Gelatin Powder: Grams to Cups
1 cup of gelatin powder = 150 grams
One US cup of gelatin powder weighs 150 grams. One 250 ml metric cup — the one used in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Canada — holds 159 grams. To convert any weight, divide the grams by the figure for your cup.
Powdered gelatin is measured by the envelope: one US envelope is ¼ oz (7 g), about 2½ teaspoons, and sets 2 cups of liquid. The 150 g per cup figure here is a working estimate, not a published reference.
Gelatin by the teaspoon and the envelope
Gelatin is used in grams and teaspoons, rarely by the cup. On this site's working figure of 150 g per cup, a teaspoon holds about 3.1 g and a tablespoon about 9.4 g. Granules vary in size by brand, so a teaspoon of one brand can weigh noticeably more or less than another. That is why recipes that matter, such as panna cotta, marshmallows and mousse, give gelatin in grams or in envelopes.
Envelopes are the most reliable unit for home cooks because they are weighed at the factory. Three US envelopes are about 21 g. If a European recipe gives gelatin in grams, weigh it on a scale that reads to 1 g rather than converting it to spoons.
How to bloom and dissolve it
Sprinkle the powder evenly over a small amount of cold liquid, usually water, and leave it for about five minutes. The granules swell and soften; this is called blooming. Dumping the powder in a pile leaves a dry core that never dissolves and shows up as rubbery lumps.
Then dissolve the bloomed gelatin in warm liquid, stirring until no granules remain. Keep it hot but not boiling, because long boiling weakens the set. Let the mixture cool before folding it into whipped cream or mousse, or it will melt the foam.
Common mistakes
Adding fresh pineapple, kiwi or papaya. Their enzymes break down gelatin and the dessert stays liquid. Canned or cooked fruit is fine because heating destroys the enzyme.
Swapping sheet gelatin and powder by count. Sheets come in different strengths (grades), and the number of sheets that equals an envelope depends on the grade. Follow the packet's own conversion, or weigh by the recipe's grams.
Converting gelatin to cups. Even ¼ cup is about 37.5 g on the working figure, more than five envelopes. If your conversion gives a cup amount, check the recipe; it almost certainly meant teaspoons or envelopes.
Where the 150 g figure comes from
Neither USDA FoodData Central nor King Arthur Baking publishes a cup weight for gelatin powder, so 150 g is this site's working estimate. Weigh it when the result matters.
How many cups is X grams of gelatin powder?
| Grams | US cups | Metric cups | Tablespoons | Ounces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 g gelatin powder | ⅛ | ⅛ | 2.67 | 0.88 |
| 50 g gelatin powder | ⅓ | ⅓ | 5.33 | 1.76 |
| 75 g gelatin powder | ½ | ½ | 8 | 2.65 |
| 100 g gelatin powder | ⅔ | ⅝ | 10.67 | 3.53 |
| 110 g gelatin powder | ¾ | ⅔ | 11.73 | 3.88 |
| 120 g gelatin powder | ¾ | ¾ | 12.8 | 4.23 |
| 125 g gelatin powder | ⅞ | ¾ | 13.33 | 4.41 |
| 130 g gelatin powder | ⅞ | ⅞ | 13.87 | 4.59 |
| 140 g gelatin powder | ⅞ | ⅞ | 14.93 | 4.94 |
| 150 g gelatin powder | 1 | 0.95 | 16 | 5.29 |
| 170 g gelatin powder | 1⅛ | 1⅛ | 18.13 | 6.00 |
| 175 g gelatin powder | 1⅛ | 1⅛ | 18.67 | 6.17 |
| 200 g gelatin powder | 1⅓ | 1¼ | 21.33 | 7.05 |
| 225 g gelatin powder | 1½ | 1⅜ | 24 | 7.94 |
| 240 g gelatin powder | 1⅝ | 1½ | 25.6 | 8.47 |
| 250 g gelatin powder | 1⅔ | 1⅝ | 26.67 | 8.82 |
| 275 g gelatin powder | 1⅞ | 1¾ | 29.33 | 9.70 |
| 300 g gelatin powder | 2 | 1⅞ | 32 | 10.58 |
| 350 g gelatin powder | 2⅓ | 2¼ | 37.33 | 12.35 |
| 400 g gelatin powder | 2⅔ | 2½ | 42.67 | 14.11 |
| 450 g gelatin powder | 3 | 2⅞ | 48 | 15.87 |
| 500 g gelatin powder | 3⅓ | 3⅛ | 53.33 | 17.64 |
How to measure gelatin powder accurately
The 150 g figure assumes the spooned-and-levelled method: spoon the gelatin powder into a dry measuring cup and sweep the top flat with a straight edge. Scooping the cup through the bag compacts it and gives a heavier cup.
- 1 US cup of gelatin powder = 150 g
- 1 metric cup (250 ml) of gelatin powder = 159 g
- ¾ cup = 113 g
- ½ cup = 75 g
- ⅓ cup = 50 g
- ¼ cup = 38 g
- 1 tablespoon = 9.4 g
Frequently asked questions
How many cups is 100 grams of gelatin powder?
100 grams of gelatin powder is about ⅔ US cups, based on 150 g per cup, or ⅝ metric cups.
How many grams in a cup of gelatin powder?
One US cup of gelatin powder weighs 150 grams. A 250 ml metric cup holds 159 grams.
How many cups is 250 grams of gelatin powder?
250 grams of gelatin powder is about 1⅔ US cups, or 1⅝ metric cups.
Does a UK cup of gelatin powder weigh the same as a US cup?
No. A UK, Australian or Canadian metric cup is 250 ml against the US 236.6 ml, so it holds about 5.7% more — 159 g of gelatin powder rather than 150 g.
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of gelatin powder?
100 grams of gelatin powder is about 10.67 tablespoons.
How many grams of gelatin are in a teaspoon?
About 3.1 g on this site's working figure of 150 g per cup. Brands vary, so weigh gelatin when the set matters.
How many grams is three envelopes of gelatin?
About 21 g, at ¼ oz (7 g) per US envelope.
Why didn't my gelatin set?
The usual causes are too little gelatin for the liquid, boiling it for a long time, or fresh pineapple, kiwi or papaya, whose enzymes break gelatin down.
More baking essentials conversions: Protein Powder (whey) grams to cups and Baking Powder grams to cups.