KitchenButter measurements at a glance
| US measure | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 1 | 14 g | 0.5 oz |
| ¼ cup (½ stick) | 4 | 57 g | 2 oz |
| ⅓ cup | 5⅓ | 76 g | 2.7 oz |
| ½ cup (1 stick) | 8 | 113 g | 4 oz |
| 1 cup (2 sticks) | 16 | 227 g | 8 oz |
| 2 cups (4 sticks, 1 lb) | 32 | 454 g | 16 oz |
Outside the US, butter usually comes in 250 g blocks, which is just over 2 sticks (2.2 sticks, or about 1 cup plus 1½ tablespoons).
Softened, melted or cold?
Butter's temperature changes a recipe as much as its amount. Softened butter (about 18–20 °C / 65–68 °F) should hold a fingerprint without feeling greasy; it traps air when creamed with sugar, which gives cakes and cookies lift. Melted butter makes chewier, denser results. Cold butter, cut into flour, creates the flaky layers in pastry and biscuits. Weigh it in whichever state the recipe asks for; the weight doesn't change when it melts.
Make softening butter painless
A butter dish with a lid keeps a stick at spreadable room temperature for everyday baking. See butter dishes →
As an Amazon Associate, KitchenArithmetic earns from qualifying purchases. This costs you nothing extra.
FAQ
How many grams is a stick of butter?
One US stick of butter is 113 g (4 oz), which is ½ cup or 8 tablespoons.
Can I use oil instead of butter?
In muffins, quick breads and some cakes, yes. Use about ¾ as much oil as butter by volume, since butter is roughly 80% fat and the rest is mostly water. Don't swap oil into recipes that rely on creaming butter, like most cookies and pound cake.
Can I use salted butter in baking?
Yes. Salted butter has very roughly ¼ teaspoon of salt per stick, though brands vary. Reduce the recipe's added salt by about that much.
