A 24 oz box of cornmeal holds about 4.9 cups. The arithmetic is simple: 24 oz is 680 g, and one cup of cornmeal weighs 138 g spooned and levelled, so 680 divided by 138 is 4.9 cups. Cornmeal is sold in a 24 oz box — a pound and a half — rather than a 5 lb bag, because most home cooks use it for cornbread, polenta and breading, and go through it more slowly than flour. Four point nine cups is about five batches of cornbread at 1 cup each, or ten batches of muffins at half a cup each, or two pots of polenta at 2 cups each.
Cornmeal is coarsely ground dried corn, and the grind matters: fine cornmeal makes a smooth cornbread, medium cornmeal makes a crumbly one with more texture, and coarse cornmeal is for polenta, where the grains stay distinct. The cup weight of 138 g is for whole cornmeal as listed by King Arthur Baking, and it is the figure to use for all grinds — the grind changes the texture, not the weight per cup in any meaningful way. Knowing the box holds 4.9 cups lets you plan: if a recipe uses 1 cup, a box covers five batches, and you will know when it is time to buy another box.
Box of cornmeal conversion table
The table below shows how many cups you get from fractions of a 24 oz box, and how many cups of cornmeal weigh how many grams. All figures use 138 g per cup, spooned and levelled.
| Amount | Cups (approx.) | Weight |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 bag | 1.23 cups (about 1 1/4 cups) | 170 g |
| 1/2 bag | 2.45 cups (about 2 1/2 cups) | 340 g |
| 3/4 bag | 3.68 cups (about 3 5/8 cups) | 510 g |
| Full bag | 4.90 cups (about 4 7/8 cups) | 680 g |
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 138 g |
| 2 cups | 276 g |
| 3 cups | 414 g |
| 4 cups | 552 g |
| 5 cups | 690 g |
| 10 cups | 1,380 g |
Cornmeal is coarsely ground dried corn. Fine, medium and coarse grinds all weigh about the same per cup (138 g) — the grind changes the texture, not the weight.
Worked examples
Cornbread for a chilli night
A batch of cornbread for six people uses 1 cup of cornmeal, mixed with 1 cup of flour, baking powder, salt, an egg, milk and a little melted butter, then baked in a hot, oiled skillet. One 24 oz box holds 4.9 cups, so it covers five batches — five chilli nights. Preheat the skillet in the oven so the batter sizzles when it hits the pan, which gives the cornbread a crisp crust. Bake at 200°C for 20 minutes until golden, and serve warm with butter. The cornbread should be moist and crumbly, not dry — if it is dry, add a tablespoon more milk next time.
Polenta for a dinner party
A pot of polenta for six people uses 2 cups of cornmeal, whisked into 6 cups of boiling salted water and cooked slowly for 40 minutes, stirring often. One 24 oz box holds 4.9 cups, so it covers two pots of polenta with nearly a cup to spare. Use coarse cornmeal for polenta, not fine — the coarse grains give the polenta its characteristic texture, and fine cornmeal makes a smooth porridge instead. Whisk the cornmeal in slowly to avoid lumps, and stir with a wooden spoon so it does not catch on the bottom of the pot. Finish with butter and Parmesan, and serve immediately.
Cornmeal muffins for a week of breakfasts
A batch of twelve cornmeal muffins uses 1 cup of cornmeal, mixed with flour, baking powder, sugar, an egg and milk. One 24 oz box holds 4.9 cups, so it covers almost five batches — 60 muffins. Bake a double batch on Sunday and freeze half, and you have breakfast for two weeks. Cornmeal muffins are heartier than plain muffins, with a slightly gritty texture and a sweet corn flavour that pairs well with honey or jam. Add a handful of sweetcorn kernels or chopped jalapeño to the batter for variety.
How the figure is worked out
The figure above is worked out by simple division, not by guessing. The package weight is a standard 24 oz (680 g) box of cornmeal. Divide that weight by the grams in one cup and you get the number of cups in the package. Because cup weights for dry ingredients depend on how the cup is filled, the result is approximate, and the honest way to use it is as a planning figure: it tells you how many batches a bag will cover, not the exact cup count to the last spoonful. The cup weight used here is 138 g per cup, spooned and levelled, sourced from King Arthur Baking.
Practical guidance
The grind of cornmeal matters more than the weight. Fine cornmeal makes smooth cornbread and tender muffins; medium cornmeal makes crumbly cornbread with more bite; coarse cornmeal is for polenta, where the grains stay distinct and the texture is the point. If a recipe says cornmeal without specifying the grind, medium is the safe default — it works for cornbread, muffins and breading. If a recipe says polenta, use coarse cornmeal, or buy a bag labelled polenta, which is coarse cornmeal by another name. Do not use fine cornmeal for polenta: it will make a smooth porridge instead of a textured polenta, and the result will be disappointing.
Measure cornmeal by weight. A cup weighs 138 g spooned and levelled, but cornmeal is coarse and can settle, so a cup measured at the top of the box can weigh less than a cup measured at the bottom. Weighing removes the variable: 1 cup is 138 g, every time. Store cornmeal in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. Whole-grain cornmeal contains oils that go rancid, so it keeps for about three months at room temperature — refrigerate it for longer keeping, and freeze it for 48 hours when you buy it to kill any pantry moth eggs. Degerminated cornmeal, which has the germ removed, keeps longer — up to a year — but it has less flavour and less nutrition.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between cornmeal and polenta?
Polenta is coarse cornmeal, sold under an Italian name. Fine and medium cornmeal are for cornbread and muffins; coarse cornmeal — polenta — is for the slow-cooked porridge of the same name. The cup weight is the same, about 138 g, but the texture is very different.
How many cups are in a 5 lb bag of cornmeal?
About 16.4 cups. A 5 lb bag is 2,268 g, and at 138 g per cup that divides out to 16.43 cups. That is about sixteen batches of cornbread at 1 cup each, or eight pots of polenta at 2 cups each.
Is cornmeal gluten-free?
Yes, naturally. Corn does not contain gluten, so cornmeal is gluten-free. But check the label: it can be milled in facilities that handle wheat, so if you need certified gluten-free cornmeal, buy a bag labelled gluten-free.
How long does cornmeal keep?
About three months at room temperature for whole-grain cornmeal, or up to a year for degerminated cornmeal, in an airtight container. Whole-grain cornmeal contains oils that go rancid, so refrigerate it for longer keeping. If it smells bitter or oily, throw it away.
Can I use cornmeal instead of flour in baking?
Partly. Cornmeal has no gluten, so it cannot replace flour entirely in a loaf or a cake — the structure would collapse. It works well mixed with flour: a cornbread uses equal parts cornmeal and flour, and a muffin can use up to half cornmeal. The result is heartier, with a sweet corn flavour and a slightly gritty texture.