How To Convert Grams To Cups For Your Next Baking Project

Picture this: You are face to face with a recipe that lists ingredient amounts in grams, but you have only ever measured in cups. Suddenly, you’re in unfamiliar territory. How are you supposed to know how many cups are in 125 grams of flour? And how many cups do you need for 200 grams of butter? 

Fortunately, there is a pretty easy way to do grams-to-cup conversions without messing up the cake, homemade brownies, or loaf of bread, and we are here to help demystify this scenario. After all, accurate ingredient measurement is essential to turning out excellent baked goods, homemade pasta, and birthday cakes. We did the math for you. Here's how to handle baking conversions.

When To Measure Grams Vs. Cups

Some bakers believe that measuring ingredients by weight (i.e., grams) instead of amounts (i.e., cups) is the more accurate way of measuring. Rather than filling a cup with flour (which could be packed lightly or packed as much as possible), you measure it in grams for more precision.

Plenty of other people, however, like to measure in amounts because that’s what they are familiar with or they don’t own a kitchen scale. This is where understanding the conversion of grams to cups is helpful. The conversion is different depending on whether the ingredient is liquid or solid. But so long as you have a few measuring cups and measuring spoons on hand, along with a conversion chart or access to an online calculator, you are good to go about your baking.

Conversion Factors

The conversion is different depending on whether the ingredient is liquid or solid. This means converting grams of butter into cups of butter will not result in the same numbers as converting flour grams to flour cups. For instance, 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams, while 1 cup of butter equals 227 grams and 1 cup of honey is equivalent to 340 grams. Ingredients with more density weigh more. An online conversion calculator can be useful, but we’ve put together some handy charts below.

Flour

Butter

Sugar (Granulated)

Brown Sugar (Packed)

Powdered Sugar

Honey, Molasses, And Syrup

Using A Conversion Calculator

Using a conversion calculator is valuable, too. If you have a magnetic fridge, you can buy a one-page chart listing the conversions from grams to cups and vice versa and simply refer to this anytime you’re working with a recipe that lists the ingredients by weight.

You can also utilize a free online conversion calculator, although some charge a small fee. Apple’s Unit Converter is a trusted source for converting baking recipes, and it also has one called KitchenCalc Pro for a fee, available on the app store. My Kitchen Calculator is another good one, and so is Cooks.com. These apps and websites will also show units in ounces where relevant.

More Conversion Help

From pan sizes to which measuring cup to use, here’s a handy roundup of more culinary math for when you’re tackling a new recipe: 

• Dry vs. Liquid Measuring Cups
• Cake Pan Sizes and Conversions
• Common Cooking Measurements 
• How Many Cups of Flour in a 5-Pound Bag?

Ingredients used in baking are precise for a reason; it’s a science after all.