Yeast conversion: active dry, instant and fresh
18.9 grams of fresh yeast
An amount, with decimals or fractions — 1, 2.5 or 1 1/2.
1 packet of active dry yeast = 18.9 grams of fresh yeast.
Source: Red Star Yeast, Frequently Asked Questions; How to Convert Dry Yeast to Cake Yeast, read Oct 9, 2026.
Active dry and instant yeast are interchangeable one for one, so the same weight of either does the same job. Fresh (cake) yeast is the odd one: a standard ¼ oz (7 g) packet of dry yeast equals 18.9 g of fresh, about 2.7 times the weight. A dry packet is 7 g or 2¼ teaspoons; fresh yeast is measured by weight, not by the spoon. 1 packet of active dry yeast comes to 18.9 grams of fresh yeast.
How the conversion is worked out
- Active dry and instant (rapid-rise) yeast are used one for one, same weight, as Red Star states.
- One standard packet of dry yeast is ¼ oz, 7 g, or 2¼ teaspoons.
- Fresh (cake) yeast: 18.9 g of fresh equals one 7 g packet of dry, about 2.7 times the weight.
- Yeast is matched by weight for the same rise; results are given in grams.
- Fresh yeast is weighed, not spooned; the teaspoon figure is for dry yeast only.
Yeast equivalents, from the Red Star conversion charts
A standard packet is ¼ oz of dry yeast; active dry and instant are interchangeable, and fresh is weighed.
| Yeast | Standard packet | Grams | Teaspoons | Equivalence |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active dry | 1/4 oz packet | 7 g | 2 1/4 tsp | 1:1 with instant |
| Instant (rapid-rise) | 1/4 oz packet | 7 g | 2 1/4 tsp | 1:1 with active dry |
| Fresh (cake) | one 7 g dry packet | 18.9 g | weighed, not spooned | 18.9 g fresh = 7 g dry |
Where these numbers come from
The figures are Red Star Yeast, Frequently Asked Questions; How to Convert Dry Yeast to Cake Yeast (Red Star Yeast), read on October 9, 2026. What this page takes from it: One ¼ oz (7 g) packet of dry yeast is 2¼ teaspoons; active dry and instant yeast are interchangeable one for one; one 2 oz cake of fresh yeast equals three dry packets, so 18.9 g of fresh yeast equals one 7 g dry packet (about 2.7 times the weight). The numbers are copied as published; the calculator converts your amount to the same weight in the other option.
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