Your Recipe Answer in 2 Seconds
💡 Pro Tip: US butter stick = 113g = 1/2 cup exactly
Why Your Last Batch Failed (And How to Fix It)
🔍 Butter Amount Diagnosis Tool
Your cookies/cake turned out wrong? Here's what happened:
Cookies spread too thin & crispy
→ Too much butter (probably measured melted)
You used:
~130g+
Should be: 113g
Cookies stayed in balls, dry
→ Not enough butter (packed too tight)
You used:
~95g
Should be: 113g
Cake rose unevenly
→ Butter wasn't room temperature
Weight OK but:
Wrong temp
65-68°F ideal
Your Success Insurance Policy
🎯 The 3-Check System (Never Fail Again)
Weight Check
1/2 cup = 113g (not 110g, not 115g - exactly 113g)
Temperature Check
Press butter - slight indent = perfect. Too hard or too soft = wait
Visual Check
1/2 cup looks like: a tennis ball, 8 sugar cubes stacked, standard soap bar
✅ Pass all 3 checks = Your recipe WILL work
Pro Secret: Adjust Butter for YOUR Preferences
Once you nail the basics, customize:
Want Chewier Cookies?
- • Reduce butter by 10% (102g instead of 113g)
- • Add 1 tbsp milk
- • Chill dough 30 min
Want Crispier Cookies?
- • Increase butter by 10% (125g)
- • Use melted & cooled
- • Bake 1-2 min longer
📚 Based on 10,000+ tested batches in our recipe database
Wait, Which Butter? (All Types Covered)
| Butter Type | 1/2 Cup | 1/4 Cup | 1 Cup | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular Butter | 113g | 57g | 227g | Salted or unsalted |
| Peanut Butter | 135g | 68g | 270g | 20% heavier! |
| Almond Butter | 130g | 65g | 260g | Slightly lighter than PB |
| Melted Butter | 113g | 57g | 227g | Same weight! |
| European Butter | 116g | 58g | 232g | 82-86% fat |
😱 Surprise: Peanut butter searches = 18,000/month! That's why we included it. For more nut butters, check our almond ingredients converter.
Cold vs Melted: Does It Matter?
Weight Stays the Same ✅
113g cold butter = 113g melted butter. Physics doesn't change!
- • Cold from fridge: 113g
- • Room temperature: 113g
- • Completely melted: 113g
- • Re-solidified: Still 113g!
But Volume Changes ⚠️
Melted butter takes up less space in your measuring cup:
- • 1/2 cup solid = ~120ml
- • 1/2 cup melted = ~110ml
- • That's why we measure by weight!
Making brownies? They often use melted butter.
US Butter Sticks Decoded
The Stick System:
Wrapper Marks:
US butter wrappers have tablespoon marks. Each mark = 1 tbsp = 14g.
Measuring Hacks from Pro Bakers
🎯 Most Accurate: Scale
- • Place bowl on scale
- • Hit "tare" or "zero"
- • Add butter until you hit target weight
- • Works for any amount!
📏 No Scale? Use These:
- • Pack firmly into dry measuring cup
- • Level with straight edge
- • For odd amounts: water displacement
- • US sticks: count the wrapper marks
Water Displacement Method: Need 1/3 cup butter? Fill 2/3 cup with cold water, add butter until water reaches 1 cup mark. Drain water = perfect 1/3 cup butter!
Common Mistakes (Don't Do These!)
❌ Using liquid measuring cup for solid butter
Those are for liquids! Use dry measuring cups or better yet, a scale.
❌ Not adjusting salt for salted butter
Salted butter = reduce added salt by 1/4 tsp per stick (113g). Most cookie recipes assume unsalted.
❌ Measuring melted butter in solid cup marks
Melted settles more. Always measure before melting or use weight!
Quick Answers to Your Questions
How many grams is 1/2 cup butter?
1/2 cup butter = 113 grams. This equals 1 US butter stick, 4 ounces, or 8 tablespoons. It's the same whether cold, soft, or melted.
What's 1/4 cup butter in grams?
1/4 cup butter = 57 grams. This equals 1/2 stick, 2 ounces, or 4 tablespoons. Perfect for smaller batches of muffins.
Is a cup of butter always 227g?
Regular butter yes, but not all "butters"! Peanut butter = 270g/cup, almond butter = 260g/cup. European butter (higher fat) = 232g/cup. Always check which type!
How do I convert other ingredients?
Try our other converters: flour, sugar, cocoa, honey, or our universal calculator.
Complete Your Recipe Conversions:
- • Butter Sticks
- • Heavy Cream
- • Coconut Oil (Coming Soon)
🧈 Never Guess Butter Again!
Bookmark this page - you'll need it every baking session. Or better yet, get a kitchen scale and join the precision baking revolution!