How Much is 1 Cup of Sugar in Grams? Granulated, Brown & Powdered Compared

When a recipe instructs you to add "1 cup of sugar", what type of sugar are you reaching for? Unlike table salt or water, sugars come in diverse crystal sizes, moisture percentages, and compaction tendencies. Measuring sugar by weight rather than volume is the secret to achieving the ideal sweetness, moisture, and caramelization.

1. White Granulated Sugar (200 grams / cup)

Standard table sugar consists of uniform, dry sucrose crystals. Because it flows freely without clumping, it does not aerate or compact significantly when poured.

1 standard US cup of white granulated sugar weighs exactly 200 grams (approx 7.05 ounces). That makes mental math easy:

• 1/4 cup sugar in grams: 50 grams
• 1/2 cup sugar in grams: 100 grams
• 3/4 cup sugar in grams: 150 grams
• 1 cup sugar in grams: 200 grams
• 1.5 cups sugar in grams: 300 grams
• 2 cups sugar in grams: 400 grams

2. Brown Sugar: Light & Dark (Packed: 220 grams / cup)

Brown sugar is white granulated sugar coated in natural cane molasses syrup. The molasses adds moisture, which makes the crystals sticky.

Almost all American and European baking recipes specify "packed brown sugar". When you press brown sugar into the cup with the back of a spoon until it holds the shape of the cup when inverted, 1 cup weighs 220 grams. Dark brown sugar has a higher molasses percentage and weighs approximately 225 grams, while lightly packed brown sugar averages 215 grams.

3. Powdered / Confectioners / Icing Sugar (120 grams / cup)

Confectioners sugar is granulated sugar mechanically pulverized into an ultra-fine powder and blended with ~3% cornstarch to prevent caking.

Because of its microscopic particle size and high aeration, 1 cup of unsifted powdered sugar weighs only 120 grams (4.23 ounces)—almost identical in weight to spooned flour! If sifted first, it drops to approximately 115 grams per cup.

4. Demerara & Turbinado Sugar (220 grams / cup)

Demerara and Turbinado are coarse, raw cane sugars featuring large amber crystals with a subtle natural caramel flavor. Because the crystals are heavier and retain surface molasses, 1 cup of Demerara sugar weighs approximately 220 grams.