How Many Grams of Sugar in a Cup?
One cup of granulated sugar = 200 grams. But that's just the start — brown sugar, icing sugar, coconut sugar and raw sugar all weigh differently. Here's the complete guide with exact values for every cup fraction.
The question "how many grams of sugar in a cup?" sounds simple, but it has six different answers depending on the type of sugar you're using. That gap between granulated (200g) and icing sugar (125g) can make the difference between a cake that works and one that doesn't — especially when you're scaling a recipe or converting between cups and grams.
This guide gives you exact values for every common sugar type, every standard cup fraction, and every tablespoon measure. For any conversions not listed here, the grams in a cup calculator covers 50+ ingredients instantly.
Why Every Sugar Type Weighs Differently
A cup is a unit of volume — it measures how much space something takes up. A gram is a unit of weight. To convert between them, you need the ingredient's density, which varies enormously between sugar types:
- Granulated sugar has uniform, fine crystals that pack together predictably — 200g per cup, consistently.
- Brown sugar has molasses coating that makes crystals sticky. When packed firmly, it fills gaps and weighs 220–230g per cup.
- Icing/powdered sugar is milled into a fine powder with lots of trapped air — so the same volume weighs far less: 120–125g per cup.
- Raw/turbinado sugar has large, coarse crystals that leave bigger air gaps — 180g per cup.
- Coconut sugar has irregular granules that don't pack as tightly as white sugar — 170g per cup.
This is why professional bakers always weigh in grams rather than measuring in cups. A recipe requiring 200g of granulated sugar is unambiguous; "1 cup of powdered sugar" leaves a 30g gap depending on whether you sifted first.
How Many Grams in a Cup of Granulated Sugar
1 cup of granulated white sugar = 200 grams. This is the most reliable and consistent conversion of any sugar type. Granulated sugar's uniform crystal size means there's very little variation between measuring methods — scoop-and-level or spoon-and-level both give approximately the same result.
To find how many cups are in 500 grams of sugar: 500 ÷ 200 = 2.5 cups. For any other weight, use our grams-to-cups converter — it handles 100g to cups, 500g to cups, and any amount in between for every sugar type.
How Many Grams in a Cup of Brown Sugar (Packed vs Loose)
Brown sugar is the only common sugar where the measuring method dramatically changes the weight. Recipes almost always specify "packed" — press it firmly into the measuring cup until it holds its shape when turned out.
Packed light brown sugar weighs 220 grams per cup. Packed dark brown sugar (higher molasses content) weighs 230 grams per cup. Loosely spooned brown sugar weighs only about 180–190g — 30–40g less for the same volume. This difference matters in baking.
| Cup Amount | Light Brown Sugar | Dark Brown Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 28g | 29g |
| ¼ cup | 55g | 58g |
| ⅓ cup | 73g | 77g |
| ½ cup | 110g | 115g |
| ⅔ cup | 147g | 153g |
| ¾ cup | 165g | 173g |
| 1 cup | 220g | 230g |
| 2 cups | 440g | 460g |
1 cup of packed brown sugar (220g) is 20 grams heavier than 1 cup of granulated sugar (200g). If a recipe says "1 cup of sugar" and you use brown sugar without packing — you'll likely end up with only 180g instead of 200g. Always weigh if precision matters.
How Many Grams in a Cup of Icing Sugar (Powdered Sugar)
Icing sugar (also called powdered sugar or confectioner's sugar) is the lightest sugar by volume. 1 cup of sifted icing sugar = 120–125 grams. Unsifted and compacted, it can be as heavy as 150–160g per cup — a 30g difference for the exact same volume measurement.
The standard recipe assumption for icing sugar is: sift first, then spoon into the cup and level off. This gives you 120–125g per cup. If a recipe doesn't specify, sifted is the professional standard.
| Cup Amount | Sifted (standard) | Unsifted / compacted |
|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 15g | 19g |
| ¼ cup | 30g | 38g |
| ⅓ cup | 40g | 50g |
| ½ cup | 60–63g | 75g |
| ¾ cup | 90–94g | 113g |
| 1 cup | 120–125g | 150g |
| 2 cups | 240–250g | 300g |
Raw, Turbinado & Coconut Sugar — Grams per Cup
Specialty sugars have their own densities. Raw and turbinado sugar have larger, coarser crystals that leave bigger air gaps in the cup. Coconut sugar has irregular granules that don't pack as tightly as white granulated sugar.
| Sugar Type | ¼ cup | ½ cup | ¾ cup | 1 cup | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍬 Granulated white | 50g | 100g | 150g | 200g | Most common |
| 🟫 Light brown (packed) | 55g | 110g | 165g | 220g | Must be packed |
| 🟫 Dark brown (packed) | 58g | 115g | 173g | 230g | Higher molasses |
| ⬜ Icing / powdered (sifted) | 30g | 63g | 94g | 125g | Sift first |
| 🌾 Raw / turbinado | 45g | 90g | 135g | 180g | Coarse crystals |
| 🥥 Coconut sugar | 43g | 85g | 128g | 170g | Irregular granules |
| 🍁 Caster / superfine | 52g | 105g | 157g | 210g | Finer than granulated |
| 🍯 Demerara sugar | 50g | 100g | 150g | 200g | Similar to granulated |
How Many Grams Are in Half a Cup, Third & Quarter Cup of Sugar
Here are the exact values for the most-searched cup fractions, for both granulated and brown sugar:
- ½ cup of granulated sugar = 100 grams
- ⅓ cup of granulated sugar = 67 grams
- ¼ cup of granulated sugar = 50 grams
- ⅛ cup of granulated sugar = 25 grams
- ½ cup of packed brown sugar = 110 grams
- ¼ cup of packed brown sugar = 55 grams
- ½ cup of icing sugar (sifted) = 60–63 grams
- ¼ cup of icing sugar (sifted) = 30 grams
For granulated sugar: grams = cups × 200. So ½ cup = 100g, ¾ cup = 150g. For any other ingredient — including sugars by the tablespoon — our tablespoon to grams converter does it instantly.
How Many Grams of Sugar in a Tablespoon
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup. Dividing the cup weight by 16 gives the tablespoon weight for any sugar type.
| Sugar Type | 1 tsp | 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 4 tbsp (¼ cup) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 🍬 Granulated white | 4.2g | 12.5g | 25g | 50g |
| 🟫 Brown (packed) | 4.6g | 13.8g | 27.5g | 55g |
| ⬜ Icing / powdered | 2.5g | 7.5g | 15g | 30g |
| 🥥 Coconut sugar | 3.5g | 10.6g | 21g | 43g |
| 🌾 Raw / turbinado | 3.75g | 11.25g | 22.5g | 45g |
How to Measure Sugar in a Cup Correctly
Getting accurate cup measurements requires different techniques for each sugar type. Here's the correct method for each:
Granulated White Sugar
Granulated sugar is the easiest. Simply scoop the cup directly into the bag or bowl, then level off the top with a flat edge (a knife or spatula). Unlike flour, sugar doesn't compact significantly when scooped, so the scoop-and-level method gives a consistent 200g every time.
Brown Sugar
Brown sugar must be packed unless a recipe says otherwise. Press it firmly into the cup with the back of a spoon. Keep pressing and adding more until the cup is level and the sugar holds the cup's shape when turned out. Loosely spooned brown sugar gives roughly 180g instead of 220g — a 40g difference.
Icing / Powdered Sugar
First, sift the icing sugar through a fine-mesh sieve to remove lumps and reduce compaction. Then spoon it gently into the cup — do not scoop or pack. Level off with a straight edge. This gives the standard 120–125g. Scooping directly can result in 150g or more.
Raw / Turbinado & Coconut Sugar
Use the same method as granulated sugar — spoon or scoop and level. Their coarser texture means they naturally sit with more air gaps, which is already accounted for in the gram values above.
Volume cup measurements introduce variability. A digital scale removes it completely. 200g of sugar is 200g regardless of how it's packed, sifted or scooped. If you bake regularly, a £10–£15 kitchen scale is the most useful upgrade you can make. You can also use our ml to grams converter if your recipe uses liquid sugar measurements like honey or syrup.