Quick answer: Cups measure volume and grams measure weight, so converting between them depends on the ingredient. One US cup is about 120 g of all-purpose flour, 200 g of sugar and 227 g of butter. A US cup is 236.588 ml and holds 16 tablespoons or 48 teaspoons.
1 cup of all-purpose flour is about 120 g, and 1 cup of granulated sugar is about 200 g. A recipe from another country often uses units you do not have: cups when your scale reads grams, or grams when you only own measuring cups. The trouble is that volume and weight are not the same thing — a cup of flour weighs much less than a cup of honey.
Choose your ingredient above, and the converter uses its typical weight per cup. It shows the answer in the unit you pick and a full table of the other units underneath, including US cups, metric cups, spoons, milliliters, fluid ounces, grams, ounces and pounds.
Cups to grams conversion table
How many grams are in a cup depends entirely on the ingredient. Here is a quick-reference table for nine common baking ingredients, from 1/4 cup to 4 cups:
| Amount | Flour | Sugar | Brown sugar | Butter | Rice | Besan | Oats | Milk | Water |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 30 g | 50 g | 53 g | 57 g | 46 g | 25 g | 22 g | 61 g | 59 g |
| 1/3 cup | 40 g | 67 g | 71 g | 76 g | 62 g | 33 g | 30 g | 81 g | 79 g |
| 1/2 cup | 60 g | 100 g | 106 g | 114 g | 92 g | 50 g | 45 g | 122 g | 118 g |
| 2/3 cup | 80 g | 133 g | 142 g | 151 g | 123 g | 67 g | 60 g | 163 g | 158 g |
| 3/4 cup | 90 g | 150 g | 160 g | 170 g | 139 g | 75 g | 68 g | 183 g | 177 g |
| 1 cup | 120 g | 200 g | 213 g | 227 g | 185 g | 100 g | 90 g | 244 g | 237 g |
| 1 1/4 cups | 150 g | 250 g | 266 g | 284 g | 231 g | 125 g | 112 g | 305 g | 296 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 180 g | 300 g | 320 g | 340 g | 278 g | 150 g | 135 g | 366 g | 355 g |
| 1 3/4 cups | 210 g | 350 g | 373 g | 397 g | 324 g | 175 g | 158 g | 427 g | 414 g |
| 2 cups | 240 g | 400 g | 426 g | 454 g | 370 g | 200 g | 180 g | 488 g | 473 g |
| 2 1/2 cups | 300 g | 500 g | 532 g | 568 g | 462 g | 250 g | 225 g | 610 g | 592 g |
| 3 cups | 360 g | 600 g | 639 g | 681 g | 555 g | 300 g | 270 g | 732 g | 710 g |
| 4 cups | 480 g | 800 g | 852 g | 908 g | 740 g | 400 g | 360 g | 976 g | 946 g |
How the conversion works
Volume units convert to each other by fixed amounts. Weights convert using the ingredient’s density, meaning how many grams fill one milliliter.
1 metric cup = 250 ml
1 tablespoon = 14.787 ml, 1 teaspoon = 4.929 ml
Grams = milliliters × ingredient density
Typical weights of one US cup: water 237 g, milk 244 g, all-purpose flour 120 g, bread flour 127 g, whole wheat flour 113 g, granulated sugar 200 g, brown sugar (packed) 213 g, powdered sugar 113 g, butter 227 g, vegetable oil 218 g, honey 340 g, rolled oats 90 g, cocoa powder 85 g, uncooked rice 185 g, besan (chickpea flour) 100 g, table salt 288 g and peanut butter 258 g.
Why cups and grams don't convert with one number
These are averages, and how you scoop matters a lot: flour that is packed down can weigh 20% more than flour that is spooned in and levelled. For baking, where accuracy matters, weighing is more reliable than using cups. The UK and Australia use slightly different cups and spoons (an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml), so check which your recipe means.
A worked example
Example. One US cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120 g, so a recipe that needs 250 g of flour uses roughly 2.1 cups. A cup of any ingredient is 16 tablespoons or 48 teaspoons. Butter is heavier: 2 tablespoons is about 28 g.
Cups to grams for common ingredients
| Ingredient | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/3 cup | 1/4 cup |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 100 g | 67 g | 50 g |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 213 g | 106 g | 71 g | 53 g |
| Powdered sugar | 113 g | 56 g | 38 g | 28 g |
| Butter | 227 g | 114 g | 76 g | 57 g |
| Vegetable oil | 218 g | 109 g | 73 g | 54 g |
| Honey | 340 g | 170 g | 113 g | 85 g |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 45 g | 30 g | 22 g |
| Cocoa powder | 85 g | 42 g | 28 g | 21 g |
| Besan (chickpea flour) | 100 g | 50 g | 33 g | 25 g |
| Water | 237 g | 118 g | 79 g | 59 g |
Typical weights per US cup, rounded to the nearest gram. Weigh baking ingredients when you can.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Using one conversion for every ingredient. A cup of honey weighs almost three times a cup of cocoa powder.
- Scooping flour straight from the bag. It packs down and can weigh 20% more than spooned and leveled flour, so spoon it in.
- Mixing up cup sizes. A US cup is about 237 ml, a metric cup 250 ml, and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml.
Go deeper: read our guide Cups to Grams: A Baking Conversion Guide.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a cup of flour?
About 120 g for all-purpose flour when it is spooned into the cup and levelled. Some sources say 125 g or 130 g. Scooping straight from the bag packs it and gives more, up to about 150 g.
How many grams are in a cup of sugar?
About 200 g for granulated white sugar. Brown sugar, which is usually packed into the cup, is denser at about 213 g per cup, and powdered sugar is lighter at about 113 g per cup.
How many grams is 1 cup of butter?
About 227 g, which is the same as two standard US sticks of butter (113.5 g each). Half a cup of butter is 1 stick, about 113 g.
How many grams are in a cup of besan (chickpea flour)?
About 100 g per cup. Besan is lighter and finer than wheat flour, so it is worth weighing rather than guessing when a recipe needs an exact amount.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
16 US tablespoons make one US cup. A tablespoon holds about 14.8 ml, and three teaspoons make one tablespoon.
Why do cups to grams differ between websites?
Ingredients vary by brand and how they are packed, and websites round or choose different reference weights. Use the figure as a guide and adjust to your recipe. A kitchen scale removes the guesswork.
Is a metric cup the same as a US cup?
No. A metric cup is 250 ml, while a US cup is about 237 ml. It is a small difference, but it adds up in larger recipes. This converter has both.
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Sources and further reading
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