Pantry Staples
Coconut Oil Conversion
Coconut Oil weighs 218g per US cup.
| Amount | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 218.0 g | 7.69 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 109.0 g | 3.84 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 54.5 g | 1.92 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 13.6 g | 0.48 oz |
| 1 tsp | 4.5 g | 0.16 oz |
| 100 g | 100.0 g | 3.53 oz |
Need a different amount? Use the full Ingredient Converter tool.
Coconut oil weighs 218 grams per cup — matching vegetable oil's density closely — but it's structurally unusual among cooking oils in one specific way: it's solid at typical room temperature (below roughly 76°F/24°C) and melts to a clear liquid above that, a genuine physical-state quirk driven by its unusually high proportion of saturated fat compared to most other plant-based oils.
Virgin (or "unrefined") coconut oil retains a distinct coconut aroma and flavor from minimal processing, while refined coconut oil has been deodorized and filtered to a much more neutral taste — a real, deliberate choice depending on whether a recipe wants coconut flavor to come through or wants coconut oil purely for its melting properties.
Whether to measure coconut oil solid or melted matters for accuracy: this site's conversion applies to it in its liquid, melted state (matching how oil is generally measured), and a recipe that specifies "1 cup coconut oil, melted" versus "1 cup coconut oil, solid" is not asking for the identical quantity, since solid coconut oil packs differently into a measuring cup than its melted liquid form.
Coconut oil's 218g-per-cup weight matches vegetable oil's closely, but its behavior in the kitchen differs sharply because coconut oil is solid below about 76°F and liquid above it — a recipe calling for "melted coconut oil" versus "solid coconut oil" is specifying two genuinely different textures and mixing behaviors, not just a temperature preference.
Refined coconut oil is processed to be flavor-neutral, while unrefined virgin coconut oil keeps a distinct coconut aroma and taste — worth checking which one a recipe wants before substituting, since the wrong choice can add (or remove) a coconut flavor a dish wasn't meant to have.
Frequently asked questions
Why is coconut oil solid at room temperature when other oils are liquid?
Coconut oil carries an unusually large share of saturated fat relative to almost any other cooking oil, and saturated fats as a category tend to melt at higher temperatures than unsaturated ones — enough higher, in coconut oil's specific case, that its melting point lands right in the middle of a typical room's temperature, around 76°F (24°C).
Does this conversion apply to solid or melted coconut oil?
It applies to coconut oil in its liquid, melted state — a recipe distinguishing between "1 cup coconut oil, melted" and "1 cup coconut oil, solid" means genuinely different quantities, since solid coconut oil doesn't pack into a cup the same way its melted liquid form does.
What's the difference between virgin and refined coconut oil?
Virgin coconut oil skips most processing, which is exactly why it still carries a noticeable coconut taste and smell, while the refined version has been stripped of both through deodorizing and filtering until it's nearly flavorless — which one to reach for really just depends on whether coconut flavor is wanted in the finished dish or not.
Can I substitute coconut oil for butter in baking?
It works reasonably well by volume in many recipes, since both are semi-solid at room temperature, though coconut oil lacks butter's water content and milk solids, which changes the final flavor and can make baked goods slightly different in texture.
Does coconut oil need refrigeration?
No — it's shelf-stable at room temperature and doesn't need refrigeration; its high saturated fat content actually makes it more resistant to rancidity than many other oils, one of the more forgiving fats on this site in terms of oxidation.