100 grams of cheddar cheese is about 14.2 tablespoons. One tablespoon of cheddar cheese weighs about 7.1 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.4 g. It is the everyday melting cheese, and its weight per spoon depends entirely on how it is grated: finely grated cheddar packs far more into a spoon than coarsely grated.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Firm, sharp cheese that melts well. Sandwiches, sauces, casseroles and baking. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 113 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Firm, sharp cheese that melts well. Sandwiches, sauces, casseroles and baking.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of cheddar cheese |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.4 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 7.1 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 14.1 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 21.2 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 28.2 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 35.3 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 42.4 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 56.5 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 70.6 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 84.8 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 113 g |
| 100 g | 14.2 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of cheddar cheese is about 14.2 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A cheese sauce for cauliflower
A cheese sauce for cauliflower uses 8 tablespoons of grated cheddar, about 56.5 g, stirred into a white sauce off the heat. The cheddar gives the sauce its sharp, savoury flavour and its golden colour, and it should go in off the heat, because boiling it makes the sauce grainy. Eight spoonfuls makes a sauce for four, and the sauce should be poured over the cauliflower and grilled until it bubbles.
A batch of cheese scones
Cheese scones use 6 tablespoons of grated cheddar, about 42.4 g, folded into the dough with a pinch of mustard powder. The cheddar gives the scones their savoury flavour and their golden tops, and it should be grated finely so it melts evenly through the dough. Six spoonfuls makes a batch of eight scones, and the dough should be handled lightly so the scones rise well.
A macaroni cheese for a family dinner
A macaroni cheese for a family uses 12 tablespoons of grated cheddar, roughly 84.8 g, stirred into the sauce and scattered over the top. The cheddar is the flavour of the dish, so use a mature cheddar for a sharper taste, and grate it yourself, because pre-grated cheddar is coated in anti-caking agents that stop it melting smoothly. Twelve spoonfuls is enough for a dish that serves four.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Cheddar matters because it is the most versatile cheese in the kitchen: it melts well, it grates easily, and its flavour ranges from mild to extra mature, so it suits sandwiches, sauces, scones and casseroles alike. Because it is grated for most recipes, its weight per spoon depends on the grate: finely grated cheddar packs more into a spoon than coarsely grated, so a cup weighs 113 g only when it is grated fine and spooned level. That means 100 g is about 14.2 tablespoons, and a tablespoon weighs about 7.1 g. For sauces, the practical rule is to grate the cheese yourself and stir it in off the heat, because pre-grated cheddar melts poorly and boiled cheddar turns grainy.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of cheddar cheese, count out about 14.2 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 7.1 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 28.3 tablespoons. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale: counting out more than 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
Storage. Refrigerate; use within 3-4 weeks.
- Grate cheddar yourself for sauces; pre-grated cheese melts poorly.
- Stir cheddar into sauces off the heat, so the sauce stays smooth.
- Use mature cheddar for cooking, where its flavour shows.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of cheddar cheese?
100 grams of grated cheddar cheese is about 14.2 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, using the King Arthur Baking value of 113 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 7.1 g. The figure is approximate and depends on how finely the cheese is grated, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of cheddar cheese?
One level tablespoon of finely grated cheddar weighs about 7.1 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.4 g. Coarsely grated cheddar is lighter per spoonful, because the shreds leave more air gaps, so weigh the cheese for baking.
Why is my cheese sauce grainy?
The usual cause is heat: cheddar turns grainy when it boils, because the fat separates and the protein tightens. Make the white sauce first, take it off the heat, and stir the grated cheese in until it melts. Pre-grated cheddar can also make a sauce grainy, because of its anti-caking coating.
Can I use mild cheddar instead of mature cheddar?
You can, but the dish will taste milder: mature cheddar has a sharper, more complex flavour, so a macaroni cheese made with mild cheddar can taste bland. If you only have mild cheddar, add a spoonful of mustard or a pinch of cayenne to sharpen the sauce.
How long does cheddar keep?
About 3 to 4 weeks in the fridge, wrapped tightly in wax paper or cling film. If mould appears on the surface, cut it away with a good margin; the cheese underneath is still good. Grated cheddar keeps for about a week, so grate it as you need it.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is boiling a cheddar sauce, which makes it grainy and oily; stir the cheese in off the heat. The second mistake is using pre-grated cheddar in a sauce, where the anti-caking coating stops it melting smoothly. The third mistake is using mild cheddar in a dish that needs flavour, and wondering why the macaroni cheese tastes bland; use mature cheddar for cooking. Finally, do not store cheddar unwrapped in the fridge, where it dries out and picks up smells; wrap it tightly in wax paper or cling film.