Ingredient Weight Converter · fat
Coconut Oil: cups to grams
1 cup of coconut oil weighs 218 grams. Use the converter below for any other amount, or check the quick-reference table.
By Andrew Flores, Editor and publisher, Nathan Management. Last reviewed .
Density source: USDA FoodData Central, cross-checked against the King Arthur Baking weight chart. How these figures are derived and corrected is documented in our editorial standards.
Coconut Oil baseline: 1 cup = 218 g.
Common amounts
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4.0 | 55 g | 1.92 oz | 59 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.3 | 73 g | 2.56 oz | 79 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8.0 | 109 g | 3.84 oz | 118 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 | 145 g | 5.13 oz | 158 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12.0 | 164 g | 5.77 oz | 177 mL |
| 1 cup | 16.0 | 218 g | 7.69 oz | 237 mL |
| 1.5 cups | 24.0 | 327 g | 11.53 oz | 355 mL |
| 2 cups | 32.0 | 436 g | 15.38 oz | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 48.0 | 654 g | 23.07 oz | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 64.0 | 872 g | 30.76 oz | 946 mL |
Spoon weights
Derived from the same 218 g per cup — a US tablespoon is 1/16 of a cup and a teaspoon is 1/48.
| Amount | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 14 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 4.5 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.3 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.1 g |
Coconut Oil at a glance
- Melting point
- about 76 °F — it will be solid or liquid in your kitchen depending on the season
- Smoke point
- about 350 °F for virgin, about 450 °F for refined
- Saturated fat
- roughly 90% — it is the most saturated common cooking fat, which is why it sets hard
What a cup of coconut oil actually weighs
The published 218 g assumes one specific way of filling the cup. Here is what the same cup weighs under the other common handling methods and product forms, and how far off the recipe you end up.
| How it was measured | Grams per cup | vs. published | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Melted and measured in a liquid cup | 218 g | published figure | The published figure, and the accurate way to measure it — no air pockets. |
| Solid, packed into a dry cup | 218 g | published figure | Same weight if you press out every air pocket with a spatula. If you spoon it in loose, you will be short by a variable amount, which is why melting first is the better habit. |
Why measuring coconut oil by cup goes wrong
Coconut oil is solid below about 76 °F and liquid above. A cup weighs 218 grams in either state — melting does not change the mass, only how easy it is to measure accurately. Virgin (unrefined) coconut oil has a pronounced coconut flavor; refined coconut oil is nearly neutral and is the better choice when you don't want to taste it.
Practical tips for working with coconut oil
When a recipe says 'melted coconut oil,' let it cool to lukewarm before mixing it into cold liquids or cold eggs. Hot coconut oil hitting a cold ingredient seizes back into white solid specks instantly — your batter will look curdled and the texture suffers. Warm all liquids to the same temperature before combining, or work with everything at room temperature.
Note from this ingredient's record: Solid below ~76 °F. Melt and cool to lukewarm before adding to cold ingredients or it will seize into white specks.
Substitutions that work — and what they cost you
Coconut oil for butter
Ratio: 1:1 by weight, plus about 1 tablespoon liquid per 1/2 cup
Trade-off: Coconut oil has no water where butter has about 18%. Without the extra liquid the result comes out dry. Refined oil for a neutral flavor, virgin if you want the coconut.
Coconut oil for shortening
Ratio: 1:1
Trade-off: Similar solid-fat behavior at room temperature, but coconut oil melts at 76 °F where shortening holds to about 117 °F — pie crust made with it softens in a warm kitchen.
When coconut oil ruins the recipe
| What you see | What went wrong | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| The batter is speckled with hard white flecks | Melted coconut oil met a cold ingredient and re-solidified on contact. | Bring eggs and dairy to room temperature first, and cool the melted oil to lukewarm before combining. |
| Frosting or filling turned rock-hard in the fridge | Coconut oil is about 90% saturated fat and sets hard when cold. | Let it sit out 20–30 minutes before serving, or blend in a little neutral oil to soften the set. |
Storing coconut oil
Sealed at room temperature for a year or more — the high saturation makes it very resistant to rancidity. Refrigeration is unnecessary and makes it hard to scoop.
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