Cups to Grams Converter
Convert cups to grams for 40+ common cooking and baking ingredients. Also converts tablespoons and teaspoons to grams.
Why Grams Are Better Than Cups for Baking
Volume measurements like cups are convenient but imprecise for baking. The way you measure flour can change the actual weight by up to 30% depending on whether it has been sifted, spooned loosely, or packed tightly. A packed cup of flour can weigh 150–160g while a sifted cup can weigh as little as 100–110g — a 50% difference that will dramatically affect your bake.
Grams, measured with a kitchen scale, eliminate all this variation. Professional bakers and pastry chefs almost universally use weight measurements for this reason. Many modern home recipes specify grams alongside or instead of cups, reflecting this shift toward precision.
US cup vs metric cup vs imperial cup
| Measurement system | Cup size | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| US customary cup | 240ml / 8 fl oz | USA (most recipes) |
| Australian / NZ / Canadian cup | 250ml / 8.45 fl oz | Australia, NZ, Canada |
| UK imperial cup (old) | 284ml / 10 fl oz | Mostly historical |
| Metric cup | 250ml | Most non-US countries |
All values in this calculator are based on the US customary cup of 240ml. If your recipe is from Australia, New Zealand, or Canada, measurements will be very close but not identical — a 4% difference that is negligible for most recipes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why do cups and grams differ for the same ingredient?
Because cups measure volume while grams measure weight. Different ingredients have different densities — 1 cup of flour weighs about 120–130g but 1 cup of water weighs 240g and 1 cup of honey weighs about 340g. This is why baking recipes increasingly specify grams rather than cups for better accuracy.
What is the difference between a US cup and a UK cup?
A US cup is 240ml (8 fl oz). A UK/Australian cup is 250ml. This means an Australian cup is about 4% larger than a US cup. For everyday cooking the difference is negligible, but for precise baking it can matter. This calculator uses US cup measurements.
Is it better to measure baking ingredients in grams or cups?
Grams are significantly more accurate for baking. The way you scoop flour into a cup can vary the actual weight by 20–30% depending on whether it's packed, spooned, or levelled. A kitchen scale set to grams eliminates this variable entirely and produces much more consistent results.
How many grams are in a tablespoon?
It varies by ingredient. For water and most liquids, 1 tablespoon = approximately 15g. For flour, 1 tablespoon ≈ 8g. For sugar, 1 tablespoon ≈ 12g. For butter, 1 tablespoon = 14g (exactly, since a standard US stick of butter is 113g / 8 tablespoons).
Why does flour have such a wide gram range for one cup?
The weight of a cup of flour varies significantly depending on the flour type and how it is measured. All-purpose flour that has been sifted can weigh as little as 100g per cup. Flour scooped directly from the bag and packed can weigh up to 150g per cup. The standard used in most modern recipes is 'spooned and levelled' = approximately 125g.