Cups to Grams Calculator
Cup-volume measurements converted to gram weights for common baking ingredients
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What this calculator computes
Cups-to-grams conversion is the standard recipe-translation tool that turns US-format volume measurements into the gram weights metric kitchens and precision-baking applications actually use. The calculator handles the central problem with volume-based dry-ingredient measurement: a "1 cup" of flour can weigh anywhere from 100 to 150 grams depending on how tightly the flour is packed, sifted, or scooped, and that 50% variation makes baking results inconsistent across cooks and across baking sessions. By converting to gram weights based on standardised ingredient densities, the calculator removes the packing-variability problem and produces consistent results regardless of how the original cup measurement was performed. The calculator's ingredient database covers the most common baking and cooking ingredients with their published average densities: all-purpose flour at 120 g per US cup, granulated sugar at 200 g per US cup, brown sugar (lightly packed) at 215 g per US cup, butter at 227 g per US cup, milk at 240 g per US cup, honey at 340 g per US cup, and cocoa powder at 100 g per US cup. The figure for each ingredient comes from US-published baking references (King Arthur, America's Test Kitchen, and the USDA national nutrient database), with the cup measurement itself fixed at the customary US cup of 236.59 mL.
Calculator
The formula
Formula
grams = cups × ingredient_density (g per cup)
Worked example
When to use this calculator
Use this calculator any time you are running a US recipe in a metric kitchen, scaling a US recipe up or down (where gram measurements scale linearly while cup measurements compound packing errors), or trying to achieve repeatable baking results across multiple sessions. Precision baking — laminated dough, macarons, brioche, sourdough — benefits most from the conversion because the recipe ratios are tight enough that volume-measurement variability shows up in the final product. Casual baking (cookies, brownies, quick breads) tolerates the volume-measurement variability and can usually skip the conversion. The calculator is also useful for translating US recipe blogs into the gram-format that European, Australian, and Asian audiences expect, and for adapting US food-blog recipes into the format commercial bakeries and pastry programs use. The calculator does not substitute for an actual kitchen scale; the gram figures it produces are still meant to be measured on a scale rather than estimated.
Common input mistakes
- Using the same gram-per-cup figure for all flours. All-purpose flour averages 120 g/cup, but bread flour packs slightly tighter at about 130 g/cup, cake flour is lighter at about 110 g/cup, and whole-wheat flour varies widely depending on coarseness. Substituting one flour for another by cup volume produces inconsistent gram weights and unbalances the recipe ratios.
- Confusing "lightly packed" and "firmly packed" brown sugar. Lightly packed brown sugar is about 215 g per US cup; firmly packed is about 220–230 g per US cup; loose (unpacked) is about 175–185 g per US cup. US recipes that specify "1 cup brown sugar, packed" mean firmly packed, with the gram weight on the higher end of the range. Mismatching the packing convention introduces 10–20% sugar-quantity error in the recipe.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams in a US cup of flour?
One US cup of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 120 grams, with the exact figure depending on the flour type and packing technique. Bread flour weighs slightly more at about 130 g/cup; cake flour weighs slightly less at about 110 g/cup; whole-wheat flour averages about 130 g/cup but varies widely by coarseness. The 120 g/cup figure for all-purpose flour comes from King Arthur's published baking reference and aligns with USDA nutrient database measurements.
How many grams in a US cup of sugar?
One US cup of granulated white sugar weighs approximately 200 grams. Brown sugar varies by packing: lightly packed averages 215 g/cup, firmly packed averages 220–230 g/cup, and loose averages 175–185 g/cup. Powdered (confectioners') sugar weighs about 120 g/cup, much less than granulated because the smaller crystals pack with more air space between them. Always specify which sugar form the recipe means.
Why are cup measurements unreliable for dry ingredients?
Volume measurement of dry ingredients depends heavily on packing technique — how firmly the ingredient is pressed into the cup, whether it was sifted before measuring, and whether it was scooped or spooned in. A 1-cup measurement of flour can vary from 100 to 150 g depending on technique, a 50% range that translates directly into recipe inconsistency. Weight measurement removes the variability because mass is independent of packing.
How does a US cup compare to a metric cup?
A US customary cup is 236.588 mL, while the metric cup used in some Australian and EU recipes is exactly 250 mL — about 5.7% larger. Recipe blogs in Australian or some European publications using "1 cup" mean the 250 mL metric cup, not the US cup, and the gram conversions for the same ingredient differ proportionally. Always check the recipe's country of origin before applying any cup-to-gram conversion factor.
Should I convert wet ingredients from cups to grams?
Volume measurement works well for wet ingredients (water, milk, oil, broth) because liquids do not have packing variability — a 1-cup measurement is always 236.59 mL with no technique-dependence. Converting to grams adds precision for dense liquids where the gram weight differs from the volume figure (honey is 340 g/cup, much heavier than water at 240 g/cup), but for water-density liquids the volume measurement is essentially equivalent to the gram measurement.