Cups to grams converter by ingredient
Convert cups to grams by ingredient. Choose flour, sugar, butter, rice, oats, milk and more, with US/metric cup options, printable charts and recipe scaling.
Short answer: it depends on the ingredient
There is no single grams value for a cup. A cup is a volume measure (≈ 236.6 ml US); grams measure weight. The conversion depends entirely on how dense and how packed the ingredient is.
| Ingredient | 1 cup |
|---|---|
| Water | 237 g |
| All-purpose flour | 120 g |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g |
| Butter | 227 g |
| Honey | 340 g |
Assumption: US cup 236.6 ml · Water: Room temperature. Standard reference value.
Cups to grams chart by ingredient
All values use US cup (236.6 ml), spoon-and-level for dry ingredients. Values are approximate — see ingredient notes for details.
All conversion values are approximate. Actual weight depends on ingredient brand, moisture content, ambient humidity, and measuring technique.
| Ingredient | 1 cup | ¾ cup | ⅔ cup | ½ cup | ⅓ cup | ¼ cup | 1 tbsp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 237 g | 178 g | 158 g | 119 g | 79 g | 59 g | 15 g |
| Milk (whole) | 245 g | 184 g | 163 g | 123 g | 82 g | 61 g | 15 g |
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 8 g |
| Bread flour | 127 g | 95 g | 85 g | 64 g | 42 g | 32 g | 8 g |
| Whole wheat flour | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 8 g |
| Sifted all-purpose flour | 110 g | 83 g | 73 g | 55 g | 37 g | 28 g | 7 g |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 150 g | 133 g | 100 g | 67 g | 50 g | 13 g |
| Powdered sugar (unsifted) | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 8 g |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 220 g | 165 g | 147 g | 110 g | 73 g | 55 g | 14 g |
| Butter | 227 g | 170 g | 151 g | 114 g | 76 g | 57 g | 14 g |
| Vegetable oil | 218 g | 164 g | 145 g | 109 g | 73 g | 55 g | 14 g |
| Honey | 340 g | 255 g | 227 g | 170 g | 113 g | 85 g | 21 g |
| Cocoa powder | 85 g | 64 g | 57 g | 43 g | 28 g | 21 g | 5 g |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 68 g | 60 g | 45 g | 30 g | 23 g | 6 g |
| White rice (uncooked) | 185 g | 139 g | 123 g | 93 g | 62 g | 46 g | 12 g |
| Cornstarch | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 8 g |
| Breadcrumbs (dry) | 110 g | 83 g | 73 g | 55 g | 37 g | 28 g | 7 g |
| Chopped nuts | 120 g | 90 g | 80 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 8 g |
| Salt (table) | 288 g | 216 g | 192 g | 144 g | 96 g | 72 g | 18 g |
Why cups to grams depends on the ingredient
- A cup is a fixed volume (~236.6 ml US), not a fixed weight. Different ingredients fill that volume with different densities.
- Flour can vary 30–40 g per cup depending on whether you spoon it or scoop it directly from the bag (packing increases density).
- Brown sugar is usually measured packed, while powdered sugar and cocoa are spooned — each convention changes the gram value.
- Sifted flour is lighter than unsifted: sifting aerates the powder and can reduce the gram weight by 10–15 g per cup.
- Rounding matters: most published values are rounded to the nearest 5 g, so minor discrepancies between sources are normal.
- Always specify your measuring method alongside gram conversions so the recipe is reproducible.
US cup vs metric cup
A US customary cup holds 236.588 ml, while an Australian/metric cup holds 250 ml — about 5.7% more volume. For 1 cup of all-purpose flour, this means approximately 120 g (US) versus 127 g (metric). For 1 cup of granulated sugar: 200 g (US) versus 211 g (metric). Always confirm which cup standard a recipe uses — most international recipes, including those from the UK and most of Europe, do not use cups at all and give weight in grams.
How to measure common baking ingredients
- Flour (all-purpose, whole wheat)
- Spoon flour into the measuring cup with a spoon or scoop, then level off with a straight edge. Never tap the cup or pack the flour — this adds 20–30% extra weight.
- Granulated sugar
- Pour or scoop directly into the cup and level off. Sugar flows freely and doesn't pack significantly.
- Brown sugar
- Pack firmly into the cup so it holds the cup's shape when turned out. This is the standard "packed" convention used in most recipes.
- Powdered (icing) sugar
- Spoon into the cup and level. It often clumps — sift first if the recipe says so, as sifted is noticeably lighter.
- Butter
- Pack solid butter into the cup or use the water displacement method. Most recipes now give butter in grams or sticks, which is more precise.
- Liquids and honey/syrups
- Use a liquid measuring cup at eye level. Honey and thick syrups: spray the cup with oil first to help them slide out cleanly.
Convert several recipe ingredients
Add each ingredient and get gram weights at once.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of flour?
1 cup of all-purpose flour is approximately 120 g using the spoon-and-level method. Scooping directly from the bag can reach 150–165 g. Bread flour is about 127 g per cup.
How many grams is 1 cup of sugar?
1 cup of granulated (white) sugar is approximately 200 g. Packed brown sugar is about 220 g. Powdered (icing) sugar unsifted is about 120 g.
How many grams is 1 cup of butter?
1 cup of butter is approximately 227 g (equivalent to 2 US sticks). This is accurate whether the butter is solid-packed or melted.
Is 1 cup 240 ml or 250 ml?
The US customary cup is exactly 236.588 ml (often rounded to 237 ml or loosely to 240 ml). The metric/Australian cup is exactly 250 ml. Most American recipes use 236.588 ml.
Why does 1 cup have different gram values?
Because cups measure volume, not weight. A cup of honey (340 g) is nearly three times heavier than a cup of cocoa powder (85 g). The density of each ingredient — how much mass fits in a given volume — determines the gram weight.
Is 1 cup of flour 120 g or 125 g?
Both are valid. The USDA FoodData Central value for all-purpose flour is 125 g, which uses a slightly denser measurement. King Arthur Baking uses 120 g (spooned and leveled). The difference reflects measuring technique, not error.
Should I weigh ingredients instead of using cups?
For baking, yes — weight is more precise and reproducible than volume. Measuring 120 g of flour on a scale is unambiguous; measuring a cup of flour is not. Weighing is especially important for recipes with flour, sugar, butter or cocoa.
How do I convert a whole recipe from cups to grams?
Use the multi-row converter on this page: add one row per ingredient, select amount, unit and ingredient, and read the gram weight. For ingredients not listed, use the single converter and note the result.
What is 1/2 cup in grams?
It depends on the ingredient. ½ cup all-purpose flour ≈ 60 g; ½ cup granulated sugar ≈ 100 g; ½ cup butter ≈ 114 g; ½ cup water ≈ 119 g; ½ cup honey ≈ 170 g.
What is 1/4 cup in grams?
It depends on the ingredient. ¼ cup all-purpose flour ≈ 30 g; ¼ cup granulated sugar ≈ 50 g; ¼ cup butter ≈ 57 g; ¼ cup water ≈ 59 g; ¼ cup honey ≈ 85 g.