How many grams in a cup?

It depends on the ingredient — every substance has a different density. Common benchmarks per 1 US cup (236.6 mL): all-purpose flour 120 g, granulated sugar 198 g, butter 227 g, water 227 g (King Arthur Baking). There is no single grams-per-cup answer; that's why this tool uses per-ingredient data rather than a generic formula. To convert grams to cups, simply use the reverse direction in this tool.

Why isn't 1 cup of flour 236 grams?

A cup is a volume unit (236.6 mL for a US cup), and grams measure mass. The weight of 1 cup depends entirely on the ingredient's bulk density — how tightly it packs into the cup. All-purpose flour measured with the spoon-and-level method (standard for baking) weighs about 120 g per cup (King Arthur Baking). Scooping flour directly from the bag — a common shortcut — can pack it 20–40% more, pushing the weight toward 150–170 g. That's why weight measurements are more reliable for baking.

How many grams in a cup of sugar?

Granulated white sugar: 198 g per US cup (King Arthur Baking). Brown sugar (packed): 213 g. Powdered/confectioners' sugar (unsifted): 113 g. Caster sugar: 190 g. The differences reflect how loosely or tightly each type packs — powdered sugar is especially airy, while packed brown sugar is densest.

How many grams in a cup of butter?

227 g per US cup (confirmed by both King Arthur Baking and thecalculatorsite). This equals 2 standard US sticks of butter (each stick = ½ cup = 113.5 g). Butter is a dense fat so it packs reliably — the cup-to-gram conversion for butter is one of the most consistent in baking.

What is the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?

A US customary cup = 236.5882 mL. A metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) = 250 mL. The difference is about 5.7%. For most home baking this margin is small enough to ignore, but for recipes scaled to large batches or for chemically-leavened baked goods (cakes, quick breads) the difference can affect results. This tool shows metric cup conversions as a first-order approximation, with a note that packing behavior may also change.

How accurate is cups to grams conversion?

The data in this tool comes from King Arthur Baking's Ingredient Weight Chart — an industry-trusted source that uses standardized spoon-and-level technique. For most high-frequency baking ingredients (flour, butter, sugar), the values are cross-verified across 2–3 independent sources and are accurate within ±5 g per cup. Single-source items (marked in data) should be treated as reliable but not independently verified. Three ingredients (cooked rice, couscous, active dry yeast by cup) are flagged as reference estimates only.

How many teaspoons or tablespoons are in a cup?

1 US cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons. This tool calculates the tablespoon and teaspoon equivalents for each ingredient based on its weight-per-tablespoon (not a simple volume division), so you get weight-accurate spoon measures rather than just dividing by 16. For baking powder, salt, and yeast — where recipes call for small spoon amounts — the teaspoon result is especially useful.

Why does the spoon-and-level method matter?

All King Arthur Baking weight data assumes the spoon-and-level technique: spoon flour into the measuring cup until overflowing, then level off with a straight edge. This gives consistent density. Scooping the cup directly into the flour bag compacts the flour and adds 20–40% more weight. If your recipe uses a different technique, the gram value may differ slightly from what this tool shows. Weight scales eliminate this variability entirely.

Cooking Converter

Cups to Grams Converter

Convert cups to grams (or grams to cups) for 50+ baking ingredients — all-purpose flour, butter, sugar, and more. Data from King Arthur Baking. Supports US customary and metric cups.

Ingredient

Cups → Grams

Cup standard

Results update in real time as you type.

Select an ingredient and enter an amount to see the conversion.

No data is stored. All calculations run locally in your browser.

How to Convert Cups to Grams

Cups measure volume; grams measure weight. Because every ingredient has a different density (and packing behavior), a single cup of flour weighs 120 g while a cup of butter weighs 227 g. This tool uses per-ingredient data from King Arthur Baking for accurate conversions.

Select your ingredient

Choose the ingredient from the dropdown. Ingredients are grouped by category (flours, sugars, fats, liquids, etc.). The tool uses a separate density value for each ingredient — not a generic cups-to-grams formula.

Enter the amount

Type the quantity in cups (e.g. 1.5 for 1½ cups). You can also switch to Grams → Cups mode and enter grams if you prefer to work in reverse.

Choose your cup standard

Select US cup (236.6 mL, used in American recipes and by King Arthur Baking) or Metric cup (250 mL, used in Australian, New Zealand, and some Canadian recipes). The metric conversion is a first-order approximation — actual packing behavior may differ slightly.

Read the result

The result shows grams, cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons. For small-measure ingredients like salt, baking powder, and yeast, tablespoon and teaspoon values are highlighted. Copy the result with the Copy button.

Cups to Grams Conversion Chart

Ingredient	1 cup (g)	1 tbsp (g)	1 tsp (g)
Flours
All-purpose flour	120	7.5	2.5
Bread flour	120	7.5	2.5
Cake flour	120	7.5	2.5
Whole-wheat flour	113	7.1	2.4
Self-rising flour	113	7.1	2.4
Almond flour	96	6	2
Sugars
Granulated sugar	198	12.4	4.1
Brown sugar (packed)	213	13.3	4.4
Powdered sugar (unsifted)	113	7.1	2.4
Caster sugar	190	11.9	4
Fats & Oils
Butter	227	14.2	4.7
Vegetable oil	198	12.4	4.1
Olive oil	200	12.5	4.2
Shortening	184	11.5	3.8
Liquids
Water	227	14.2	4.7
Milk	227	14.2	4.7
Heavy cream	227	14.2	4.7
Honey	336	21	7
Maple syrup	312	19.5	6.5
Corn syrup	312	19.5	6.5
Dry Goods, Grains & Seasonings
Cocoa powder (unsweetened)	84	5.3	1.75
Rolled oats	113	7.1	2.4
White rice (uncooked)	198	12.4	4.1
Cooked riceReference value	215	13.4	4.5
Cornstarch	112	7	2.3
Breadcrumbs (dried)	112	7	2.3
Breadcrumbs (fresh)	84	5.3	1.75
Table salt	288	18	6
Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal)	128	8	2.7
Kosher salt (Morton's)	256	16	5.3
Baking powder	192	12	4
Baking soda	288	18	6
Active dry yeastReference value	144	9	3
Semolina	163	10.2	3.4
Polenta / coarse cornmeal	163	10.2	3.4
Couscous (dry)Reference value	173	10.8	3.6
Dairy, Nuts & Other
Peanut butter	270	16.9	5.6
Cream cheese	227	14.2	4.7
Sour cream	227	14.2	4.7
Yogurt	227	14.2	4.7
Chocolate chips	170	10.6	3.5
Shredded coconut (sweetened)	85	5.3	1.75
Desiccated coconut	85	5.3	1.75
Chopped walnuts	113	7.1	2.4
Pecans (whole)	105	6.6	2.2
Sliced almonds	86	5.4	1.8
Raisins	149	9.3	3.1
Grated cheddar	113	7.1	2.4
Grated Parmesan	100	6.25	2.1
Icing sugar	113	7.1	2.4

Per US cup (236.6 mL). Data: King Arthur Baking. grams to cups: use the converter above.

Understanding Volume vs. Weight in Baking

Volume and weight are fundamentally different measurements. A US cup holds 236.5882 milliliters of any substance — but the weight of that volume varies enormously by ingredient. Water is 236.6 g per cup (close to the volume in mL because water's density is ~1 g/mL). All-purpose flour is only 120 g per cup because flour particles trap air between them. Honey, being denser than water, is 336 g per cup.

Bulk density vs. true density: Unlike water, solid ingredients have two relevant densities. The true (or skeletal) density is the density of the solid particles themselves. Bulk density accounts for the air trapped between particles in a pile. Baking measurements use bulk density — and bulk density changes with how you pack the ingredient. A loosely spooned cup of flour weighs less than a tightly scooped cup. King Arthur Baking standardizes this with spoon-and-level technique.

US cup vs. metric cup: The US customary cup (236.5882 mL) is the standard for American recipes and is used by King Arthur Baking, thecalculatorsite, and most American cookbooks. The metric cup (250 mL) is used in Australia, New Zealand, and parts of Canada. The difference is 5.7%. For a recipe using 3 cups of flour, that is about 20 g — enough to matter in precise baking. If you are following a recipe that specifies the cup standard, use the matching option in this tool.

US legal cup (240 mL): The FDA uses a 240 mL legal cup for nutrition labeling. This differs from the culinary cup (236.6 mL) by only 1.4% — too small to affect most recipes. This tool uses the 236.6 mL culinary cup as the default (matching King Arthur Baking and most recipes).

Why grams are better for baking: A kitchen scale eliminates the ambiguity of packing. Professional bakers worldwide use weight for this reason. This tool aims to bridge the gap for home bakers who start with volumetric recipes and want accurate gram equivalents.

King Arthur Baking: Founded in 1790, King Arthur Baking Company (formerly King Arthur Flour) maintains one of the most widely cited ingredient weight charts in US baking. Their measurements use standardized technique and have been verified by professional bakers and recipe developers. The data in this tool uses King Arthur as the primary source, with cross-verification from thecalculatorsite (which cites FAO Density DB / NIST / The Cake Bible) and wordloaf.org (by Andrew Janjigian, former Cook's Illustrated editor).

Data Sources

Ingredient weight data cross-validated from multiple authoritative sources. Discrepancies are noted inline with the value chosen for each item.

King Arthur Baking — Ingredient Weight Chart

Primary data source. Spoon-and-level measurements for 50+ baking ingredients. Industry-trusted standard for US baking.

thecalculatorsite — Baking Conversions (cites FAO Density DB / NIST / The Cake Bible)

Cross-verification source. References FAO Food Composition Data v2.0 and NIST for density values.

wordloaf.org — Handy-Dandy Conversion Chart (Andrew Janjigian, former Cook's Illustrated)

Third independent cross-reference. Note: uses slightly different packing conventions (heaped for flours, shaken for oats), so some values differ from KAF.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many grams in a cup?: It depends on the ingredient — every substance has a different density. Common benchmarks per 1 US cup (236.6 mL): all-purpose flour 120 g, granulated sugar 198 g, butter 227 g, water 227 g (King Arthur Baking). There is no single grams-per-cup answer; that's why this tool uses per-ingredient data rather than a generic formula. To convert grams to cups, simply use the reverse direction in this tool.
Why isn't 1 cup of flour 236 grams?: A cup is a volume unit (236.6 mL for a US cup), and grams measure mass. The weight of 1 cup depends entirely on the ingredient's bulk density — how tightly it packs into the cup. All-purpose flour measured with the spoon-and-level method (standard for baking) weighs about 120 g per cup (King Arthur Baking). Scooping flour directly from the bag — a common shortcut — can pack it 20–40% more, pushing the weight toward 150–170 g. That's why weight measurements are more reliable for baking.
How many grams in a cup of sugar?: Granulated white sugar: 198 g per US cup (King Arthur Baking). Brown sugar (packed): 213 g. Powdered/confectioners' sugar (unsifted): 113 g. Caster sugar: 190 g. The differences reflect how loosely or tightly each type packs — powdered sugar is especially airy, while packed brown sugar is densest.
How many grams in a cup of butter?: 227 g per US cup (confirmed by both King Arthur Baking and thecalculatorsite). This equals 2 standard US sticks of butter (each stick = ½ cup = 113.5 g). Butter is a dense fat so it packs reliably — the cup-to-gram conversion for butter is one of the most consistent in baking.
What is the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?: A US customary cup = 236.5882 mL. A metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) = 250 mL. The difference is about 5.7%. For most home baking this margin is small enough to ignore, but for recipes scaled to large batches or for chemically-leavened baked goods (cakes, quick breads) the difference can affect results. This tool shows metric cup conversions as a first-order approximation, with a note that packing behavior may also change.
How accurate is cups to grams conversion?: The data in this tool comes from King Arthur Baking's Ingredient Weight Chart — an industry-trusted source that uses standardized spoon-and-level technique. For most high-frequency baking ingredients (flour, butter, sugar), the values are cross-verified across 2–3 independent sources and are accurate within ±5 g per cup. Single-source items (marked in data) should be treated as reliable but not independently verified. Three ingredients (cooked rice, couscous, active dry yeast by cup) are flagged as reference estimates only.
How many teaspoons or tablespoons are in a cup?: 1 US cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons. This tool calculates the tablespoon and teaspoon equivalents for each ingredient based on its weight-per-tablespoon (not a simple volume division), so you get weight-accurate spoon measures rather than just dividing by 16. For baking powder, salt, and yeast — where recipes call for small spoon amounts — the teaspoon result is especially useful.
Why does the spoon-and-level method matter?: All King Arthur Baking weight data assumes the spoon-and-level technique: spoon flour into the measuring cup until overflowing, then level off with a straight edge. This gives consistent density. Scooping the cup directly into the flour bag compacts the flour and adds 20–40% more weight. If your recipe uses a different technique, the gram value may differ slightly from what this tool shows. Weight scales eliminate this variability entirely.

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