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Cups to Grams: the Complete Ingredient Conversion Chart
« One cup » has no fixed weight: a cup of flour is 125 g, a cup of honey 336 g, a cup of rolled oats 90 g. This chart gives the measured cups-to-grams value for every ingredient on GramKitchen — US cup, metric cup and tablespoon.
Why a cup has no fixed weight
A cup measures volume; a gram measures mass. The bridge between them is bulk density — grams per milliliter — and it is different for every ingredient. Water sits at 1 g/ml, all-purpose flour at 0.53 g/ml, honey at 1.42 g/ml. That is why no single « cups to grams » number exists, and why charts that give one answer for everything are wrong by design.
The math is simple once the density is known: grams = density × cup volume. For the US cup (236.588 ml) and the metric cup (250 ml) the tables below do exactly that multiplication for every ingredient in our database.
How to read this chart
Every figure assumes the spooned-and-leveled fill that home recipes mean by « a cup » — spoon the ingredient in, sweep the top flat, no packing unless stated (brown sugar is packed by convention). The ± column is the measured real-world variance: how far your actual cup can drift depending on storage, humidity and fill technique.
Use the US cup column for American recipes, the metric column for Australian and modern international ones. For fractions, ounces or reverse lookups, each ingredient name corresponds to a dedicated converter on this site — the chart is the map, the converters are the calculator.
Flours — the lightweights
Flours are the least dense staples in the pantry and the most error-prone: the same « cup » swings by ±8 % depending on how it was filled. Weighing flour is the single highest-impact upgrade a home baker can make.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 125 g | 132 g | 7.8 g | ±8 % |
| Bread flour | 127 g | 134 g | 7.9 g | ±8 % |
| "00" flour | 118 g | 125 g | 7.4 g | ±8 % |
| Cake flour | 114 g | 120 g | 7.1 g | ±8 % |
| Whole wheat flour | 120 g | 127 g | 7.5 g | ±9 % |
| Spelt flour | 102 g | 108 g | 6.4 g | ±9 % |
| Rye flour | 102 g | 108 g | 6.4 g | ±9 % |
| Buckwheat flour | 120 g | 127 g | 7.5 g | ±9 % |
| Corn flour (fine maize) | 118 g | 125 g | 7.4 g | ±9 % |
| White rice flour | 149 g | 158 g | 9.3 g | ±9 % |
| Almond flour | 96 g | 102 g | 6 g | ±10 % |
| Coconut flour | 111 g | 118 g | 6.9 g | ±10 % |
Sugars and liquid sweeteners
Dry sugars cluster around 170–220 g per cup; the liquid sweeteners jump to 315–336 g because dissolved sugar is far denser than crystals with air between them. Brown sugar is listed packed, per baking convention.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 211 g | 12.5 g | ±5 % |
| Caster sugar | 201 g | 212 g | 12.6 g | ±5 % |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 220 g | 232 g | 13.8 g | ±7 % |
| Muscovado sugar | 213 g | 225 g | 13.3 g | ±7 % |
| Demerara sugar | 201 g | 212 g | 12.6 g | ±6 % |
| Coconut sugar | 180 g | 190 g | 11.2 g | ±8 % |
| Powdered sugar | 125 g | 132 g | 7.8 g | ±8 % |
| Honey | 336 g | 355 g | 21 g | ±4 % |
| Maple syrup | 315 g | 332 g | 19.7 g | ±4 % |
| Molasses | 329 g | 348 g | 20.6 g | ±5 % |
Fats
Butter is the honest one — 227 g per cup, matching the 113 g stick that American recipes assume. Melted vs solid barely matters by weight; it matters a lot by volume.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butter | 227 g | 240 g | 14.2 g | ±3 % |
| Ghee (clarified butter) | 215 g | 228 g | 13.5 g | ±4 % |
| Margarine | 225 g | 238 g | 14 g | ±4 % |
| Vegetable shortening | 205 g | 216 g | 12.8 g | ±4 % |
| Lard | 206 g | 218 g | 12.9 g | ±4 % |
| Neutral oil (canola/sunflower) | 217 g | 229 g | 13.6 g | ±3 % |
| Olive oil | 217 g | 229 g | 13.5 g | ±3 % |
| Coconut oil (melted) | 219 g | 231 g | 13.7 g | ±3 % |
Dairy
Most dairy hovers near water's density; the concentrated products — condensed and evaporated milk, mascarpone — run heavier. Yogurt and sour cream trap air differently by brand, hence the wider variance.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole milk | 244 g | 258 g | 15.2 g | ±2 % |
| Buttermilk | 244 g | 258 g | 15.2 g | ±3 % |
| Heavy cream | 234 g | 248 g | 14.6 g | ±3 % |
| Sour cream | 229 g | 242 g | 14.3 g | ±4 % |
| Crème fraîche | 229 g | 242 g | 14.3 g | ±4 % |
| Plain yogurt | 246 g | 260 g | 15.4 g | ±4 % |
| Greek yogurt | 279 g | 295 g | 17.4 g | ±5 % |
| Mascarpone | 227 g | 240 g | 14.2 g | ±5 % |
| Evaporated milk | 251 g | 265 g | 15.7 g | ±3 % |
| Sweetened condensed milk | 308 g | 325 g | 19.2 g | ±3 % |
Liquids
True liquids are the easy case: a US cup of water is 237 g, and most thin liquids land within a few grams of it. The outliers are the syrupy ones — see the sugar table — and soy sauce, heavier than water thanks to its salt load.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 237 g | 250 g | 14.8 g | ±1 % |
| Almond milk | 234 g | 248 g | 14.6 g | ±4 % |
| Oat milk | 237 g | 250 g | 14.8 g | ±4 % |
| Coconut milk (canned) | 227 g | 240 g | 14.2 g | ±5 % |
| Soy sauce | 272 g | 288 g | 17 g | ±4 % |
| White vinegar | 239 g | 252 g | 14.9 g | ±3 % |
| Apple cider vinegar | 239 g | 252 g | 14.9 g | ±3 % |
| Lemon juice | 244 g | 258 g | 15.2 g | ±3 % |
| Orange juice | 246 g | 260 g | 15.4 g | ±3 % |
| White wine | 234 g | 248 g | 14.6 g | ±3 % |
| Vegetable stock | 237 g | 250 g | 14.8 g | ±3 % |
| Tomato passata | 248 g | 262 g | 15.5 g | ±4 % |
Grains and legumes
Dry grains absorb water during cooking but their dry-cup weight is what recipes measure. Rolled oats are the notable lightweight at 90 g per cup — flakes trap far more air than dense kernels.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White rice (raw) | 184 g | 194 g | 11.5 g | ±6 % |
| Brown rice (raw) | 189 g | 200 g | 11.8 g | ±6 % |
| Quinoa (dry) | 170 g | 180 g | 10.6 g | ±7 % |
| Couscous (dry) | 173 g | 182 g | 10.8 g | ±7 % |
| Bulgur (dry) | 140 g | 148 g | 8.7 g | ±8 % |
| Polenta (cornmeal) | 149 g | 158 g | 9.3 g | ±8 % |
| Durum wheat semolina | 168 g | 178 g | 10.5 g | ±7 % |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 95 g | 5.6 g | ±10 % |
| Dried lentils | 192 g | 202 g | 12 g | ±6 % |
| Dried chickpeas | 199 g | 210 g | 12.4 g | ±6 % |
| Dried beans | 194 g | 205 g | 12.1 g | ±6 % |
| Pearl barley (dry) | 185 g | 195 g | 11.5 g | ±7 % |
Nuts, seeds and pantry staples
Chopped and whole nuts fill a cup very differently; the values below reflect the whole or standard retail form. Table salt — the heaviest common « cup » ingredient after syrups — is also the most dangerous to measure by volume, since fine and flaky salts differ by half.
| Ingredient | US cup | Metric cup | 1 tbsp | ± var |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Almonds (whole) | 142 g | 150 g | 8.9 g | ±9 % |
| Cashews | 137 g | 145 g | 8.6 g | ±9 % |
| Hazelnuts | 135 g | 142 g | 8.4 g | ±9 % |
| Peanuts | 147 g | 155 g | 9.2 g | ±8 % |
| Walnuts (chopped) | 116 g | 122 g | 7.2 g | ±10 % |
| Chia seeds | 161 g | 170 g | 10.1 g | ±8 % |
| Flaxseeds (whole) | 159 g | 168 g | 9.9 g | ±8 % |
| Sesame seeds | 144 g | 152 g | 9 g | ±8 % |
| Unsweetened cocoa powder | 123 g | 130 g | 7.7 g | ±12 % |
| Cornstarch | 128 g | 135 g | 8 g | ±8 % |
| Egg (whole, large) | 244 g | 258 g | 15.2 g | ±8 % |
| Baking powder | 213 g | 225 g | 13.3 g | ±8 % |
| Baking soda | 220 g | 232 g | 13.8 g | ±8 % |
| Dried yeast | 142 g | 150 g | 8.9 g | ±10 % |
| Ground cinnamon | 125 g | 132 g | 7.8 g | ±10 % |
| Table salt (fine) | 289 g | 305 g | 18 g | ±5 % |
The traps that break cup conversions
Three conventions collide in real kitchens. Packed vs spooned: brown sugar is the only ingredient conventionally packed. Sifted vs scooped: a sifted cup of flour holds about 10 % less than a scooped one. Cup conventions: US 236.6 ml, metric 250 ml, old imperial 284 ml — a 20 % spread before density even enters the picture.
All values come from our measured ingredient densities, cross-checked against USDA FoodData Central, King Arthur Baking and ANSES Ciqual — the same figures that power every converter on this site and that are documented on our methodology page.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in one cup?
There is no single answer — a cup measures volume, grams measure mass. Water: 237 g. Flour: 125 g. Sugar: 200 g. Butter: 227 g. Honey: 336 g. Find your ingredient in the tables above.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No. A US cup is 236.6 ml, a metric cup 250 ml, an old imperial cup 284 ml — up to 20 % difference before the ingredient even matters. Check which convention your recipe uses.
Why do other sites give different numbers?
Most charts apply a handful of generic densities to dozens of ingredients. Our values use the measured density of each ingredient itself, cross-checked against USDA, King Arthur and ANSES data — that is why our chart is longer and its numbers more specific.
Should I convert cups to grams or buy a scale?
Buy the scale — it removes the ±8–12 % fill variance no chart can control. Use this chart to convert recipes you already have; use a scale for everything you bake going forward.
Does this chart work for liquids?
Yes — the liquids table covers water, milks, juices and sauces. For water-like liquids a US cup is about 237 g; the heavy exception is anything syrupy, which belongs to the sugar table.