One cup of cornmeal weighs 138 g, spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. Cornmeal is coarsely ground dried corn, and its cup weight of 138 g reflects its coarse grind: the large particles leave air gaps between them, so a cup of cornmeal weighs less than a cup of flour, even though each grain is denser. The figure matters for cornbread, polenta, muffins and breading, where cornmeal is measured by the cup and the weight decides the texture. All weights on this page are approximate; fine and coarse cornmeal differ slightly, so verify with a scale when precision matters.
Cornmeal: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of cornmeal in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the King Arthur Baking figure of 138 g per cup, spooned and levelled. Every figure is approximate — spooned and levelled 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 | 2.9 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 8.6 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 34.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 46 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 69 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 103.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 138 g |
| 2 cups | 276 g |
| 100 g | 0.7 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 0.7 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 Cornmeal?
Cornmeal is coarsely ground dried corn; King Arthur lists whole cornmeal at 138 g per cup. It is made by grinding dried corn kernels, and it comes in fine, medium and coarse grinds, in yellow, white and blue varieties. Yellow cornmeal is the most common, with a sweet, corn flavour; white cornmeal is milder; blue cornmeal is nuttier. It is used for cornbread, polenta, muffins and breading, and it brings a gritty texture and a sweet corn flavour that no other grain can match. It has no gluten, so it cannot replace flour in bread, but in cornbread and muffins its texture is the point. Whole-grain cornmeal should be refrigerated, because its oils can turn rancid, while degerminated cornmeal keeps for a year in a cool, dry cupboard.
How to measure Cornmeal correctly
Cornmeal is measured spooned and levelled, and the method matters more than most cooks realise. For dry ingredients, spoon the ingredient into the measure with a smaller spoon, letting it fall loosely, then sweep a knife across the top to level it — never dip the measuring cup into the bag, because dipping compresses the ingredient and adds up to 20 percent. For liquids, pour into a liquid measuring jug and read the level at eye height, or weigh directly into the bowl, which is the most accurate method of all. The King Arthur Baking figure used on this page is 138 g per cup, and it is the figure the site's converters use, so the numbers here and the numbers in the tool always agree. Confidence in this figure is high.
Worked examples
A skillet cornbread
A skillet cornbread uses 1 cup of cornmeal — 138 g — with 1 cup of flour, 2 eggs and 1 cup of buttermilk. The weight matters because the cornmeal-to-flour ratio decides the texture: 138 g of cornmeal against 120 g of flour gives a cornbread that is crumbly and rustic, while more flour gives a softer, cake-like loaf. Weighing the cornmeal keeps the ratio exact, and the batter is poured into a preheated, oiled skillet, which gives the cornbread a crisp, golden crust. The cornbread is baked for 25 minutes, until the top is golden and a skewer comes out clean.
Creamy polenta for four
A creamy polenta for four starts with 1 cup of cornmeal — 138 g — whisked into 4 cups of simmering water or stock. The weight is critical because polenta thickens dramatically as it cooks: 138 g of cornmeal in 960 g of liquid gives a silky porridge, while a tablespoon too many turns it into a solid slab. The cornmeal is rained in slowly while whisking, which stops it clumping, and it is cooked for 40 minutes for coarse cornmeal, stirring often, until it is tender and creamy. Butter and parmesan are stirred in at the end, and the polenta is served immediately, because it firms up as it cools.
A breading for fried chicken
A breading for fried chicken uses 1 cup of cornmeal — 138 g — mixed with flour, salt and spices. The weight is useful because the breading's texture depends on it: 138 g of cornmeal against 120 g of flour gives a coating that is crisp and gritty, while more flour gives a smoother coating. The chicken is dredged in the breading, rested for 10 minutes so the coating adheres, and fried at 180 C until golden. The cornmeal's coarse grains are what make the coating crunch, and the cornmeal also browns faster than flour, so the chicken is fried at a slightly lower temperature to stop the coating burning before the chicken is cooked.
Grind size and cooking time
Cornmeal's grind size decides its cooking time, and using the wrong grind is the most common cornmeal mistake. Fine cornmeal cooks in 10 minutes and gives a smooth polenta; medium cornmeal cooks in 20 minutes and gives a classic polenta; coarse cornmeal cooks in 40 minutes and gives a rustic, hearty polenta with a distinct grain. The grind also affects the weight: fine cornmeal packs more densely, at about 9.5 g per tablespoon, while coarse cornmeal weighs about 8 g per tablespoon. The practical rule is to use the grind your recipe specifies, and to weigh it — 138 g per cup for standard whole cornmeal — rather than measuring by volume. For cornbread, medium cornmeal is the standard: it gives a crumb with character without being gritty. For polenta, the grind is a matter of taste and time: fine for a quick, smooth polenta, coarse for a slow, rustic one. And for dusting a pizza peel, coarse cornmeal is the choice, because its large grains act like ball bearings under the dough. Whatever the grind, store whole-grain cornmeal in the fridge, because its oils go rancid at room temperature within months.
What to use instead
If you run out of cornmeal, these are the tested substitutes from our substitution data, with the ratio and the case where each one does not work. Use the ratio by weight where it is given, and check the warning before you commit the batter.
- Cornmeal to Polenta: 1:1. Do not swap grains without adjusting the cooking time and liquid — brown rice takes twice as long as white.
The golden rule for any substitution is to match the job, not just the ingredient: a substitute that works in a sauce may fail in a cake, because the two recipes ask different things of the ingredient. When in doubt, use a recipe written for the substitute rather than adapting one written for the original.
Storage
Airtight container, cool and dry; refrigerate whole-grain cornmeal. That is the headline, but the details matter. Store cornmeal in an airtight container, away from heat, light and strong smells — dry ingredients absorb odours readily, and a bag of flour stored next to the spices will taste of them within a week. Label the container with the date you opened it, so you know how long it has been there, and check it before you bake: if it smells off, tastes bitter, or shows any sign of moisture or insects, discard it. Buying in smaller quantities and using it promptly is better than buying in bulk and storing it for a year, because every ingredient loses flavour with time, even the ones that never truly go bad.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of cornmeal?
One cup of cornmeal weighs 138 g, spooned and levelled, according to King Arthur Baking. One tablespoon weighs 8.6 g. Fine cornmeal packs more densely than coarse, so weigh it for the most accurate result.
How many tablespoons of cornmeal are in 100 g?
There are about 12 tablespoons in 100 g of cornmeal (100 divided by 8.6 is 11.6). A standard 500 g bag holds about 58 tablespoons, which is roughly 3.5 cups.
Is cornmeal the same as polenta?
Almost. Polenta is a dish made from cornmeal, and the cornmeal sold as polenta is usually a medium or coarse grind. You can use regular cornmeal to make polenta, but fine cornmeal cooks faster and gives a smoother result, while coarse cornmeal needs longer cooking and gives a more rustic texture.
Can I use cornmeal instead of flour?
Not 1:1. Cornmeal has no gluten, so it cannot replace flour in bread or cakes — the result would crumble. It works as a partial replacement in cornbread and muffins, where its texture is wanted, and as a coating or dusting where flour would turn gummy.
How long does cornmeal last?
Degerminated cornmeal keeps for about 1 year in a cool, dry cupboard. Whole-grain cornmeal should be refrigerated and used within 6 months, because its oils turn rancid. Discard cornmeal that smells bitter or musty.
Related pages
If you cook with this ingredient regularly, these pages will help: the cups to grams converter for any amount, the ingredient density lookup for the full table of 120 ingredients, the Cornmeal cups to grams page for cup conversions, the Cornmeal grams to cups page for working backwards from grams, and the Cornmeal tablespoons to grams page for spoon measures. You may also want White Rice, Rolled Oats.