Cups to Grams: The Complete Kitchen Conversion Guide

Every baker knows the frustration: you find the perfect recipe online, only to discover it uses cups while your kitchen scale measures grams. Converting cups to grams is one of the most common challenges in cooking, especially when adapting recipes from the US to metric-friendly kitchens. This guide will explain the differences, show you why conversions aren’t always straightforward, and provide practical charts to make your baking accurate and stress-free.

Why Cups and Grams Are Different

A cup is a volume measurement, while a gram measures weight. This means that the conversion depends on the density of the ingredient. For example:

• 1 cup of flour ≈ 120 grams
• 1 cup of sugar ≈ 200 grams
• 1 cup of butter ≈ 227 grams

As you can see, a “cup” doesn’t always equal the same number of grams—it depends on what you’re measuring. That’s why professional bakers rely on kitchen scales for consistency.

Cups to Grams Conversion Chart

Here’s a quick chart for common ingredients:

Ingredient	1 Cup (US)
All-purpose flour	120 g
Granulated sugar	200 g
Brown sugar (packed)	220 g
Butter	227 g
Milk / Water	240 g

For liquids like water and milk, the conversion is straightforward (1 ml = 1 g). But for dry ingredients, the density matters a lot.

Example Conversion

The Problem with Measuring Cups

Measuring with cups introduces errors because the amount depends on how you scoop. A cup of flour, for example, can weigh anywhere from 110 g to 150 g depending on whether it’s packed, sifted, or scooped. This can make the difference between a perfect cake and a dense one.

That’s why chefs and bakers prefer weighing ingredients in grams—it removes the guesswork and ensures consistency.

Tips for Accurate Kitchen Conversions

• Invest in a digital kitchen scale for precise results.
• When using cups, always level off dry ingredients with a knife.
• Remember that ingredient density varies—check a reliable chart when in doubt.
• For liquids, use measuring jugs with ml markings.

When to Use Converters

If you’re unsure or working with unusual ingredients, don’t rely on memory. Use our cups to ml converter or our grams to ounces converter for quick, accurate results. These tools are especially helpful when adapting recipes from the US, UK, and Europe.

Conclusion

Converting cups to grams isn’t always straightforward because cups measure volume while grams measure weight. Ingredient density makes a big difference, which is why a kitchen scale is the gold standard for accuracy. However, with charts, formulas, and reliable converters, you can easily adapt recipes from any country and achieve consistent, delicious results.