One cup of cream of tartar weighs 144 g, spooned and levelled, according to USDA. In practice it is measured by the teaspoon — a teaspoon weighs about 3 g — because recipes rarely call for more than a teaspoon or two of it. Acidic white powder left over from winemaking. It is used for stabilising egg whites, activating baking soda and making baking powder. This guide covers the weight of cream of tartar 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.

Cream of Tartar: weight and measurement table

The table below gives the weight of Cream of Tartar in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 144 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 | 3 g |

| 1 tablespoon | 9 g |

| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 36 g |

| 1/3 cup | 48 g |

| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 72 g |

| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 108 g |

| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 144 g |

| 2 cups | 288 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 Cream of Tartar?

Acidic white powder left over from winemaking. It is used for stabilising egg whites, activating baking soda and making baking powder. Cream of tartar is an acidic white powder, a by-product of winemaking, and it does quiet, useful work in baking. Acidic white powder left over from winemaking. It is used for stabilising egg whites, activating baking soda and making baking powder. Its main jobs are stabilising whipped egg whites so meringues hold their shape, and providing the acid that activates baking soda. Because it is used in such small amounts, the teaspoon weights on this page are the numbers that matter, and a level teaspoon — not a heaped one — is what recipes assume.

How to measure Cream of Tartar correctly

Spoon the ingredient loosely into the measuring cup with a smaller spoon, then sweep a straight knife across the top to level it. Never dip the cup into the bag or jar: dipping packs the ingredient down and can add up to 20 percent to the weight of a cup. For cream of tartar, use proper measuring spoons and level them: a heaped teaspoon can hold nearly twice the weight of a level one, and in a meringue that extra acid changes the texture. The USDA figure used on this page is 144 g per cup, and confidence in this figure is medium. Because the amounts are so small, a scale that reads to a tenth of a gram is the most accurate tool, but a level measuring spoon is what almost every recipe assumes.

Method and source

All the figures on this page are derived from a single sourced number: 144 g per cup of cream of tartar, spooned and levelled, 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 meringue

A meringue that calls for 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar needs about 1.5 g. Whisk it into the egg whites with the sugar: the acid stabilises the foam, so the meringue holds its shape and does not weep. A level measuring spoon is essential here — a heaped half-teaspoon is nearly twice the acid, and the meringue will taste sharp and turn grainy.

Stabilising whipped cream

A bowl of cream that calls for 1/4 teaspoon of cream of tartar needs about 0.8 g, whisked in before the cream is whipped. The acid helps the cream hold its shape for longer, which matters if the dessert has to sit before serving. Add it early, while the cream is still liquid, so it dissolves evenly.

Making baking powder

Cream of tartar is the acid half of baking powder. The substitution data on this site lists the pairs you can use when you run out of baking powder, and the reverse — what to use when you run out of cream of tartar — is covered in the substitution section below. Whatever you do, measure the powder with a level spoon: in a leavening, a gram either way changes how high the cake rises.

What to use instead

When you run out of cream of tartar, 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:

  • Cream of Tartar to Lemon juice: 1 tsp lemon juice per 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (stabilising egg whites). Baking powder is baking soda plus acid, so the swap is always soda + an acid in the right ratio. Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise.

  • Cream of Tartar to White vinegar: 1 tsp vinegar per 1/2 tsp cream of tartar. Baking powder is baking soda plus acid, so the swap is always soda + an acid in the right ratio. Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise.

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 baking powder soda 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. Airtight jar, cool and dry, up to 3 years.

The most common mistake with cream of tartar is using a heaped spoon. The amounts are so small that a heaped teaspoon can hold nearly twice the weight of a level one, and in a meringue that extra acid changes the texture and the taste. The second mistake is leaving it out of a recipe that needs it: without the acid, egg whites do not hold their foam and baking soda has nothing to react with. The third mistake is storing it in a damp cupboard, where it clumps — keep it dry and it lasts for years.

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 cream of tartar 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 cream of tartar?

One cup of cream of tartar weighs approximately 144 g, measured spooned and levelled, according to USDA. That is the figure every other number on this page is derived from: a tablespoon is 9 g, a teaspoon is 3 g, and 2 cups are 288 g. All figures are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.

How do I measure cream of tartar without a scale?

Spoon the ingredient loosely into the measuring cup with a smaller spoon, then sweep a straight knife across the top to level it. Never dip the cup into the bag or jar: dipping packs the ingredient down and can add up to 20 percent to the weight of a cup. 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 cream of tartar?

The substitution database lists Lemon juice as a swap for cream of tartar: 1 tsp lemon juice per 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (stabilising egg whites). Baking powder is baking soda plus acid, so the swap is always soda + an acid in the right ratio. Do not swap leavening in a recipe without acid — baking soda alone will taste soapy and will not rise. 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 cream of tartar?

Airtight jar, cool and dry, up to 3 years. 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.

What does cream of tartar do in baking?

It is an acid, and it does two jobs: it stabilises whipped egg whites so meringues hold their shape and do not weep, and it provides the acid that activates baking soda in recipes that use soda as the leavening. Without it, a meringue is weaker and a soda-leavened cake may not rise properly. It is used in tiny amounts — a teaspoon weighs about 3 g — but those tiny amounts matter.

Related links