Butter Measurements: Sticks, Tablespoons, Cups & Grams

Butter is measured more different ways than almost any ingredient — sticks, tablespoons, cups, grams, ounces — and recipes assume you can switch between them. Here is the whole picture.

The US stick of butter

In the US, butter is sold in sticks. One stick is the key to everything:

• 1 stick = ½ cup = 8 tablespoons = 113 g = 4 oz
• 2 sticks = 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 227 g = 8 oz
• ½ stick = ¼ cup = 4 tablespoons = 57 g

US butter wrappers are printed with tablespoon lines, so you can slice off what you need without a measuring cup.

Butter outside the US

Most other countries sell butter in 250 g or 500 g blocks with no stick markings. If a recipe calls for "1 stick," that is 113 g — measure it on a scale or use the markings as a guide. A 250 g block is just over 2 sticks.

Cups to grams

• ¼ cup butter = 57 g
• ⅓ cup = 76 g
• ½ cup = 113 g
• ¾ cup = 170 g
• 1 cup = 227 g

Softened, melted, or cold?

The weight of butter does not change whether it is cold, softened, or melted — 227 g is 227 g in any state. What changes is how it behaves in a recipe. "Softened" means cool but pliable for creaming; "melted" means fully liquid. Measure by weight and you never have to pack a cup with cold butter again. Convert any amount with the butter converter.