The short answer: 1 cup of coconut milk weighs 240 g (poured, USDA). This guide covers the weight in every measure, how to measure liquids accurately, and what to use when you run out. Rich liquid pressed from grated coconut flesh; shake canned coconut milk before using. It is used for curries, soups, smoothies and dairy-free baking. This guide covers the weight of coconut milk in every measure you will use — cups, tablespoons and teaspoons — how to measure it correctly, what to use instead when you run out, and how to store it. All weights on this page are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.

Coconut Milk: weight and measurement table

The table below gives the weight of Coconut Milk in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 240 g per cup, poured. Every figure is approximate — poured is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.

| Amount | Weight (approx.) |

| --- | --- |

| 1 teaspoon | 5 g |

| 1 tablespoon | 15 g |

| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 60 g |

| 1/3 cup | 80 g |

| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 120 g |

| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 180 g |

| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 240 g |

| 2 cups | 480 g |

| 100 g | 0.4 cups |

There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.4 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.

What is Coconut Milk?

Rich liquid pressed from grated coconut flesh; shake canned coconut milk before using. It is used for curries, soups, smoothies and dairy-free baking. Liquids look simple to measure, and mostly they are: pour into a jug and read the level. But a cup of coconut milk is not the same weight as a cup of water, and when a recipe is written in grams — as many baking recipes now are — you need the real figure, not a guess. Coconut Milk is used for curries, soups, smoothies and dairy-free baking, and in most of those uses the exact weight matters less than it does for flour, which is why a jug is usually accurate enough. For baking, weigh it.

How to measure Coconut Milk correctly

Pour the liquid into a liquid measuring jug, set the jug on a flat surface, and read the level at eye height, at the bottom of the meniscus. Or weigh it directly into the bowl on a kitchen scale, which is the most accurate method of all and needs no jug at all. The USDA figure used on this page is 240 g per cup, and confidence in this figure is medium. For most cooking, a jug is accurate enough. For baking, weigh the liquid: put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and pour until the display shows the grams you need. It is faster than a jug, more accurate, and there is nothing extra to wash.

Method and source

All the figures on this page are derived from a single sourced number: 240 g per cup of coconut milk, poured, from USDA. Confidence in that figure is medium. Every other number — the teaspoon, tablespoon, quarter-cup and half-cup weights — is that number divided or multiplied, so if the cup figure is right, the rest follow. If a different source gives a different cup weight, every number on this page shifts by the same proportion. Every density-based result on this page is labelled approximate, and the honest advice is the same on every page of this site: when the recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.

Worked examples

A soup or a sauce

A soup that calls for 3 cups of coconut milk needs 720 g. Pour it into a jug and read the level at eye height, or weigh it straight into the pot on a scale — the scale is faster and more accurate, and there is no jug to wash. 720 g is the amount the recipe was tested with, and in a soup the liquid is the ingredient that decides whether the result is a soup or a stew.

A cake batter

A cake batter that calls for 1 1/2 cups of coconut milk needs 360 g. In baking, liquid is measured like flour — by weight — because the ratio of liquid to flour decides whether the cake is moist or dry. Pour 360 g into the bowl on a scale and you remove the biggest source of error in the recipe.

A dressing or a marinade

A dressing for a salad for two that calls for 2 cups of coconut milk needs 480 g. Whisk it with the other dressing ingredients and taste before serving: a dressing is balanced by flavour, not by arithmetic, and the weight is only the starting point. If it tastes sharp, add a pinch of sugar; if it tastes flat, add a little more acid.

What to use instead

When you run out of coconut milk, the substitution data lists these swaps. Every ratio below comes from the site's substitution database, and each one has a page of its own in the substitutions section:

  • Coconut Milk to Milk: 1:1 (coconut flavour). Stocks, water and wine swap 1:1 by volume; flavour is what changes. Do not use wine where children are eating unless it has cooked long enough for the alcohol to evaporate.

And if a recipe calls for something else and you only have coconut milk, these swaps go the other way:

  • Milk to Coconut Milk: 1:1. Plant milks swap 1:1 in most recipes; sweetened or flavoured versions change the taste. Do not use sweetened or flavoured plant milk in savoury sauces, and do not expect the same browning in baking. — full guide

  • Heavy cream to Coconut Milk: 1:1 (coconut flavour; use full-fat). Cream substitutes work in sauces and baking; only real cream whips to peaks. Do not use a substitute where the recipe needs whipped cream, and do not boil yogurt or sour cream.

One warning applies to every substitution: a swap changes the recipe. A different flour changes the crumb, a different sugar changes the browning, a different fat changes the flavour. Use the milk substitute converter to check the swap before you commit, and when the recipe has to work the first time, buy the ingredient the recipe actually calls for.

Storage and common mistakes

Storage. Refrigerate after opening; use within 3 days.

The most common mistake with coconut milk is reading a measuring jug from above instead of at eye level, which makes the level look higher than it is. Set the jug on a flat surface and crouch down to read it. The second mistake is measuring a sticky liquid in a dry jug without oiling it first — the liquid clings to the sides and you end up short. The third mistake is treating all liquids as if a cup weighs 240 g: for coconut milk a cup weighs 240 g, and in baking that difference matters.

When the conversion matters most is when the recipe is unforgiving: a cake, a loaf, a meringue, a sauce that has to set. In those recipes, weigh the coconut milk on a kitchen scale and use the numbers on this page as a check, not as the measurement itself. For everyday cooking — a soup, a salad, a stir-fry — a level spoon or a jug is accurate enough, and the figures here will keep you close. The rule of thumb is simple: the more the recipe depends on the exact amount, the more you should weigh it.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams is 1 cup of coconut milk?

One cup of coconut milk weighs approximately 240 g, measured poured, according to USDA. That is the figure every other number on this page is derived from: a tablespoon is 15 g, a teaspoon is 5 g, and 2 cups are 480 g. All figures are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.

How do I measure coconut milk without a scale?

Pour the liquid into a liquid measuring jug, set the jug on a flat surface, and read the level at eye height, at the bottom of the meniscus. Or weigh it directly into the bowl on a kitchen scale, which is the most accurate method of all and needs no jug at all. For small amounts, use proper measuring spoons and level them with a knife. For liquids, use a jug on a flat surface and read the level at eye height. These methods are accurate enough for everyday cooking, but for baking — where the ratio of ingredients decides the result — a kitchen scale is worth the small cost.

What can I use instead of coconut milk?

The substitution database lists Milk as a swap for coconut milk: 1:1 (coconut flavour). Stocks, water and wine swap 1:1 by volume; flavour is what changes. Do not use wine where children are eating unless it has cooked long enough for the alcohol to evaporate. See the substitution section above for the full list of swaps, and remember that any substitution changes the flavour or texture of the finished dish — a swap is a rescue, not a replica.

How should I store coconut milk?

Refrigerate after opening; use within 3 days. Storing it properly also keeps its weight consistent: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per cup as a fresh one, so a recipe that worked last month can drift if the storage has changed.

Can I freeze coconut milk?

In most cases, yes, but check the storage guidance first: Refrigerate after opening; use within 3 days. Freezing changes the texture of some liquids — dairy and coconut milk can separate when thawed — so frozen stock is best used in cooking rather than served as it is. Freeze in small portions, label the container with the date, and thaw in the fridge overnight.

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