Cups to Grams: Cocoa Powder
1 cup of cocoa powder is about 85 grams. Enter any amount to convert it.
How many grams are in a cup of cocoa powder?
One US cup of cocoa powder weighs about 85 grams (3.0 ounces). Half a cup is about 42 g, and one tablespoon is about 5.3 g.
This is for unsweetened cocoa powder. Cocoa is very fine and settles, so spoon it into the cup lightly and level it.
Cocoa Powder conversion chart
| Volume | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 21 g | 0.7 oz |
| ⅓ cup | 28 g | 1.0 oz |
| ½ cup | 42 g | 1.5 oz |
| ⅔ cup | 57 g | 2.0 oz |
| ¾ cup | 64 g | 2.2 oz |
| 1 cup | 85 g | 3.0 oz |
| 1½ cups | 128 g | 4.5 oz |
| 2 cups | 170 g | 6.0 oz |
| 1 tablespoon | 5.3 g | 0.2 oz |
| 1 teaspoon | 1.8 g | 0.1 oz |
Measuring cocoa powder: natural versus Dutch-process
Cocoa powder is very fine and tends to settle into a dense block, so spoon it lightly into the cup and level it instead of pressing it in. At about 85 g per cup it is far lighter than flour or sugar, and a scooped cup can easily run 100 g or more. Cocoa is also prone to lumps, so sift it or whisk it with the dry ingredients.
There are two main types, and recipes treat them differently. Natural cocoa is acidic and is usually paired with baking soda. Dutch-process cocoa is treated with an alkali, is darker and milder, and is usually paired with baking powder. Swapping one for the other can change how a cake rises, not just how it tastes. The weight per cup is about the same.
Cocoa instead of baking chocolate
A common stand-in for 1 ounce (28 g) of unsweetened baking chocolate is 3 tablespoons of cocoa powder plus 1 tablespoon of butter or oil. Three tablespoons of cocoa weighs about 16 g, so the cocoa supplies the chocolate flavor and the fat replaces the cocoa butter that has been pressed out of it.
Brownie recipes that rely on cocoa instead of melted chocolate are easy to scale by weight. Because cocoa is bitter, it is worth tasting your batter or frosting and adjusting sugar when you switch brands. Store cocoa in a sealed container away from heat and moisture.
Frequently asked questions
How many cups is 100 grams of cocoa powder?
100 g of cocoa powder is about 1.18 cups.
How many grams is a tablespoon of cocoa powder?
About 5.3 g, based on 85 g per cup and 16 tablespoons per cup.
How many cups is a pound of cocoa powder?
A pound (454 g) is about 5⅓ cups.
Can I swap natural and Dutch-process cocoa?
Sometimes. In recipes with a lot of baking soda or buttermilk it matters, because the acidity affects the rise. When a recipe names one type, stick with it.
How many grams is a tablespoon of cocoa powder?
About 5 g. Half a cup is about 42 g.