Ingredient Weight Converter · fat
Vegetable Shortening: cups to grams
1 cup of vegetable shortening weighs 205 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.
Vegetable Shortening baseline: 1 cup = 205 g.
Common amounts
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4.0 | 51 g | 1.81 oz | 59 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.3 | 68 g | 2.41 oz | 79 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8.0 | 103 g | 3.62 oz | 118 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 | 137 g | 4.82 oz | 158 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12.0 | 154 g | 5.42 oz | 177 mL |
| 1 cup | 16.0 | 205 g | 7.23 oz | 237 mL |
| 1.5 cups | 24.0 | 308 g | 10.85 oz | 355 mL |
| 2 cups | 32.0 | 410 g | 14.46 oz | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 48.0 | 615 g | 21.69 oz | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 64.0 | 820 g | 28.92 oz | 946 mL |
Spoon weights
Derived from the same 205 g per cup — a US tablespoon is 1/16 of a cup and a teaspoon is 1/48.
| Amount | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 13 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 4.3 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.1 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.1 g |
Vegetable Shortening at a glance
- Melting point
- about 117 °F, well above body temperature — which is why shortening frosting feels waxy on the tongue
- Water content
- none (butter is about 18%)
- Smoke point
- about 360 °F
What a cup of vegetable shortening actually weighs
The published 205 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Packed into a dry cup with a spatula | 205 g | published figure | The published figure. Press out the air pockets or you will be short. |
| Measured by water displacement | 205 g | published figure | Fill a 2-cup measure with 1 cup water, spoon in shortening until the water reaches 2 cups, pour off the water. Same weight, no air pockets, no greasy cup to wash. |
Why measuring vegetable shortening by cup goes wrong
Vegetable shortening is hydrogenated oil — solid at room temperature, no water content, and a higher melting point than butter (about 117 °F versus butter's 90–95 °F). A cup weighs 205 grams. The lack of water is what makes pie crusts made with shortening so flaky, and the lack of milk solids is what makes them so bland.
Practical tips for working with vegetable shortening
Most modern pie-crust recipes split the difference: half butter for flavor, half shortening for structure. Pure shortening crusts hold their shape best in a hot oven but taste of nothing on their own. Add a teaspoon of vinegar to the cold water you use to bring the dough together — the acid slows gluten development and produces a more tender crust.
Note from this ingredient's record: Hydrogenated, so it traps air well and holds pie-crust structure in a hot oven. No water content, unlike butter.
Substitutions that work — and what they cost you
Butter for shortening
Ratio: 1:1 by volume
Trade-off: Better flavor, more browning, and a softer dough — butter is 18% water and melts 25 °F lower, so the crust spreads more and holds its edge less. Chill the shaped dough hard.
Lard for shortening
Ratio: 1:1
Trade-off: Flakier than either butter or shortening, with a mild savoury note that is right at home in a savoury pie and noticeable in a sweet one.
When vegetable shortening ruins the recipe
| What you see | What went wrong | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Frosting has a waxy film that coats the mouth | Shortening melts at 117 °F — above body temperature — so it never fully melts as you eat it. | Use at most half shortening and half butter. All-shortening frosting is a decorating choice (it holds in heat), not a flavor choice. |
Storing vegetable shortening
Sealed at room temperature for a year or more. It is designed for shelf stability; refrigeration just makes it hard to scoop.
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