Density data and sources
Every conversion on this site runs through one table, shown in full below. Each ingredient has a working grams-per-cup figure, the measuring method that figure assumes, and the category of published source it came from. Where real kitchens produce a range, the range column says so honestly instead of pretending a single number is exact.
The figures come from four kinds of references: published ingredient weight charts from established baking companies, government food composition databases, culinary institute measurement standards, and manufacturer packaging for branded products like butter sticks and chocolate morsels. All cups are US cups of 236.6 ml. Densities were last reviewed in August 2026.
| Ingredient | g per cup | Method assumed | Range | Source category |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 | Assumes spoon-and-level. Scooped flour runs closer to 140 g a cup. | 120 to 145 g depending on how the cup is filled | Published baking company ingredient charts (spoon-and-level method) |
| Granulated sugar | 200 | Granulated sugar barely compresses, so this number holds. | Stable | Published baking company ingredient charts |
| Brown sugar, packed | 220 | Firmly packed. Loose brown sugar drops to about 200 g a cup. | 200 to 220 g depending on packing pressure | Published baking company ingredient charts (firmly packed) |
| Butter | 227 | A US stick is 113 g, so a cup is two sticks. | Stable | US stick packaging standard (113 g per stick) |
| Powdered sugar | 120 | Unsifted. Sifted powdered sugar falls to roughly 100 g a cup. | 100 to 125 g depending on sifting | Published baking company ingredient charts (unsifted) |
| Milk or water | 240 | Water is 236 g a cup, whole milk a touch more at 240 g. | Stable | Government food composition data for whole milk and water |
| Rolled oats | 90 | Old-fashioned rolled oats, loosely filled. | Stable | Published baking company ingredient charts |
| White rice, uncooked | 185 | Uncooked long grain. Cooked rice is about 160 g a cup. | Stable | Government food composition data (long grain white rice, raw) |
| Chocolate chips | 170 | Standard morsels. Chunks and chopped bars pack differently. | Stable | Manufacturer packaging for standard semisweet morsels |
| Honey | 340 | Honey clings, so warm the cup or use a scale. | Stable | Government food composition data |
| Almonds, whole | 143 | Whole raw almonds. Ground almond flour is about 96 g a cup. | 96 g ground to 143 g whole | Government food composition data (whole raw almonds) |
| Cocoa powder | 85 | Unsweetened, spooned and levelled without sifting. | 75 to 100 g depending on clumping and sifting | Published baking company ingredient charts |
| Table salt | 273 | Fine table salt. Kosher flake salt is nearer 145 g a cup. | 145 g kosher flakes to 292 g fine table salt | Manufacturer packaging for fine table salt |
| Baking powder | 192 | Levelled, never packed. Weigh small amounts if you can. | Stable | Manufacturer packaging (4 g per teaspoon) |
| Vegetable oil | 218 | Neutral vegetable oil at room temperature. | Stable | Government food composition data |
| Whole wheat flour | 113 | Spooned and levelled. Scooping packs it well past 130 g. | 113 to 135 g depending on filling method | Published baking company ingredient charts (spoon-and-level) |
| Cornstarch | 128 | Spooned and levelled. Sits between flour and sugar in density. | 120 to 130 g depending on settling | Government food composition data |
| Peanut butter | 258 | Smooth style, pressed in to remove air pockets. | Stable | Government food composition data (smooth peanut butter) |
| Yogurt, plain | 245 | Plain yogurt, stirred smooth before measuring. | Stable | Government food composition data |
| Sour cream | 230 | Full fat sour cream, spooned in and levelled. | Stable | Government food composition data |
| Heavy cream | 238 | Poured liquid, measured level like milk. | Stable | Government food composition data |
| Cream cheese | 227 | Block style. A standard US 8 oz brick equals one cup. | Stable | Manufacturer packaging (8 oz block) |
| Cheese, shredded | 113 | Lightly filled without pressing. A 4 oz bag is one cup. | 100 to 130 g depending on shred size and packing | Manufacturer packaging (4 oz per cup convention) |
| Breadcrumbs, dry | 108 | Fine dry breadcrumbs, spooned in loose. | 50 g panko to 108 g fine dry crumbs | Government food composition data (dry breadcrumbs) |
| Coconut, shredded | 85 | Sweetened shredded coconut, loosely filled. | Stable | Published baking company ingredient charts |
| Walnuts, chopped | 117 | Chopped pieces. Halves are lighter, ground meal heavier. | 100 g halves to 130 g finely chopped | Government food composition data (chopped walnuts) |
| Maple syrup | 322 | Pure maple syrup at room temperature. | Stable | Government food composition data |
How we choose a number when sources disagree
Ingredient charts disagree because they measure differently, not because anyone is wrong. When sources conflict, we prefer the figure tied to a named method, and we pick the method modern American recipes most commonly assume: spooned and levelled flour, firmly packed brown sugar, unsifted powdered sugar. The assumption is then stated next to every result the converter gives, so you can adjust if your recipe author worked differently.
If a figure here ever looks off against your own scale, trust your scale. Local humidity, brand differences and flake size all move real-world densities a few percent. The longer story is on why conversions vary, and the cup definitions are on US cup vs metric cup.