One cup of heavy cream weighs 238 g, poured, according to the USDA. Heavy cream is the richest liquid in the dairy case — at least 36 percent fat — and its cup weight of 238 g sits just below milk's 244 g, because fat is lighter than water. The figure matters for whipping, for sauces, and for any recipe where cream is measured by the cup and the weight decides the richness. All weights on this page are approximate; the USDA lists heavy cream at about 238 g per cup, while the King Arthur chart rounds it to 227 g, so verify with a scale when precision matters. This guide uses the USDA value.
Heavy Cream: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of heavy cream in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 238 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 | 14.9 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 59.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 79.3 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 119 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 178.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 238 g |
| 2 cups | 476 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 Heavy Cream?
Heavy cream is cream with at least 36 percent fat that whips to firm peaks. It is the fat-rich layer that rises to the top of milk, separated by centrifugation and sold as a pouring cream. That high fat content is what makes heavy cream unique: the fat globules trap air when whipped, giving a stable foam that holds its shape, and the fat coats the tongue, giving sauces a silky, luxurious mouthfeel. It is used for whipping, ganache, sauces and soups, and it is the cream that every recipe means when it says cream without qualifying it. It should be refrigerated and used within 1 week of opening, and it should be whipped cold — warm cream will not whip, because the fat is too soft to trap air.
How to measure Heavy Cream correctly
Heavy Cream is measured poured, 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 USDA figure used on this page is 238 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.
A note on the published figures
USDA lists heavy cream at about 238 g per cup; King Arthur rounds it to 227 g.
Worked examples
A chocolate ganache
A ganache for a cake uses 1 cup of heavy cream — 238 g — heated and poured over 200 g of dark chocolate. The weight matters because ganache is a ratio: 238 g of cream to 200 g of chocolate gives a pouring ganache that sets into a glossy, sliceable layer, while equal weights give a softer ganache for truffles. Weighing the cream is more reliable than measuring it in a jug, because cream clings to the sides and you lose a few grams. The cream is heated to just below boiling, poured over the chopped chocolate, and left for 2 minutes before stirring — the heat melts the chocolate, and the stirring emulsifies it into a smooth, shiny ganache.
Whipped cream for a pavlova
A pavlova topping uses 2 cups of heavy cream — 476 g — whipped with 2 tablespoons of sugar and a teaspoon of vanilla. The weight is useful because the yield is dramatic: 476 g of cream whips up to about 950 g of whipped cream, doubling in volume as air is beaten in. The cream must be cold, the bowl must be cold, and the whisk must be cold — warm cream will not whip, because the fat globules are too soft to trap air. The cream is whipped to soft peaks, not stiff, because over-whipped cream turns grainy and then into butter. The whipped cream is spooned over the pavlova just before serving, because it weeps within hours.
A creamy tomato soup
A tomato soup for four is finished with 1/2 cup of heavy cream — about 119 g — stirred in off the heat. The weight matters because the cream is doing two jobs: it enriches the soup and it softens the tomato's acidity. Too much cream and the soup turns pale and bland, too little and it stays sharp. Weighing 119 g lets you add the cream gradually — stir in half, taste, then add the rest. The soup is off the heat when the cream goes in, because boiling cream can split, and the cream is at room temperature, which helps it blend smoothly instead of shocking into flecks.
Whipping and why fat percentage matters
Heavy cream whips because of its fat, and the fat percentage is the whole story. At 36 percent fat or more, the fat globules are numerous enough to form a network that traps air: when you whisk cream, the globules collide, stick together, and build a structure around the air bubbles, giving a foam that holds its shape. Below 30 percent fat — light cream, half-and-half, single cream — there are not enough globules to build that network, and the cream will never whip, however long you whisk it. That is why recipes that call for whipped cream must use heavy cream, and why substitutes fail: a milk-and-butter mixture can mimic cream in a sauce, but it cannot whip, because the fat is not in the right form. The practical rules are simple: use heavy cream for whipping, keep everything cold, whip to soft peaks for serving and stiff peaks for piping, and stop the moment the cream holds its shape — a few seconds more and the fat globules clump together, the cream turns grainy, and a few seconds after that you have butter. And when you measure cream for whipping, weigh it: 238 g per cup, 119 g for half a cup, and the yield will be about double the volume.
What to use instead
If you run out of heavy cream, 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.
Heavy cream to Milk and butter: 3/4 cup milk + 1/4 cup melted butter per cup of cream. Do not use a substitute where the recipe needs whipped cream, and do not boil yogurt or sour cream.
Heavy cream to Evaporated milk: 1:1 (will not whip). Do not use a substitute where the recipe needs whipped cream, and do not boil yogurt or sour cream.
Heavy cream to Coconut cream: 1:1 (coconut flavour; chills and whips). Do not use a substitute where the recipe needs whipped cream, and do not boil yogurt or sour cream.
Heavy cream to Half-and-half: 1:1 in sauces and soups (will not whip; may curdle at a hard boil). Do not use a substitute where the recipe needs whipped cream, and do not boil yogurt or sour cream.
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
Refrigerate; use within 1 week of opening. That is the headline, but the details matter. Store heavy cream 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 heavy cream?
One cup of heavy cream weighs 238 g, poured, according to the USDA. The King Arthur chart rounds it to 227 g, but the USDA value is more accurate. One tablespoon weighs 14.9 g.
How many cups of heavy cream are in 500 ml?
There are about 2 cups in 500 ml of heavy cream (500 divided by 238 is 2.1 cups). A standard 500 ml carton holds just over 2 cups, and a 250 ml carton holds about 1 cup.
Can I use milk instead of heavy cream?
In sauces, yes, with a thickener — use 3/4 cup of milk plus 1/4 cup of melted butter per cup of cream. But milk cannot be whipped, so do not use it where the recipe needs whipped cream. Evaporated milk, coconut cream and half-and-half also work in sauces but will not whip.
Why won't my cream whip?
Usually because it is too warm or too low in fat. Cream must be at least 36 percent fat to whip, and it must be cold — chill the cream, the bowl and the whisk for 15 minutes before you start. Ultra-pasteurised cream whips more slowly than pasteurised, so be patient and do not over-whip.
How long does heavy cream last once opened?
About 1 week in the fridge, sealed tightly. Discard it if it smells sour, tastes off, or has thickened into clumps. Do not freeze cream for whipping — it separates and will not whip after thawing, though it remains usable in cooking.
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 Heavy Cream cups to grams page for cup conversions, the Heavy Cream grams to cups page for working backwards from grams, and the Heavy Cream tablespoons to grams page for spoon measures. You may also want Milk, Sour Cream.