How to measure vegetable shortening
How full the cup is and how firmly it is packed changes what it holds, so the same cup can weigh a little more or less in your kitchen. A scale gives the same result every time; the chart below converts any amount.
Source: 205 grams per US cup is the cup weight in USDA FoodData Central, entry “USDA FDC 173584 SR Legacy, Shortening, vegetable, household, composite, 1 cup = 205 g”. A US cup is about 237 milliliters.
Vegetable shortening: cups to grams chart
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 26 g | 0.9 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 51 g | 1.81 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 68 g | 2.41 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 103 g | 3.62 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 137 g | 4.82 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 154 g | 5.42 oz |
| 1 cup | 205 g | 7.23 oz |
| 1 1/2 cups | 308 g | 10.8 oz |
| 2 cups | 410 g | 14.5 oz |
| 3 cups | 615 g | 21.7 oz |
| 4 cups | 820 g | 28.9 oz |
Tablespoons and teaspoons of vegetable shortening
Three teaspoons make a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons make a cup, so the spoon weights follow straight from the 205 grams per cup. Use level spoons, not heaped ones.
| Spoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 1.1 g |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.1 g |
| 1 tsp | 4.3 g |
| 1 tbsp | 13 g |
| 2 tbsp | 26 g |
| 3 tbsp | 38 g |
| 4 tbsp | 51 g |
Grams of vegetable shortening to cups
Going the other way, divide the grams by 205. A cup of vegetable shortening weighs 32 grams less than a cup of water, which is 237 grams.
| Grams | Cups | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| 25 g | 0.12 cup | about 2 tbsp |
| 50 g | 0.24 cup | about 1/4 cup |
| 100 g | 0.49 cup | just under 1/2 cup |
| 150 g | 0.73 cup | just under 3/4 cup |
| 200 g | 0.98 cup | just under 1 cup |
| 250 g | 1.22 cups | just under 1 1/4 cups |
| 300 g | 1.46 cups | just under 1 1/2 cups |
| 400 g | 1.95 cups | just under 2 cups |
| 500 g | 2.44 cups | just under 2 1/2 cups |
| 1,000 g | 4.88 cups | about 4 7/8 cups |
Other liquids per cup
- Water: 237 grams per cup
- Vegetable oil: 218 grams per cup
- Honey: 339 grams per cup
- Maple syrup: 315 grams per cup
- Olive oil: 216 grams per cup
- Coconut oil: 218 grams per cup
- Lard: 205 grams per cup
- Coconut milk (canned): 226 grams per cup
- Coconut cream (unsweetened): 284 grams per cup
- Lemon juice: 244 grams per cup
- Soy sauce: 255 grams per cup
For every ingredient in one place, open the cups to grams converter. The cups to milliliters converter turns US cups into metric volume, and the volume converter covers fluid ounces, pints and liters too.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1/2 cup of vegetable shortening?
About 103 grams. A full cup is about 205 grams and 1/4 cup about 51 grams.
How many cups is 100 grams of vegetable shortening?
About 0.49 cups, just under 1/2 cup. Divide the grams by 205 to get cups.
How many grams are in a tablespoon of vegetable shortening?
About 13 grams in a tablespoon and 4.3 grams in a teaspoon, measured level.
Where does 205 grams per cup of vegetable shortening come from?
From USDA FoodData Central, which gives 1 cup = 205 g.