1 teaspoon of shredded coconut weighs 1.77 g. A teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, and a cup of shredded coconut is 85 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 85 ÷ 48 = 1.77 g. The same cup divided by 16 gives the tablespoon weight of 5.3 g, and there are 3 teaspoons in every tablespoon. If you cook from recipes written in cups and spoons, this page is the bridge between the two, and the worked examples show the conversion inside real dishes rather than in isolation.
Shredded coconut is one of the lightest ingredients in the kitchen, which is exactly why its spoon weight surprises people: a teaspoon holds only 1.77 g, and a whole cup is just 85 g. That lightness is also why spoon measures are risky here — a fluffy spoonful and a pressed-down spoonful can differ by half as much again, so the levelled spoon and the tables on this page matter more for coconut than for almost any other ingredient. It shows up in macaroons, cakes, curries and granola, usually in small amounts where a scale feels like overkill.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Conversion table
One teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, so every figure in this table is the cup weight divided by 48, rounded to two decimal places. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Teaspoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 1.77 g |
| 2 tsp | 3.54 g |
| 3 tsp | 5.31 g |
| 4 tsp | 7.08 g |
| 5 tsp | 8.85 g |
| 6 tsp | 10.62 g |
| 7 tsp | 12.40 g |
| 8 tsp | 14.17 g |
| 9 tsp | 15.94 g |
| 10 tsp | 17.71 g |
| 11 tsp | 19.48 g |
| 12 tsp | 21.25 g |
The tablespoon figures are included too, because most recipes switch between teaspoons and tablespoons, and 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
| Tablespoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 5.3 g |
| 2 tbsp | 10.6 g |
| 3 tbsp | 15.9 g |
| 4 tbsp | 21.2 g |
| 5 tbsp | 26.6 g |
| 6 tbsp | 31.9 g |
| 7 tbsp | 37.2 g |
| 8 tbsp | 42.5 g |
| 9 tbsp | 47.8 g |
| 10 tbsp | 53.1 g |
| 11 tbsp | 58.4 g |
| 12 tbsp | 63.8 g |
| 13 tbsp | 69.1 g |
| 14 tbsp | 74.4 g |
| 15 tbsp | 79.7 g |
| 16 tbsp | 85.0 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure is the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place.
Cups to grams for reference
When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out 16 tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 21.2 g |
| 1/3 cup | 28.3 g |
| 1/2 cup | 42.5 g |
| 2/3 cup | 56.7 g |
| 3/4 cup | 63.8 g |
| 1 cup | 85.0 g |
One cup of shredded coconut weighs 85 g, so a quarter cup is 21.2 g and half a cup is 42.5 g. Those two figures cover most everyday scaling, and the full table above covers the rest.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Sweetened shreds of dried coconut flesh; very light per cup. Macaroons, cakes, curries and granola.
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. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of shredded coconut measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the King Arthur Baking value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.
Worked examples
Toasting a spoonful for a curry topping
A curry for two gets a garnish of 3 teaspoons (5.31 g) of shredded coconut toasted in a dry pan until golden, and the spoon measure keeps the topping light instead of turning the dish into a coconut pile. Toast it in a single layer and shake the pan often, because coconut goes from golden to burnt in seconds.
A macaroon test batch
A test batch of three macaroons needs about 8 teaspoons (14.17 g) of shredded coconut mixed with egg white and sugar, and weighing the coconut — or at least levelling every spoon — is what keeps the cookies chewy instead of dry. Too little coconut and the macaroons spread flat; too much and they crumble.
A spoonful in a smoothie bowl
A smoothie bowl takes 2 teaspoons (3.54 g) of shredded coconut sprinkled over the top, which is barely anything by weight but enough to give the bowl its flavour and crunch. Because the amount is so small, a kitchen scale will not register it reliably, and the spoon table is the practical tool.
Practical guidance
Spoon shredded coconut lightly into the measure and level it with a knife, but never press it down: coconut is mostly air, and packing it can nearly double the weight per spoon, which is the single biggest error in any coconut recipe. Sweetened and unsweetened coconut weigh almost the same per spoon, but sweetened coconut clumps and packs more easily, so be extra gentle with it. If you bake with coconut often, weigh it — the scale removes the biggest variable in the whole recipe.
Coconut absorbs moisture from the air, so an open bag in a humid kitchen weighs more per spoon than a fresh bag. Keep it sealed in an airtight container and, if it has gone soft or clumpy, spread it on a tray and dry it in a low oven for a few minutes before measuring. Desiccated coconut is finer and denser than shredded coconut, so do not swap them spoon for spoon without checking the weight.
Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of shredded coconut, count out about 56.5 teaspoons, and for 50 g, about 28.2 teaspoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 teaspoons means using 2 teaspoons, or 3.54 g, and doubling it means 8 teaspoons, or 14.17 g. 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, since counting out teaspoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh shredded coconut instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale costs less than a single failed bake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking, which is the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the shredded coconut until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 6 months.
- Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
- Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
- Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of shredded coconut?
One level teaspoon of shredded coconut weighs approximately 1.77 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 85 g by 48, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Is shredded coconut the same as desiccated coconut?
No. Desiccated coconut is ground finer and drier, so it packs more densely and weighs more per teaspoon than shredded coconut. The figures on this page are for shredded coconut only — if your recipe calls for desiccated coconut, weigh it rather than using these spoon figures.
Why is shredded coconut so light per teaspoon?
Because it is mostly air. Shredded coconut is thin strips of dried coconut flesh that do not pack together, so a cup weighs only 85 g — lighter than any flour on this site. That is also why pressing the spoon down changes the weight so much: you are squeezing out the air.
Does sweetened coconut weigh more than unsweetened?
Very slightly. The sugar coating adds a little mass, but the difference per teaspoon is a fraction of a gram and smaller than the error from packing the spoon. Use the same figures for both, and focus on levelling the spoon instead.
How many teaspoons of shredded coconut are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon, so 1 tablespoon of shredded coconut weighs approximately 5.3 g, which is three times the teaspoon weight of 1.77 g. Use the tablespoon table on this page when a recipe switches between the two units.
How should I store shredded coconut?
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 6 months. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.