Grams to Cups Converter & Chart

A grams to cups converter translates metric weight into US customary volume by accounting for ingredient density. Because grams measure weight and cups measure volume, the conversion depends on the ingredient. For example, 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 g, 1 cup of granulated sugar weighs 200 g, and 1 US legal cup of water weighs 240 g (240 ml). Home cooks use a calculator or conversion chart to switch between a European recipe in grams and standard American cup measurements without ruining sensitive baking recipes.

Key Takeaways

• Weight vs. volume: A gram is a metric unit of mass, whereas a US cup is a unit of volume equal to 236.6 ml (US customary) or 240 ml (US legal, used for nutrition labeling).
• Flour benchmark: All-purpose flour converts at 120 g per cup using the spoon-and-level method, in line with King Arthur Baking standards.
• Sugar benchmark: Granulated white sugar weighs 200 g per cup, packed brown sugar weighs 213 g to 220 g, and powdered sugar weighs 120 g.
• Best tool for accuracy: A digital kitchen scale eliminates the packing errors that come from scoop-and-sweep measuring.

Grams to Cups Conversion Chart for Common Baking Ingredients

Find your weight in grams in the first column, then read across to see the cup equivalent for each ingredient, as a decimal and as a practical kitchen measure. Values use a US customary cup and the standard gram-per-cup weights shown in each column header. Kitchen measures are rounded to the nearest tablespoon.

How Does a Grams to Cups Converter Work?

A grams to cups converter divides the weight in grams by the weight of one cup of that specific ingredient. Because different ingredients pack differently, weight-to-volume conversion needs a unique value for each liquid, powder and fat.

Cups = Weight in grams ÷ Grams per cup of the ingredient

Three cup definitions appear in cookbooks around the world:

• US customary cup: 236.6 ml (8 fluid ounces), the standard in American kitchens.
• US legal cup: 240 ml, used by the USDA and FDA for nutrition labels.
• Metric cup: 250 ml, standard in Australia, New Zealand, the UK and Canada.

Water has a density of 1 gram per millilitre, so 100 g of water is 100 ÷ 240 = 0.42 cups. Dry ingredients have air between particles, so a converter stores the grams-per-cup value for each ingredient and lets you switch between grams to cups and cups to grams.

How Many Grams Are in a Cup of Flour, Sugar, and Butter?

One cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 g, one cup of granulated sugar weighs 200 g, and one cup of butter weighs 227 g (8 ounces). These three staples form the base of most cakes, cookies, breads and pastries.

Flour: How Many Grams in a Cup of All-Purpose Flour?

A cup of flour varies between 120 g and 130 g depending on brand and sifting, with 120 g the test-kitchen standard. Whole wheat flour weighs 113 g to 120 g per cup, bread flour 127 g, and cake flour 114 g. If a recipe calls for 300 g of flour, 300 ÷ 120 gives 2.5 cups.

Sugar: Granulated, Brown, and Powdered

A cup of granulated sugar holds 200 g, while packed brown sugar weighs 213 g to 220 g because molasses adds moisture and removes air gaps. Powdered (confectioners’) sugar is finely ground with cornstarch, so 1 cup weighs about 120 g unsifted.

Butter and Liquids

In US grocery stores, 1 cup of butter equals two sticks, or 227 g (8 oz, where 1 oz is 28.35 g). One stick is 1/2 cup or about 113 g, and 1 tablespoon of butter weighs about 14.2 g. For water or milk, 1 cup is 240 ml (240 g), 1 tablespoon is 15 ml and 1 teaspoon is 5 ml.

Kitchen Scale vs. Measuring Cups: Which Method Is Best?

A digital kitchen scale is more accurate than a measuring cup because grams measure exact mass, whereas cups are prone to packing errors. Scooping a cup of flour straight from the bag can pack in roughly 135 g to 160 g, up to a third more than intended.

• Scale pros: Repeatable results, one-bowl mixing with the tare button, and easy scaling of a recipe.
• Scale cons: Needs batteries and costs more upfront than plastic cups.
• Measuring cup pros: Inexpensive, needs no batteries, and works well for forgiving recipes.
• Measuring cup cons: A high margin of error for compressible powders like flour, cocoa and brown sugar.

How to measure dry ingredients with the spoon-and-level method

1. Fluff the flour or powdered sugar with a fork or spoon to loosen compacted clumps.
2. Gently spoon the ingredient into a dry measuring cup until it heaps above the rim.
3. Sweep the flat back of a butter knife across the top to level it, without tapping or shaking the cup.

Common measuring mistakes to avoid

• Mixing up dry and liquid cups: Using a spouted glass pitcher for dry flour causes uneven settling. Use flat-rimmed cups for dry ingredients.
• Confusing fluid ounces with weight ounces: One US cup is 8 fluid ounces (volume), which only equals 8 weight ounces (227 g) for liquids with the density of water or butter.
• Ignoring metric vs. US cups: Australian recipes use a 250 ml metric cup, while American recipes use 236.6 ml to 240 ml. Check the recipe’s country of origin, along with oven temperatures in Celsius or Fahrenheit.

Frequently Asked Questions About Converting Grams to Cups

How many grams are in 1 cup?

There is no single answer because a gram measures weight and a cup measures volume. For water and milk, 1 cup is 240 g. For all-purpose flour, 1 cup is 120 g, and for granulated sugar, 1 cup is 200 g.

How do you convert 100 grams to cups?

Divide 100 by the weight of one cup of that ingredient. For all-purpose flour (120 g per cup), 100 g equals 0.83 cups, about 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon. For granulated sugar (200 g per cup), 100 g equals exactly 1/2 cup.

How many cups is 200g of flour vs 200g of sugar?

Flour is lighter than sugar, so 200 g of all-purpose flour is about 1 2/3 cups (1.67 cups), while 200 g of granulated sugar is exactly 1 cup.

How many cups is 250 grams of butter?

One US cup of butter (two sticks) weighs 227 g, so 250 g of butter is about 1.1 cups, or 1 cup plus roughly 1 1/2 tablespoons.

How many grams are in a tablespoon and a teaspoon?

A US tablespoon holds 15 ml and a teaspoon holds 5 ml. For water, 1 tbsp weighs 15 g and 1 tsp weighs 5 g. For all-purpose flour, 1 tbsp weighs about 7.5 to 8 g and 1 tsp about 2.5 g.

Why do bakers prefer grams over cups?

Humidity, scooping technique and sifting change how much powder fits in a cup. Weighing on a kitchen scale means a cup of flour is always 120 g, which gives consistent dough hydration and texture.

Popular Ingredient & Weight Conversions

Need a specific weight or ingredient? These pages go deeper than the main grams to cups converter above.

• 100 grams to cups: 100 g across flour, sugar, butter, oats, milk and honey
• 200 grams to cups: 200 g across the most common baking ingredients
• Flour grams to cups converter: all-purpose, bread, cake, whole wheat and almond flour
• Sugar grams to cups: granulated, packed brown and powdered sugar
• Butter grams to cups and sticks: cups, sticks and tablespoons
• Tablespoons to cups
• 100 grams to ounces

Final Recommendation on Using a Grams to Cups Converter

An online grams to cups converter and a printed conversion chart are the fastest way to adapt international recipes when you have no scale. For everyday cooking, pair the spoon-and-level technique with reliable ratios (120 g per cup for flour, 200 g for sugar, 227 g for butter). If you bake often, a digital kitchen scale removes the cups-to-grams math entirely and gives bakery-level consistency.