How to measure packed brown sugar
The molasses coating makes the crystals moist and sticky, so loosely filled brown sugar weighs much less than packed. Light and dark brown sugar weigh the same per cup; dark simply has more molasses and a deeper flavor. If your brown sugar has gone hard, seal it in a container with a slice of bread overnight and it softens again.
Source: 213 grams per US cup is the weight per cup used by US baking charts such as King Arthur Baking’s ingredient weight chart. A US cup is about 237 milliliters.
Packed brown sugar: cups to grams chart
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 27 g | 0.94 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 53 g | 1.88 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 71 g | 2.5 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 107 g | 3.76 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 142 g | 5.01 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 160 g | 5.64 oz |
| 1 cup | 213 g | 7.51 oz |
| 1 1/2 cups | 320 g | 11.3 oz |
| 2 cups | 426 g | 15 oz |
| 3 cups | 639 g | 22.5 oz |
| 4 cups | 852 g | 30.1 oz |
Tablespoons and teaspoons of packed brown sugar
Three teaspoons make a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons make a cup, so the spoon weights follow straight from the 213 grams per cup. Use level spoons, not heaped ones.
| Spoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 1.1 g |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.2 g |
| 1 tsp | 4.4 g |
| 1 tbsp | 13 g |
| 2 tbsp | 27 g |
| 3 tbsp | 40 g |
| 4 tbsp | 53 g |
Grams of packed brown sugar to cups
Going the other way, divide the grams by 213. A cup of packed brown sugar weighs 24 grams less than a cup of water, which is 237 grams.
| Grams | Cups | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| 25 g | 0.12 cup | about 1.9 tbsp |
| 50 g | 0.23 cup | just under 1/4 cup |
| 100 g | 0.47 cup | just under 1/2 cup |
| 150 g | 0.7 cup | just over 2/3 cup |
| 200 g | 0.94 cup | just under 1 cup |
| 250 g | 1.17 cups | just over 1 1/8 cups |
| 300 g | 1.41 cups | just over 1 3/8 cups |
| 400 g | 1.88 cups | about 1 7/8 cups |
| 500 g | 2.35 cups | just over 2 1/3 cups |
| 1,000 g | 4.69 cups | just over 4 2/3 cups |
Other sugars per cup
- Granulated sugar: 198 grams per cup
- Powdered sugar: 113 grams per cup
For every ingredient in one place, open the cups to grams converter. The recipe scaler halves or doubles a recipe, sugar included, and the oven temperature converter translates Celsius and gas marks for bakes from abroad.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1/2 cup of packed brown sugar?
About 107 grams. A full cup is about 213 grams and 1/4 cup about 53 grams.
How many cups is 100 grams of packed brown sugar?
About 0.47 cups, just under 1/2 cup. Divide the grams by 213 to get cups.
How many grams are in a tablespoon of packed brown sugar?
About 13 grams in a tablespoon and 4.4 grams in a teaspoon, measured level.
Can I replace brown sugar with white sugar?
Yes, gram for gram, though cookies come out crisper and paler. To make your own brown sugar, mix 1 cup of granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses for light brown, or 2 tablespoons for dark.