Cups to Grams: The Complete Baking Conversion Guide (2026)

Published on May 7, 2026 · 9 min read

If you have ever attempted an American recipe with a European kitchen scale — or vice versa — you know the frustration. Cups measure volume; grams measure mass. The relationship between the two depends entirely on what you are scooping into that cup. This guide gives you the definitive cups-to-grams conversion table for the most common baking ingredients, explains why professional bakers always weigh, and answers every common question.

The short answer

For water and water-like liquids, 1 US cup = 236.6 g. For all-purpose flour, 1 US cup ≈ 120 g. For granulated sugar, 1 US cup ≈ 200 g. For butter, 1 US cup = 227 g (one standard 8-oz US stick × 2). Need an instant calculator? Use our Cups to Grams converter.

Universal cups-to-grams table

Why baking by weight beats baking by volume

Volume measurements are inherently imprecise because the same cup can hold dramatically different amounts of an ingredient depending on how you scooped it. Studies in test kitchens (notably America's Test Kitchen and King Arthur Baking) have shown variations of 20–25% between bakers measuring "1 cup of flour" with the same scoop. That difference is enough to turn a fluffy cake into a dense brick.

Professional pastry chefs almost universally work in grams. A digital kitchen scale costs less than a decent saucepan, eliminates dirty measuring cups, and ensures your cookies turn out the same every batch. If you bake more than once a month, a $15 scale is the single best upgrade you can make.

Cup standards around the world

Three different "cups" exist in the wild:

• US legal cup (used on US nutrition labels): 240 ml.
• US customary cup (used in US recipes): 236.588 ml.
• Metric cup (used in Australia, NZ, some EU countries): 250 ml.
• Imperial cup (historical UK): 284 ml — rare today.

The differences look small but matter for liquids in delicate recipes like custards and ice creams. When in doubt, assume the recipe uses the cup standard of the country it was published in.

How to measure flour by volume — properly

If you must use cups, follow the "spoon and level" method:

1. Fluff the flour in its container with a spoon to break up packed sections.
2. Spoon the flour gently into the measuring cup, overfilling slightly.
3. Level the top with a straight edge (a knife works perfectly).

This consistently delivers the standard 120 g per cup. Scooping directly from the bag compacts the flour and yields up to 150 g — a 25% overshoot.

Common conversion shortcuts

• 1 stick of US butter = ½ cup = 113 g.
• 2 cups of flour ≈ 240 g — the basis of most cookie recipes.
• 1 cup of chocolate chips ≈ 170 g.
• 1 cup of nuts (chopped) ≈ 120 g.

Frequently asked questions