Kitchen guide
Cups to grams: a kitchen conversion chart
Updated
One US cup holds about 240 ml, but its weight in grams depends on the ingredient: a cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120 g, granulated sugar about 200 g, butter about 227 g and water about 240 g. Use the chart below for common baking and cooking ingredients, or the cookaz unit converters for volumes and weights.
Cups to grams chart
Weights are for one level US cup (about 240 ml). Flour is spooned into the cup and levelled, not scooped; brown sugar is packed. Values are rounded, because the same cup of flour can vary by 10 to 15 g depending on how it is filled.
| Ingredient | 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | 60 g | 30 g |
| Bread flour | 120 g | 60 g | 30 g |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 g | 57 g | 28 g |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 100 g | 50 g |
| Brown sugar, packed | 213 g | 107 g | 53 g |
| Powdered (icing) sugar | 115 g | 58 g | 29 g |
| Butter | 227 g | 114 g | 57 g |
| Cocoa powder | 85 g | 43 g | 21 g |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 45 g | 23 g |
| Cornmeal | 140 g | 70 g | 35 g |
| Long-grain white rice, uncooked | 185 g | 93 g | 46 g |
| Grated Parmesan, loosely packed | 100 g | 50 g | 25 g |
| Shredded cheese (cheddar, mozzarella) | 113 g | 57 g | 28 g |
| Honey | 340 g | 170 g | 85 g |
| Water | 240 g | 120 g | 60 g |
| Milk | 245 g | 123 g | 61 g |
| Olive or vegetable oil | 215 g | 108 g | 54 g |
Tablespoons and teaspoons to grams
One tablespoon is about 15 ml and one teaspoon about 5 ml. Small amounts are easier to measure with spoons than with a scale:
- Butter: 1 tablespoon is about 14 g; one US stick (8 tablespoons) is 113 g.
- Granulated sugar: 1 tablespoon is about 12.5 g; 1 teaspoon about 4 g.
- All-purpose flour: 1 tablespoon is about 8 g.
- Fine salt: 1 teaspoon is about 6 g. Flaky and coarse salts weigh much less per spoon, so they are not interchangeable by volume.
- Baking powder: 1 teaspoon is about 4 g.
How to measure without a scale
- Flour: stir it to loosen it, spoon it into the cup until it overflows, then level the top with the back of a knife. Scooping straight from the bag packs it down and can add 20 to 30 g per cup.
- Brown sugar: press it firmly into the cup so it holds its shape when turned out.
- Liquids: use a clear measuring jug on a flat surface and read it at eye level.
- Sticky ingredients: lightly oil the cup before measuring honey or syrup so it all slides out.
US, metric and UK cups
Recipes from the US use a cup of about 240 ml (the cookaz converters use 240 ml). Australia, New Zealand and Canada use a metric cup of 250 ml. The difference is small for most cooking, but in baking it adds up, so for cakes and bread a kitchen scale is the most reliable way to follow a recipe.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a cup of flour?
About 120 g for all-purpose or bread flour, measured by spooning the flour into the cup and levelling it. Scooped flour can weigh 140 g or more.
How many grams are in a cup of sugar?
About 200 g for granulated sugar, about 213 g for packed brown sugar and about 115 g for powdered (icing) sugar.
How many grams are in a cup of butter?
About 227 g, which is two US sticks of butter (113 g each).
Is a cup of water 240 grams?
Yes, close enough for cooking. One US cup holds about 240 ml, and 1 ml of water weighs 1 g, so a cup of water weighs about 240 g.
Why do cups to grams charts disagree?
Because a cup measures volume, not weight. How tightly an ingredient is packed, how finely it is ground and whether the cup is US (240 ml) or metric (250 ml) all change the weight. Charts round to typical values.