A cup of raisins is 149 g — the King Arthur Baking figure, measured spooned and levelled. Dried grapes, sweet and chewy. It is used for baking, oatmeal, salads and trail mix. They are the most forgiving dried fruit in the cupboard, but also one of the heaviest per cup at 149 g, and that weight is what catches people out: a cup of raisins is nearly 150 g of concentrated sugar, so the amount you add decides whether a loaf is sweet or cloying. This guide covers the weight of raisins 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.
Raisins: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of Raisins 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 Raisins?
Dried grapes, sweet and chewy. Raisins is used for baking, oatmeal, salads and trail mix. 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. Raisins 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 Raisins
Spoon the raisins 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 raisins on a kitchen scale instead: put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the raisins until the scale reads the weight you need.
How to store Raisins
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 6 months. That storage advice is worth following, because raisins goes stale faster than most cooks expect, and stale raisins 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 raisins is always better than a large amount of stale raisins, and the cost of replacing it is far less than the cost of a ruined bake.
What to use instead of Raisins
If you run out of raisins, the closest swaps are Dried Cranberries at 114 g per cup, Dates at 149 g per cup, Dried Apricots at 130 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: Raisins in real recipes
1. A fruit loaf for afternoon tea
A fruit loaf for afternoon tea uses 12 tablespoons of raisins, about 111.8 g, soaked in warm tea and folded into a spiced dough. The raisins plump up in the tea and stay soft in the bake, giving the loaf its sweetness and its speckled crumb. Weigh the raisins before soaking, because soaked raisins absorb water and gain weight, so you cannot weigh them afterwards. Drain them well before they go into the dough, or the extra liquid makes the loaf soggy.
2. A pot of morning oatmeal for the family
A family pot of oatmeal takes 8 tablespoons of raisins, about 74.5 g, stirred in at the end so they plump in the heat without cooking away. The raisins sweeten the porridge naturally, so less sugar is needed, and their chewiness gives the oatmeal texture. Stir them in after the oats are cooked, because raisins added at the start sink to the bottom and can catch and burn on the base of the pan.
3. A trail mix for a long walk
A trail mix for a long walk uses 16 tablespoons of raisins, about 149 g, mixed with nuts, seeds and a few chocolate chips. The raisins give quick energy and a sweet contrast to the salty nuts, and their weight is worth knowing because a mix that is half raisins by volume is far sweeter than one that is half nuts. Weigh the raisins so the mix stays balanced, and keep the trail mix in a sealed bag, because raisins dry out and harden in the open air.
Why the weight of Raisins matters
Raisins matter by weight because they are almost pure sugar and water, and a small error changes a recipe's sweetness a lot. In a fruit loaf, the raisin content decides whether the loaf is gently sweet or sticky and heavy, and the difference between a good loaf and a cloying one can be 30 g of raisins. Raisins also absorb moisture from the dough, so a loaf with too many raisins can bake up dry, while one with too few stays pale and plain. The cup measure is unreliable because raisins clump together and leave air gaps, so a scooped cup can be 10 to 20 g lighter than a spooned and levelled one. Weighing them takes a moment and keeps the sweetness consistent, which matters most in recipes where the raisins are the main sweetener.
The King Arthur Baking figure, and how it was measured
The King Arthur Baking figure for raisins 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 Raisins
The most common mistake is adding raisins to a dough without soaking them first: dry raisins absorb moisture from the dough and can leave the crumb dry, and they can also burn on the surface of a loaf. Soak them in warm water for ten minutes and drain them before use. The second mistake is measuring raisins in a cup after they have clumped together in the bag, which leaves air gaps and under-measures the amount. Break the clumps apart before measuring, or weigh them. The third mistake is using old, hard raisins that have dried out completely: they stay hard in the bake and taste woody. Soak them longer, or replace them. Finally, do not store raisins in an open bag in a warm kitchen, because they dry out and harden within weeks.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of raisins?
One cup of raisins weighs about 149 g, spooned and levelled, using the King Arthur Baking figure. That is for raisins as sold, loosely spooned into the cup, and clumped raisins weigh less per cup because of the air gaps. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of raisins?
100 grams of raisins 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 raisins on a scale, which is quicker and more accurate.
Should I soak raisins before baking?
Yes, usually. Soaking raisins in warm water or tea for ten minutes plumps them up, stops them absorbing moisture from the dough, and keeps them soft in the finished bake. Drain them well before use, and weigh them before soaking, because soaked raisins gain weight from the water they absorb.
Can I substitute dried cranberries for raisins?
Yes, by weight: 100 g of dried cranberries replaces 100 g of raisins. The flavour is different, because cranberries are tarter and usually sweetened, so the bake will be less sweet and more tangy. Dried cranberries are also lighter per cup at 114 g, so the volume swap is different from the weight swap.
How should I store raisins?
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 within weeks. If they have hardened, soak them in warm water for fifteen minutes and they will soften again.