Last updated: May 2026
Convert between cups, grams, tablespoons, teaspoons, ounces, and ml. Ingredient-specific conversions so flour and sugar give different gram results — not a generic unit swap.
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Results — Sugar (White, Granulated)
Volume ≠ weight for most ingredients. One cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 125g when spooned and leveled, but up to 150g when scooped directly. One cup of butter is 227g, while one cup of water is 237ml (close to 237g). Generic converters that apply the same factor to every ingredient produce inaccurate results for baking.
Baking precision matters. Savory cooking is forgiving — a pinch more flour in soup doesn't matter. Baking is chemistry. Using a scale and these gram conversions instead of volume measures produces more consistent results because volume measurements vary with packing, sifting, and technique.
Gram values used are based on USDA FoodData Central and standard culinary references. Density values assume lightly spooned and leveled dry ingredients unless otherwise noted.
⚠️ Values are based on standard USDA and culinary reference densities. Actual weight may vary slightly based on packing method and ingredient brand.
Volume and weight aren't interchangeable in the kitchen — a cup of flour and a cup of water weigh completely different amounts. A cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 125g if spooned and leveled, or up to 160g if scooped directly from the bag. That 28% difference is enough to turn a tender cake into a dense brick. Weighing ingredients eliminates this entirely.
The problem runs in both directions: US recipes use volume (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons), while most European, UK, and professional recipes use weight (grams). This calculator converts between them using ingredient-specific densities, so a "cup of honey" converts to actual grams of honey — not the same number as water.
| Ingredient | Per Cup (g) | Per Tbsp (g) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 125g | 7.8g | Spooned & leveled method |
| Bread flour | 120g | 7.5g | Slightly denser than AP |
| Almond flour | 96g | 6g | Light, packs less |
| Granulated sugar | 200g | 12.5g | Fine crystals, packs well |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 220g | 13.8g | Compressed into cup |
| Powdered sugar | 120g | 7.5g | Very light, sifted |
| Butter | 227g | 14.2g | 1 stick = ½ cup = 113g |
| Honey | 340g | 21.3g | Dense liquid |
| Water / milk | 240g | 15g | Standard liquid density |
| Rolled oats | 90g | 5.6g | Fluffy, low density |
How many grams is a cup of flour?
All-purpose flour: approximately 125g per cup using the spoon-and-level method (spoon flour into the cup, level with a straight edge). Scooping directly from the bag compresses the flour and can add 20–35g more per cup. King Arthur Flour uses 120g per cup in their recipes; other sources use 125–130g. When in doubt, weigh — a $10 kitchen scale is the most useful baking tool you can own.
Is 1 cup always 240ml in cooking?
In US recipes, 1 cup = 240ml (technically 236.588ml, but 240ml is the standard). An Australian cup = 250ml; a Japanese cup = 200ml. Most recipes from the US, Canada, and UK use the 240ml standard. If you're using a recipe from Australia, their cup is about 4% larger — it matters in baking, less so in cooking. Always check the recipe's country of origin if precision matters.
How do I convert a recipe from cups to grams?
Use the ingredient-specific converter above — select the ingredient, enter the cup amount, and it calculates the gram equivalent. For ingredients not listed, look up the density on the USDA FoodData Central database or on the ingredient's packaging. The key rule: never use a single "1 cup = Xg" conversion for all ingredients. Each ingredient has a unique density.
Why do professional bakers always use grams?
Grams are unambiguous. There's no "packed" vs "unpacked," no difference between scooping methods, no variation between measuring cup brands. Professional recipes specify 350g flour, not "2¾ cups" — because 2¾ cups can vary by 50+ grams depending on how it's measured. For home baking, grams make recipes more consistent and easier to scale. For cooking (soups, stews, sautés), volume measurements are usually fine.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
16 tablespoons = 1 US cup. Breakdown: 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 8 fl oz = 240ml. Half cup = 8 tbsp. Quarter cup = 4 tbsp. Third cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp. These equivalencies are worth memorizing — they come up constantly in scaling recipes up or down.