How to use the cups to grams converter
- Choose the ingredient. Different ingredients weigh very different amounts per cup: a cup of honey weighs almost four times as much as a cup of oats.
- Choose the direction: cups to grams, or grams to cups.
- Type the amount. You can use decimals (0.75) or kitchen fractions (3/4, 1 1/2).
- Press Convert. The result also shows ounces by weight and the tablespoon equivalent, plus the density that was used.
Why weigh at all? Two people measuring “one cup of flour” can easily end up 20 or 30 grams apart, which is enough to make cookies spread or bread turn dense. Weighing removes that guesswork and makes recipes repeatable. If you don't have a scale, fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup, and level it with a knife. That method matches the 125 g figure used here.
How it's calculated
cups = grams ÷ grams per cup
1 US cup = 16 tablespoons = 236.6 mL
These are the densities the converter uses, in grams per level US cup. They are typical published averages. Your own results depend on how you fill the cup:
| Ingredient | g per cup | Ingredient | g per cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour (spooned and leveled) | 125 | Water | 236.6 |
| Granulated sugar | 200 | Milk | 245 |
| Brown sugar, packed | 220 | Vegetable oil | 218 |
| Powdered sugar | 120 | Honey | 340 |
| Butter | 227 | Rolled oats | 90 |
| Cocoa powder, unsweetened | 85 | White rice, uncooked | 185 |
Flour is the most variable: scooping straight from the bag packs it down and can add 15–25% more weight than spooning it into the cup and leveling. That's why many bakers weigh flour instead.
Worked example
Flour: a recipe calls for 2 cups of all-purpose flour. 2 × 125 = 250 g.
Butter: 1/2 cup of butter is 0.5 × 227 = 113.5 g, which matches one US stick (about 113 g).
Reverse: a European recipe lists 100 g of sugar. 100 ÷ 200 = 0.5 cup, or 8 tablespoons.
FAQ
How many grams are in a cup of flour?
About 125 grams for all-purpose flour that is spooned into the cup and leveled. Scooped flour can weigh 140 grams or more, which is why weighing is more accurate.
How many grams is a cup of sugar?
A level US cup of granulated sugar weighs about 200 grams. Packed brown sugar is heavier at around 220 grams, and powdered sugar is lighter at around 120 grams.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
Not quite. A US customary cup is about 236.6 mL, while the metric cup used in Australia, Canada and New Zealand is 250 mL. This tool uses the US cup.
Why not just convert cups to grams with one number?
Cups measure volume and grams measure weight, so the conversion depends on each ingredient's density. That is why you pick the ingredient first.