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Whole Cloves for Cooking and Baking

Whole cloves are dried flower buds. Fresh ones are oily and strongly scented.

Updated . Edited by: Ilyass Ben Hakim.

Where to buy

Supermarket spice aisles stock small jars. Indian, Mexican and Middle Eastern grocers sell bigger bags. Look for clavos de olor or laung.

Professional insight

Spice buyers judge cloves by oil content. A good clove feels slightly tacky and smells sharp right away.

  • Look for intact round heads on most buds.
  • Avoid bags with many loose stems and broken bits.
  • Press a bud with a fingernail; oil should appear.
  • Buy small amounts unless you cook with cloves weekly.

Check the label

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Whole cloves at a glance

Plant
Syzygium aromaticum
Part used
Dried unopened flower bud
Main aroma compound
Eugenol

Common uses

  • Studding a baked ham or an onion for stock.
  • Mulled wine, cider and spiced tea.
  • Pickling brines and chutneys.
  • Rice dishes such as biryani and pilaf.
  • Grinding fresh for pumpkin pie spice blends.

Cloves are strong. Fish them out before serving, since biting one whole is unpleasant.

Storage

  • Keep them in an airtight glass jar.
  • Store away from the stove, sun and steam.
  • Grind only what you need for each recipe.
  • Replace when the scent fades or buds look dry and pale.

Safe use

Common questions

How many whole cloves equal ground cloves?
Roughly three whole cloves make a quarter teaspoon ground. Taste and adjust.
Do whole cloves last longer than ground?
Yes. Whole buds keep their oil much longer than powder.
Why are some cloves cheaper?
Cheap bags may hold more stems, broken buds or older stock.
Can I reuse cloves from a stock?
Not well. Most of the flavor has gone into the liquid.