100 grams of heavy cream is about 6.7 tablespoons. One tablespoon of heavy cream weighs about 14.9 g, and one teaspoon is about 5 g. It is the cream that whips to firm peaks and never curdles in a hot sauce, because at 36 percent fat it is the richest cream in the kitchen.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured poured. Cream with at least 36% fat that whips to firm peaks. Whipping, ganache, sauces and soups. 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 poured. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 238 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Cream with at least 36% fat that whips to firm peaks. Whipping, ganache, sauces and soups.
A note on disputed figures. USDA lists heavy cream at about 238 g per cup; King Arthur rounds it to 227 g.
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 heavy cream |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 14.9 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 29.8 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 44.6 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 59.5 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 74.4 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 89.2 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 119 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 148.8 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 178.5 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 238 g |
| 100 g | 6.7 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 heavy cream is about 6.7 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A chocolate ganache for a layer cake
A chocolate ganache for a layer cake uses 8 tablespoons of heavy cream, about 119 g, heated until it steams and poured over chopped dark chocolate. The cream should never boil, because boiled cream can split the ganache, and it should be left to sit for a minute before stirring, so the chocolate melts evenly. Eight spoonfuls makes a small ganache for a single cake, and the ganache should be left to cool until it is thick enough to spread.
Whipped cream for a pavlova
Whipped cream for a pavlova uses 10 tablespoons of heavy cream, roughly 148.8 g, whipped with a little sugar and vanilla until it holds soft peaks. The cream and the bowl should both be cold, because warm cream will not whip, and the cream should be watched closely, because it goes from soft peaks to butter in seconds. Ten spoonfuls makes enough cream for a pavlova that serves six.
A cream sauce for pasta
A cream sauce for pasta uses 6 tablespoons of heavy cream, about 89.2 g, simmered with garlic and parmesan until it coats the pasta. Heavy cream is the right cream for a hot sauce because its high fat content stops it curdling, while single cream would split. Six spoonfuls makes a sauce for two, and the sauce should be tossed with the pasta off the heat so it does not overcook.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Heavy cream matters because its fat content does two things no other cream can do: it whips to firm peaks, and it never curdles in a hot sauce. Cream needs at least 36 percent fat to whip properly, and heavy cream clears that bar, while single cream does not. In a sauce, the same fat protects the cream from the heat and the acid, so a tomato cream sauce stays smooth instead of splitting. At 238 g per cup by USDA, a tablespoon weighs about 14.9 g, so 100 g is about 6.7 tablespoons. The King Arthur chart rounds heavy cream to 227 g per cup, but we use the USDA value. For ganache and whipping, the exact weight matters less than the fat content, but for sauces, weighing the cream keeps the sauce consistent.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of heavy cream, count out about 6.7 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 13.4 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 1 week of opening.
- Chill the cream and the bowl before whipping; warm cream will not whip.
- Stop whipping at soft peaks; it turns to butter in seconds after that.
- Use heavy cream for hot sauces; single cream splits when it gets hot.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of heavy cream?
100 grams of heavy cream is about 6.7 tablespoons, poured, using the USDA value of 238 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 14.9 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of heavy cream?
One tablespoon of heavy cream weighs about 14.9 g, and one teaspoon is about 5 g. The King Arthur chart rounds heavy cream to 227 g per cup, but we use the USDA value of 238 g per cup.
Can I use single cream instead of heavy cream?
Not for whipping: single cream is too low in fat to hold air, so it will never form peaks. For a hot sauce, single cream can split, while heavy cream stays smooth. For pouring over fruit, either works, but heavy cream is richer.
Why will my cream not whip?
The usual cause is warmth: cream needs to be cold to whip, so chill the cream and the bowl in the fridge first. Low-fat cream also will not whip, because it needs at least 36 percent fat. If the cream is cold and still will not whip, it may be past its best, so check the date.
How long does heavy cream keep?
About a week in the fridge after opening, sealed and kept on a shelf, not in the door. It should smell fresh and sweet; if it smells sour or sharp, throw it away. Heavy cream can be frozen for up to 3 months, though it will not whip well after thawing, so freeze it for cooking, not for whipping.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is trying to whip cream that is not cold enough: warm cream will not hold air, so chill the cream and the bowl first. The second mistake is over-whipping, which turns cream into butter in seconds; stop as soon as soft peaks form. The third mistake is using single cream in a hot sauce, where it splits, and wondering why the sauce is grainy. Finally, do not keep heavy cream in the fridge door, where the temperature swings; keep it on a shelf inside, and use it within a week of opening.