Cups to Grams Converter (Baking)
How many grams in a cup? It depends on the ingredient: a cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 g, butter 227 g, and honey 340 g. This converter uses reference densities from USDA FoodData Central and King Arthur Baking Company across 17 common baking ingredients, and the NIST-defined US legal cup of 240 mL — so your recipes scale correctly between American volume measures and metric weights.
When to use this calculator
- You're following a US recipe that uses cups and your kitchen only has a gram scale.
- You want consistent results: baking is chemistry, and cups-by-eye vary ±20%.
- You're scaling a recipe up or down and need precise quantities.
- You're translating an American cookbook for metric kitchens.
- You're a pastry student learning why 1 cup of flour ≠ 1 cup of sugar in weight.
Example: 2 cups of all-purpose flour
- Cups: 2.
- Ingredient: all-purpose flour (density 120 g/cup).
- Grams: 2 × 120 = 240 g.
- Ounces: 240 / 28.35 ≈ 8.47 oz.
- Tablespoons: 2 × 16 = 32 tbsp.
How it works
2 min readWhy 1 cup ≠ 1 cup (by weight)
A cup is a volume measurement — 240 ml in the US standard. But different ingredients have different densities (mass per unit volume), so the same cup holds different weights:
| Ingredient | 1 cup (grams) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Rolled oats, cocoa | 85 g | Low-density, fluffy |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 g | Slightly denser than white |
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | Industry standard |
| Nuts (chopped) | 115 g | Depends on size |
| Chocolate chips | 170 g | Dense chunks |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | Dense crystals |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 213 g | Packed = more mass |
| Vegetable oil | 218 g | Liquid |
| Butter | 227 g | Dense solid fat |
| Milk | 245 g | Denser than water (solids) |
| Honey | 340 g | ~1.4× water density |
Why US vs metric cups matter
This calculator uses the US cup (240 ml). If your recipe specifies a metric cup, multiply results by 1.042.
How to measure cups correctly ("spoon and level")
For flour especially, how you fill the cup matters a lot. The reference 120 g/cup assumes the spoon-and-level method:
1. Fluff the flour with a spoon in the container (breaks up compaction).
2. Spoon flour into the measuring cup until it overflows.
3. Level off with a flat edge (knife back, ruler, etc.).
If you scoop directly with the measuring cup (pressing into the flour), you can pack 140–160 g/cup — up to 30% more flour than the recipe assumes. That's the #1 reason home baking fails.
Why bakers use grams
Professional and serious home bakers weigh ingredients instead of measuring volumes. Reasons:
Common recipe conversions (quick reference)
Sources
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup?
It depends on what you're measuring. 1 cup of all-purpose flour = 120 g, 1 cup of sugar = 200 g, 1 cup of butter = 227 g, 1 cup of honey = 340 g. Use the dropdown to pick your ingredient.
How many grams is 2 cups of flour?
240 g of all-purpose flour (2 × 120). For bread flour it's 254 g, whole wheat 226 g, cake flour 228 g. The calculator distinguishes between them.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No. US cup = 240 ml. Metric/UK cup = 250 ml (about 4.2% larger). Japanese cup = 200 ml. Always check which standard your recipe uses. This converter uses the US cup.
Why should I weigh instead of measure by cups?
Because cups-by-volume vary depending on how you scoop. Flour can pack 20–30% more if you press the measuring cup into the bag vs. spoon-and-level. Grams give you consistent results every time.
How do I measure brown sugar: packed or loose?
Packed. Recipes assume brown sugar is pressed firmly into the cup until it holds its shape when turned out. That's the 213 g/cup figure. Loose brown sugar is roughly 160 g/cup — 25% less — and will throw off your recipe.
What's 1/2 cup in grams?
Halve any 1-cup number. 1/2 cup flour = 60 g, 1/2 cup sugar = 100 g, 1/2 cup butter = 113 g (that's one US "stick"), 1/2 cup oil = 109 g.
Does "1 cup" on a US stick of butter match the calculator?
A full US stick is 1/2 cup = 113 g. Two sticks = 1 cup = 227 g. The calculator uses 227 g/cup for butter, consistent with most US packaging.
Is this calculator free?
Yes — 100% free, no signup, no ads in your result. Just enter the number of cups and pick the ingredient.