1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar in Grams
1 cup of apple cider vinegar weighs 237 g (poured, USDA). Vinegar fermented from apple cider, about 5% acidity. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the USDA value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Apple cider vinegar is a vinegar fermented from apple cider, about 5 percent acidity, and a cup of it weighs 237 g, the same as a cup of water. It is used in dressings, pickling, marinades and baking, where its fruity acidity is milder and more complex than white vinegar. In baking it is the acid that activates baking soda in vegan cakes and in recipes without buttermilk, and a teaspoon of it in a pie crust is said to make the pastry more tender. It keeps for up to two years in a cool, dark cupboard, and the cloudy sediment at the bottom of the bottle, the mother, is harmless and can simply be shaken in.
Why weighing apple cider vinegar beats measuring it in cups
Liquids are the most forgiving ingredients to measure in cups, because a cup of water weighs 237 g and most water-based liquids are within a few grams of that. But they are not all the same: a cup of orange juice weighs 248 g, a cup of coconut milk 240 g, and a cup of soy sauce 255 g, so the differences add up in large batches. Liquids also change with temperature, because warm liquids expand slightly, and with dissolved solids, because sugar, salt and pulp all add weight. In baking, liquid is half of the hydration ratio, and getting it right is what makes dough workable and batters pourable. Weighing liquids is the fastest way to measure them: put the bowl on the scale, tare it, and pour to the number, with no jug to wash and no meniscus to read.
Apple Cider Vinegar cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 59.2 g | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 79 g | 5.3 |
| 1/2 cup | 118.5 g | 8 |
| 2/3 cup | 158 g | 10.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 177.8 g | 12 |
| 1 cup | 237 g | 16 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 355.5 g | 24 |
| 2 cups | 474 g | 32 |
| 3 cups | 711 g | 48 |
| 4 cups | 948 g | 64 |
One tablespoon of apple cider vinegar weighs about 14.8 g, and a cup is 16 tablespoons, so the tablespoon column is simply the cup weight divided by 16. For small amounts, a scale that reads to the gram is far more reliable than a spoon, because a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one. All the values in this table are approximate, and they assume the ingredient is measured poured, exactly as the source measured it.
How the weight was measured
poured means filling the cup with a spoon rather than plunging the cup into the bag or jar, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop, and never tap the cup down, because both pack the ingredient and add weight. The difference between a spooned cup and a scooped cup can be 15 to 25 percent, which is enough to change a bake from tender to tough, so the method matters as much as the number. The source for the figure on this page is USDA, and the confidence in the value is medium. USDA publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows that chart rather than any single cookbook. Where the chart gives a range or a note, we say so plainly instead of hiding the uncertainty. All the figures here are approximate conversions: natural ingredients vary by brand, variety, moisture and how finely they are chopped or ground, so when a recipe really matters, verify the weight with a kitchen scale.
Worked examples
A vinaigrette for a green salad
A vinaigrette that uses 1/4 cup of apple cider vinegar needs 59.2 g, whisked with olive oil, mustard and honey. The vinegar is milder and fruitier than white vinegar, which suits a green salad, and its acidity balances the richness of the oil. Whisk the vinegar and mustard first, then add the oil slowly, and the dressing will emulsify and hold together for an hour or two in the fridge.
A pickling brine
A pickling brine that calls for 2 cups of apple cider vinegar needs 474 g, heated with water, sugar and salt until the salt dissolves. The vinegar is the preservative that keeps the pickles safe, so the ratio of vinegar to water matters and should not be changed casually: too little vinegar and the pickles will not keep. Weigh the vinegar rather than measuring by volume if the recipe is precise, because a brine that is too weak is a food safety problem, not just a flavour problem.
Baking a vegan chocolate cake
A vegan chocolate cake that calls for 1 tablespoon of apple cider vinegar needs 14.8 g, added to the batter with baking soda. The acid reacts with the soda to give the cake lift, replacing the eggs and the buttermilk that a traditional cake would use. Add the vinegar last, stir once, and get the cake into the oven quickly, because the reaction starts immediately and the cake will bake flat if the batter sits around.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most in baking and in large-batch cooking, where liquid is a large share of the recipe and small errors scale up. In bread, a 20 g error in water changes the hydration by several percentage points, which is the difference between a dough that holds its shape and one that spreads. It matters less in a single drink or a dressing, where taste is the guide and you can adjust. It matters again when a recipe is written in grams and you are converting it to cups: knowing that a cup of the liquid is not always 237 g stops you from adding too much of a denser liquid. And it matters for scaling: doubling a liquid by weight is exact, while doubling by volume doubles the reading error.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is reading the jug from above while holding it in the air, which distorts the level by a tablespoon or more. Always set the jug on a flat surface and crouch to eye level. The second is measuring a hot liquid in a plastic jug, which can flex and throw the level off, and measuring a cold liquid straight from the fridge in a recipe that expects room temperature. The third is forgetting to stir liquids that separate, such as coconut milk, stock with sediment, or juice with pulp, so the first pour is thin and the last pour is thick. And the fourth is measuring sticky or pulpy liquids in a dry cup, where a film clings to the sides and never makes it into the bowl.
What to do if you do not have a scale
If you do not have a scale, use a liquid measuring jug with clear markings, set it on a flat counter, and read the level at eye level using the bottom of the meniscus. Pour slowly as you approach the line, because it is easy to overshoot and hard to pour back cleanly. For small amounts, use measuring spoons rather than guessing a fraction of a cup. Liquids are the one category where cups work reasonably well, because density varies little, but weighing is still faster and cleaner, and it lets you measure straight into the mixing bowl.
Storing apple cider vinegar
Cool, dark cupboard, up to 2 years. Keeping apple cider vinegar properly stored matters for the conversion as well as for the flavour: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, and one that has dried out weighs less. Store it in an airtight container, away from heat and light, and measure it in the state the recipe expects, not straight from a damp or stale bag.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between apple cider vinegar and white vinegar?
Apple cider vinegar is made from fermented apple cider and has a fruity, mellow flavour, while white vinegar is made from grain alcohol and has a sharp, clean flavour. A cup of either weighs about the same, 237 g, because both are about 5 percent acetic acid in water. Use apple cider vinegar in dressings, marinades and baking, where its flavour is an asset, and white vinegar for pickling and cleaning, where a neutral flavour matters more.
Does apple cider vinegar go off?
It keeps for up to two years in a cool, dark cupboard, and it does not really go off in the sense of becoming unsafe, because its acidity preserves it. Over time it may lose some of its brightness and develop a cloudy sediment, the mother, which is a harmless colony of acetic acid bacteria. Shake the bottle before using it, and if the vinegar smells strongly of nail polish remover or has visible mould, throw it away.
Can I use cups instead of a scale for apple cider vinegar?
Yes, but a scale is more accurate. If you measure apple cider vinegar poured, exactly as the figure on this page was measured, a cup will be close to 237 g, within a few grams. The problem is that most people scoop rather than spoon, which can add 15 to 25 percent to the weight, and that error is enough to change a bake. For everyday cooking, cups are fine. For baking, where the ratio of ingredients decides the result, weigh it and check the number on the scale.
How many tablespoons are in a cup of apple cider vinegar?
There are 16 tablespoons in a US cup, so a cup of apple cider vinegar is 16 tablespoons, and one tablespoon weighs about 14.8 g. A teaspoon weighs about 4.9 g. Tablespoons are useful when a recipe calls for a small amount, but they carry the same packing problem as cups: a heaped tablespoon can weigh half as much again as a level one, so level every spoon with the back of a knife, and use a scale for small amounts when accuracy matters.
Does the weight change if I pack or sift apple cider vinegar?
Packing does not apply to apple cider vinegar, because it is poured rather than spooned. The weight is consistent as long as the liquid is measured at eye level in a jug and the ingredient is stirred first if it separates. Temperature makes a small difference, because warm liquids expand slightly, but for ordinary kitchen use the poured weight is stable, and a cup of apple cider vinegar weighs about 237 g whether it is cool or at room temperature.