Cups to Grams Converter

Ingredient-Aware Conversion Table

Because a cup is a measure of volume and grams measure mass, the conversion depends on the ingredient's density. Below are documented values for common cooking ingredients. All figures assume a US legal cup (236.5882365 mL).

Formula

grams = cups × density (g per cup)

Where density varies by ingredient:

• For water: 236.5882365 g per US cup (exact).
• For all-purpose flour: about 125 g per US cup (spooned and leveled).
• For granulated sugar: about 200 g per US cup (scooped and leveled).
• For butter: about 227 g per US cup (2 sticks = 1 cup).
• For honey: about 340 g per US cup.

Worked Examples

Example 1: 1 cup of water to grams

1. Start: 1 US cup of water.
2. Density of water: 236.5882365 g per US cup.
3. Multiply: 1 × 236.5882365 = 236.5882365.
4. Result: 1 cup water = 236.59 grams.

Example 2: 2 cups of all-purpose flour to grams

1. Start: 2 US cups of all-purpose flour.
2. Density of flour: 125 g per US cup (spooned and leveled).
3. Multiply: 2 × 125 = 250.
4. Result: 2 cups all-purpose flour = 250 grams.

Example 3: 1.5 cups of granulated sugar to grams

1. Start: 1.5 US cups of granulated sugar.
2. Density of sugar: 200 g per US cup.
3. Multiply: 1.5 × 200 = 300.
4. Result: 1.5 cups granulated sugar = 300 grams.

Example 4: 0.5 cup of butter to grams

1. Start: 0.5 US cup of butter.
2. Density of butter: 227 g per US cup.
3. Multiply: 0.5 × 227 = 113.5.
4. Result: 1/2 cup butter = 113.5 grams (one US stick, or 4 oz).

Why Ingredient Density Matters

When a recipe says "1 cup of flour," the actual amount of flour depends on how the baker measured it. A spooned and leveled cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 125 g. The same cup, scooped directly from the bag (which packs the flour), can weigh 150 g or more. That is a difference of 20%, which is enough to make a cake dense and dry rather than light and tender.

This is why professional and serious home bakers use a kitchen scale. When recipes are given by weight (in grams or ounces), the result is reproducible regardless of the measuring technique.

Volume vs Weight — When to Use Which

• Use weight for: Flour, sugar, butter, chocolate, nuts, and any ingredient where precision matters.
• Volume is acceptable for: Liquids (water, milk, oil), small amounts of spices and leavening agents (where the recipe's precision is not critical), and recipes explicitly written for volume.
• Weigh everything when possible: The improvement in consistency and predictability is significant, especially for baking.

US Cups vs Metric Cups

A US legal cup is 236.5882365 mL (exactly 8 US fluid ounces). A metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada) is 250 mL. An imperial cup (UK historic) is 284.13 mL. Most recipes today specify which system is used, but older recipes may not. When in doubt, the US value is the most common default.

Related Converters

• Cups to Milliliters
• Flour Measurement
• Sugar Measurement
• Butter Measurement
• All Cooking Converters
• Grams to Ounces

Frequently Asked Questions