A cup of dates is 149 g — the King Arthur Baking figure, measured spooned and levelled. Chopped dried dates, intensely sweet. It is used for sticky toffee pudding, energy bars, baking and tagines. They are the sweetest dried fruit in the cupboard by a wide margin, and at 149 g per cup they are also one of the heaviest. A cup of chopped dates is nearly 150 g of concentrated fruit sugar, which is why they can sweeten a whole cake on their own, and why the amount you add decides whether a bake is rich or cloying. This guide covers the weight of dates 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.
Dates: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of Dates in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the King Arthur Baking figure of 149 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 | 3.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 9.3 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 37.2 g |
| 1/3 cup | 49.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 74.5 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 111.8 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 149 g |
| 2 cups | 298 g |
| 100 g | 0.67 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 0.67 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 Dates?
Chopped dried dates, intensely sweet. Dates is used for sticky toffee pudding, energy bars, baking and tagines. The ingredient is a familiar one in most kitchens, but it is worth knowing what it actually is before you measure it, because the form it comes in decides how it behaves in a recipe. Dates as sold is the form the weight on this page refers to: 149 g per cup, spooned and levelled, from King Arthur Baking. If you buy it in a different form — chopped, ground, toasted, sweetened or unsweetened — the weight per cup changes, sometimes by a lot, so weigh the ingredient in the form the recipe asks for, or weigh it before you change its form. That single habit, weighing before chopping, grinding or toasting, is what keeps the recipe consistent from one bake to the next.
How to measure Dates
Spoon the dates lightly into the measuring cup or spoon, then level the top with the back of a knife. Do not scoop the measure straight from the bag or the jar, because scooping packs the ingredient down and adds weight with every spoonful. Do not press it down or shake the measure to settle it, because that packs it too. The spooned and levelled method is a technique, not a machine setting, so two people measuring the same ingredient can still differ by a few grams, which is why the figures on this page are approximate. When the recipe matters, weigh the dates on a kitchen scale instead: put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the dates until the scale reads the weight you need.
How to store Dates
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 6 months. That storage advice is worth following, because dates goes stale faster than most cooks expect, and stale dates will spoil a whole batch of baking. Keep it sealed, because air and moisture are what make it go stale, and keep it away from strong smells, because it absorbs odours from the cupboard. Check the ingredient before you use it: smell it, taste a little, and look at it. If it smells sharp, stale or off, or if it has changed colour or texture, replace it rather than risking a recipe on it. A small amount of fresh dates is always better than a large amount of stale dates, and the cost of replacing it is far less than the cost of a ruined bake.
What to use instead of Dates
If you run out of dates, the closest swaps are Raisins at 149 g per cup, Dried Apricots at 130 g per cup, Dried Cranberries at 114 g per cup. Swap by weight, not by volume, because the cup weights differ, and a volume swap gives the wrong amount. Each substitute changes the flavour a little, so choose the one that suits the dish: a mild substitute for a delicate bake, and a stronger one where the flavour can carry it. Taste the finished dish before serving, because a substitute that works in a salad may not work in a cake, and the other way round.
Worked examples: Dates in real recipes
1. A sticky toffee pudding for a dinner party
A sticky toffee pudding for eight uses 12 tablespoons of chopped dates, about 111.8 g, soaked in boiling water with a pinch of baking soda until soft, then folded into the sponge batter. The dates give the pudding its dark colour, its moisture and its deep caramel flavour, and the soaking step is essential: it softens the dates so they melt into the sponge instead of staying in hard lumps. Weigh the dates before soaking, because soaked dates absorb water and gain weight, and drain them well so the extra liquid does not make the sponge soggy.
2. Homemade energy bars for the week
A batch of energy bars uses 16 tablespoons of dates, about 149 g, blitzed with oats, nuts and seeds until the mixture sticks together. The dates are the glue that holds the bars together and the sweetener that makes them taste good, and their weight is what decides whether the bars hold their shape or crumble: too few dates and the mixture will not bind, too many and the bars turn sticky and heavy. Blitz the dates first, before adding the oats, so they form a smooth paste that coats everything evenly.
3. A lamb tagine with dates and almonds
A lamb tagine for four uses 8 tablespoons of chopped dates, about 74.5 g, stirred in during the last half hour of cooking. The dates soften in the sauce and add a sweetness that balances the spices and the saltiness of the preserved lemon, and adding them late matters: dates cooked for the whole time dissolve completely and make the sauce cloying. Stir them in near the end so they stay in soft pieces, and taste before serving, because the sweetness builds as the tagine rests.
Why the weight of Dates matters
Dates matter by weight because they are used as a sweetener as much as a fruit, and a small error changes a recipe's sweetness a lot. In a sticky toffee pudding, the date content decides whether the sponge is moist and dark or sticky and heavy, and the difference can be 30 g of dates. Dates also absorb moisture from the batter, so a cake with too many dates can bake up dense, while one with too few stays pale and plain. The cup measure is unreliable because chopped dates clump together into a sticky mass, and the same cup can hold very different amounts depending on how the pieces settle. Weighing them takes a moment and keeps the sweetness consistent, which matters most in recipes where the dates replace some or all of the sugar.
The King Arthur Baking figure, and how it was measured
The King Arthur Baking figure for dates is not disputed: 149 g per cup, spooned and levelled, is the accepted value, and other sources agree within a few grams. Small differences between brands and batches are normal, because natural ingredients vary, but the variation is small enough that the figure on this page is a reliable guide for everyday cooking. The figure on this page, 149 g per cup, was measured spooned and levelled, which is the standard method for this kind of ingredient. If you measure it differently — scooping instead of spooning, packing instead of levelling, or measuring after chopping — the weight changes, and the recipe changes with it. The source matters too: King Arthur Baking is the reference used throughout this site, because its figures are consistent and widely used in baking, and the USDA figures are used where King Arthur does not publish one. When two sources disagree, this site says so, and the figure given is the one judged most reliable for everyday cooking.
Common mistakes with Dates
The most common mistake is adding chopped dates to a batter without soaking them first: dry dates absorb moisture from the crumb and can leave it dry, and they can also sink to the bottom of a loaf. Soak them in hot water for ten minutes and drain them before use. The second mistake is measuring dates after they have clumped into a sticky lump, which leaves air gaps and under-measures the amount. Toss the chopped dates in a spoonful of flour to separate them before measuring. The third mistake is using old, hard dates that have dried out: they stay hard in the bake and taste woody. Soak them longer, or replace them. Finally, do not store dates in a warm kitchen in an open bag, because they dry out and harden within weeks, and the sugar can crystallise on the surface.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of dates?
One cup of chopped dates weighs about 149 g, spooned and levelled, using the King Arthur Baking figure. That is for chopped dried dates as sold, and whole dates weigh slightly less per cup because they leave more air gaps. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of dates?
100 grams of dates is about 10.7 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, because one tablespoon weighs about 9.3 g. Eleven level tablespoons is just past 100 g, so count carefully, or weigh the dates on a scale, which is easier because chopped dates clump together.
Should I soak dates before baking?
Yes, usually. Soaking chopped dates in hot water for ten minutes softens them, stops them absorbing moisture from the batter, and helps them melt into the crumb. Drain them well before use, and weigh them before soaking, because soaked dates gain weight from the water they absorb.
Can I use dates instead of sugar in baking?
Yes, in many recipes: dates are intensely sweet, and a date paste made by soaking and blitzing dates can replace some or all of the sugar in cakes, muffins and energy bars. The result is moister and darker than a sugar cake, and the flavour is richer. Start by replacing half the sugar and see how the bake turns out before going further.
How should I store dates?
Keep them in an airtight container in a cool, dry place for up to 6 months. An open bag in a warm kitchen dries them out and makes them hard, and the sugar can crystallise on the surface, which looks like white spots. If they have hardened, soak them in warm water for fifteen minutes to soften them again.