1 Cup Cream of Tartar in Grams
1 cup of cream of tartar weighs 144 g (spooned and levelled, USDA). Acidic white powder left over from winemaking. 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.
Cream of tartar is an acidic white powder left over from winemaking, and a cup of it weighs 144 g. It is used in tiny amounts, a teaspoon at a time, to stabilise egg whites, to activate baking soda, and to make baking powder, and it is one of the ingredients where a scale that reads to the gram is genuinely worth owning, because a single gram too much or too little is noticeable. It keeps for up to three years in an airtight jar, which is longer than almost any other baking ingredient, and it does not go stale in the way that baking powder does. Its name is misleading: it is not creamy and it is not tartar sauce, but a dry, white, acidic powder.
Why weighing cream of tartar beats measuring it in cups
Dry pantry ingredients are the ones where a scale earns its keep fastest, because the amounts are small and the consequences are large. A teaspoon of baking soda is only about 6 g, but the difference between the right amount and double the amount is the difference between a cake that rises and one that tastes of soap and collapses. Spices are even more concentrated: a tablespoon of ground ginger weighs about 5 g, and that is enough to flavour a whole batch of biscuits. Nuts and dried fruit sit at the other end of the scale, where a cup is a substantial amount and the weight depends on how whole, chopped or packed the pieces are. Weighing dry ingredients is the only way to be consistent with small amounts, because a heaped spoon and a level spoon can differ by half.
Cream of Tartar cups to grams conversion table
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 36 g | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 48 g | 5.3 |
| 1/2 cup | 72 g | 8 |
| 2/3 cup | 96 g | 10.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 108 g | 12 |
| 1 cup | 144 g | 16 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 216 g | 24 |
| 2 cups | 288 g | 32 |
| 3 cups | 432 g | 48 |
| 4 cups | 576 g | 64 |
One tablespoon of cream of tartar weighs about 9 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
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled unless the method line says otherwise. Spooning means filling the cup with a spoon rather than plunging the cup into the bag, and levelling means sweeping a knife across the rim. Scooping packs the ingredient down and can add a fifth or more to the weight, which is why two bakers following the same cup-based recipe can get visibly different results. Confidence in this value is medium. That reflects how consistent the ingredient is from brand to brand: a uniform, factory-packed ingredient is more predictable than a fresh, variable one. Even a high-confidence figure is still an approximation, because moisture, grind size and settling all shift the weight a little. Treat the grams on this page as a reliable starting point and check with a scale when the recipe is fussy, expensive, or being made for the first time.
Worked examples
Meringues that hold their shape
A meringue that calls for 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar needs 9 g, added to the egg whites as they are whipped. The acid stabilises the foam, so the meringue holds its shape and does not weep in the oven, and it also makes the finished meringue whiter and more even. Weigh the cream of tartar rather than measuring by eye, because a heaped teaspoon can weigh half as much again as a level one, and too much acid will make the meringue taste sharp.
Snickerdoodle cookies
Snickerdoodles are the classic cream of tartar cookie, and a batch that uses 2 tablespoons needs 18 g, mixed into the flour with baking soda. The cream of tartar reacts with the soda to give the cookies their lift, and it also gives them their characteristic tangy flavour and their soft, chewy texture. Without cream of tartar, snickerdoodles are just sugar cookies, so the ingredient is the whole point of the recipe.
Making baking powder at home
Baking powder is baking soda plus cream of tartar, and a batch that calls for 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar needs 9 g, mixed with baking soda. The mixture should be used straight away, because it starts reacting as soon as it meets moisture, and it will not keep the way shop-bought baking powder does. Weigh the cream of tartar carefully, because the ratio matters: too much soda and the bake tastes soapy, too much cream of tartar and it tastes sharp.
When this conversion matters most
This conversion matters most with leavening, salt and spices, where the amounts are small and the effect is large. Baking soda, baking powder and yeast all work within narrow ranges, and too much or too little changes the rise, the flavour and the texture. It matters less with nuts and dried fruit in a trail mix or a salad, where a few grams either way is invisible. It matters again in bulk baking and preserving, where a spice blend or a leavening mix is made in quantity and a cup-based error is multiplied across dozens of batches. When the ingredient is the difference between rising and not rising, weigh it.
Common mistakes
The most common mistake is using a heaped spoon when the recipe means a level one. A heaped tablespoon of a ground spice can weigh half as much again as a level tablespoon, which is enough to make a curry bitter or a cake taste of baking soda. The second is scooping a dry ingredient straight from the jar with the measuring spoon, which packs it; spoon it in and level it with a knife instead. The third is measuring over the mixing bowl, so an overshoot falls in and cannot be taken out; measure over a plate or a piece of paper. And the fourth is confusing ingredients that look alike: baking soda and baking powder, ground ginger and ground cinnamon, salt and sugar. They weigh differently and behave differently, and a mix-up cannot be fixed after mixing.
What to do if you do not have a scale
If you do not have a scale, use proper measuring spoons for small amounts and level every spoon with the back of a knife. For cups of nuts, seeds or dried fruit, spoon the ingredient into a dry cup and level it, without pressing it down, because pressing packs the pieces and adds weight. For ground spices, spoon them in lightly and level them; do not tap the spoon, which settles the powder. For leavening and yeast, which are used in tiny amounts, a scale that reads to the gram is genuinely worth owning, because a single gram too much baking soda is noticeable in the finished cake.
Storing cream of tartar
Airtight jar, cool and dry, up to 3 years. Keeping cream of tartar 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 does cream of tartar do in baking?
Cream of tartar is an acid, and it does three jobs in baking. It stabilises whipped egg whites, so meringues hold their shape and do not weep. It activates baking soda, so a batter that has no other acid still rises. And it prevents sugar from crystallising, so frostings and syrups stay smooth. A teaspoon is usually enough for a batch, and a cup of it weighs 144 g, though nobody measures it by the cup in a home kitchen.
Can I skip cream of tartar in a recipe?
It depends on the recipe. In a meringue, cream of tartar stabilises the foam, and skipping it makes the meringue more likely to weep and collapse, though a careful baker can manage without it. In a recipe where it activates baking soda, skipping it means the soda has no acid to react with, and the bake will not rise properly and may taste soapy. Some bakers use a little lemon juice or vinegar instead, because those are also acids, but the flavour and the amount need adjusting, and the result is not identical.
Can I use cups instead of a scale for cream of tartar?
Yes, but a scale is more accurate. If you measure cream of tartar spooned and levelled, exactly as the figure on this page was measured, a cup will be close to 144 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 cream of tartar?
There are 16 tablespoons in a US cup, so a cup of cream of tartar is 16 tablespoons, and one tablespoon weighs about 9 g. A teaspoon weighs about 3 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 cream of tartar?
Yes, and this is the single biggest source of error in cup measurements. cream of tartar 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.