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Fats & Oils

Convert teaspoons of shortening to grams

One teaspoon of shortening weighs about 4.27 g, and half a teaspoon comes to roughly 2.14 g. Enter any amount below to convert it, or use the chart further down as a quick reference while you cook.

1 tsp of shortening =

4.27 g

oz
0.151
kg
0.0043
lb
0.0094

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

teaspoons to grams chart for shortening

Print it, screenshot it, or bookmark this page — these are the amounts recipes ask for most often.

Shortening — measured by volume
Teaspoons (US)GramsOunces (weight)Pounds
1/4 tsp1.07 g0.038 oz0.0024 lb
1/2 tsp2.14 g0.075 oz0.0047 lb
3/4 tsp3.2 g0.113 oz0.0071 lb
1 tsp4.27 g0.151 oz0.0094 lb
1 1/2 tsp6.41 g0.226 oz0.014 lb
2 tsp8.54 g0.301 oz0.019 lb
3 tsp12.8 g0.452 oz0.028 lb
4 tsp17.1 g0.603 oz0.038 lb
6 tsp25.6 g0.904 oz0.056 lb
8 tsp34.2 g1.21 oz0.075 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:

  1. Your teaspoons figure is converted into millilitres or grams using standard unit sizes (tsp = 4.93 ml).
  2. The density above bridges volume and weight in whichever direction you need.
  3. 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 teaspoon of shortening?

1 teaspoon of shortening is 4.27 g. This is based on a density of 205 g per US cup.

How many grams are in 2 teaspoons of shortening?

2 teaspoons of shortening is 8.54 g, and 2.14 g for half a teaspoon.

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.

Same conversion, other fats & oils