How to measure pearl sugar
The chart entry is “Swedish Pearl Sugar, 1/4 cup = 1 3/4 oz = 49 g”, multiplied by four here for a full cup. The chart lists it by the quarter cup. Per cup it weighs almost the same as granulated sugar at 198 grams. Sparkling sugar, the other decorating sugar on the chart, is heavier at 57 grams per quarter cup. A quarter cup is 49 grams and two tablespoons about 25 grams.
Sources: 196 grams per US cup is the weight per cup in King Arthur Baking’s ingredient weight chart (open the chart), entry “Swedish Pearl Sugar, 1/4 cup = 1 3/4 oz = 49 g”, multiplied by 4 for one cup. Cup and ounce sizes: NIST SP 811.
Pearl sugar: cups to grams chart
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 25 g | 0.86 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 49 g | 1.73 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 65 g | 2.3 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 98 g | 3.46 oz |
| 2/3 cup | 131 g | 4.61 oz |
| 3/4 cup | 147 g | 5.19 oz |
| 1 cup | 196 g | 6.91 oz |
| 1 1/4 cups | 245 g | 8.64 oz |
| 1 1/2 cups | 294 g | 10.4 oz |
| 1 3/4 cups | 343 g | 12.1 oz |
| 2 cups | 392 g | 13.8 oz |
| 2 1/2 cups | 490 g | 17.3 oz |
| 3 cups | 588 g | 20.7 oz |
| 4 cups | 784 g | 27.7 oz |
Tablespoons and teaspoons of pearl sugar
One tablespoon of pearl sugar weighs 12 g, one teaspoon 4.1 g: the 196 g cup divided by 16 and by 48.
| Spoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 1 g |
| 1/2 tsp | 2 g |
| 1 tsp | 4.1 g |
| 1 tbsp | 12 g |
| 2 tbsp | 25 g |
| 3 tbsp | 37 g |
| 4 tbsp | 49 g |
Grams of pearl sugar to cups
To turn grams of pearl sugar into cups, divide by 196. That is about 0.83 grams per milliliter: 41 g below the 237 g of a cup of water.
| Grams | Cups | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|
| 25 g | 0.13 cup | about 2 tbsp |
| 50 g | 0.26 cup | about 1/4 cup |
| 100 g | 0.51 cup | just over 1/2 cup |
| 150 g | 0.77 cup | just over 3/4 cup |
| 200 g | 1.02 cups | just over 1 cup |
| 250 g | 1.28 cups | just over 1 1/4 cups |
| 300 g | 1.53 cups | just over 1 1/2 cups |
| 400 g | 2.04 cups | just over 2 cups |
| 500 g | 2.55 cups | just over 2 1/2 cups |
| 1,000 g | 5.1 cups | just under 5 1/8 cups |
Ounces and pounds of pearl sugar to cups
On a scale set to ounces, a cup of pearl sugar reads 6.91 oz, so one pound fills 2.31 cups.
| Weight (not fluid oz) | Grams | Cups | In the kitchen |
|---|---|---|---|
| 4 oz | 113 g | 0.58 cups | just under 5/8 cup |
| 8 oz | 227 g | 1.16 cups | just over 1 1/8 cups |
| 12 oz | 340 g | 1.74 cups | just under 1 3/4 cups |
| 1 lb | 454 g | 2.31 cups | just under 2 1/3 cups |
| 2 lb | 907 g | 4.63 cups | about 4 5/8 cups |
| 5 lb | 2,268 g | 11.57 cups | just under 11 5/8 cups |
Other sugars closest in weight
Swapping coarse sparkling sugar for pearl sugar? Go by weight. A cup of coarse sparkling sugar weighs 228 g; the same weight of pearl sugar is 1.16 cups, just over 1 1/8 cups. Measured cup for cup, pearl sugar gives 32 g less, 14 percent.
Pearl sugar ranks 10th heaviest per cup among 15 sugars and syrups here. Against all 193 ingredients: 64 heavier, 127 lighter.
- Demerara sugar: 220 grams per cup, 24 g more
- Brown sugar (packed): 213 grams per cup, 17 g more
- Cinnamon sugar: 200 grams per cup, 4 g more
- Granulated sugar: 198 grams per cup, 2 g more
- Superfine (caster) sugar: 190 grams per cup, 6 g less
- Turbinado sugar: 180 grams per cup, 16 g less
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 pearl sugar?
98 g, half of the 196 g cup. A quarter cup of pearl sugar is 49 g.
How many cups is 100 grams of pearl sugar?
About 0.51 cups, just over 1/2 cup. Divide the grams by 196 to get cups.
How many grams are in a tablespoon of pearl sugar?
12 g per tablespoon, 4.1 g per teaspoon, both level.
How many grams is a quarter cup of pearl sugar?
49 grams, the figure on King Arthur Baking’s chart, which also gives 1 3/4 ounces. Half a cup is 98 grams and a tablespoon about 12 grams.
Is pearl sugar heavier than sparkling sugar?
No, lighter. King Arthur Baking’s chart gives 49 grams per quarter cup for Swedish pearl sugar and 57 grams per quarter cup for sparkling sugar, which is 196 against 228 grams per cup.
How many cups of pearl sugar are in a pound?
About 2.31 cups, just under 2 1/3 cups: divide the 453.6 g of a pound by the 196 g in a cup of pearl sugar. Five pounds, 2,268 g, is about 11.6 cups.
Does a cup of pearl sugar weigh 8 ounces?
A cup of pearl sugar weighs 6.91 oz, or 196 g. The 8 ounces in “a cup is 8 ounces” are fluid ounces, a volume. Eight weight ounces of pearl sugar fill 1.16 cups, just over 1 1/8 cups.