Grams to Cups Converter (Ingredient-Aware)
Convert grams to US cups (or cups to grams) for specific baking ingredients. Uses per-ingredient densities — flour, sugar, water, and more — for accurate results.
Last updated: September 2026
Compare with similar
About this calculator
Baking accuracy depends on getting the ratios right. Grams (mass) are more precise than cups (volume) because volume varies with how the ingredient is packed, sifted, or scooped. A "cup of flour" can range from 110 g (sifted, spooned) to 150 g (packed) — a 36% variation that ruins baking outcomes. Grams eliminate that.
This calculator uses per-ingredient densities from King Arthur Baking's ingredient weight chart, the standard reference in US baking. Some highlights: all-purpose flour 120 g/cup (spooned & leveled), granulated sugar 200 g/cup, packed brown sugar 220 g/cup, butter 227 g/cup (2 sticks), water 240 g/cup (1 g/mL for the 240 mL cup), honey 340 g/cup (much denser than water).
US cup = 240 mL (nutrition-label cup) or 236.6 mL (legal cup). The 240 mL "cup" is the standard for recipes and baking-book references. UK cup and metric cup are 250 mL, so a "cup" recipe from an Australian source uses different values — this calculator assumes the US 240 mL convention.
For best baking results: buy a $15 kitchen scale, work in grams, ignore the volume conversion entirely except for liquids. Volume is convenient but never as accurate.
How to use
Example — 250 g of all-purpose flour to cups. 250 / 120 = 2.083 cups, so about 2 cups plus 1 ½ tablespoons. In practice, weigh the 250 g; the volume estimate is only useful for old recipes. Example — 1 cup of honey to grams. 1 × 340 = 340 g. Note honey is significantly denser than water; a "cup" of honey weighs 40% more than a cup of water. Substituting honey for sugar in a recipe requires accounting for both the sweetness and the density difference.
Frequently asked questions
Why does flour weight per cup vary so much?
Because volume depends on how you fill the cup. Sifted-then-spooned flour is airy (~110 g/cup); scooped-and-leveled is denser (~130 g/cup); packed can hit 150 g/cup. The King Arthur standard (120 g/cup for all-purpose) uses the spoon-and-level method, which most professional recipes assume unless specified.
Is a US cup the same as a metric cup?
No. US cup = 240 mL (nutrition-label) or 236.6 mL (legal). Metric cup = 250 mL. UK cup = 284 mL (imperial pint / 2). Australia and New Zealand use 250 mL. When a recipe from a metric-country author says "cup", it usually means 250 mL. Match the source.
Which ingredients most benefit from weighing?
Flour, cocoa, powdered sugar, and other fine solids benefit most — volume varies wildly with packing. Liquids (water, milk, oil) are fine by volume because their density is stable. Butter and shortening are usually fine because they're sold in labeled amounts (1 stick = ½ cup = 113 g).
What if my ingredient isn't in the list?
Search "ingredient X grams per cup" — King Arthur's weight chart covers ~120 baking ingredients online. Alternatively, weigh 1 cup of the ingredient yourself once and note it down. Common approximations: nuts 100–140 g/cup, oats 85 g/cup, cocoa 84 g/cup, salt 288 g/cup.