Why the ingredient matters
Volume and weight are not interchangeable
Cups measure volume, while grams measure mass. The same cup can hold light, airy oats or dense honey, so there is no single cups-to-grams factor that works for every recipe. This converter applies the selected ingredient's working weight instead.
To go from grams back to volume, divide by the selected ingredient's weight per unit. The calculator keeps the side you entered fixed when you change the ingredient, unit, or cup size.
Reference assumptions
Weights used by this calculator
Each value below is a practical recipe estimate normalized to a level 240 mL US legal cup. The 250 mL column is scaled from the same working density so the calculation stays internally consistent.
| Ingredient | 240 mL cup | 250 mL cup | g / mL | How it is measured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | 125.0 g | 0.500 | Spooned into the cup and leveled; not sifted or packed. |
| Bread flour | 120 g | 125.0 g | 0.500 | Spooned into the cup and leveled; standard unbleached bread flour. |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 g | 117.7 g | 0.471 | Spooned into the cup and leveled; 100% whole wheat flour. |
| Pastry flour | 106 g | 110.4 g | 0.442 | Spooned into the cup and leveled; not compacted. |
| Almond flour | 96 g | 100.0 g | 0.400 | Fine blanched almond flour, stirred lightly, filled level, and not packed. |
| Coconut flour | 128 g | 133.3 g | 0.533 | A level cup of dry coconut flour; clumps loosened before measuring. |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 208.3 g | 0.833 | A level cup of standard white granulated sugar; rounded from a 198 g benchmark. |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 213 g | 221.9 g | 0.887 | Light or dark brown sugar pressed firmly into the cup, then leveled. |
| Confectioners' sugar | 113 g | 117.7 g | 0.471 | Unsifted confectioners' sugar, spooned into the cup and leveled. |
| Cocoa powder (unsweetened) | 84 g | 87.5 g | 0.350 | Natural or Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa, lightly spooned and leveled. |
| Butter | 227 g | 236.5 g | 0.946 | Solid butter filling a level cup; approximately two US sticks. |
| Sour cream | 227 g | 236.5 g | 0.946 | Stirred sour cream spooned into the cup, with the surface leveled. |
| Olive oil | 200 g | 208.3 g | 0.833 | Liquid olive oil measured at room temperature to a level line. |
| Vegetable oil | 198 g | 206.3 g | 0.825 | Neutral liquid vegetable oil measured at room temperature to a level line. |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 93.8 g | 0.375 | Dry old-fashioned or quick-cooking rolled oats, filled level and not compacted. |
| Steel-cut oats | 140 g | 145.8 g | 0.583 | Dry, uncooked steel-cut oats in a level cup; not prepared oatmeal. |
| Table salt | 288 g | 300.0 g | 1.200 | Fine table salt; derived from 18 g per level tablespoon. |
| Kosher salt (Diamond Crystal) | 128 g | 133.3 g | 0.533 | Diamond Crystal kosher salt; derived from 8 g per level tablespoon. Other brands vary widely. |
| Baking powder | 192 g | 200.0 g | 0.800 | Double-acting baking powder; derived from 4 g per level teaspoon. |
| Baking soda | 288 g | 300.0 g | 1.200 | Level measures; derived from 3 g per half teaspoon. |
| Almonds (whole) | 142 g | 147.9 g | 0.592 | Whole, unblanched almonds settled naturally into a level cup; not chopped. |
| Walnuts (chopped) | 113 g | 117.7 g | 0.471 | Chopped walnut pieces in a level cup; not ground or tightly packed. |
| Honey | 340 g | 354.2 g | 1.417 | Room-temperature liquid honey, with the cup filled to a level line. |
| Water | 240 g | 250.0 g | 1.000 | Kitchen-temperature water, treated as 1 gram per milliliter. |
Brand, humidity, grind, temperature, scooping, and packing can all change an ingredient's weight. For precision baking, use a scale and follow the gram amount supplied by the recipe or ingredient manufacturer when one is available.
Volume definitions
Choose the cup your recipe means
The US legal cup used for nutrition labeling is exactly 240 mL, while the Canadian metric household cup is 250 mL. This tool offers both. Its tablespoons are always 15 mL and teaspoons are always 5 mL, so switching the cup option does not alter spoon measurements.
Need a volume-only calculation? Use the cups to milliliters converter.
Sources and method
How the reference values were chosen
- FDA household-measure guidance defines one cup as 240 mL, one tablespoon as 15 mL, and one teaspoon as 5 mL for US nutrition labeling.
- Health Canada's Canadian Nutrient File user guide lists a 250 mL Canadian metric household cup.
- King Arthur Baking's ingredient weight chart provides practical volume-to-weight benchmarks for common baking ingredients.
Ingredient weights are rounded working estimates normalized to 240 mL. Values that the source publishes for a fractional cup, tablespoon, or teaspoon are scaled from that published amount. If a recipe, package, or manufacturer supplies its own gram amount, use that source-specific value—it takes precedence.
Common questions
Cups and grams in the kitchen
How many grams are in one cup?
It depends on the ingredient. In this calculator, one 240 mL cup is 120 g for spooned-and-leveled all-purpose flour, 200 g for granulated sugar, and 240 g for water.
What is the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?
This tool defines a US legal cup as 240 mL and a metric cup as 250 mL. A metric cup therefore produces a result about 4.17% larger when the ingredient and number of cups stay the same.
How many grams are in a tablespoon or teaspoon?
The answer depends on the ingredient. Select tablespoons or teaspoons in the calculator to use a 15 mL tablespoon or 5 mL teaspoon with the selected ingredient's working density.
Should flour be scooped or spooned?
This tool assumes flour is spooned into the measuring cup and leveled. Scooping directly from a container can compact flour and produce a heavier cup.
Can I convert grams back to cups?
Yes. Enter a value in the grams field and the calculator will calculate the equivalent number of selected cups, tablespoons, or teaspoons.