100 grams of cream cheese is about 6.9 tablespoons. One tablespoon of cream cheese weighs about 14.5 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.8 g. It is the cheese that makes cheesecake set and cream cheese frosting spread, and it only works when it is soft: cold cream cheese makes lumpy frosting, whatever the recipe says.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. Soft, mild cheese that spreads and blends smoothly. Cheesecake, frostings, bagels and dips. 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 USDA, measured spooned and levelled. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 232 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Soft, mild cheese that spreads and blends smoothly. Cheesecake, frostings, bagels and dips.
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 cream cheese |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.8 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 14.5 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 29 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 43.5 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 58 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 72.5 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 87 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 116 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 145 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 174 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 232 g |
| 100 g | 6.9 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 cream cheese is about 6.9 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A cheesecake for a dinner party
A cheesecake for a dinner party uses 12 tablespoons of cream cheese, roughly 174 g, beaten with sugar and eggs until completely smooth. The cream cheese must be at room temperature, because cold cream cheese leaves lumps that no amount of beating will remove. Twelve spoonfuls makes a small cheesecake for six, and the cheesecake should be baked in a water bath so the top does not crack.
A cream cheese frosting for carrot cake
A cream cheese frosting for carrot cake uses 8 tablespoons of cream cheese, about 116 g, beaten with butter and powdered sugar. The frosting should be tangy and spreadable, not runny, and the secret is to beat the cream cheese and the butter separately first, then combine them. Eight spoonfuls makes enough frosting for a single layer cake, and the frosted cake should be kept in the fridge.
A dip for a vegetable platter (Cream Cheese)
A dip for a vegetable platter uses 6 tablespoons of cream cheese, about 87 g, beaten with herbs, garlic and a squeeze of lemon. The cream cheese gives the dip its thick, spreadable body, and it should be at room temperature before beating, so it blends smoothly. Six spoonfuls makes a dip that serves four, and it should be chilled for half an hour before serving.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Cream cheese matters because it is the only cheese that blends completely smooth, which is why it is the base of cheesecake and cream cheese frosting. Its mild flavour lets other ingredients shine, and its soft texture spreads easily on bagels and blends into dips. At 232 g per cup, a tablespoon weighs about 14.5 g, so 100 g is about 6.9 tablespoons. The practical rule is temperature: cream cheese must be at room temperature before beating, because cold cream cheese leaves lumps in a frosting or a cheesecake that no amount of beating will fix. Take it out of the fridge an hour before you need it, and cut it into cubes so it softens faster.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of cream cheese, count out about 6.9 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 3.4 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 13.8 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 2 weeks of opening.
- Bring cream cheese to room temperature before beating, or the frosting will be lumpy.
- Use full-fat cream cheese for cheesecake; low-fat is too soft to set.
- Refrigerate and use within 2 weeks of opening.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of cream cheese?
100 grams of cream cheese is about 6.9 tablespoons, spooned and levelled, using the USDA value of 232 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 14.5 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of cream cheese?
One tablespoon of cream cheese weighs about 14.5 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.8 g. Cream cheese is soft and easy to spoon, but it should be at room temperature before measuring for baking, so it blends smoothly.
Can I use low-fat cream cheese in a cheesecake?
It is not a good idea: low-fat cream cheese is softer and wetter, so the cheesecake may not set properly and can turn out runny. Use full-fat cream cheese for cheesecake and frosting, and save the low-fat kind for spreading on bagels.
Why is my cream cheese frosting lumpy?
The usual cause is cold cream cheese: it must be at room temperature before beating, or it leaves lumps that will not smooth out. Take it out of the fridge an hour before you start, cut it into cubes, and beat it on its own before adding the butter and sugar.
How long does cream cheese keep?
About 2 weeks in the fridge after opening, sealed and kept on a shelf. It should smell fresh and mild; if it smells sour or sharp, or if it has mould on it, throw it away. Cream cheese can be frozen for up to 2 months, though the texture changes, so freeze it for cooking, not for spreading.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is beating cold cream cheese and wondering why the frosting is lumpy: it must be at room temperature first. The second mistake is using low-fat cream cheese in a cheesecake, where it is too soft and too watery to set properly; use full-fat cream cheese. The third mistake is over-beating a cheesecake batter, which traps air and makes the cake puff up and then crack as it cools. Finally, do not keep cream cheese in the fridge door, where the temperature swings; keep it on a shelf, and use it within 2 weeks of opening.