How Many Grams in a Cup of Brown Sugar?
One cup of brown sugar weighs 213 grams — when it is firmly packed, which is what a cup of brown sugar means in a recipe. Filled loosely, the same cup can hold just 160 grams. Below are the conversion tables for packed brown sugar, a converter for any amount, and how to pack it as the number assumes.
Convert brown sugar instantly
This converter uses the same chef-reviewed database as our Cups to Grams converter for all 128 ingredients. Weights assume a US cup of 236.588 ml; see our methodology and sources.
Cups to grams: brown sugar
| Cups | Grams |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 53 g |
| ⅓ cup | 71 g |
| ½ cup | 107 g |
| ⅔ cup | 142 g |
| ¾ cup | 160 g |
| 1 cup | 213 g |
| 1½ cups | 320 g |
| 2 cups | 426 g |
| 3 cups | 639 g |
| Measure | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 13.3 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 4.44 g |
| 1 cup in ounces | 7.5 oz |
Grams to cups: brown sugar
| Grams | Cups (decimal) | Cups (fraction) |
|---|---|---|
| 50 g | 0.23 cups | ¼ cups |
| 100 g | 0.47 cups | ½ cups |
| 125 g | 0.59 cups | ⅝ cups |
| 150 g | 0.7 cups | ⅔ cups |
| 200 g | 0.94 cups | 0.94 cups |
| 250 g | 1.17 cups | 1 ⅛ cups |
| 300 g | 1.41 cups | 1 ⅜ cups |
| 400 g | 1.88 cups | 1 ⅞ cups |
| 500 g | 2.35 cups | 2 ⅓ cups |
Working with more than one ingredient? The grams in a cup chart puts 40 ingredients in one table, and the Whole Recipe Converter converts a full ingredient list in a single paste.
How to measure brown sugar properly
Pack it like a sandcastle. Spoon brown sugar into the cup and press it down firmly with the back of the spoon, layer by layer, until it is level with the rim. The standard test: tipped out, it should hold the shape of the cup. That firm pack is what makes the cup weigh 213 grams.
Light and dark weigh the same. Dark brown sugar simply has more molasses than light, so the flavour deepens but the packed weight per cup is 213 grams for both. Swap them freely by weight and choose by taste.
Soften a hardened bag before measuring. Brown sugar that has dried into a brick cannot be packed honestly — the lumps bridge and leave voids. Overnight with a slice of bread in the container, or a brief microwave under a damp paper towel, brings it back to a packable state.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a cup of brown sugar?
213 grams, firmly packed — the universal convention for brown sugar in recipes, whether or not the word “packed” is printed. A loosely filled cup of brown sugar can weigh 160 grams or less, which is the single biggest reason cookie recipes fail on conversion.
What does “packed” brown sugar actually mean?
It means the sugar is pressed into the cup firmly enough to hold the cup's shape when turned out. Spoon it in, press each layer down with the back of a spoon, and level the top. Packed correctly, the cup weighs 213 grams.
How many grams are in half a cup of packed brown sugar?
107 grams (half of 213, rounded). Pack the half cup with the same firm pressure as a full one; a gently filled half cup is the most common small-measure error in baking, because brown sugar looks full long before it is packed.