Cups to Pounds Converter
Convert cups of flour, sugar, butter and other ingredients to pounds, ounces and grams, and work out how many cups you'll get from a bag.
Pounds = cups × weight per cup
Pounds per Cup for Common Ingredients
Weight of one level US cup. Dry ingredients are spooned in and levelled, and brown sugar is packed.
| Ingredient | lb per cup | oz per cup | g per cup | Cups per lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 0.276 | 4.4 | 125 | 3.6 |
| Bread flour | 0.282 | 4.5 | 128 | 3.5 |
| Cake flour | 0.249 | 4 | 113 | 4 |
| White sugar (granulated) | 0.441 | 7.1 | 200 | 2.3 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 0.485 | 7.8 | 220 | 2.1 |
| Powdered sugar | 0.265 | 4.2 | 120 | 3.8 |
| Butter | 0.5 | 8 | 227 | 2 |
| Vegetable oil | 0.481 | 7.7 | 218 | 2.1 |
| Honey | 0.747 | 12 | 339 | 1.3 |
| Milk (whole) | 0.538 | 8.6 | 244 | 1.9 |
| Heavy cream | 0.525 | 8.4 | 238 | 1.9 |
| Water | 0.522 | 8.4 | 237 | 1.9 |
| Rice (long grain, uncooked) | 0.408 | 6.5 | 185 | 2.5 |
| Rolled oats | 0.179 | 2.9 | 81 | 5.6 |
| Cocoa powder (unsweetened) | 0.19 | 3 | 86 | 5.3 |
| Table salt | 0.644 | 10.3 | 292 | 1.6 |
How Many Cups Are in a Bag
US groceries are sold by the pound, but recipes ask for cups. These are approximate yields for common package sizes. Round down if a recipe needs every last cup.
| Package | Size | About this many cups |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 5 lb | 18.1 |
| White sugar (granulated) | 4 lb | 9.1 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 2 lb | 4.1 |
| Powdered sugar | 2 lb | 7.6 |
| Butter (4 sticks) | 1 lb | 2 |
| Rice (long grain) | 2 lb | 4.9 |
Worked Example: Scaling a Recipe and Buying Flour
A bread recipe uses 3 cups of all-purpose flour per loaf. You're baking 8 loaves for a sale. Is one 5 lb bag enough?
Step 1: Total cups
Step 2: Convert to pounds (125 g per cup)
You need about 6.6 lb of flour, so one 5 lb bag (about 18 cups) isn't enough. Buy two, or a 10 lb bag. Weighing 375 g per loaf instead of scooping cups also keeps all eight loaves consistent.
Which Cup? US, Legal and Metric
"One cup" isn't the same size everywhere. This converter uses the US customary cup. A recipe from Australia or Canada using a 250 mL cup holds about 6% more, which matters in baking.
| Cup | Volume | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| US customary cup | 236.6 mL | US recipes and measuring cups |
| US legal cup | 240 mL | US nutrition labels |
| Metric cup | 250 mL | Australia, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa |
Why Your Cup May Weigh More or Less
- Scooping vs spooning. Scooping flour straight from the bag packs it down and can add 20–30 g per cup. Spoon it into the cup and level it with a knife.
- Packed vs loose. Brown sugar is measured packed. Powdered sugar and cocoa are measured loose, and sifting first makes them lighter still.
- Brand and humidity. Flours differ by brand, and flour stored in a humid kitchen weighs slightly more.
If a recipe gives weights, use them. Use cup conversions when it doesn't.
Frequently asked questions
How many pounds is a cup of flour?
About 0.28 lb (125 g) for all-purpose flour, spooned and levelled. That's about 3.6 cups per pound.
How many cups are in a pound of sugar?
About 2.3 cups of granulated sugar, at 200 g per cup.
Is a cup of butter half a pound?
Yes. A US cup of butter is 2 sticks, which is exactly ½ lb (227 g).
What if my ingredient isn't listed?
Weigh one level cup on a kitchen scale once, then multiply by the number of cups. That's more reliable than borrowing another ingredient's weight.
Sources
- USDA FoodData Central: portion weights per cup for flour, sugars, fats, dairy, honey, oats, rice and cocoa.
- 21 CFR 101.9: the 240 mL cup used on US nutrition labels.
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