Convert Lemon from Whole Lemons to Cups (chopped)

Lemon converter

Convert whole lemons to cups below. One medium lemon is about 0.48 cups, and 2 lemons make roughly 0.96 cups.

A small lemon is 85 g whole and a large one is 145 g, so the juice you get from 'three lemons' can vary by more than 50%. Picking the right size keeps dressings, curds, and marinades on target.

How many cups is a lemon?

One medium lemon gives about 0.48 cups of lemon when chopped, so 2 lemons come to roughly 0.96 cups. A small lemon is about 0.35 cups and a large one about 0.6 cups, so set the size selector to match what you have.

Out of lemon? See lemon substitutes →

Want to know how much juice you can get from lemons? Try our juice calculator →

Recipes often call for lemon juice by the cup or spoon rather than by the fruit. The lemon juice converter scales a recipe by volume or weight once you know your yield. See our Lemon Juice converter.

Need oranges instead? The orange converter works out whole-fruit counts and chopped cups across small, medium, and large sizes. See our Orange converter.

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

Size applies to whole lemons (small / medium / large).

Result

0.48 cups

Common Lemon conversions

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

lemonsCups (chopped)
1 lemon0.48 cups
2 lemons0.96 cups
3 lemons1.44 cups
4 lemons1.92 cups
5 lemons2.4 cups
6 lemons2.88 cups

Lemon conversion chart

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

lemonscupscups (US)gozlbkg
1 lemon0.48 cups0.5 cups (US)115 g4.06 oz0.25 lb0.12 kg
2 lemons0.96 cups1 cup (US)230 g8.11 oz0.51 lb0.23 kg
3 lemons1.44 cups1.5 cups (US)345 g12.17 oz0.76 lb0.35 kg
4 lemons1.92 cups2 cups (US)460 g16.23 oz1.01 lb0.46 kg
5 lemons2.4 cups2.5 cups (US)575 g20.28 oz1.27 lb0.57 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.

VarietyBest for
EurekaEveryday lemon juice: reliable, widely stocked, very juicy.
LisbonBaking, canning, and lemonade: flavour close to Eureka, good acid.
MeyerDesserts and dressings: sweeter and less sharp, thin-skinned.
AmalfiZesting and gourmet baking: intensely fragrant peel, low bitterness.

Which should I pick?

For dressings, curds, and cocktails, Eureka is the go-to: widely available and reliably juicy. No Eureka? Lisbon is nearly identical and works in any recipe that calls for lemon. Reach for Meyer in desserts where a sweeter, less sharp citrus note suits the dish.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many cups is one medium lemon?
One medium lemon (about 115 g) gives roughly 0.48 cups of chopped flesh. A small one (around 85 g) yields about 0.35 cups and a large one (around 145 g) about 0.6 cups, so set the size selector to match the lemons you actually have before you trust the figure. Open lemon converter
How many lemons make one cup chopped?
You need about 2.09 medium lemons for one cup of chopped lemon. With small lemons that rises to roughly 2.82, and with large lemons it drops to about 1.66. The converter runs both ways, so enter the cups your recipe asks for and read off how many whole lemons to chop.
How much does a medium lemon weigh?
A medium lemon weighs about 115 g, with a small one around 85 g and a large one near 145 g. That range changes the weight of any recipe that counts lemons by the piece, so set the size selector to match what you actually have before trusting a cup or gram figure.
Which lemon variety should I use?
For dressings, curds, and cocktails, Eureka is the go-to: widely available and reliably juicy. No Eureka? Lisbon is nearly identical and works in any recipe that calls for lemon. Reach for Meyer in desserts where a sweeter, less sharp citrus note suits the dish.

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