If you’ve ever been mid-recipe with a scale and a block of butter, you already know the tension between cups and grams. Half a cup of butter is 113 grams in U.S. measurements — a number backed by decades of stick‑based packaging. But depending on where your butter was made, that same half cup might show up as 115 grams.

4 related posts

1/2 cup butter (US): 113 g ·
1/2 cup butter (metric): 115 g ·
1/2 cup butter (oz): 4 oz ·
1/2 cup butter in sticks: 1 stick ·
1/2 cup butter (tbsp): 8 tbsp

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Explore the step‑by‑step process for measuring without a scale below.
  • Check the FAQ for common butter‑conversion pitfalls.

Eight key numbers to memorise — one pattern: the 113‑gram half‑cup is the backbone of US baking, but regional packaging adds a twist.

Measurement Value Source
1/2 cup butter (US) 113 g Allrecipes cup‑to‑gram table
1/2 cup butter (Canada) 115 g KitchenAid Canada measurement guide
1/2 cup butter (oz) 4 oz Allrecipes conversion
1/2 cup butter (tbsp) 8 tbsp Erren’s Kitchen weight conversions
1/2 cup butter (sticks) 1 stick WebstaurantStore butter measurements
1/2 cup butter (ml – US) 125 ml KitchenAid Canada volume chart
1/2 cup butter (ml – Canada) 125 ml Dairy Farmers of Canada guide
1 cup butter (US) 227 g Baking Like a Chef conversion chart

The pattern: Nearly all US sources converge on 227 g per cup, making half exactly 113 g. Canadian sources round to 115 g for slightly easier packaging.

How much is 1/2 cup of butter?

US vs metric measurements

  • The US standard cup is 240 ml; a metric cup is 250 ml. That 10 ml difference affects butter weight because butter is less dense than water (Inch Calculator conversion reference).
  • For US recipes, 1/2 cup of butter weighs 113 g. This figure appears in trusted editorial sources including Allrecipes, Erren’s Kitchen, and Baking Like a Chef.
  • Canadian butter often prints 115 g per 1/2 cup on the wrapper, a guidance updated by the Dairy Farmers of Canada.

“1/2 cup of butter is commonly listed as 113 g” – Allrecipes cup‑to‑gram conversion table

Butter stick equivalencies

  • In the US, one standard stick of butter weighs 4 oz (113 g) and is marked at the 1/2‑cup line (WebstaurantStore butter equivalency guide).
  • One stick = 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons = 113 g. This makes measuring unnecessary when sticks are available (Erren’s Kitchen measurement note).
Why this matters

For US bakers, the stick’s built‑in markers eliminate the need for a scale. For anyone using imported or Canadian butter, the 115‑g label means a 2‑g difference per half‑cup — negligible for most recipes but worth noting for precision baking.

The implication: The 2‑g gap between US and Canadian half‑cup weights is small enough to ignore in cookies and cakes, but for sensitive recipes like macarons or laminated doughs, a scale using the source’s stated weight is the only safe bet.

Is 250 g of butter half a cup?

Why 250 g is not half a cup

  • 250 g is more than a full cup of butter. The US standard for 1 cup of butter is 227 g (Allrecipes conversion chart).
  • Half a cup is 113–115 g, depending on the regional standard (KitchenAid Canada measurement guide).

The correct conversion for 250 g butter

Common mistake

Many European‑trained bakers assume 1 cup = 250 ml = 250 g of any ingredient. For butter, that assumption delivers more than double the intended fat. Always use ingredient‑specific conversion tables.

The catch: Assuming a universal 250 g per cup for butter is the fastest way to ruin a recipe — the actual weight is 227 g, a difference that compounds with every additional cup.

What is 1/2 cups in grams?

Butter

Sugar

  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar = 100 g (Allrecipes cup‑to‑gram table).

Flour

  • 1/2 cup all‑purpose flour = 60 g (Allrecipes flour conversion).

The trade‑off: Every ingredient has a unique density. Butter’s water‑to‑fat ratio makes it heavier per cup than flour but lighter than sugar. Using a single “cups to grams” formula for all ingredients leads to measurable errors in baked goods.

How to measure 1/2 cup of butter without a scale

  1. Use the stick markings. A standard US butter stick has tablespoon marks; cut at the 1/2‑cup (8‑tbsp) line. (WebstaurantStore stick measurement guide)
  2. Water displacement method. Fill a 2‑cup liquid measuring cup with 1 cup of cold water. Add butter until the water reaches 1 1/2 cups. Drain water and use the butter. (Erren’s Kitchen water displacement note)
  3. Tbsp method. Measure 8 level tablespoons of butter from a block. Each tablespoon = ~14 g. (Savor the Best conversion chart)
  4. Knife‑and‑ruler method. A standard US block (4 sticks) is 227 g. Cut the block lengthwise into 4 equal sticks; each stick is 1/2 cup. (Baking Like a Chef block splitting tip)
The upshot

For home bakers, the stick method is fastest. For precision recipes (puff pastry, croissants), the scale method with 113 g is safest because it eliminates the 2‑g Canada/US variance.

Confirmed facts vs what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • 1/2 cup US butter = 113 g (Allrecipes)
  • 1/2 cup butter = 4 oz (Allrecipes)
  • 250 g is not half a cup (Inch Calculator)
  • 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp (WebstaurantStore)
  • 1 cup butter = 227 g (Baking Like a Chef)

What’s unclear

  • Whether metric cups (250 ml) vs US cups (240 ml) produce a meaningful difference for most home recipes (Dairy Farmers of Canada notes the rounding)
  • Why some Canadian sources print 113 g and others 115 g for the same half‑cup (KitchenAid Canada says 115 g; Erren’s Kitchen uses 113 g)

“Canadian butter packaging often lists 115 g per 1/2 cup to align with the metric cup standard.” – Dairy Farmers of Canada, how to measure butter

“For accuracy, 1/2 cup of butter is 113 g in our kitchen – we test every conversion before publishing.” – Erren’s Kitchen, butter measurement weight conversions

The implication for bakers: The 2‑g gap between US and Canadian half‑cup weights is small enough to ignore in cookies and cakes, but for sensitive recipes like macarons or laminated doughs, a scale using the source’s stated weight is the only safe bet.

Additional sources

traditionaloven.com, reddit.com, facebook.com, facebook.com

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Frequently asked questions

How many sticks of butter is 1/2 cup?

One stick. A US stick of butter weighs 113 g and is marked at the 1/2‑cup line (WebstaurantStore).

What is 1/2 cup butter in grams in the UK?

UK recipes typically use grams, not cups. 1/2 cup of butter equals 113 g (US) or 115 g (Canadian). The UK does not sell pre‑measured cups, so a scale is recommended.

Can I use margarine instead of butter?

Yes, in equal weight. 1/2 cup of margarine also weighs 113 g. Note that margarine may have higher water content, which can affect texture in some baked goods (Allrecipes baking substitution tips).

How to measure 1/2 cup of butter without a scale?

Use one stick of butter, the water displacement method, or 8 level tablespoons. See the step‑by‑step section above.

Is salted butter weight different?

No. Salted and unsalted butter have identical density and weight. The salt content (about 1–2% per stick) does not affect the gram count (Inch Calculator butter weight note).

What is 1/2 cup butter in milliliters?

125 ml. This is a volume measurement used on Canadian butter packaging (KitchenAid Canada conversion chart).

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