1/2 Cup of Cocoa Powder in Grams
1/2 cup of cocoa powder weighs 42 grams (about 1.5 oz), based on 84 g per US cup (spoon-and-level method). That's the same as 8 tablespoons of cocoa powder. When a recipe's outcome depends on accuracy — especially baking — weigh it instead of measuring by cup.
1/2 cup is the measure most kitchens reach for first. Double it for a full cup (84 g), halve it for 1/4 cup (21 g) — both are standard scoops, which is why recipes lean on this one.
How much is 1/2 cup of cocoa powder?
| Grams | 42 g |
|---|---|
| Ounces (weight) | 1.5 oz |
| Tablespoons | 8 tbsp |
| Teaspoons | 24 tsp |
| Density used | 84 g per US cup |
No 1/2 cup measure? Use spoons
1/2 cup is exactly 8 tablespoons, which is 42 g of cocoa powder. Measuring spoons are stamped to a tighter tolerance than cups, so for small amounts the spoon route is usually the more accurate one even when you do own the cup.
Halving and doubling 1/2 cup
Scaling a recipe is the usual reason this conversion comes up, and grams scale cleanly where cup fractions do not:
| Recipe | Cups | Grams | Spoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Half | ¼ cup | 21 g | 4 tablespoons |
| As written | ½ cup | 42 g | 8 tablespoons |
| Double | 1 cup | 84 g | 16 tablespoons |
Nearby amounts
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ cups | 21 g | 0.7 oz |
| ⅓ cups | 28 g | 1 oz |
| ½ cups | 42 g | 1.5 oz |
| ⅔ cups | 56 g | 2 oz |
| ¾ cups | 63 g | 2.2 oz |
Every cup fraction of cocoa powder in grams — the full chart.
How to measure 1/2 cup of cocoa powder
Cocoa powder clumps and compresses easily, so spoon it into the cup and level — never pack it. A level spooned cup is 84 g. If a recipe says "sifted cocoa," sift after measuring unless it says otherwise.
1/2 cup of other ingredients
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour in grams — 60 g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar in grams — 100 g
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar in grams — 60 g
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed) in grams — 107 g
- 1/2 cup honey in grams — 170 g
Convert another amount
250 cups Cocoa powder (unsweetened) = 21000 g
Based on 84 g per US cup.
Reverse conversion: grams of cocoa powder to cups.
Density 84 g/cup — sources: King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart, USDA FoodData Central. Data verified 2026-08-20. Methodology.