What is the size of a medium lemon?

A medium lemon weighs about 115 g, which works out to roughly 0.52 cups (0.55 US cups) of chopped flesh. Lemons come in a range of sizes depending on the season, variety and where they were grown, so weight and cup figures shift accordingly. Use the size selector above to match what you actually have, then read the exact conversion for any amount.

How much does an average lemon weigh?

An average lemon is the same as a medium one: about 115 g. A small lemon is lighter at around 85 g and a large one heavier at about 145 g, so the size you actually have changes the total for any recipe that counts lemons by the piece rather than by weight.

How much does a large lemon weigh?

A large lemon weighs about 145 g, noticeably more than a medium, or average, one at 115 g or a small one at 85 g. Set the size selector to large to convert cups, grams and ounces for the bigger lemons you actually have on the counter.

How many lemons are in a pound?

A pound of lemons is about 3.9 medium lemons, since a pound is 454 g and a medium lemon is 115 g of that. Small lemons push the count up to roughly 5, and large ones bring it down to about 3.1. Weigh what you have and the converter above turns it into whole lemons.

How much juice is in a lemon?

A lemon yields approximately 45% of its weight in juice. That means a medium lemon (115 g) yields about 52 ml, a small one (85 g) about 38 ml and a large one (145 g) about 65 ml. See the juice yield calculator if you are adding lemon to your juice blend.

How do I convert grams to ounces for any ingredient?

Converting grams to ounces is pure weight maths that applies to any food, not just lemons, so 200 grams is always 7.05 ounces. For other amounts, the weight converter at the link below handles grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms and stone in both directions.

Lemon converter: whole lemons, cups, grams

Recipes and shopping lists rarely agree: one says 'juice of 2 lemons'; the bag you bought is 2 pounds. A pound is roughly four medium lemons at 115 g each, though a smaller lemon makes it about five per pound. Work in whole fruit, pounds, grams or cups of chopped flesh to convert between what you have and what you need, and the juice calculator can be used where the recipe wants lemon juice in millilitres rather than fruit.

A small lemon is 85 g and a large one 145 g, so a pound is anywhere from three fruit to five, and 'three lemons' covers 255 g to 435 g. That spread is enough to leave a curd loose or a dressing flat, which is why the size selector sits above the numbers.

How much does a lemon weigh?

Weight runs from about 85 g (3 oz) for a small lemon up to 145 g (5.11 oz) for a large one, with a medium, or average, one at 115 g (4.06 oz).

Lemon substitutes

Ran out? What to use instead of lemon →

Lemon converter tool

Enter an amount, pick your units, and set the size for counting whole lemons.

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Lemon sizeSize applies to whole lemons (small / medium / large).

Result

0.52 cups

Lemon Calculators & Kitchen Tools

Working with lemon? These tools handle the jobs a converter cannot.

Juice Yield Calculator Estimate how much juice you get from fresh produce.
Jam and Marmalade Calculator Work out how much jam a batch of fruit makes and how many jars it fills.
Pan Size Converter Rescale a cake or loaf recipe for a different tin size.
Recipe Scaler Scale any recipe up or down and keep every ingredient in ratio.
Volume Converter Switch between cups, tablespoons, teaspoons and millilitres for any ingredient.
Weight Converter Switch between grams, ounces, pounds and kilograms for any ingredient.

Common Lemon conversions

Quick reference for lemon at medium size. Switch the size in the converter above for small or large.

Pounds	lemons
0.5 lb	1.97 lemons
1 lb	3.94 lemons
1.5 lb	5.92 lemons
2 lb	7.89 lemons
3 lb	11.83 lemons

Lemon conversion chart

The chart below shows how whole lemons (medium size) convert to cups, grams and ounces.

lemons	cups	cups (US)	g	oz	lb	kg
1 lemon	0.52 cups	0.55 cups (US)	115 g	4.06 oz	0.25 lb	0.12 kg
2 lemons	1.05 cups	1.09 cups (US)	230 g	8.11 oz	0.51 lb	0.23 kg
3 lemons	1.57 cups	1.64 cups (US)	345 g	12.17 oz	0.76 lb	0.35 kg
4 lemons	2.09 cups	2.18 cups (US)	460 g	16.23 oz	1.01 lb	0.46 kg
5 lemons	2.61 cups	2.73 cups (US)	575 g	20.28 oz	1.27 lb	0.57 kg

Lemon varieties and best uses

The conversions above are the same whatever variety you use; the difference is what each is good for. Here is how the common lemon varieties compare.

Variety	Best for
Eureka	Everyday lemon juice: reliable, widely stocked, very juicy.
Lisbon	Baking, canning, and lemonade: flavour close to Eureka, good acid.
Meyer	Desserts and dressings: sweeter and less sharp, thin-skinned.
Amalfi	Zesting and gourmet baking: intensely fragrant peel, low bitterness.

Which should I pick?

For dressings, curds, and cocktails, Eureka is your best bet as they are widely available and reliably juicy. No Eureka? Lisbon is nearly identical and will work in any recipe that calls for lemon. Choose Meyer in desserts where a sweeter, less sharp citrus note might suit.

In my kitchen

Currently every morning starts with a squeeze of lemon juice in hot water. Juice is the main use in my kitchen as a common addition to salad dressings and marinades. The zest and juice go into my wife's lemon drizzle cake and a whole lemon stuffed inside a chicken for a roast. Whether lemon or lime is available determines what gets added to the cocktails on a warm summer's evening.

Notes from Ian, Cooking Converter

Good to know about lemon

Supermarket lemons are mostly the Eureka variety, which growers also call the Four Seasons lemon: the tree carries flowers and ripe fruit at the same time and crops all year rather than in one season.
The Cement Mixer is a bar stunt where a mouthful of cream liqueur is swirled with lemon or lime juice: the acid sets the dairy proteins solid within seconds, the same reaction that turns milk into paneer, and the result is usually gagged back up rather than swallowed.
With some copper and zinc, the high acid in a lemon can react with the metal to create a battery and generate electrical current.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the size of a medium lemon?: A medium lemon weighs about 115 g, which works out to roughly 0.52 cups (0.55 US cups) of chopped flesh. Lemons come in a range of sizes depending on the season, variety and where they were grown, so weight and cup figures shift accordingly. Use the size selector above to match what you actually have, then read the exact conversion for any amount.
How much does an average lemon weigh?: An average lemon is the same as a medium one: about 115 g. A small lemon is lighter at around 85 g and a large one heavier at about 145 g, so the size you actually have changes the total for any recipe that counts lemons by the piece rather than by weight.
How much does a large lemon weigh?: A large lemon weighs about 145 g, noticeably more than a medium, or average, one at 115 g or a small one at 85 g. Set the size selector to large to convert cups, grams and ounces for the bigger lemons you actually have on the counter.
How many lemons are in a pound?: A pound of lemons is about 3.9 medium lemons, since a pound is 454 g and a medium lemon is 115 g of that. Small lemons push the count up to roughly 5, and large ones bring it down to about 3.1. Weigh what you have and the converter above turns it into whole lemons.
How much juice is in a lemon?: A lemon yields approximately 45% of its weight in juice. That means a medium lemon (115 g) yields about 52 ml, a small one (85 g) about 38 ml and a large one (145 g) about 65 ml. See the juice yield calculator if you are adding lemon to your juice blend. Open the juice yield calculator
How do I convert grams to ounces for any ingredient?: Converting grams to ounces is pure weight maths that applies to any food, not just lemons, so 200 grams is always 7.05 ounces. For other amounts, the weight converter at the link below handles grams, ounces, pounds, kilograms and stone in both directions. Grams to ounces converter

Lemon measurement options

Choose from the following measurements to convert from

Related to Lemon

Lime

Lime is sharper and more floral than lemon. Persian limes (67 g) are usually smaller than a medium lemon (115 g), so two limes are usually what you need to match one lemon for juice. Lime is a good straight substitute in dressings, marinades, and cocktails. In baking, you can use lime as a substitute but expect a more lime-like flavour. See our Lime converter.

Grapefruit

Grapefruit juice swaps in cup for cup and brings tart citrus acid with a bitter, floral edge lemon lacks. For dressings, cocktails, and marinades this is a good straight swap. Expect a more complex, slightly less sharp result; reduce any added sugar slightly to account for the natural sweetness grapefruit carries. See our Grapefruit converter.

Orange

Marmalade and citrus salads often pair orange and lemon. An orange is about 190 g per cup of chopped flesh against a lemon's 220 g. See our Orange converter.

Lemon Juice

Once the fruit is squeezed the question changes: a medium lemon gives about 52 ml, so a recipe asking for a cup of juice wants roughly five of them. The lemon juice converter handles the volume and weight side of that. See our Lemon Juice converter.

Lime Juice

Cocktails and marinades often take whichever of lemon or lime is on hand. For that use swapping 1:1 by volume works. Lime is a touch more acidic, which matters if you are using it to activate baking soda rather than adding flavour or brightness. Its converter works in millilitres, cups or grams. See our Lime Juice converter.

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