1 Cup Sugar Conversion Guide
🍬 1 Cup Sugar = ? Grams
200g
Granulated
White sugar (standard)
220g
Brown Sugar
Packed measurement
120g
Powdered
Unsifted (lighter)
Important: Sugar type matters! Same cup measure, different weights.
🍰 Why is 1 Cup the Sweetness Standard?
- Universal baseline: Most recipes use 1 cup (or fractions) as sweetness foundation
- Classic ratio: Matches 2 cups flour in traditional 2:1 flour-to-sugar ratio
- Easy scaling: Simple to reduce (3/4 cup, 1/2 cup) or increase (1.5 cups, 2 cups)
- Balanced sweetness: Sweet but not overwhelming for most American palates
- Historical standard: Vintage recipes built around 1-pound (2 cups) sugar bags
🧁 What Uses 1 Cup (200g) Sugar?
1 cup sugar is the foundation for standard sweetness:
🍪 Cookies
- • Chocolate chip cookies (24-30)
- • Sugar cookies (30-36)
- • Snickerdoodles (24)
- • Oatmeal raisin (24)
- • Peanut butter cookies
🎂 Cakes
- • Single 9" layer cake
- • 12 cupcakes
- • Coffee cake (9x9)
- • Pound cake (9x5 loaf)
- • Bundt cake (10-cup)
🥧 Pies & Fillings
- • Apple pie filling (9")
- • Pecan pie (9")
- • Pumpkin pie (9")
- • Custard tart
- • Fruit crisp topping
🍫 Brownies & Bars
- • Brownies (9x13 pan)
- • Blondies (9x9 pan)
- • Lemon bars (9x13)
- • Magic bars
- • Caramel squares
🍞 Sweet Breads
- • Banana bread (1 loaf)
- • Zucchini bread
- • Cinnamon rolls (filling)
- • Sweet dinner rolls
- • Monkey bread
🧊 Frostings & Sauces
- • Simple syrup (1:1 ratio)
- • Caramel sauce
- • Glaze for cakes
- • Candied nuts
- • Sweet dipping sauces
🔬 1 Cup: Weight by Sugar Type
Critical: Different sugars have vastly different weights per cup!
| Sugar Type | 1 Cup Weight | Sweetness | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granulated White ⭐ | 200g | 100% (baseline) | Most recipes, standard sweetness |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 220g | ~98% (molasses) | Cookies, cakes, moist texture |
| Powdered/Confectioners | 120g | ~100% | Frostings, glazes, dusting |
| Caster/Superfine | 200g | 100% | Meringues, fine-textured cakes |
| Raw/Turbinado | 200g | ~100% | Crunchy toppings, rustic bakes |
| Coconut Sugar | 160g | ~75% | Healthier option, caramel flavor |
➖ How to Reduce Sugar from 1 Cup
Safe Reduction Guidelines
- • Reduce by 25% (to 3/4 cup / 150g): Usually safe for most recipes. Slight decrease in tenderness/moisture.
- • Reduce by 33% (to 2/3 cup / 133g): Noticeable less sweet. May need extra liquid (1-2 tbsp).
- • Reduce by 50% (to 1/2 cup / 100g): Significantly affects texture. Best for fruit-heavy or naturally sweet recipes.
- ⚠️ Don't reduce more than 50% - Sugar provides structure, moisture, and browning beyond just sweetness!
What Happens When You Reduce Sugar?
- • Texture: Cakes become denser, cookies spread less
- • Moisture: Less moist (sugar attracts/retains water)
- • Browning: Paler color (less caramelization)
- • Shelf life: Shorter (sugar acts as preservative)
🔄 Substitute 1 Cup Granulated Sugar (200g)
Alternative Sweeteners (with adjustments)
- • Honey: 3/4 cup (reduce liquid by 3 tbsp, add 1/4 tsp baking soda)
- • Maple syrup: 3/4 cup (reduce liquid by 3 tbsp)
- • Agave nectar: 2/3 cup (reduce liquid, lower oven temp 25°F)
- • Stevia: 1 teaspoon (1:200 ratio, add bulk with applesauce/yogurt)
- • Erythritol: 1⅓ cups (less sweet, doesn't caramelize)
Direct 1:1 Substitutes (no adjustment needed)
- • Caster sugar: 1 cup (200g) - finer texture, faster dissolving
- • Turbinado: 1 cup (200g) - adds slight molasses flavor
- • Date sugar: 1 cup (but doesn't melt, best for toppings)
🔧 Common Sugar Problems
My cake/cookies are too sweet
Next time: Reduce sugar to 3/4 cup (150g). Add 1 tbsp extra liquid if batter seems thick. Or use 1/2 brown + 1/2 white for less intense sweetness.
My cookies spread too much
Cause: Not enough sugar (provides structure). Or sugar not creamed properly with butter. Cream for 3-5 min until fluffy.
Can I use brown sugar instead of white?
Yes! Use 1 cup packed brown sugar (220g). Expect: Moister texture, chewier cookies, caramel notes. Works great for chocolate chip cookies, oatmeal cookies.
📊 1 Cup Granulated Sugar: Conversions
| From | To | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | Grams | 200g |
| 1 cup | Ounces | 7 oz |
| 1 cup | Tablespoons | 16 tbsp |
| 1 cup | Pounds | 0.44 lbs |