Home / Cups & grams / 1 cup of sugar in grams
1 cup of sugar in grams
One US cup of granulated (white) sugar weighs about 200 grams. Packed brown sugar is about 220 g and powdered (icing) sugar about 120 g. Pick your sugar and amount below for the exact weight — or read the full chart, with tablespoons and calories, further down.
Weight200grams
Ounces7.1oz
Calories774kcal
1 cup of granulated sugar = 200 g. Scoop-and-level average; packing the cup can add up to 20%.
200 g1 cup white / granulated sugar
220 g1 cup brown sugar, packed
120 g1 cup powdered / icing sugar
Cups of sugar to grams — full chart
Weights are for a US cup (240 ml), spooned in and levelled off. Brown sugar is shown packed, the way recipes assume it. The highlighted row is the most-searched amount.
| Cups | White / granulated | Brown (packed) | Powdered | Caster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 200 g | 220 g | 120 g | 200 g |
| ¾ cup | 150 g | 165 g | 90 g | 150 g |
| ⅔ cup | 133 g | 147 g | 80 g | 133 g |
| ½ cup | 100 g | 110 g | 60 g | 100 g |
| ⅓ cup | 67 g | 73 g | 40 g | 67 g |
| ¼ cup | 50 g | 55 g | 30 g | 50 g |
| ⅛ cup | 25 g | 28 g | 15 g | 25 g |
| 2 cups | 400 g | 440 g | 240 g | 400 g |
Tablespoons & teaspoons of sugar in grams
| Amount | White / granulated | Brown (packed) | Powdered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 12.5 g | 13.8 g | 7.5 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 4.2 g | 4.6 g | 2.5 g |
Why your cup might not weigh 200 g. Sugar weight depends on how you fill the cup. The figures above assume sugar spooned in and levelled. Scooping straight from the bag and tapping it down can pack in 10–20% more. Brown sugar is the opposite trap — recipes expect it firmly packed, so a loose cup will leave you short. When it matters, weigh with a kitchen scale.
Calories in a cup of sugar
Sugar is about 3.87 calories per gram, so the calorie count follows the weight. These are rounded values for pure sugar.
| Amount | White / granulated | Brown (packed) | Powdered |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 774 kcal | 836 kcal | 467 kcal |
| ½ cup | 387 kcal | 418 kcal | 233 kcal |
| ⅓ cup | 259 kcal | 279 kcal | 156 kcal |
| ¼ cup | 194 kcal | 209 kcal | 117 kcal |
| 1 tablespoon | 48 kcal | 53 kcal | 29 kcal |
| 1 teaspoon | 16 kcal | 18 kcal | 10 kcal |
Grams of sugar to cups
Working the other way — you have a weight and need cups. For granulated sugar at 200 g per cup:
| Grams | Granulated sugar | Brown (packed) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 g | ¼ cup | ≈ 3 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 100 g | ½ cup | ≈ 7 tbsp |
| 150 g | ¾ cup | ≈ ⅔ cup |
| 200 g | 1 cup | ≈ ⅞ cup |
| 250 g | 1¼ cups | ≈ 1⅛ cups |
| 500 g | 2½ cups | ≈ 2¼ cups |
How to measure a cup of sugar correctly
For granulated, caster and powdered sugar: spoon the sugar loosely into the measuring cup until it overflows, then sweep a flat edge (the back of a knife) across the top to level it. Don't scoop straight from the bag or tap the cup — both pack in extra.
For brown sugar it's the reverse: press it firmly into the cup so it holds the cup's shape when tipped out. That's what "1 cup packed" means, and it's why brown sugar weighs more per cup.
The most reliable method for any sugar is a digital kitchen scale — set the bowl on it, zero it, and pour to the gram. That sidesteps the whole scoop-versus-pack problem and makes your results repeatable.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of sugar?
One US cup of granulated (white) sugar is about 200 grams, scooped and levelled. Packed brown sugar is about 220 g and powdered sugar about 120 g.
How many grams is half a cup of sugar?
Half a cup of granulated sugar is about 100 grams. Packed brown sugar is about 110 g, and powdered sugar about 60 g.
How many grams is 1/3 cup of sugar?
One third of a cup of granulated sugar is about 67 grams, packed brown sugar about 73 g, and powdered sugar about 40 g.
How many calories are in a cup of sugar?
About 774 calories in a cup of granulated sugar (200 g). Packed brown sugar (220 g) is around 836 calories and powdered sugar (120 g) about 467 calories.
Is a cup of sugar the same weight as a cup of flour?
No. A cup of granulated sugar is about 200 g, but a cup of all-purpose flour is only about 120 g — flour is lighter and less dense. See cup of flour in grams.
Does 1 cup of caster sugar weigh the same as granulated?
Yes, near enough. Caster (superfine) sugar is just finely ground granulated sugar, so a cup is also about 200 g. Powdered/icing sugar is different — it's much lighter at about 120 g per cup.