1 Cup Shredded Coconut in Grams

1 cup of shredded coconut weighs 85 g (spooned and levelled, King Arthur Baking). Sweetened shreds of dried coconut flesh; very light per cup. 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.

Why weighing shredded coconut beats measuring it in cups

Shredded coconut is one of the lightest cup measures on this site at 85 g, because the shreds are fluffy, irregular and full of air. A cup of shredded coconut looks generous, but it weighs less than a cup of almost anything else in the pantry, and that lightness is deceptive: a recipe that calls for two cups of coconut and gets two cups measured generously may contain 30 g more or less than intended, which is a large relative error on such a light ingredient.

The sweetened versus unsweetened distinction matters too. The 85 g figure is for sweetened shredded coconut, the kind most commonly sold for baking, which has sugar added and is slightly heavier and stickier than unsweetened coconut. Unsweetened coconut is drier, lighter per cup, and less sweet, so swapping one for the other changes both the weight and the sugar in the recipe. If a recipe calls for unsweetened coconut and you use sweetened, reduce the sugar elsewhere, and expect the cup to weigh a little more. Toasting also changes the weight slightly, as moisture is driven off, so weigh the coconut in the form the recipe specifies.

Shredded Coconut cups to grams conversion table

Cups Grams Tablespoons
1/4 cup 21.2 g 4
1/3 cup 28.3 g 5.3
1/2 cup 42.5 g 8
2/3 cup 56.7 g 10.7
3/4 cup 63.8 g 12
1 cup 85 g 16
1 1/2 cups 127.5 g 24
2 cups 170 g 32
3 cups 255 g 48
4 cups 340 g 64

One tablespoon of shredded coconut weighs about 5.3 g, since a cup is 16 tablespoons. That is useful when a recipe calls for a spoonful or two rather than a whole cup, though 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.

Worked examples

Coconut macaroons, a batch of 24

A batch of 24 macaroons uses about 3 cups of shredded coconut, which is 255 g, mixed with egg whites, sugar and vanilla. Weigh 255 g rather than measuring by cups, because the shreds settle differently every time and a cup can be 10 g light or heavy. The coconut is the whole structure of a macaroon, so the amount decides whether the cookies hold together or fall apart.

Coconut cake topping for a layer cake

A layer cake topping uses about 1 cup of shredded coconut, which is 85 g, toasted lightly and scattered over the frosting. Toast the coconut in a dry pan over medium heat, shaking often, and take it off the heat the moment it turns golden, because it burns in seconds. Weighing 85 g gives you an even, generous coating without a pile of leftover toasted coconut.

Coconut curry for four

A curry for four people uses about 1/2 cup of shredded coconut, which is 43 g, stirred into the sauce near the end of cooking. The coconut thickens the sauce slightly and adds sweetness, so the amount needs to be right: too much and the curry turns sweet and heavy, too little and the coconut flavour disappears. Use unsweetened coconut for savoury dishes if you can, and reduce any added sugar.

How the weight was measured

Spooned and levelled means spooning the ingredient into the measuring cup until it is heaped, then sweeping a straight knife across the top to level it off. Never scoop the cup through the bag or jar, 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.

Practical guidance

Store shredded coconut in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months, and refrigerate it in warm weather, because its oils go rancid and stale coconut tastes soapy. Check whether your packet is sweetened or unsweetened before you start, because the two are not interchangeable by weight or by sugar. Toast coconut in a dry pan or in the oven, watching it constantly: it goes from pale to golden to burnt in under a minute. If you do not have a scale, spoon the shreds loosely into the cup without pressing them down and level the top, and remember the 85 g figure is approximate, so check the mixture rather than trusting the cup alone.

Common mistakes with fresh fruit

The most common mistake is measuring fruit by the cup before preparing it. A cup of whole strawberries and a cup of sliced strawberries are different weights, because slicing removes air gaps, so always prepare the fruit first, then measure, and weigh whenever the recipe is precise. The second mistake is using under-ripe or over-ripe fruit without adjusting: unripe fruit is lighter, firmer and less sweet, while very ripe fruit is heavier and wetter, and both change the batter. The third is washing berries and measuring them while they are still wet, which adds water weight and throws off the balance. Dry them gently before measuring. Finally, do not fold delicate berries into a thick batter with a heavy hand: they burst, bleed colour through the crumb, and sink. Fold once or twice, gently, and dust them with a spoonful of flour first so they stay suspended.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams is 1 cup of shredded coconut?

1 cup of shredded coconut weighs 85 g when spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. The figure is for sweetened shredded coconut and is approximate, because the fluffy shreds settle differently every time, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.

Is sweetened coconut heavier than unsweetened?

Yes, slightly. Sweetened coconut has sugar added, which makes it heavier and stickier per cup than unsweetened coconut. The difference is small, but the sugar difference matters more than the weight: reduce the sugar elsewhere if you swap one for the other.

How many cups is 100 g of shredded coconut?

100 g of shredded coconut is about 1.18 cups, or just over 1 cup. At 85 g per cup, divide 100 by 85 to get the answer, and use a scale for the most accurate result.

Can I use desiccated coconut instead?

You can in most recipes, but desiccated coconut is finer and denser, so a cup weighs more than a cup of shredded coconut. Weigh it rather than measuring by volume, and expect a slightly different texture in the finished bake.

Why does my toasted coconut burn so fast?

Because coconut is thin, dry and high in sugar, so it goes from golden to burnt in seconds. Toast it in a dry pan over medium heat, shake the pan often, and take it off the heat the moment it turns golden, because it keeps cooking from residual heat.

Related conversions

If you need a different amount, the table above scales in both directions, and the converter tool will do the maths for any quantity. When a recipe really matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale rather than trusting the cup alone, because the figures on this page are approximate and natural ingredients vary by brand, variety and moisture.