1 Cup Cheddar Cheese in Grams
1 cup of cheddar cheese weighs 113 g (spooned and levelled, King Arthur Baking). Firm, sharp cheese that melts well. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the King Arthur Baking value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Cheddar is a firm, sharp cheese that melts well, and a cup of it grated weighs 113 g. It is the cheese of macaroni cheese, cheese sauces, scones and sandwiches, and its sharpness deepens as it ages, from mild to extra mature. Grated cheddar packs more tightly than grated parmesan, because the shreds are softer and heavier, so the weight per cup is more consistent, but it still depends on how finely it is grated and how hard it is pressed. Cheddar melts smoothly when it is heated gently and seizes into a grainy mess when it is heated too hard, which is why cheese sauces are made off the heat and with a little starch to stabilise them.
Why weighing cheddar cheese beats measuring it in cups
Dairy ingredients are measured in cups more than almost anything else, because milk, cream and yogurt pour easily and recipes were written that way for generations. But the weight per cup varies more than most cooks expect: a cup of milk weighs 244 g, a cup of heavy cream 238 g, a cup of sour cream 230 g, and a cup of grated parmesan only 100 g. The reason is composition: water, fat, protein and air all pack differently, and grated or curdled dairy traps air in a way that liquid dairy does not. In baking, dairy adds moisture, richness, acidity and browning, and the amount matters: too much liquid dairy makes a batter slack, too little makes it dry. Weighing dairy is quick, because it pours straight onto the scale, and it removes the meniscus reading error that comes with every jug.
Cheddar Cheese cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 28.2 g | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 37.7 g | 5.3 |
| 1/2 cup | 56.5 g | 8 |
| 2/3 cup | 75.3 g | 10.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 84.8 g | 12 |
| 1 cup | 113 g | 16 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 169.5 g | 24 |
| 2 cups | 226 g | 32 |
| 3 cups | 339 g | 48 |
| 4 cups | 452 g | 64 |
One tablespoon of cheddar cheese weighs about 7.1 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 spooned and levelled, exactly as the source measured it.
How the weight was measured
spooned and levelled 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 King Arthur Baking, and the confidence in the value is high. King Arthur Baking 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
Macaroni cheese for a family
A macaroni cheese that calls for 2 cups of grated cheddar needs 226 g, stirred into a white sauce until it melts. The sauce should be taken off the heat before the cheese goes in, because cheddar heated hard will split and turn grainy. Weigh 226 g and grate it fresh, because pre-grated cheddar is coated in starch and does not melt as smoothly, and the sauce will be glossier and more even with fresh cheese.
A cheese sauce for vegetables
A cheese sauce that uses 1 1/2 cups of cheddar needs 169.5 g, melted into a roux-based sauce with a little mustard. The mustard is not just for flavour: its acidity helps the cheese melt smoothly and stops it from seizing. Add the cheese a handful at a time, stirring until each handful melts before adding the next, and keep the sauce warm but never boiling.
Cheese scones
A batch of cheese scones that calls for 1 cup of grated cheddar needs 113 g, mixed into the flour with a little mustard powder and milk. The cheese is folded through the dough rather than creamed in, so the scones bake up with pockets of melted cheese and a crisp, golden top. Reserve a little of the cheese to sprinkle on top before baking, and the scones will come out of the oven with a crunchy, cheesy crust.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most in baking and sauces, where dairy is part of the liquid balance of the recipe. A cake batter with too much milk is slack and sinks; a sauce with too little cream will not coat the pasta. It matters less in cooking where dairy is added to taste, such as a splash of cream in a soup or milk in mashed potatoes, because you can adjust as you go. It matters again with cheese, because grated cheese is mostly air by volume and its weight per cup depends on how finely it is grated and how hard it is pressed, so a recipe that says two cups of cheese can mean anything from 200 g to 300 g. Weighing cheese is the only way to know which one the recipe meant.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is reading a liquid jug from above instead of at eye level, which can add or subtract a tablespoon without you noticing. The second is measuring grated cheese by pressing it down into the cup: grated cheese should be spooned in lightly and levelled, because packing it can add 20 g or more per cup. The third is using a dry cup for liquids, which has no pouring spout and no level line, so you end up guessing. And the fourth is forgetting that dairy separates: cream rises, yogurt weeps whey, and ricotta drains, so stir or drain the ingredient before measuring, and measure the state the recipe expects.
What to do if you do not have a scale
If you do not have a scale, use a liquid measuring jug for anything that pours, and set it on a flat surface and read it at eye level, using the bottom of the meniscus as the line. For spoonable dairy such as yogurt, sour cream, ricotta and cottage cheese, use a dry cup, spoon the ingredient in, and level it with a knife, exactly as you would flour. For grated cheese, spoon it in lightly and do not press it down. These methods work well for dairy, because liquids are the most consistent ingredients by volume, but for baking, where dairy is part of the liquid ratio, weighing is still the more reliable route.
Storing cheddar cheese
Refrigerate; use within 3-4 weeks. Keeping cheddar cheese 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
Does grated cheddar weigh the same as grated parmesan?
No. A cup of grated cheddar weighs 113 g, while a cup of grated parmesan weighs only 100 g, because parmesan is harder and drier and its shreds are finer and lighter. The difference is small but real, and it matters in recipes where cheese is a major ingredient, such as a cheese sauce or a lasagna. Weigh the cheese you are actually using rather than assuming one cheese weighs the same as another.
Why does my cheese sauce go grainy?
Cheese sauce goes grainy when the cheese is heated too hard or too fast, which makes the proteins tighten and squeeze out the fat. The fix is to take the sauce off the heat before adding the cheese, add the cheese gradually, and keep the sauce warm but never boiling. A spoonful of mustard or a little starch in the roux also helps, because both stabilise the emulsion and stop the cheese from seizing.
Can I use cups instead of a scale for cheddar cheese?
Yes, but a scale is more accurate. If you measure cheddar cheese spooned and levelled, exactly as the figure on this page was measured, a cup will be close to 113 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 cheddar cheese?
There are 16 tablespoons in a US cup, so a cup of cheddar cheese is 16 tablespoons, and one tablespoon weighs about 7.1 g. A teaspoon weighs about 2.4 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 cheddar cheese?
Yes, and this is the single biggest source of error in cup measurements. cheddar cheese is measured spooned and levelled, and a scooped cup can weigh 15 to 25 percent more than a spooned cup, because scooping packs the ingredient down. Sifting has the opposite effect: it adds air and makes the cup lighter. Always measure the way the figure on this page was measured, spooned and levelled, and the weight will match the table.