Sugar — Cups to Grams
1 cup granulated sugar = 200 grams
1 cup Granulated Sugar = 200 grams
Quick Conversion Table — Granulated Sugar
| Cups | Grams | Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ | 50 g | 4 tbsp | 11.9 tsp |
| ⅓ | 66.7 g | 5.34 tbsp | 15.9 tsp |
| ½ | 100 g | 8 tbsp | 23.8 tsp |
| ⅔ | 133.3 g | 10.7 tbsp | 31.7 tsp |
| ¾ | 150 g | 12 tbsp | 35.7 tsp |
| 1 | 200 g | 16 tbsp | 47.6 tsp |
| 1½ | 300 g | 24 tbsp | 71.4 tsp |
| 2 | 400 g | 32 tbsp | 95.2 tsp |
| 3 | 600 g | 48 tbsp | 142.9 tsp |
| 4 | 800 g | 64 tbsp | 190.5 tsp |
How to Measure Sugar in Cups
Granulated sugar is one of the most forgiving ingredients to measure by cup. Unlike flour, which compacts dramatically when scooped, sugar crystals are relatively uniform in size and do not clump or pack down under normal conditions. This means the measurement technique matters far less than it does with flour.
The standard method is the scoop-and-level approach: dip the measuring cup into the sugar container or scoop directly from the bag, then sweep a straight edge (such as the flat back of a butter knife) across the top of the cup to remove the excess. This consistently produces about 200 grams per cup.
You may also spoon sugar into the cup if you prefer, but unlike flour, this does not produce a meaningfully different weight. Both methods land within a few grams of 200g for a standard US cup.
One important distinction is packed versus unpacked measurement. White granulated sugar does not need to be packed — it flows freely and levels off naturally. Brown sugar, by contrast, is almost always packed into the cup, which is why its per-cup weight differs significantly from white sugar. If a recipe does not specify "packed," assume unpacked for white sugar.
Sugar Types and Their Weights
Not all sugars weigh the same per cup. Crystal size, moisture content, and density all vary between sugar types. The table below shows standard per-cup weights for the most common varieties used in baking.
| Sugar Type | Grams per Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Granulated white sugar | 200 g | Standard reference; scoop and level |
| Caster (superfine) sugar | 200 g | Finer crystals, same density as granulated |
| Raw / turbinado sugar | 180 g | Larger, coarser crystals; more air between grains |
| Demerara sugar | 220 g | Dense, sticky crystals; packs slightly |
Brown sugar and powdered (icing) sugar have their own dedicated conversion pages because their measurement methods differ significantly from granulated sugar. See Brown Sugar — Cups to Grams (1 cup packed = 220g) and Powdered Sugar — Cups to Grams (1 cup sifted = 120g).
US Cup vs Metric Cup for Sugar
The word "cup" refers to three different standard volumes depending on which country's recipes you are following. This difference is small enough to ignore for everyday cooking, but it becomes meaningful when baking large batches or scaling commercial recipes.
US cup (236.59 mL) = 200 g
Metric cup (250 mL) = 211 g
Imperial cup (284.13 mL) = 240 g
Most American, Canadian (pre-metric), and Philippine recipes use the US cup of 236.59 mL, which gives 200 grams of granulated sugar. Australian and New Zealand recipes use the metric cup of exactly 250 mL, which gives about 211 grams. The old Imperial cup of 284.13 mL is rarely seen in modern recipes but appears in some older British and Indian cookbooks.
For a single cup, the difference between a US cup and a metric cup of sugar is only 11 grams — negligible in most recipes. However, if a recipe calls for 4 cups of sugar, that gap grows to 44 grams, which can affect caramel set, cookie spread, or jam consistency. When following recipes from an unfamiliar source, check which cup standard the author used.
The calculator at the top of this page uses the US cup standard (200g per cup) as the default, which is the most widely used reference in English-language baking.
Sugar in Baking: Why Weight Matters
Sugar does far more in baking than simply add sweetness. It is an active structural ingredient that affects texture, moisture retention, browning, and shelf life. Understanding its role explains why precise measurement — ideally by weight — produces more consistent results.
Sugar is hygroscopic, meaning it draws moisture from the air and from other ingredients. This is why baked goods with more sugar tend to stay moist longer. It also means that a small excess of sugar in a recipe can make a cookie chewy and soft, while a shortage makes it crisper and drier than intended.
Sugar drives browning through two mechanisms: caramelization (direct heat breaking down sucrose) and the Maillard reaction (sugar reacting with proteins). Too little sugar produces pale, under-browned baked goods with a dull crust. Too much produces excessive browning — or burning — before the interior is fully cooked.
Sugar affects structure and spread. In cookies, sugar melts during baking and causes the dough to spread. Too much sugar creates flat, crispy cookies that spread far beyond their original shape. Too little produces thick, domed cookies that do not spread enough. In cakes, excess sugar can weaken the gluten network and cause the batter to collapse, producing a dense, sunken center.
Individual cup measurements for sugar can vary by plus or minus 10 grams depending on the measuring cup's true volume, how the sugar was scooped, and the specific sugar brand. At 200 grams per cup, a 10-gram error is a 5% deviation. In a sensitive recipe like a French macaron or a caramel sauce, that margin matters. Weighing with a kitchen scale eliminates this variability entirely.
Common Sugar Conversions
Quick reference answers to the most frequently searched sugar conversion questions, all based on US cup standard granulated white sugar at 200g per cup.
- How many grams in 1/4 cup sugar? — 50 grams
- How many grams in 1/3 cup sugar? — 67 grams
- How many grams in 1/2 cup sugar? — 100 grams
- How many grams in 3/4 cup sugar? — 150 grams
- How many grams in 2 cups sugar? — 400 grams
- How many tablespoons in 1 cup sugar? — 16 tablespoons (each tablespoon = 12.5g)
- How many teaspoons in 1 cup sugar? — 48 teaspoons (each teaspoon = 4.2g)
- How many cups in 500g sugar? — 2.5 cups
- How many cups in 1 kg sugar? — 5 cups
- How many cups in a 5-pound bag of sugar? — approximately 11.3 cups
Sugar Conversion Table
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 50 g | 1.76 oz |
| ⅓ cup | 67 g | 2.36 oz |
| ½ cup | 100 g | 3.53 oz |
| ⅔ cup | 133 g | 4.69 oz |
| ¾ cup | 150 g | 5.29 oz |
| 1 cup | 200 g | 7.05 oz |
| 1½ cups | 300 g | 10.58 oz |
| 2 cups | 400 g | 14.11 oz |
| 3 cups | 600 g | 21.16 oz |
| 4 cups | 800 g | 28.22 oz |
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Caster (superfine) sugar and granulated white sugar weigh approximately 200 grams per cup. The finer crystal size of caster sugar does not significantly change its bulk density when measured in a standard cup. You can use the same conversion for both types.
By volume, yes — you can substitute cup-for-cup. However, the weight differs: 1 cup of packed brown sugar is about 220 grams versus 200 grams for white granulated. Brown sugar also introduces moisture from its molasses content and a distinct flavor, which will affect the final texture and color of your baked goods. For light baked goods like white cakes or shortbread, white sugar is the better choice.
Use a dry measuring cup — the kind that comes in a set (1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, 1/4 cup) with flat rims. Scoop the sugar into the appropriate cup and level the top with a straight edge. Do not use a liquid measuring jug for dry ingredients, as the markings are calibrated for liquid volume and the wide-mouth design makes accurate leveling impossible.
Weighing removes variability. Different measuring cup brands have slightly different true volumes. Different people fill cups to slightly different levels. These small errors compound across multiple ingredients. In a recipe with 2 cups of sugar, a 10-gram-per-cup error becomes a 20-gram total difference — enough to noticeably affect cookie spread, caramel texture, or the rise of a delicate sponge cake. A kitchen scale also reduces washing-up, as you can weigh directly into the mixing bowl.
A 5-pound (2,268 gram) bag of granulated sugar contains approximately 11.3 cups. At 200 grams per cup, divide 2,268 by 200 to get 11.34 cups. Most manufacturers round this to about 11 cups on the bag's nutrition label. A 2-pound bag contains roughly 4.5 cups, and a 10-pound bag contains about 22.7 cups.
Related Sweetener Converters
Different sweeteners have very different densities. Use the dedicated converters below for accurate weights — do not assume a cup-to-gram ratio carries over from granulated sugar.