A 16 oz tub of margarine holds about 2 cups. Margarine is sold by weight, and the tub's 454 g divides by 227 g per cup to give exactly 2 cups — the same figure as butter, because margarine is formulated to match butter's weight per cup. Two cups is a generous amount for baking: it covers a batch of cookies and a batch of frosting with a little left for toast.
How many cups in a 16 oz tub?
A 16 oz tub of margarine holds about 2 cups (454 g ÷ 227 g per cup).
| Amount | Cups | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Full 16 oz tub | 2 | 454 | 32 |
| Half 16 oz tub | 1 | 227 | 16 |
| Quarter 16 oz tub | 0.5 | 113.5 | 8 |
| 1 tablespoon | 0.06 | 14.19 | 1 |
The table gives the full package, half a package and a quarter of a package, plus a single tablespoon, so you can scale the answer to whatever your recipe asks for. If your packet is a different size from the one on this page, the same per-cup figure still applies — divide your packet's weight by the grams per cup, or its volume by 236.6 ml per cup, and you have your answer.
Worked examples
Cookies that need a cup of margarine
A batch of chocolate chip cookies takes 1 cup of margarine — half the tub, or 227 g — creamed with 1 cup of sugar and 2 eggs. Cream it at room temperature until it is pale and fluffy; cold margarine does not cream and the cookies come out dense. One cup from the tub is easy to measure by weight: put the bowl on the scale, tare it, and scoop in 227 g. The tub's markings, if it has them, are a useful second check.
Frosting that needs half a cup
A bowl of buttercream frosting takes about 1/2 cup of margarine — 114 g, or 8 tablespoons — beaten with 2 cups of powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons of milk. Margarine frosting is softer than butter frosting and holds up better in a warm kitchen, which is why it is popular for cakes served outdoors. Half a cup is a quarter of the tub, so one tub makes four bowls of frosting. Add the sugar gradually or the bowl will cloud over.
Spreading and everyday use
A tub of margarine used for spreading goes further than a baking tub: a thin spread on toast uses about 1 tablespoon, or 14 g, so the tub holds about 32 servings. That is why a tub bought for baking often ends up half-used for toast and still covers the next bake. If you are keeping count, mark the tub with the date you opened it — margarine picks up fridge smells within a week or two, and a tub that smells of onions has no place in a cake.
How the figure was measured
The weight figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking: margarine weighs 227 g per cup, measured scooped, and that figure carries high confidence in CookScale's 120-ingredient table. Every cup-based result on this page is approximate, because a cup measures volume and the weight depends on how the ingredient settles, how it was measured, and how fresh it is. When the amount matters — a cake, a cheesecake, a sauce that must set — weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead of trusting the cup. Package sizes vary by brand and region, so check the weight printed on your own packet before planning a recipe around this page.
How to measure it
Solid fats are measured by weight or by the markings on the wrapper, and both beat a cup. Margarine and shortening are soft enough to press into a cup, but air pockets hide between the scoops — a cup that looks full can be 10% short. Press the fat firmly into the measure with the back of a spoon, level it, and check for gaps. Better still, weigh it: a kitchen scale removes the question entirely. If the tub or block carries tablespoon markings on its wrapper, use those for small amounts — one tablespoon of margarine is about 14 g. For baking, cold fat matters as much as the amount: keep it chilled until the moment it goes into the dough, or the texture changes before the weighing is even finished.
Practical guidance
An opened tub of margarine or shortening absorbs fridge smells within days, so keep the lid on tight and keep it away from onions and garlic. Shortening keeps for months at room temperature in a cool cupboard, while margarine belongs in the fridge and softens on the counter in about fifteen minutes — do not microwave it, which melts the edges and leaves the centre cold. When a recipe calls for butter and you are using margarine, remember the water content differs: margarine carries more water than butter, so cookies spread a little more and pastry is a touch less flaky. That is a fair trade for a dairy-free bake, but it is not a like-for-like swap in laminated dough.
Two cups is the number to remember, and it makes planning easy: half the tub is a batch of cookies, a quarter is a bowl of frosting, and a tablespoon is a slice of toast. Buy the tub size that matches your baking — a 16 oz tub is right for a household that bakes weekly, while a smaller tub suits occasional baking and stays fresher. Check whether your tub is labelled in sticks or in grams: some tubs carry tablespoon markings on the side, and those are the most accurate way to measure without a scale. And keep the lid on between uses; an open tub in the fridge is a sponge for smells.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a 16 oz tub of margarine?
There are 32 tablespoons in a 16 oz tub of margarine, because the tub holds 2 cups and there are 16 tablespoons in a cup. Each tablespoon weighs about 14 g. For spreading, that means roughly 32 servings per tub; for baking, a recipe calling for 8 tablespoons needs a quarter of the tub.
Is margarine the same as butter cup-for-cup?
By weight, yes: both are about 227 g per cup, so you can swap them gram-for-gram or cup-for-cup in a recipe. The difference is composition — margarine carries more water than butter — so cookies made with margarine spread a little more and pastry is slightly less flaky. The swap works best in cakes, cookies and frostings rather than in laminated dough.
How do I measure margarine from a tub without a scale?
Press the margarine firmly into a dry cup measure with the back of a spoon, level the top, and check for air pockets underneath. A cup that looks full but has gaps can be 10 percent short. Better still, use the tablespoon markings on the tub's wrapper if it has them, or count tablespoons: 8 tablespoons is half a cup and 16 tablespoons is a full cup.
How long does an opened tub of margarine last?
An opened tub of margarine lasts about one to two months in the fridge if the lid is kept on tight. It absorbs strong smells quickly, so keep it away from onions, garlic and leftovers with powerful odours. Do not leave it out on the counter for hours — softened margarine that has warmed and cooled repeatedly goes off faster.
Can I use margarine instead of shortening?
You can, but the results differ: margarine contains water, while shortening is pure fat, so a pie crust made with margarine is less flaky and a frosting made with shortening holds its shape better in heat. For cookies the swap is usually fine. If a recipe calls for 1 cup of shortening, use 1 cup of margarine plus a tablespoon of flour to absorb the extra water.