Quick Answer: 1 Cup Sugar
1 cup of sugar equals 200 grams for standard granulated white sugar. However, this varies by type: brown sugar (firmly packed) weighs 220g per cup, powdered sugar (sifted) weighs 120g, and caster sugar weighs 225g per cup.
Granulated
Brown ⚠️ MUST PACK!
Powdered (sifted)
Caster/Superfine
✓ Used by 200,000+ bakers monthly ✓ Professional accuracy
⚠️ Brown Sugar: The Packed vs Loose Difference
🚨 Critical Difference
This will ruin your recipe
📏 How to Pack Correctly
- 1 Spoon brown sugar into measuring cup
- 2 Press down firmly with spoon back
- 3 Add more and pack again until full
- 4 Level off with straight edge
💡 Should hold its shape when turned out, like wet sand
Making cookies? Check our sugar cookie recipe that uses packed brown sugar correctly
Common Sugar Cup to Gram Measurements
½ Cup Sugar
¼ Cup Sugar
¾ Cup Sugar
Essential Sugar Measuring Guide: Cups to Grams
Tip: This table is scrollable horizontally. Swipe left or use arrow keys to view all sugar types.
| Amount | Granulated | Brown (Packed) | Powdered (Sifted) | Caster |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup (2 tbsp) | 25g | 28g | 15g | 28g |
| ¼ cup (popular measurement) | 50g | 55g | 30g | 56g |
| ⅓ cup | 67g | 73g | 40g | 75g |
| ½ cup (popular measurement) | 100g | 110g | 60g | 113g |
| ⅔ cup | 133g | 147g | 80g | 150g |
| ¾ cup (popular measurement) | 150g | 165g | 90g | 169g |
| 1 cup (most common measurement) | 200g | 220g | 120g | 225g |
| 1¼ cups | 250g | 275g | 150g | 281g |
| 1½ cups | 300g | 330g | 180g | 338g |
| 2 cups | 400g | 440g | 240g | 450g |
💡 Need smaller amounts? Use our tablespoon converter
Why Your Baking Failed: Sugar Measurement Mistakes
We've analyzed hundreds of baking disasters. Here are the most common sugar measurement errors and how to fix them.
Case 1: Cookies Too Dry & Crumbly
"My chocolate chip cookies came out dry and crumbly instead of soft and chewy."
Used loosely scooped brown sugar (145g per cup) instead of firmly packed (220g per cup). That's 34% less sugar!
Brown sugar must be packed firmly into the measuring cup. Press down with the back of a spoon until no air pockets remain. See our complete brown sugar guide above for visual instructions.
Case 2: Frosting Too Thick & Grainy
"My buttercream frosting won't spread smoothly and tastes too sweet."
Used unsifted powdered sugar straight from the bag (145g per cup) instead of sifted (120g per cup). That's 20% too much sugar!
Always sift powdered sugar before measuring for frosting and glazes. The sifting incorporates air and breaks up clumps, giving you the correct volume-to-weight ratio.
Case 3: Cake Too Dense
"My pound cake came out dense like a brick instead of light and fluffy."
Recipe called for caster sugar (225g per cup) but used granulated (200g per cup). The coarser crystals don't cream as well with butter, leading to insufficient air incorporation.
Use the exact sugar type specified in the recipe. If substituting, pulse granulated sugar in a food processor for 30 seconds to approximate caster sugar's fine texture.
Case 4: Cookies Spread Too Thin
"My cookies spread into flat puddles and burned at the edges."
Measured sugar in a liquid measuring cup (the kind with a spout). These are designed to be filled to the brim, giving you about 10-15% more sugar than a dry measuring cup.
Use dry measuring cups (the kind you level off) for all dry ingredients including sugar. Scoop and sweep with a straight edge for accurate measurements.
Avoid all these mistakes: Use our calculator above to get exact gram measurements for every sugar type.
Jump to Calculator ↑Sugar Cup to Gram Conversion FAQs
How many grams is 1 cup of sugar?
1 cup of granulated white sugar = 200 grams (7.05 oz). For brown sugar (packed) = 220g, powdered sugar (sifted) = 120g, and caster/superfine sugar = 225g. Always check which type your recipe needs!
How many grams is 1/2 cup sugar?
1/2 cup of granulated sugar = 100 grams. This is one of the most common measurements in baking. For brown sugar (packed) it's 110g, and powdered sugar (sifted) is 60g.
Why is my brown sugar measurement different?
Brown sugar must be packed firmly into the measuring cup, which removes air gaps. Packed brown sugar weighs 220g per cup, while loosely scooped only weighs 145g - a 34% difference that can ruin your recipe!
How much is 3/4 cup sugar in grams?
3/4 cup granulated sugar = 150 grams. For brown sugar (packed) = 165g, powdered sugar (sifted) = 90g, and caster sugar = 169g. This measurement is common in muffin and quick bread recipes.
What if I don't have a kitchen scale?
While weighing is most accurate, you can still get good results with careful volume measuring. Here's how to do it correctly for each sugar type:
- Scoop with a dry measuring cup
- Level off with a straight edge (knife or spatula)
- Do NOT pack or shake the cup
- Do NOT tap the cup on the counter
- Spoon sugar into the measuring cup
- Pack down firmly with the back of a spoon
- Add more and pack again until no air pockets remain
- Level off the top
- Sugar should hold its shape when turned out
- Sift first (critical step!)
- Spoon gently into the measuring cup
- Do NOT scoop directly from bag
- Do NOT pack or tap
- Level off gently
⚠️ Important: Even with perfect technique, volume measurements can vary by 5-10%. For critical recipes (cakes, pastries, macarons), we strongly recommend investing in a digital scale ($10-20).
Can I substitute different sugar types by weight?
Not directly - different sugars have different sweetness levels and properties:
- Brown sugar adds moisture and molasses flavor
- Powdered sugar contains cornstarch (affects texture)
- Caster dissolves faster (better for meringues)
Learn more about sugar substitutions here.
📖 Essential Measuring Guide
⚠️ Avoid These Common Mistakes
Using Volume for Different Sugar Types
❌ Wrong: "1 cup is 1 cup for all sugars"
✅ Right: Each sugar type has different weight per cup
Not Sifting Powdered Sugar
❌ Wrong: Measuring straight from bag
✅ Right: Sift first, then measure (120g sifted vs 145g unsifted)
✨ Professional Techniques
Correct Method by Type:
- ✓ Granulated: Scoop and level - never pack
- ✓ Brown: Pack firmly every time
- ✓ Powdered: Sift, spoon, level gently
- ✓ All types: Use dry measuring cups, not liquid
Quick Memory Tricks:
"200 Gran, 220 Brown"
"Powdered half of gran" (120 ≈ 200/2)
"Caster quarter more" (225 = 200 + 25)
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🍬 Common Baking Sugars
The most frequently used sugars in baking recipes:
💡 Tip: White sugar is the foundation of baking. Always use granulated unless recipe specifies otherwise!