Fats & Oils
Convert tablespoons of shortening to grams
One tablespoon of shortening weighs about 12.8 g, and half a tablespoon comes to roughly 6.41 g. Enter any amount below to convert it, or use the chart further down as a quick reference while you cook.
1 tbsp of shortening =
12.8 g
- oz
- 0.452
- kg
- 0.013
- lb
- 0.028
Shortening: 205 g per US cup · USDA FoodData Central. Shortening is whipped with air during manufacture, so it is lighter per cup than butter.
Full shortening chart →Shortening at a glance
Every number on this page comes from a single figure: 205 grams per US cup (USDA FoodData Central).
- 1 cup
- 205 g
- 1 tablespoon
- 12.8 g
- 1 teaspoon
- 4.27 g
- 1 cup in ounces
- 7.23 oz
- 100 g in cups
- 0.488 cups
- Density
- 0.87 g/ml
tablespoons to grams chart for shortening
Print it, screenshot it, or bookmark this page — these are the amounts recipes ask for most often.
| Tablespoons (US) | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 12.8 g | 0.452 oz | 0.028 lb |
| 2 tbsp | 25.6 g | 0.904 oz | 0.056 lb |
| 3 tbsp | 38.4 g | 1.36 oz | 0.085 lb |
| 4 tbsp | 51.3 g | 1.81 oz | 0.113 lb |
| 5 tbsp | 64.1 g | 2.26 oz | 0.141 lb |
| 6 tbsp | 76.9 g | 2.71 oz | 0.169 lb |
| 8 tbsp | 103 g | 3.62 oz | 0.226 lb |
| 10 tbsp | 128 g | 4.52 oz | 0.282 lb |
| 12 tbsp | 154 g | 5.42 oz | 0.339 lb |
| 16 tbsp | 205 g | 7.23 oz | 0.452 lb |
How this conversion is calculated
Volume-to-weight conversions are only as good as the density behind them. We treat shortening as 205 g per US customary cup, which works out to 0.866 g/ml. From there:
- Your tablespoons figure is converted into millilitres or grams using standard unit sizes (tbsp = 14.8 ml).
- The density above bridges volume and weight in whichever direction you need.
- The result is rounded the way a cook would round it — to the nearest gram, or to a usable fraction such as 1/2 cups.
Measuring shortening accurately
Shortening is whipped with air during manufacture, so it is lighter per cup than butter.
If a recipe matters to you — bread, macarons, anything with a tight hydration or ratio — weigh it. A £10 digital scale removes the single largest source of variation in home baking, and it is faster than washing three measuring cups.
When cups are fine
- Liquids measured in a proper jug, where volume is the honest unit anyway.
- Forgiving savoury cooking: soups, stews, stir-fries, marinades.
- Small amounts of leaveners and spices, as long as you use level spoons.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in 1 tablespoon of shortening?
1 tablespoon of shortening is 12.8 g. This is based on a density of 205 g per US cup.
How many grams are in 2 tablespoons of shortening?
2 tablespoons of shortening is 25.6 g, and 6.41 g for half a tablespoon.
How much is 100 g of shortening in cups?
100 g of shortening is about 1/2 cups. Weight is always the more reliable measurement, so use a scale when the recipe gives grams.
Why do other sites give a different number for shortening?
Shortening is whipped with air during manufacture, so it is lighter per cup than butter.
Do UK and Australian cups give the same result?
No. A US customary cup is 236.6 ml, a metric cup used in Australia and New Zealand is 250 ml, and an old UK imperial cup is 284 ml. Our default is the US cup, but you can pick metric cups in the converter.