Ingredient density
density (g/mL) = weight of one cup (g) ÷ 236.59 mL
Convert cups to grams (and grams to cups)
Convert US cups, tablespoons and teaspoons to grams and back for 17 common ingredients, using the weights published by the USDA.
Ingredient
The weight of a cup depends on the ingredient: a cup of flour does not weigh the same as a cup of honey.
Volume and weight
Common measures for this ingredient
| Measure | Weight |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | |
| ½ cup | |
| ⅓ cup | |
| ¼ cup | |
| 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | |
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) |
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How does this tool work?
American recipes measure ingredients by volume: cups, tablespoons and teaspoons. To cook with a kitchen scale, you need the weight of a cup, which depends on the ingredient. A cup of flour weighs about 125 g, a cup of sugar 200 g and a cup of honey 339 g. This tool converts these volumes to grams, and grams to cups, for 17 common ingredients, using the weights published by the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
The US cup is exactly 8 US fluid ounces, or 236.59 mL; the tablespoon is 14.79 mL and the teaspoon 4.93 mL.
For each ingredient, the tool starts from the weight of one cup published in the USDA FoodData Central database and derives a density in grams per millilitre.
The volume entered is converted to millilitres and multiplied by that density to give the weight. The other way round, the weight is divided by the density.
The table shows the weight of the most common measures (1, ½, ⅓ and ¼ cup, tablespoon and teaspoon) for the chosen ingredient.
How to use this tool
Choose the ingredient
Select flour, sugar, butter, milk or one of the other ingredients.
Enter the volume or the weight
Type a number of cups, spoons or millilitres to get grams, or the other way round.
Read the result
The weight appears immediately, together with the table of common measures for that ingredient.
Converting a volume to a weight
Volume to weight
weight (g) = volume (mL) × density
- m cup
- weight of one cup of the ingredient according to the USDA, in grams
- ρ
- bulk density of the ingredient, in g/mL
- V
- volume in millilitres (1 cup = 236.59 mL, 1 tbsp = 14.79 mL, 1 tsp = 4.93 mL)
For powders (flour, powdered sugar, cocoa), the density is a “bulk” density: it includes the air between the grains, which is why it varies with how the cup is filled.
Use cases
Follow an American recipe with a scale
Turn “2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar” into grams and weigh your ingredients for more consistent results.
Share a metric recipe
Convert grams to cups for someone who cooks with measuring cups.
Check a spoonful
Find the weight of a tablespoon of butter, salt or honey without getting the scale out.
Examples
1 cup of flour in grams
USDA value for all-purpose flour. ⅓ cup is about 41.7 g.
Input
Ingredient: All-purpose flour; Volume: 1 US cupResult
1 US cup of All-purpose flour = 125 g250 g of sugar in cups
A cup of sugar weighs 200 g: 250 ÷ 200 = 1.25 cups, one and a quarter cups.
Input
Ingredient: Granulated sugar; Weight: 250 gResult
1.25 US cup of Granulated sugar = 250 gOne tablespoon of butter
A cup of butter weighs 227 g and holds 16 tablespoons: 227 ÷ 16 ≈ 14.2 g.
Input
Ingredient: Butter; Volume: 1 tbspResult
1 tbsp of Butter = 14.19 gTips and best practices
- The weight of a cup of flour depends on how you fill it: packed, it weighs noticeably more than spooned in and levelled. The tool uses averages published by the USDA.
- For brown sugar, American recipes usually ask for a “packed” cup: that is the value used here.
- If your recipe uses a 250 mL cup, choose the mL unit and enter 250.
- For baking, weigh dry ingredients when you can: a few dozen grams of flour more or less change the texture of a cake.
Sources and references
- FoodData Central — SR Legacy food portions (opens in a new tab), U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research ServicePage in English
- NIST, Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SP 811), Appendix B.8: Factors for Units Listed Alphabetically (opens in a new tab)Page in English
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a cup?
It depends on the ingredient, because a cup is a volume (236.59 mL). According to the USDA, a cup weighs 125 g of flour, 200 g of granulated sugar, 227 g of butter, 244 g of whole milk and 237 g of water.
How many mL are in a US cup?
A US cup is exactly 8 US fluid ounces, or 236.59 mL, often rounded to 240 mL in cooking. A tablespoon is 14.79 mL and a teaspoon 4.93 mL.
Why do I see 120 g or 130 g for a cup of flour?
Sources do not measure flour the same way: poured, sifted or packed, a cup does not hold the same amount. The tool uses the value published by the USDA, 125 g.
What is the difference between a tablespoon and a teaspoon?
A tablespoon (tbsp) holds exactly 3 teaspoons (tsp), and a cup holds 16 tablespoons.
Where do the ingredient weights come from?
From the USDA FoodData Central database (SR Legacy data set), which publishes the weight of standard portions such as “1 cup”. The data is in the public domain.
Is the result accurate to the gram?
No: it is an average. Moisture, grind or brand change the weight of an ingredient. For a sensitive recipe, weigh directly.
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