How Many Grams Are in a Cup of Brown Sugar?
One US cup of packed brown sugar weighs about 213 grams.
Why This One Is Not Exact
Every other conversion on this site is a definition: an inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, and that never changes. This page is different. A cup measures volume and grams measure weight, and what bridges them is density — which depends on the ingredient and, far more, on how the cup was filled. The figure of 213 grams per cup is the standard reference, not a law of nature.
Recipes mean packed brown sugar, pressed firmly into the cup. Spooned in loosely it weighs about a third less, which is a large enough gap to change a cookie.
Where This Comes Up
Brown sugar is the ingredient most often measured wrong, because the recipe assumes something it rarely states: that you pressed it firmly into the cup. The molasses coating makes the crystals cling together, so loose brown sugar is mostly air.
A cookie recipe asking for 1 cup of packed brown sugar wants 213 grams; measuring it loosely gives about 145 and leaves the cookies dry and pale.
What People Get Wrong
Packed and unpacked brown sugar differ by about a third — 213 grams against roughly 145. Almost every American recipe means packed, even when it does not say so. Press it in with the back of a spoon until it holds the shape of the cup.
Brown Sugar Cups to Grams Chart
| Recipe calls for | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 13 | 0.47 |
| 1/8 cup | 27 | 0.94 |
| 1/4 cup | 53 | 1.88 |
| 1/3 cup | 71 | 2.5 |
| 1/2 cup | 107 | 3.76 |
| 2/3 cup | 142 | 5.01 |
| 3/4 cup | 160 | 5.64 |
| 1 cup | 213 | 7.51 |
| 1 1/2 cups | 320 | 11.27 |
| 2 cups | 426 | 15.03 |
| 3 cups | 639 | 22.54 |
| 4 cups | 852 | 30.05 |
Weights follow the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart, the reference most American recipes are written against. For the exact, defined conversions used elsewhere on this site, see how we calculate.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "packed" brown sugar mean?
Pressed firmly into the measuring cup so it holds its shape when turned out. That is the standard assumption in American recipes.
Is light and dark brown sugar the same weight?
Yes, about 213 grams per packed cup. Dark brown sugar has more molasses, which changes the flavour and moisture rather than the density.
How many grams is half a cup of brown sugar?
About 107 grams, packed.
Can I substitute white sugar by weight?
By weight the swap is close, but brown sugar brings moisture and acidity from the molasses, which affects both texture and rise.