Why cups don't convert to grams the same way
Cups measure volume; grams measure weight. Because ingredients have different densities, one cup of all-purpose flour is about 125 g, but one cup of granulated sugar is about 200 g and a cup of honey is around 340 g. That's why a good converter needs to know the ingredient — a plain "1 cup = X grams" rule only works for water.
Common conversions
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 240 ml
- 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = 15 ml
- 1 ounce (weight) = 28.35 g · 1 fluid ounce = 29.6 ml
- Flour ≈ 125 g/cup · Sugar ≈ 200 g/cup · Butter ≈ 227 g/cup · Rice ≈ 185 g/cup
Cups to grams chart for 20 ingredients
Grams in a US cup (240 ml) and its common fractions, plus a tablespoon (15 ml) and teaspoon (5 ml), for every ingredient in the converter. Spoon flour into the cup and level it off — scooping straight from the bag packs it and adds weight.
| Ingredient | 1 cup | ½ cup | ⅓ cup | ¼ cup | 1 tbsp | 1 tsp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 240 g | 120 g | 80 g | 60 g | 15 g | 5 g |
| Milk | 245 g | 122.5 g | 81.7 g | 61.3 g | 15.3 g | 5.1 g |
| All-purpose flour | 125 g | 62.5 g | 41.7 g | 31.3 g | 7.8 g | 2.6 g |
| Bread flour | 130 g | 65 g | 43.3 g | 32.5 g | 8.1 g | 2.7 g |
| Whole wheat flour | 130 g | 65 g | 43.3 g | 32.5 g | 8.1 g | 2.7 g |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 100 g | 66.7 g | 50 g | 12.5 g | 4.2 g |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 220 g | 110 g | 73.3 g | 55 g | 13.8 g | 4.6 g |
| Powdered sugar | 120 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 7.5 g | 2.5 g |
| Butter | 227 g | 113.5 g | 75.7 g | 56.8 g | 14.2 g | 4.7 g |
| Vegetable oil | 218 g | 109 g | 72.7 g | 54.5 g | 13.6 g | 4.5 g |
| Honey | 340 g | 170 g | 113.3 g | 85 g | 21.3 g | 7.1 g |
| Rice (uncooked) | 185 g | 92.5 g | 61.7 g | 46.3 g | 11.6 g | 3.9 g |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 45 g | 30 g | 22.5 g | 5.6 g | 1.9 g |
| Cocoa powder | 100 g | 50 g | 33.3 g | 25 g | 6.3 g | 2.1 g |
| Cornstarch | 128 g | 64 g | 42.7 g | 32 g | 8 g | 2.7 g |
| Salt | 273 g | 136.5 g | 91 g | 68.3 g | 17.1 g | 5.7 g |
| Chocolate chips | 170 g | 85 g | 56.7 g | 42.5 g | 10.6 g | 3.5 g |
| Chopped nuts | 120 g | 60 g | 40 g | 30 g | 7.5 g | 2.5 g |
| Yogurt | 245 g | 122.5 g | 81.7 g | 61.3 g | 15.3 g | 5.1 g |
| Milk powder | 130 g | 65 g | 43.3 g | 32.5 g | 8.1 g | 2.7 g |
How many cups is 30 grams of honey?
About 0.088 cups — or more usefully, about 1.4 tablespoons. Honey is dense: a cup weighs about 340 g and a tablespoon about 21.3 g.
How many grams is 2 tablespoons of honey?
About 42.5 g. One tablespoon of honey weighs roughly 21.3 g, much more than a tablespoon of water (15 g), because honey is about 40% denser.
How many grams is 250 ml?
It depends on the ingredient. 250 ml of water is 250 g, but 250 ml of all-purpose flour is about 130.2 g and 250 ml of granulated sugar about 208.3 g. Note a metric cup is 250 ml, slightly more than a US cup (240 ml).
Tips for baking accuracy
- For baking, weigh ingredients in grams when you can — it's far more consistent than cups.
- Spoon flour into the cup and level it; scooping packs it and adds up to 20% more.
- Brown sugar is usually measured packed, so it's denser than granulated.
US cup or metric cup?
This uses the US cup (240 ml). A metric cup is 250 ml and an imperial (UK) cup is ~284 ml, so results differ slightly.
Are the gram values exact?
They're solid averages — real density varies with brand, humidity and how you pack the cup. For baking, a kitchen scale beats any conversion.