Baking recipes often assume you know your way around a stick of butter—then you hit a gram conversion and second-guess everything. It turns out that 1/2 cup isn’t one single number across the web: major sources land between 113 and 115 grams, and a few international references push it higher. This guide sorts through the discrepancies so you can measure with confidence.
1/2 cup butter: 113–115 g · 1 cup butter: 227 g · 1 stick: 113 g
Quick snapshot
- 1/2 cup US butter = 113–115 g per major recipe sites (Land O’Lakes, Erren’s Kitchen)
- 1 US stick = exactly 1/2 cup = 113.4 g (Savor the Best)
- 1/4 cup butter = 57 g across multiple US charts (Land O’Lakes)
- 1 cup butter = 227 g or 226.8 g per US standards (Savor the Best)
- Exact weight varies by brand due to butter fat content
- 125g is a separate volume notation (125 mL), not a weight equivalent
- US butter sticks standardized post-World War II packaging
- Metric adoption varies by region; most US recipes still use cup/stick system
- Use wrapper markings for precision without a scale
- For baking, 113–115 g delivers consistent results across most recipes
This table shows how different recipe sources report the same 1/2 cup butter measurement, revealing why bakers encounter conflicting gram values.
| Measurement | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1/2 cup butter (Allrecipes) | 113 g | 4 oz |
| 1/2 cup butter (KitchenAid reference) | 115 g | 4.06 oz |
| 1 cup butter (standard) | 227 g | 8 oz |
| 1 stick butter | 113 g | 4 oz |
| 1/4 cup butter | 57 g | 2 oz |
| 1 tablespoon butter | 14.2 g | 0.5 oz |
What is 1/2 cup butter in grams?
The short answer is 113–115 grams depending on which recipe source you consult. Land O’Lakes, the major US butter brand, confirms that one stick equals 1/2 cup and weighs exactly 113 grams. Erren’s Kitchen lists 113.4 grams for the same conversion, a difference so small it won’t affect most recipes.
Sources for 1/2 cup butter weight
- Land O’Lakes (primary US butter brand): 113 g
- Erren’s Kitchen (recipe site): 113.4 g
- Baking Like a Chef: 113 g
- Savor the Best: 113.4 g
US vs metric differences
The variation stems from how sources round the density of butter (approximately 0.91 g/mL). Doves Farm uses 120g for 1/2 cup, likely based on their interpretation of a 240ml US cup or a different butter density assumption. For US baking, stick to 113g.
A 2–7 gram difference across sources translates to roughly 1–2 teaspoons of butter in a recipe calling for 1/2 cup. For cookies and most baked goods, this variance falls within acceptable tolerance and won’t produce noticeable texture changes.
The implication: trusting your butter wrapper’s markings gets you closer to 113g than chasing decimal places ever will.
Is 1/2 cup butter 125g?
No, 125 grams is not the standard weight for 1/2 cup of butter in US measurements. The confusion arises because some international references and European conversion tools use different cup volumes—their “cup” may be 250 mL rather than the US standard of 240 mL. Savor the Best notes that European cups (250 mL) create slight variations when converting butter measurements, but for US recipes, 113–115g remains the reliable range.
Why weights vary
Butter fat content, water percentage, and brand-specific formulations cause minor weight variations. One brand’s 1/2 cup might weigh 112g while another’s weighs 115g for the same volume. This is why professional bakers prefer weighing butter directly.
Standard US stick equivalent
Land O’Lakes confirms that the US butter stick—pre-wrapped and marked on the wrapper—is the most reliable shortcut. One full stick = 1/2 cup = 113g exactly, regardless of which recipe you’re following.
125g corresponds to approximately 125 mL in volume terms, which is close to 1/2 cup but measured differently. If a recipe states “125 mL butter,” that’s a volume measure, not a weight. When baking by weight, 125g will be slightly heavier than 1/2 cup of butter.
What is 125g of butter equivalent to in cups?
125 grams of butter equals approximately 0.55 US cups—just over 1/2 cup. If you’re following a recipe that calls for 125g butter and you only have cup measures, you need slightly more than 1/2 cup (about 1/2 cup plus 1 teaspoon). Baking Like a Chef provides reverse conversion charts confirming this calculation.
Grams to cups calculation
To convert grams back to cups: divide the gram weight by 227 (the grams in 1 cup). For 125g: 125 ÷ 227 = 0.55 cups. This works for butter at its standard density of approximately 0.91 g/mL.
Related volumes
For reference, common butter measurements translate as follows: 113g = 1/2 cup exactly; 125g = just over 1/2 cup; 170g = 3/4 cup; 227g = 1 full cup. Erren’s Kitchen provides a full conversion chart covering these increments.
How do I get 1/2 cup butter?
The easiest method in the US is to use one stick of butter. Land O’Lakes notes that their butter wrappers are pre-marked with tablespoon lines, 1/4 cup markings, and 1/3 cup markings—making accurate measurement possible without any tools beyond the wrapper itself.
Using sticks
One full stick of butter = 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons = 113 grams. If you need 1/4 cup, use half a stick (the wrapper markings make this easy). Savor the Best confirms that US butter sticks are sold in four-stick packages, with each stick individually wrapped and marked.
Packing methods
For measuring butter by volume in a dry measuring cup, the method matters. Cold butter should be packed firmly into the cup, pressing down to eliminate air pockets. Softened butter can be spread into the cup and leveled with a straight edge. Erren’s Kitchen recommends starting with a cold stick for most accurate cup measurements.
For most home bakers, one stick of Land O’Lakes butter is the simplest and most reliable path to 1/2 cup. The wrapper markings eliminate guesswork, and the 113g weight aligns with what recipe sites expect.
What is 1/2 cup of nut butter in grams?
Nut butters (peanut, almond, cashew) are denser than dairy butter. While 1/2 cup dairy butter weighs 113–115g, 1/2 cup peanut butter typically weighs 130–135 grams. The fat and protein content in nuts creates a different density profile. Baking Like a Chef notes that nut butters require separate conversion standards from dairy butter.
Peanut butter specifics
Smooth peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy) runs approximately 130–135g per 1/2 cup. Natural peanut butter with separation may vary slightly depending on oil distribution. Doves Farm provides gram conversions for nut butters that account for these density differences.
Density differences
If a recipe calls for 1/2 cup butter and you substitute nut butter, use approximately 130g of nut butter to match the weight. For volume substitution, 1/2 cup nut butter will work, but the final texture may differ due to the moisture content variation between dairy butter and nut butters.
When substituting nut butters for butter in baking, the leavening may behave differently—nut butters lack the water content that butter provides, which can affect cookie spread and texture. Consider reducing other fats or adding a tablespoon of liquid if the batter seems too thick.
What this means: swapping nut butter for dairy butter isn’t a 1:1 substitution—bakers who treat them as equivalent risk dense or overly spread cookies.
Butter Measurement Steps
Three reliable methods exist for measuring 1/2 cup of butter, ranked by precision.
- By weight (most precise): Place a kitchen scale on a flat surface, tare a bowl, and add butter until the display reads 113–115g. Land O’Lakes recommends this method for baking where precision matters most.
- By stick (most convenient): Use one full US stick of butter. The wrapper markings show tablespoons and fractions of a cup, making this method nearly as accurate as weighing and far faster. Savor the Best confirms this approach aligns with most US recipes.
- By cup measure: Pack cold butter firmly into a 1/2 cup dry measuring cup, pressing to eliminate air gaps. Level the top with a straight knife. Erren’s Kitchen notes this method requires practice for consistent results.
Cut cold butter into tablespoon-sized pieces before measuring by cup—this creates fewer air pockets and produces more consistent results than trying to pack a solid block.
What is 1 1/2 cups in grams of butter?
1.5 cups of butter equals approximately 340 grams (about 12 ounces or three sticks). This is a common measurement for larger batches of cookies, cakes, or pastries. The math is straightforward: multiply 113g (the standard 1/2 cup weight) by 3, giving you 339g, which rounds to 340g. Erren’s Kitchen confirms that 1 pound butter equals 4 sticks or 454g, which helps validate the 1.5-cup calculation.
For bakers scaling recipes, knowing that 1 cup = 227g makes doubling or halving straightforward. A 1.5-cup batch simply requires one full cup (227g) plus a half cup (113g), totaling 340g. Savor the Best provides this conversion in their standard butter chart.
What is 1/2 cup sugar in grams?
1/2 cup of granulated sugar equals approximately 100 grams. Erren’s Kitchen notes that brown sugar packs more densely, making 1/2 cup closer to 110 grams. Unlike butter (which relies on a stick system for consistency), sugar measurements vary more by how you scoop and level the cup.
For precise baking, the spoon-and-level method matters more with sugar than butter. Scooping directly from the bag compacts sugar, pushing a 1/2 cup toward 110-115g. Baking Like a Chef confirms that brown sugar’s moisture content makes it denser than granulated sugar, explaining why the same 1/2 cup volume weighs 10g more.
Butter Specifications
Six measurements, organized by cup increments: the standard progression for US baking recipes.
| Cup measurement | Grams | Tablespoons | Sticks | Ounces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 14.2 g | 1 | 1/8 | 0.5 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 57 g | 4 | 1/2 | 2 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 76 g | 5.3 | 2/3 | 2.67 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 113–115 g | 8 | 1 | 4 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 151 g | 10.7 | 1.33 | 5.33 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 170 g | 12 | 1.5 | 6 oz |
| 1 cup | 227 g | 16 | 2 | 8 oz |
The difference between 113g and 115g is negligible in most recipes. When a recipe calls for butter in cups, the author has already built in a tolerance for this small variation. Trust the number on your wrapper. — Baking Like a Chef (baking measurement guide)
US butter sticks are one of the most precisely standardized food measurements in American kitchens. One stick, one-half cup, 113 grams—it’s the same thing across every major brand. — Land O’Lakes (US butter manufacturer)
For home bakers following US recipes, 113g is the most reliable answer for 1/2 cup butter. The slight variations across sources (113g, 113.4g, 115g) reflect rounding differences and density assumptions, not actual ingredient differences. The US butter stick system makes this conversion nearly foolproof—trust the wrapper markings when you’re in a hurry, and weigh when precision counts.
Frequently asked questions
What is 1 cup butter in grams?
1 cup of butter equals 227 grams (8 ounces). Savor the Best confirms this is the standard US measurement, equivalent to two full sticks of butter.
What is 1 1/2 cups in grams of butter?
1.5 cups of butter equals approximately 340 grams (about 12 ounces or three sticks). This is a common measurement for larger batches of cookies, cakes, or pastries.
How much is 1/2 cup in grams?
For butter specifically, 1/2 cup is 113–115 grams. For other ingredients, the conversion varies: 1/2 cup flour is approximately 62 grams, while 1/2 cup sugar is around 100 grams. Each ingredient has its own density and conversion ratio.
What is 1/2 cup sugar in grams?
1/2 cup of granulated sugar equals approximately 100 grams. Erren’s Kitchen notes that brown sugar packs more densely, making 1/2 cup closer to 110 grams.
What is 1 cup of flour in grams?
1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 125 grams (or 120g depending on how you measure). Doves Farm provides specific gram conversions for various flours.
What is 1/2 cup flour in grams?
1/2 cup of all-purpose flour equals approximately 62–63 grams. The exact weight depends on whether you scoop directly from the bag or use the spoon-and-level method.
What is 1/2 cup brown sugar in grams?
1/2 cup of packed brown sugar equals approximately 110 grams. Baking Like a Chef confirms that brown sugar’s moisture content makes it denser than granulated sugar.
Related reading: 375°F to °C conversion chart
Amelia Foster is Business & Economy Correspondent at TheUKDaily.uk, covering the UK economy, markets, employment, household costs and consumer finance.