Cups of Butter to Grams (and Sticks)
1 cup of butter weighs 227 g, which is two US sticks of 113 g each (USDA FoodData Central: "Butter, salted / without salt (fdcId 173410, 173430): 1 cup = 227 g; 1 stick = 113 g; 1 tbsp = 14.2 g"). One tablespoon is 14.2 g, so a cup is 16 tablespoons. Butter is the one ingredient where the packaging does the conversion for you.
Source: Butter, salted / without salt (fdcId 173410, 173430): 1 cup = 227 g; 1 stick = 113 g; 1 tbsp = 14.2 g (USDA FoodData Central, SR Legacy). 1 US stick = 1/2 cup = 113 g. King Arthur also lists 8 tbsp (1/2 cup) = 113 g.
| Cups | Grams (US cup) | Ounces (US cup) | Grams (metric cup, 250 ml) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 28 | 1 | 30 |
| 1/4 cup | 57 | 2 | 60 |
| 1/3 cup | 76 | 2.67 | 80 |
| 1/2 cup | 114 | 4 | 120 |
| 2/3 cup | 151 | 5.34 | 160 |
| 3/4 cup | 170 | 6.01 | 180 |
| 1 cup | 227 | 8.01 | 240 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 340 | 12.01 | 360 |
| 2 cups | 454 | 16.01 | 480 |
| 3 cups | 681 | 24.02 | 720 |
| 4 cups | 908 | 32.03 | 959 |
| Grams | US cups | Measuring-cup version |
|---|---|---|
| 25 g | 0.11 | 1 tbsp + 2 ¼ tsp |
| 50 g | 0.22 | about 3 tbsp + 1 ½ tsp |
| 100 g | 0.441 | about ⅓ cup + 1 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 125 g | 0.551 | about ½ cup + 2 tsp |
| 150 g | 0.661 | about ½ cup + 2 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 200 g | 0.881 | about ¾ cup + 2 tbsp |
| 250 g | 1.1 | about 1 cup + 1 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 300 g | 1.32 | about 1 ¼ cups + 1 tbsp |
| 400 g | 1.76 | about 1 ¾ cups + 1 tsp |
| 500 g | 2.2 | about 2 cups + 3 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 1,000 g | 4.41 | about 4 ⅓ cups + 1 tbsp |
| Measure | Grams | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 1.2 | 1.23 |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.4 | 2.46 |
| 1 tsp | 4.7 | 4.93 |
| 1 tbsp (3 tsp) | 14.2 | 14.79 |
| 2 tbsp (1/8 cup) | 28.4 | 29.57 |
| 4 tbsp (1/4 cup) | 56.7 | 59.15 |
| 8 tbsp (1/2 cup) | 113 | 118.3 |
Worked example: a recipe wants ¾ cup of butter
- One cup is 227 g.
- Three-quarters of that: 0.75 × 227 g = 170 g.
- In tablespoons: 0.75 × 16 = 12 tbsp.
- In sticks: 0.75 cup ÷ 0.5 cup per stick = 1.5 sticks, so one full stick plus half of another.
- Cross-check with grams: 113 g + 56.5 g = 170 g, within a gram of 170 g.
Read the wrapper first
American butter comes in quarter-pound sticks printed with tablespoon marks. One stick is half a cup, 8 tablespoons and 113 g. A pound of butter is 454 g, which is 4 sticks. Cut along the lines and you rarely need a cup measure at all.
The 250 g block problem
In Australia, the UK and much of Europe butter is sold in 250 g blocks instead. 250 g is 1.1 cups, or 1 cup + 2 tbsp, and 2.21 US sticks. So a US recipe calling for 2 sticks needs a bit less than a full block: 226 g against 250 g, a difference of 24 g.
The reverse is more common. A recipe that says "250 g butter" can be made with 2 sticks plus 2 tablespoons, or simply weighed. Use your scale for it; blocks carry no tablespoon marks, so the scale is the practical route.
Softened, melted or cold
The weight of butter is the same whether it is cold, creamed or melted; what changes is how well it fits in a cup. Soft butter pressed into a cup traps air gaps and under-measures, and melted butter in a liquid measure reads fine by volume but is easier to weigh. Weigh butter whenever you can, and measure by the stick mark when you cannot.
- Cold butter for pastry: cut it by the tablespoon marks on the stick.
- Creamed cakes: soften it first, then weigh it.
- Browned butter: weigh before browning, because some water cooks off and the weight drops.
Butter versus other fats by the cup
Cups of fat are not interchangeable by weight. A cup of butter is 227 g, vegetable oil is 218 g (oil cup weights), shortening is 184 g and coconut oil is 226 g. Swapping shortening for butter cup for cup puts 43 g less in the bowl.
Scaling in sticks
Multiples of a stick keep the maths tidy. Three sticks are 339 g, which is 1 ½ cups or 24 tablespoons. Four sticks make a pound at 452 g, close to the true pound of 454 g. When a recipe asks for something between sticks, cut the extra by the tablespoon marks, each worth 14.2 g.
Mistakes to avoid
- Treating the 250 g block as "about two sticks" in a precise pastry.
- Pressing soft butter into a dry measuring cup and calling it level.
- Forgetting that salted and unsalted butter weigh the same but season differently.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in 1 cup of butter?
1 US cup of butter is 227 g, equal to two sticks of 113 g each (USDA FoodData Central).
How many grams are in 1 stick of butter?
One US stick of butter is 113 g, which is half a cup or 8 tablespoons.
How many tablespoons are in 100 g of butter?
100 g of butter is about 7 tablespoons (7).
How many cups is a 250 g block of butter?
A 250 g block is 1.1 US cups, or 1 cup + 2 tbsp.
Is a cup of melted butter the same weight?
Yes, the weight is the same, but measuring melted butter in a cup is less accurate than weighing it.