1/2 Cup Butter in Grams: US & Metric Conversion Guide

If you’ve ever copied a baking recipe from a British blog only to end up with cookies that spread too thin, you’ve already sensed the problem: a cup isn’t a universal unit. When it comes to butter — an ingredient that demands precision — the difference between US and metric cup measurements can quietly add or subtract more than 10 grams from your bake. This guide breaks down exactly what 1/2 cup of butter weighs in grams, explains why the number changes depending on where the recipe comes from, and shows you how to get it right every time.

1/2 cup butter (US): 113 g ·
1/2 cup butter (metric): 125 g ·
1 stick butter: 113 g ·
1 cup butter (US): 227 g

Six common butter measures, one clear pattern: the US cup is lighter than the metric cup by 23 grams per full cup.

What is 1/2 a cup of butter in grams?

US cup vs metric cup

In the US standard system, 1/2 cup of butter weighs 113 grams (or 4 ounces). This is based on the US legal cup of 236.6 mL, which holds 227 grams of butter per full cup (Erren’s Kitchen butter weight chart). The metric cup, used widely outside North America, holds 250 mL — so 1/2 metric cup of butter comes out to 125 grams (Cotswold Flour conversion guide).

Weight of salted vs unsalted butter

Salt content does not affect the density of butter. A gram of salted butter takes up the same volume as unsalted, so the conversion is identical for both (BBC Good Food measuring guide). The only variable that can shift weight by a gram or two is the percentage of butterfat — European-style butters with 82%+ fat are slightly heavier per tablespoon than standard 80% fat American butters.

The implication: recipe authors typically assume standard American butter. If you’re using a high-fat European butter, your 1/2 cup could weigh closer to 115 g — still within the margin of error for most home bakes, but enough to matter in laminated doughs.

Is 125g of butter equal to 1 cup?

Understanding cup sizes

No — 125 grams of butter is 1/2 US cup, not a full cup. The confusion stems from the metric cup: if the recipe writer uses a metric cup (250 mL), then 125 g is exactly half of a full metric cup (Weekend Bakery cup-to-gram conversion). But in the US system, 125 g is roughly 0.55 cups — just over half.

When 125g equals 1/2 cup instead

The reverse is equally important: if you see a recipe that calls for 125 g of butter and you’re working with US measuring cups, use precisely 1/2 cup. This holds for recipes from the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and most of Europe, where the metric cup is standard (Taste.com.au butter conversion).

The catch: many online converters default to the US cup, so always check which system the original recipe uses.

How many grams are in one stick of butter?

Butter stick equivalents

In the United States, butter is commonly sold in 1-pound blocks containing four sticks. One stick equals 113 grams (1/2 cup) (Erren’s Kitchen stick-to-gram chart). Two sticks make 1 cup (227 g), and the full pound — four sticks — weighs 454 g (Cook Like Czechs conversion chart).

Stick to cup conversion

• 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 113 g
• 2 sticks = 1 cup = 227 g
• 4 sticks = 1 pound = 454 g

The pattern: stick measurements align perfectly with the US cup system, so if your recipe calls for half a cup of butter, you can simply unwrap one stick — no scale required.

What is the difference between US and UK cup measurements for butter?

US cup volume (236.6 mL) vs metric cup (250 mL)

The US legal cup is defined as 236.588 mL, while the metric cup (used in the UK, Australia, and most of Europe) is 250 mL. This 5.7% volume difference translates directly to butter weight: a full US cup holds 227 g of butter, whereas a metric cup holds 250 g (USDA National Nutrient Database butter density).

Weight impact on butter conversion

For a 1/2 cup measure, the gap is 113 g (US) vs 125 g (metric) — a 12-gram difference. In a recipe that calls for 1 cup of butter, that’s a 23-gram swing. That’s enough to affect the hydration and fat balance in pastry, cookies, and cakes.

Why this matters: if you’re using a US-based recipe with a metric measuring cup, you’ll systematically over-add butter. The reverse also holds if you use a US cup for a European recipe.

Before the spec table, let’s lay out the full conversion for common butter amounts.

How to convert 1/2 cup of butter to grams accurately?

Step-by-step conversion

1. Identify the cup system used in the recipe (US or metric). A recipe from a US website or cookbook uses the US cup; recipes from UK, Australia, NZ, and continental Europe typically use the metric cup.
2. If US: multiply 1/2 by 227 g → 113 g. If metric: multiply 1/2 by 250 g → 125 g.
3. If using butter sticks, know that 1 stick = 1/2 US cup = 113 g.

Using a kitchen scale

The most reliable method: place a bowl on a digital scale, zero it, and add butter until you reach the target gram weight. This eliminates any cup-size ambiguity. King Arthur Baking recommends this approach for consistent results.

Adjusting for recipe origin

If you’re unsure which cup the recipe uses, look at the country of origin or other measurements in the recipe (e.g., ingredients given in grams vs cups). When in doubt, use 113 g — the US standard — because that’s the most common cup definition in English-language blogs and cookbooks (Allrecipes cup-to-gram conversions).

The takeaway: the most accurate half-cup of butter is the one you weigh, not the one you scoop.

Expert perspectives on butter accuracy

“1 cup of butter weighs 227 grams.”

— USDA National Nutrient Database (U.S. government food composition resource)

“Precise weights lead to consistent baking outcomes.”

— King Arthur Baking (bakery and flour manufacturer)

For bakers who regularly switch between US and metric recipes, the choice is clear: invest in a digital scale and treat all cup measurements with skepticism. A 113-gram half-cup is only accurate if you know which cup the recipe writer used — and that’s a detail worth checking before you start creaming.

Frequently asked questions

Related reading

• 1 cup butter in grams
• Butter to oil conversion chart
• Cups to grams conversion table
• Baking measurement guide