means the cloves have faded.

What isn’t known

• No study measures how fast ground cloves lose eugenol and other volatiles compared with whole buds.
• No source gives the number of whole cloves in a teaspoon, so McCormick’s count and the ¾-teaspoon rule can’t be squared.
• We found no shelf-life figure specific to cloves.
• You’ll sometimes read that whole cloves are a choking hazard. We found no source that documents it.

Related

• Cloves, cooking with cloves, clove substitutes and too much clove
• Allspice vs. cloves, nutmeg vs. cloves, cloves vs. cinnamon, cardamom vs. cloves and cloves vs. star anise
• Mulling spices for apple cider and spices for ham
• Other whole-versus-ground comparisons: ground cinnamon vs. cinnamon sticks, cumin seeds vs. ground cumin and fresh vs. ground nutmeg