1/2 Cup in Grams: Conversions for Flour, Sugar & Butter

If you’ve ever stared at a US recipe calling for half a cup of flour while your kitchen scale sits idle, you know the frustration: a half-cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 55 to 75 grams depending on how it’s scooped. This guide pinpoints the exact gram weights for common baking ingredients so you can stop guessing and start baking with confidence.

1/2 cup all-purpose flour: 63 g ·
1/2 cup granulated sugar: 100 g ·
1/2 cup unsalted butter: 113 g ·
1/2 cup water: 118 g ·
1/2 cup milk: 122 g ·
1/2 cup rolled oats: 40 g

The key measurements are summarized below.

What is 1/2 cup in grams?

1/2 cup to grams for dry ingredients

• All-purpose flour: 63 g per half-cup (Doves Farm (UK flour specialist)) — but sifting reduces it to 55 g.
• Granulated sugar: 100 g exactly (Weekend Bakery (baking conversions reference)).
• Rolled oats: 40 g per half-cup (Weekend Bakery).
• Icing sugar: 50 g per half-cup (Weekend Bakery).

1/2 cup to grams for liquid ingredients

• Water: 118 g (Weekend Bakery).
• Milk: 122 g (Weekend Bakery).
• Heavy cream: 120 g (Weekend Bakery).
• Honey: 170 g (Weekend Bakery).

Why ingredient density matters

The reason a half-cup of flour weighs 63 g and a half-cup of sugar weighs 100 g comes down to density. Flour is fluffy and contains air pockets; sugar crystals pack tightly. King Arthur Baking (US baking authority) publishes a weight chart that makes this contrast visible: each ingredient occupies the same volume but a different mass. The implication: you cannot swap ingredients by volume and expect identical results.

The pattern: density dictates mass; scale removes the risk of inconsistent results.

How many grams is 1/2 cup of sugar?

Gram weight for different sugar types

Here is a comparison of sugar weights by type.

Three sugar types, three different weights — a vivid illustration of how density dictates conversion. Weekend Bakery lists granulated at 100 g, while Brownie Heaven (UK baking blog) confirms brown sugar packed hits 97–103 g. The catch: packed brown sugar compresses so it’s heavier than the loose granulated kind.

Packed vs unpacked brown sugar

Brown sugar is almost always measured packed — meaning you press it into the cup firmly. Unpacked, a half-cup of brown sugar weighs only about 85 g. For reliable results, always pack unless the recipe specifies otherwise. King Arthur Baking notes that packed brown sugar sits at 220 g per cup, so half-cup is 110 g.

The implication: even among sugars, packing method changes weight by 25 g per half‑cup.

How many grams is 1/2 cup of flour?

All-purpose flour

The most common baking flour: 1/2 cup weighs 63 g according to Doves Farm, while King Arthur Baking lists it at 60 g. The 3 g difference reflects variations in grinding and sifting. Anna Olson, a Canadian baking authority, gives a higher figure of 75 g per half-cup (Anna Olson baking conversions) — likely because she uses a different cup standard. The pattern: one ingredient, multiple sources, and you need to know which authority your recipe trusts.

Whole wheat flour

Whole wheat flour is denser: 1/2 cup ≈ 60 g (King Arthur Baking). Because it contains bran and germ, it absorbs more liquid, so precision matters more.

Cake flour

Lighter and finer: 1/2 cup of cake flour weighs around 50 g (King Arthur Baking). Using all-purpose instead of cake flour by volume introduces an extra 13 g per half-cup — enough to turn a delicate sponge into a dense brick.

What this means: flour type matters as much as measuring method.

Is 250g the same as 1/2 cup?

Why 250g is not 1/2 cup

No — 250 g is roughly two cups of all-purpose flour (since 1 cup ≈ 125 g). For granulated sugar, 250 g equals about 1.25 cups (1 cup = 200 g). For water, 250 g is just over 1 cup (1 cup water = 240 g). The confusion often comes from metric cup systems: in Australia and New Zealand, a “metric cup” is 250 ml, so 250 g of water does fill one metric cup. But US cups are 236.6 ml, and dry ingredients vary by density. Brownie Heaven explains the US/UK cup difference clearly.

Converting 250g to cups for common ingredients

• All-purpose flour: 250 g ≈ 2 cups (Weekend Bakery)
• Granulated sugar: 250 g ≈ 1.25 cups (Weekend Bakery)
• Water: 250 g ≈ 1.05 cups (Weekend Bakery)

The catch: even the same weight yields different cup counts depending on density.

How many grams is 1/2 cup of butter?

Standard U.S. butter measurements

In the US, butter is sold in sticks: 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 113 g. King Arthur Baking confirms this weight. However, Weekend Bakery gives 120 g for a UK half-cup (based on a 250 ml cup). The difference: 7 g, enough to alter a shortbread recipe.

Butter in sticks and grams

• 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 113 g (US)
• 1/2 cup = 120 g (UK cup size)
• In many countries, butter comes in 250 g blocks — so 1/2 cup is less than half a block.

The implication: always check the cup standard your recipe uses.

How to convert 1/2 cup to grams accurately

1. Identify your ingredient and its density. Look up the ingredient in a reliable weight chart. Weekend Bakery offers a comprehensive table. Note whether the recipe uses US or UK cups.
2. Use the correct cup size. US standard cup = 236.6 ml (usually rounded to 240 ml). UK metric cup = 250 ml. For dry ingredients, the difference can add 4–8% to the weight. If the recipe is from a US site, use US cup values. (Need temperature conversions? See our guide on 475°F to Celsius.)
3. Weigh instead of scoop. Place your mixing bowl on a digital scale, tare it to zero, then add the ingredient until you hit the gram target. This removes all variability from scooping and packing.

Clarity: What’s confirmed and what’s not

What the experts say

“Weighing ingredients ensures consistent results and is the gold standard for baking.”

— Professional baker, King Arthur Baking

“Using a scale removes the biggest variable in baking — how you fill the cup.”

— Doves Farm baking team

The consequence for anyone who bakes regularly is clear: invest in a digital scale. For a home baker in New Zealand working with US-style recipes, the choice is straightforward — weigh 113 g for half a cup of butter, or risk a dry, crumbly cookie.

Frequently asked questions