Cups to Grams Converter: 55 Ingredients with Accurate US Cup Weights

1 cup of butter weighs 227 grams (8 ounces or 2 standard US butter sticks). This is one of the most reliable cup-to-gram conversions in baking because butter is a solid fat sold in standardized US stick sizes (½ cup = 1 stick = 113.5g) that makes the weight-to-volume relationship precise. Common butter conversions: ½ cup butter = 113.5g = 1 stick = 4 oz. ¼ cup = 56.75g = ½ stick = 2 oz. 1 tablespoon = 14.2g = ⅛ stick. ⅓ cup = 75.7g. ¾ cup = 170.25g = 1.5 sticks. 2 cups = 454g = 1 lb = 4 sticks. Butter does not change significantly in weight between softened, cold, or melted states; it is the same mass regardless of temperature. Clarified butter (ghee) is lighter by approximately 20 percent because the water and milk solids have been removed: 1 cup of ghee weighs approximately 190 to 200 grams. See the related Stick of Butter Converter for complete conversions between sticks, cups, tablespoons, grams, and ounces for any butter quantity.

1 cup of old-fashioned rolled oats weighs 90 grams. 1 cup of quick oats (more finely cut, packs denser) weighs approximately 80 grams. 1 cup of steel-cut oats (coarser, denser) weighs approximately 160 to 170 grams. Oats are one of the ingredients where the type matters significantly for cup-to-gram conversion: old-fashioned and quick oats look similar in volume but have different textures and densities. In recipes where oats are a textural component (granola bars, oatmeal cookies, crisp toppings): old-fashioned rolled oats (90g per cup) are almost always specified. In porridge and overnight oat recipes: quick oats or rolled oats are interchangeable by volume but not by weight. Steel-cut oats produce a completely different texture and cooking time and cannot be substituted for rolled oats in most recipes without adjusting both liquid and cooking time. For granola and oat-heavy recipes: weighing is particularly useful because the 90g per cup value for rolled oats is well-established and consistent across all major US oat brands (Quaker, Bob’s Red Mill, Country Choice).

1 cup of natural unsweetened cocoa powder weighs 85 grams. 1 cup of Dutch-process cocoa powder weighs 82 grams (slightly less dense due to the alkalization process that changes the physical structure). These are both measured by spooning into the cup and leveling; scooping can produce 95 to 110 grams per cup. Common cocoa powder conversions: ¼ cup = 21 grams. ⅓ cup = 28 grams. ½ cup = 42.5 grams. ¾ cup = 64 grams. 1 tablespoon = approximately 5.3 grams. Cocoa powder is extremely light for its volume because it is a finely ground powder with low density. It also sticks to measuring cups and measuring spoons, making clean measurement by volume inconsistent; weighing on a digital scale consistently produces better baked goods than measuring cocoa by volume. The difference between natural and Dutch-process cocoa is important beyond weight: natural cocoa is acidic and reacts with baking soda; Dutch-process cocoa is alkaline and requires baking powder. They are not interchangeable in recipes without adjusting the leavening accordingly.

1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 7.5 grams (when the cup weight is 120g at the spoon-and-level standard, since 1 cup = 16 tablespoons and 120g / 16 = 7.5g per tablespoon). Using the scooped method (150g per cup), 1 tablespoon = 9.4 grams. Tablespoon flour measurements appear in recipes primarily for thickening sauces and gravies, coating meat before searing, and small adjustments to dough consistency. Common tablespoon conversions for flour: 1 tablespoon = 7.5 to 9g. 2 tablespoons = 15 to 18g. 3 tablespoons = 22.5 to 28g. 4 tablespoons (¼ cup) = 30 to 37.5g. For sauce thickening specifically: the difference between 7.5g and 9g per tablespoon produces a negligible difference in sauce consistency (a fraction of a percent of total sauce volume), so measuring flour by tablespoon for sauces is perfectly acceptable without a scale. For baking where tablespoon amounts of flour are specified alongside other measured-by-weight ingredients: use the 7.5g value to maintain consistency with the spooned cup standard.

1 cup of honey weighs 340 grams (12 ounces), making it the heaviest cup-per-cup ingredient in common US baking after molasses (also approximately 340g per cup). Honey’s high density comes from its sugar content (approximately 80 percent by weight) and low water content; it is significantly denser than water (237g per cup) or milk (244g per cup). Common honey conversions: 1 tablespoon = 21.3g. 2 tablespoons = 42.5g. ¼ cup = 85g. ⅓ cup = 113g. ½ cup = 170g. ¾ cup = 255g. A practical tip for measuring honey (and maple syrup, molasses, and other sticky liquids) by cup: spray the measuring cup lightly with cooking spray or wipe it with oil before filling; the honey slides out cleanly and completely rather than sticking to the cup and leaving residue that shortchanges the recipe. On a kitchen scale: simply pour honey directly from the jar into the mixing bowl until the desired gram weight is reached, then zero (tare) the scale for the next ingredient, eliminating the sticky residue problem entirely. Honey by weight is also more accurate because honey’s viscosity changes with temperature, affecting how completely it flows from a measuring cup at different room temperatures.

1 cup of uncooked long-grain white rice weighs 185 grams. 1 cup of uncooked medium-grain white rice weighs approximately 190 grams. 1 cup of uncooked short-grain sushi rice weighs approximately 195 grams. Brown rice is very close to white rice by cup weight: 1 cup of uncooked long-grain brown rice weighs approximately 185 to 190 grams. Wild rice is lighter: 1 cup uncooked wild rice weighs approximately 160 grams. These are uncooked weights; cooked rice absorbs approximately 1.5 to 2 times its weight in water and expands to roughly 3 times its uncooked volume. 1 cup of uncooked white rice (185g) produces approximately 3 cups of cooked rice (555 to 600g cooked). For recipes specifying cooked rice: 1 cup of cooked rice weighs approximately 185 to 200 grams. The specific rice variety and cooking method affect the cooked weight within a range of about 10 percent. For rice flour, which is a common gluten-free baking ingredient: 1 cup of white rice flour weighs 158 grams (denser than wheat flour due to the starch composition of rice).

A US cup is 240 milliliters for culinary purposes, or more precisely 236.588ml by the US customary definition (8 US fluid ounces). The 240ml value is the US legal cup used in nutrition labeling and is the practical standard for American recipe measurement; the 4ml difference between 236.588 and 240ml is negligible in cooking and baking (it represents less than 2 percent of a cup and is well within the margin of normal measuring cup manufacturing tolerance). Most American measuring cups, including those by OXO, Pyrex, Cuisipro, and Prepworks, are calibrated to the 240ml standard at the 1-cup line. In contrast: the metric cup used in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and most of the world is 250ml, approximately 6 percent larger than the US cup. If you are using a recipe from an Australian or Canadian cookbook or food website while using US measuring cups, the Australian/Canadian recipe’s “1 cup” contains 250ml; your US measuring cup at the 1-cup line contains 240ml. For most casual cooking, this 6 percent difference is undetectable. For precision baking: multiply the Australian/Canadian recipe’s cup amounts by 1.042 to get the equivalent US cup amount, or better yet convert everything to grams using the recipe’s intended ingredient weights (which many Australian and NZ baking recipes now include).

1 cup of almond flour (blanched, finely ground) weighs 96 grams. This is lighter than all-purpose wheat flour (120g per cup) because almond flour has a coarser particle structure with more air space between particles even when measured in the same way. Almond flour measured by gently spooning into the cup and leveling produces the most consistent 96g result; scooping can pack it slightly more for 100 to 110g. Super-fine blanched almond flour (brands like Bob’s Red Mill Super-Fine) is slightly denser and may weigh 100 to 108g per cup. Coarser almond meal (made from unblanched almonds with the skins) also weighs approximately 96 to 100g per cup. Almond flour is particularly sensitive to measurement variation because gluten-free baked goods made with almond flour lack gluten’s structural binding ability; a 15 to 20 percent weight variation in almond flour significantly affects the texture of almond flour cakes, cookies, and macarons. Weighing almond flour on a kitchen scale (aiming for 96g per cup called for in the recipe) produces significantly more consistent results than measuring by cup, especially for macarons where the almond flour-to-powdered-sugar ratio is critical to achieving the smooth shell and proper “foot” formation.

Converting a recipe from cups to grams involves looking up the specific gram-per-cup value for each ingredient individually and multiplying by the recipe’s cup amount. Since different ingredients have different densities, a single “cups to grams” conversion factor does not apply across ingredients: 1 cup of flour (120g), 1 cup of sugar (200g), 1 cup of butter (227g), and 1 cup of honey (340g) all differ significantly. The conversion process: list every ingredient in your recipe that uses cup or tablespoon measurements. For each one, find the ingredient-specific gram-per-cup value (using the table and calculator above, or the reference tables from King Arthur Baking’s website at kingarthurbaking.com/learn). Multiply each ingredient’s cup amount by its gram-per-cup value. Record the resulting gram weight in a new version of the recipe. Going forward, use the gram weights and a kitchen scale for all future batches of that recipe. The first gram conversion of a recipe is time-consuming (typically 10 to 15 minutes for a recipe with 8 to 12 ingredients), but the converted gram recipe is then reusable indefinitely and produces more consistent results than the original cup-measurement version. Professional bakeries operate entirely on gram-weight recipes for this reason.

2 cups of all-purpose flour weigh 240 grams (spooned and leveled, the King Arthur standard) or 300 grams (scooped method). This is one of the most common recipe amounts, appearing in the majority of US cake, quick bread, and cookie recipes as the flour quantity for a standard single batch. Other flour types at 2 cups: bread flour = 240g, cake flour (sifted) = 200g, whole wheat flour = 240g, almond flour = 192g, oat flour = 180g, rice flour = 316g, coconut flour = 224g. For common recipes where 2 cups of flour is specified: most standard US yellow cake recipes (2 cups all-purpose, 240g), most US pancake and waffle recipes (1.5 to 2 cups all-purpose), most US quick bread recipes (2 cups all-purpose), and Toll House-style chocolate chip cookies (2.25 cups = 270g). The practical implication for home bakers: if you have been scooping flour and have experienced dry, crumbly results with standard recipes, switching to 240g (spooned method) from your current scooped weight of approximately 280 to 300g per 2-cup measurement will immediately improve the texture of cakes, muffins, and cookies by reducing the flour by 6 to 20 percent of the total flour content.

The most recommended kitchen scales for US home bakers are the OXO Good Grips 11-Pound Stainless Steel Food Scale ($50 to $60), the Escali Primo Digital Food Scale ($25 to $35), and the Ozeri Pronto Digital Multifunction Kitchen and Food Scale ($12 to $18). Key features to look for: a digital display that shows both grams and ounces (most modern scales do), a tare/zero function (essential for measuring multiple ingredients into one bowl sequentially), a minimum capacity of 1 gram for precise small amounts like baking powder and salt, and a maximum capacity of at least 11 pounds (5 kg) for large batch baking. The most important feature after accuracy is the tare/zero function: this allows you to add each ingredient directly to the mixing bowl, press tare to reset to zero, then add the next ingredient, eliminating the need for separate bowls and multiple measuring cups. A basic digital scale at the $12 to $20 price range is sufficient for the vast majority of home baking needs; the higher-priced options ($50+) offer larger platforms, more elegant designs, and pull-out displays that are visible even with a large bowl on top. The FDA’s guidance on food safety equipment covers food-safe material requirements for kitchen tools including scales.

¾ cup of all-purpose flour weighs 90 grams using the spoon-and-level method (King Arthur standard), or approximately 112 grams using the scoop method. This amount appears frequently in US muffin recipes, single-serve cake recipes, and bar cookie recipes sized for an 8×8 pan. The calculation: 120g per cup × 0.75 = 90g. Using the calculator above with “All-purpose flour (spooned and leveled)” and “¾ cup” selected returns 90g automatically. For comparison, ¾ cup of other flours: bread flour = 90g, cake flour (sifted) = 75g, whole wheat flour = 90g, almond flour = 72g, rice flour = 118.5g, oat flour = 67.5g. The ¾ cup flour amount is common enough in US baking that memorizing the 90g value for all-purpose flour is useful for everyday baking without a calculator; other ingredients where the ¾ cup weight is frequently used: ¾ cup granulated sugar = 150g, ¾ cup butter = 170g (1.5 sticks), ¾ cup rolled oats = 67.5g, ¾ cup chocolate chips = 127.5g, ¾ cup milk = 183g.

Yes, though flour is the most measurement-sensitive. Powdered (confectioners’) sugar is the second most affected ingredient: sifted powdered sugar weighs 120g per cup, while unsifted powdered sugar weighs 160g per cup, a 33 percent difference that significantly affects frosting and glaze consistency. Cocoa powder is similarly affected: spoon-and-level produces 85 to 90g per cup, while scooping produces 95 to 110g per cup. Ground spices (cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg) and baking powder and baking soda can show 10 to 15 percent variation by measuring method in a teaspoon, though at the quantities typically used in recipes (¼ to 2 teaspoons), this variation is usually too small to affect the final dish noticeably. Granulated sugar (200g per cup) is consistent between methods because the uniform crystal size and free-flowing behavior prevents compaction. Liquids (water, milk, oil) are consistent because they fill the cup to the same level regardless of technique, and liquid measuring cups are calibrated in volume. Brown sugar is intentionally packed (220g per cup when packed), making technique standardized within the recipe instruction itself. The practical guideline: for any powdery ingredient (flour, powdered sugar, cocoa, ground spices, baking powder), spoon into the measure and level off. For granular ingredients (white sugar, rice, cornmeal), the technique matters less. For liquids, use a liquid measuring cup at eye level.

1 cup of full-fat Greek yogurt weighs approximately 245 grams. 1 cup of low-fat or nonfat Greek yogurt weighs similarly at 240 to 245 grams; the fat content difference does not substantially change the weight per cup at these levels. Regular (non-Greek) whole milk yogurt is slightly less dense and weighs approximately 245 grams per cup as well. Sour cream, which is often substituted 1:1 for Greek yogurt in baking, also weighs approximately 240 grams per cup. In practice, Greek yogurt and sour cream behave nearly identically in baked goods (moisture, tang, and fat content are similar), and their nearly identical cup weights mean any gram-based recipe using one can use the other as a 1:1 swap by weight. Greek yogurt appears in US recipes for: muffins (adds moisture and tang), quick breads, pancakes, chicken marinades (the acid tenderizes), tzatziki, and as a healthier substitute for sour cream in dips and dressings. For cup-to-gram conversion in these applications: use 245g per cup or 122.5g per ½ cup as a reliable reference.

1 cup of smooth (creamy) peanut butter weighs approximately 258 grams. 1 cup of chunky (crunchy) peanut butter weighs similarly, approximately 250 to 260 grams, since the chunky texture does not substantially change the total weight when filling a measuring cup completely. Natural peanut butter (with oil separation) can vary slightly depending on how well mixed it is when measured; fully mixed natural peanut butter weighs approximately 250 to 260g per cup. Peanut butter is dense and sticky, making cup measurement somewhat inconsistent (clinging to the cup walls, trapping air bubbles in the center). Weighing peanut butter on a scale produces more accurate and faster measurement: add peanut butter directly from the jar to the scale bowl until the desired gram weight is reached. Common peanut butter conversions: 2 tablespoons (one standard serving size on US nutrition labels) = 32g. ¼ cup = 64.5g. ⅓ cup = 86g. ½ cup = 129g. ¾ cup = 193.5g. Almond butter, sunflower seed butter, and cashew butter have similar densities at 240 to 260g per cup. Tahini (sesame seed paste) weighs 240g per cup. These similarities make the 250g-per-cup estimate a useful rough conversion for all nut and seed butters when an exact value is not available.

Digital kitchen scales in the $12 to $60 price range typically have an accuracy of ±1 gram for measurements above 10 grams, and ±2 grams for very small amounts (under 10g). For most home baking applications, ±1 gram accuracy is more than sufficient: a 1-gram variation in 300 grams of flour represents a 0.33 percent error, which is far less than the variation introduced by any volume measuring method. For highly sensitive measurements (baking powder, baking soda, salt in small quantities of 4 to 8 grams), a ±1 gram accuracy represents 12 to 25 percent variation, which is less ideal. In these cases: use calibrated measuring spoons for very small amounts (under 5 grams), and use the kitchen scale for all larger quantities where gram accuracy becomes sufficient. Some bakers use a higher-precision milligram scale (a jewelry or laboratory scale, $15 to $30) for leavening agents when making large batches of a highly refined recipe; this level of precision is not necessary for typical home baking but can be useful for recipe development. The Escali Primo (a popular US brand recommendation, available at Amazon, Target, and Williams-Sonoma) is widely cited as the best value at $25 to $35 for accuracy-to-price ratio. The OXO Good Grips scale is preferred for larger platform size and the pull-out display feature that allows reading even with a large bowl on the platform. Either is suitable for converting all cup-measurement recipes to gram-based ones.