Butter Converter
Sticks, blocks, cups, grams. Every way butter comes.
Butter is one of the trickiest ingredients to convert because it is sold differently around the world. In the US, butter comes in sticks (each stick = 1/2 cup = 113 g = 4 oz). In Europe, it is typically sold in 250 g blocks. In the UK and Australia, 250 g and 500 g blocks are common. A recipe from one region using butter measurements often needs translation to another region's packaging.
This converter handles all of it. Enter an amount in any unit, sticks, cups, grams, ounces, tablespoons, and get the equivalent in all the others at once. Useful for recipes that say 2 sticks of butter when you are in a country that does not sell sticks, or vice versa.
Butter is denser than water: 1 cup of butter weighs 227 g, not 240 g like water. This is factored in automatically. One note: we are measuring solid butter at room temperature. Melted butter has slightly different volume characteristics, but a cup of melted butter weighs about the same as solid butter.
Equivalents
Enter an amount above to see equivalents
Quick Reference
Common butter measurements across formats.
| Sticks | Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 stick | 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 113 g | 4 oz |
| 2 sticks | 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 227 g | 8 oz |
| 4 sticks | 2 cups | 32 tbsp | 454 g | 16 oz (1 lb) |
| 250 g block | 1.10 cups | 17.6 tbsp | 250 g | 8.82 oz |
| 1/2 stick | 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 57 g | 2 oz |
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The Reference
Butter density: 0.911 g/mL. US stick: 113.4 g (4 oz), 8 tablespoons, 1/2 cup. European 250 g block: about 1.1 US cups. US pound brick (4 sticks): 453.6 g, 2 US cups.
These values assume standard salted or unsalted butter. Reduced-fat or whipped butter packaging may differ. Read your specific product's label. Stick markings (tablespoon indicators on the wrapper) are useful for partial-stick measurements.
The Global Butter Problem
Butter is sold differently in different regions, and this creates endless confusion in international recipes. Americans buy butter in 1-pound packages containing 4 sticks; each stick is 1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, or 113 grams. The wrapper has helpful tablespoon markings printed on it. Europeans buy butter in 250 g blocks with no internal markings. British and Australian shoppers see 250 g and 500 g blocks.
When an American recipe calls for "2 sticks of butter" and you are in Europe, you need 227 g. When a European recipe calls for "250 g butter" and you are in America, you need 2.2 sticks (or just measure the remainder with a scale). Our converter handles this in all directions.
Butter's weight does not depend on whether it is cold, softened, or melted. 1 cup of butter is always 227 g regardless of temperature. However, melted butter has different cooking properties. If a recipe specifies "1 cup melted butter" or "1/2 cup softened butter," the state matters for the recipe chemistry even if the weight conversion is identical.
Salted vs Unsalted: A Critical Baking Variable
American butter typically comes as salted or unsalted. Salted butter contains about 1.2% salt by weight. Unsalted butter is the professional baking standard because it lets the baker control salt precisely. If you substitute salted for unsalted in a recipe, reduce added salt by 1/4 teaspoon per 4 ounces of butter used.
European butter typically has higher butterfat content (82-84%) than American butter (80-81%). This produces richer pastry and slightly different texture. For critical pastry work (croissants, puff pastry), European-style butter is preferred. For everyday baking, the difference is rarely noticeable.
Our baker's percentage calculator helps you think about butter as a percentage of flour in enriched doughs like brioche, which typically runs 30-50% butter.
How to Use
- Enter the amount of butter you have (or need).
- Choose the unit you are starting from.
- See the equivalent in every other unit at once.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams in a stick of butter?
113 grams (4 ounces). A stick of butter is 1/2 cup, equivalent to 8 tablespoons.
How many sticks is 250 g of butter?
About 2.2 sticks (2 sticks plus 3 tablespoons). Most European recipes use 250 g blocks, which is slightly more than 2 US sticks.
How many sticks is 1 cup of butter?
2 sticks exactly. 1 cup of butter = 227 g = 16 tablespoons.
What if my recipe says 1 block of butter?
It depends on the recipe's origin. European: 250 g. Australian: typically 250 g or 500 g. US: no standard block, usually means a 1 lb package (4 sticks = 454 g). Check the recipe source.
Why is not 1 cup of butter equal to 240 mL times density?
Because butter is not a perfect liquid. It has air pockets and does not fill a cup evenly. Our 227 g value per cup accounts for how butter actually packs into a measuring cup, based on USDA data.
How do I measure partial sticks of butter?
Most US butter sticks have tablespoon markings printed on the wrapper. Each stick is 8 tablespoons, so the marks divide it into 1-tablespoon increments. Cut along the mark for the amount you need.
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