A teaspoon of cream of tartar weighs about 3 g, based on USDA FoodData Central. Most recipes only use a pinch to 1/2 teaspoon, so knowing the grams in a teaspoon of cream of tartar really pays off when you scale a recipe or bake by weight.
| Amount | Cream of tartar |
|---|---|
| 1/8 tsp | 0.4 g |
| 1/4 tsp | 0.8 g |
| 1/2 tsp | 1.5 g |
| 1 tsp | 3.0 g |
| 2 tsp | 6.0 g |
| 1 tbsp | 9.0 g |
| 1/4 cup | 36 g |
What cream of tartar does
Cream of tartar is potassium bitartrate, a fine, white, acidic powder left over from winemaking. In baking it has two main jobs. It steadies whipped egg whites so meringues and angel food cakes hold their shape, and it acts as the acid that reacts with baking soda. It's also what gives snickerdoodles their gentle tang.
Why grams in a teaspoon of cream of tartar can vary
Cream of tartar is more consistent than most pantry ingredients, because it's a single fine powder and every brand sells the same thing. Still, a few habits shift the weight:
- Heaped spoons. A heaped 1/4 teaspoon can hold well over 0.8 g, and with leaveners small errors matter.
- Packing. Pressing the spoon into the jar squeezes in extra powder. Scoop lightly, then level.
- Clumps. Old jars or humid kitchens lead to lumps. Break them up before measuring.
- Pinches. A pinch between two fingers isn't a fixed amount at all, so it changes from cook to cook.
How much recipes actually use
- Egg whites and meringue: King Arthur Baking notes recipes typically call for a pinch to 1/8 teaspoon per egg white, and Food Network uses 1/8 teaspoon per white. For 4 egg whites, that's 1/2 teaspoon, or about 1.5 g.
- Homemade baking powder: Food Network's substitution for 1 teaspoon of baking powder is 1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar plus 1/4 teaspoon baking soda. That's about 1.5 g of cream of tartar.
- Out of cream of tartar? Food Network suggests 1 teaspoon of lemon juice or vinegar for every 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar in baking.
Notice how small these numbers are. When you double a meringue recipe, you're going from 1.5 g to 3 g, and a scale makes that easy to get right.
Common mix ups
- Grabbing the wrong white powder. Cream of tartar, baking powder and baking soda look alike and often sit side by side. They don't do the same job, so check the label before you scoop.
- Using a damp spoon. Moisture makes the powder clump on the spoon, and the next scoop won't level cleanly. Dry the spoon first.
- Scaling by eye. Halving 1/8 teaspoon is nearly impossible with spoons. In grams, it's simply 0.2 g.
- Swapping without adjusting. If you replace cream of tartar with lemon juice or vinegar, you're adding liquid too, so stick to the swap amounts above.
How to measure small amounts
- Stir the jar to loosen the powder.
- Zero your scale or spoon.
- Scoop lightly and level with a straight edge.
- Check the weight against the chart: 0.4 g for 1/8 teaspoon and 0.8 g for 1/4 teaspoon.
- Add or tap off a few grains until it reads right.
With amounts this small, a kitchen scale that reads in whole grams can't really help. A MeasureMate digital measuring spoon reads in 0.1 g steps and scoops and weighs in one step, so you can see 0.4 g right in the spoon. Press the tare button to zero it before each new ingredient.
Quick questions
How many grams is 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar?
About 1.5 g, since a full teaspoon is about 3 g.
How much cream of tartar per egg white?
Usually a pinch to 1/8 teaspoon per white. At the top of that range, it's about 0.4 g.
How many grams is a tablespoon of cream of tartar?
About 9 g, since a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons.
Weights based on USDA FoodData Central, King Arthur Baking and Food Network.