In American cooking, one stick of butter is 4 ounces, about 113 grams, which equals 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons. Two sticks make 1 cup, and four sticks make 1 pound. This chart converts butter between sticks, cups, tablespoons, ounces and grams.
Butter Conversion Chart
| Sticks | Cups | Tablespoons | Ounces | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/2 stick | 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 2 oz | 57 g |
| 1 stick | 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 4 oz | 113 g |
| 1 1/2 sticks | 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp | 6 oz | 170 g |
| 2 sticks | 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 8 oz | 227 g |
| 4 sticks | 2 cups | 32 tbsp | 16 oz (1 pound) | 454 g |
The stick is a standard US unit: 1/4 pound by weight, or 1/2 cup by volume. Grams are rounded.
Quick Conversions
- 1 tablespoon of butter is 1/8 of a stick, about 14 grams.
- 1 cup of butter is 2 sticks.
- 1/4 cup of butter is 4 tablespoons, or half a stick.
- 1/3 cup is a little more than 5 tablespoons.
Why Weight Is More Accurate
Butter can be measured by weight, by volume or by a mix of both, such as a quarter pound plus 3 tablespoons. Weighing is the most reliable, especially for baking, because cold, solid butter does not pack evenly into a measuring cup.
How to Measure Butter
US sticks are usually printed with tablespoon marks on the wrapper, so you can cut off exactly the amount you need. If the butter is in a block without markings, press it into a dry measuring cup, or weigh it on a kitchen scale. For European blocks, check the package weight, because they are often sold in larger sizes than a US stick.
Softened, Melted and Cold Butter
The conversions apply to butter in any state, but you should measure solid butter first and then melt it. Melted butter poured into a cup can look like a different amount because it has no air gaps. Recipes that call for cold, softened or melted butter depend on the state because it changes how the dough or batter behaves.
Substituting Oil or Margarine
Stick margarine can usually be swapped for butter by weight or by the stick. Tub spreads contain more water and do not behave the same way in baking. Oil is not a one-to-one substitute for solid butter, so follow a recipe written for oil.
Scaling a Recipe
When you double or halve a recipe, convert the butter to sticks first. A recipe that calls for 1 cup of butter uses 2 sticks, so halving it means 1 stick, and doubling it means 4 sticks. For amounts that do not match a whole stick, cut along the tablespoon lines on the wrapper. Salted and unsalted butter measure the same, but salted butter adds salt, so reduce the salt in the recipe if you use it.
Quick Answers
How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter? 8.
How many sticks are in a cup? 2.
How many grams is a stick of butter? About 113.