1 Cup Sugar in Grams for White, Brown and Powdered Sugar

Each sugar has its own crystal size, moisture and packing method. That is why one cup can weigh anywhere from 100 to 220 grams. This chart lists the spooned and leveled weight for each sugar, with brown sugar packed firmly.

Why Brown and Powdered Sugar Weigh So Differently

Brown sugar is packed into the cup, which squeezes out air and adds weight. USDA data shows a loosely filled cup weighs 145 grams, while a packed cup weighs 220 grams. Powdered sugar is fine and fluffy, so a cup holds much less. Sifting makes it lighter still, at about 100 grams per cup.

This chart covers the cup amounts recipes use most. A 1/4 cup of granulated sugar weighs 50 grams, and a 3/4 cup weighs 149 grams. Brown sugar values assume a firmly packed cup, and powdered sugar values assume it is not sifted.

2 Cups Sugar in Grams

2 cups sugar in grams is 396 grams of granulated sugar. Two packed cups of brown sugar weigh 426 grams, and two cups of unsifted powdered sugar weigh 226 grams. Using the USDA value of 200 grams per cup, 2 cups comes to 400 grams. That 4 gram gap is about 1 percent of the sugar.

Recipes from Europe and Australia list sugar in grams. Divide the grams by 198 for granulated sugar, 213 for packed brown sugar or 113 for powdered sugar. The chart turns each answer into cups and tablespoons you can measure.

100g Sugar to Cups

100g sugar to cups is 0.51 cup of granulated sugar, which is about 1/2 cup. For packed brown sugar, 100 grams is 0.47 cup, a little less than 1/2 cup. For powdered sugar, 100 grams is 0.88 cup, or 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons.

150g, 200g and 250g Sugar in Cups

150 grams of granulated sugar is 3/4 cup. 200 grams is 1 cup, and 250 grams is 1 1/4 cups. These round numbers make granulated sugar one of the easiest ingredients to convert.

Small amounts of sugar are easier to measure with spoons. One tablespoon of granulated sugar weighs about 12.4 grams, and one teaspoon weighs about 4.1 grams. Powdered sugar is much lighter per spoon.

Grams of Sugar on a Nutrition Label

Food labels list sugar in grams, not spoons. The American Heart Association counts 4 grams of sugar as about 1 teaspoon. Using that rule, a drink with 40 grams of sugar holds about 10 teaspoons.

How Many Cups in a Bag of Sugar

A 4 pound bag of granulated sugar weighs 1,814 grams, which is about 9 cups. A 2 pound bag of powdered sugar weighs 907 grams, or about 8 cups unsifted. A 2 pound bag of brown sugar holds about 4 1/4 packed cups.

You need one number: the grams in one cup of your sugar. Multiply cups by that number to get grams, or divide grams by it to get cups. For granulated sugar, that number is 198.

Cups to Grams

Multiply the cups by 198. For 2/3 cup, 0.67 × 198 = 132 grams. For packed brown sugar, use 213 instead, so 2/3 cup is 142 grams.

Grams to Cups

Divide the grams by 198. For 175 grams, 175 ÷ 198 = 0.88 cup. One cup holds 16 tablespoons, so the leftover 0.13 cup is about 2 tablespoons. Your answer is 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons.

Tips for Measuring Sugar

These habits keep your cup close to the weights on this page. They take seconds and matter most in cookies and candy. A kitchen scale is still the most accurate tool.

• Level granulated sugar. Fill the cup and sweep the top flat with the back of a knife.
• Pack brown sugar firmly. Press it into the cup until it holds the cup’s shape when you tip it out.
• Do not pack powdered sugar. Spoon it into the cup and level it, since pressing it down adds weight.
• Swap caster sugar by weight. UK recipes often call for caster sugar, which weighs 190 grams per cup. Use the same grams of superfine or granulated sugar.
• Weigh sugar for candy and macarons. These recipes depend on exact ratios, so grams beat cups.