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In this guide
Butter is one of the most common sources of recipe confusion across countries, because each baking culture measures it differently. US recipes use sticks or cups; UK and Australian recipes typically use grams or a block size; older recipes sometimes use tablespoons. This guide converts all of these into each other.
US Butter Sticks: What They Are and How to Convert Them
In the US, butter is sold in pre-measured sticks. A standard stick weighs 113 grams (4 oz) and equals ½ cup or 8 tablespoons.
| US Measurement | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 stick | 113g | 8 tbsp |
| 2 sticks | 225g | 16 tbsp (1 cup) |
| ½ stick | 57g | 4 tbsp |
| ¼ stick | 28g | 2 tbsp |
Outside the US, butter isn’t sold pre-measured — so for “1 stick,” simply weigh 113 grams.
Cups of Butter: Converting to Grams
| Cup Measurement | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 225g |
| ¾ cup | 170g |
| ½ cup | 113g |
| ¼ cup | 57g |
For any amount not listed here, use the butter converter tool, which handles sticks, cups, tablespoons, and grams together.
Tablespoons of Butter: Converting to Grams
Tablespoon size differs slightly by country — 15ml in the US/UK, 20ml in Australia — so the gram weight per tablespoon differs too.
| Tablespoons | Grams (US/UK, 15ml) | Grams (AU, 20ml) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 14g | 19g |
| 2 tbsp | 28g | 38g |
| 3 tbsp | 42g | 57g |
| 4 tbsp | 57g | 76g |
UK and Australian Butter: How It’s Sold and Measured
In the UK and Australia, butter is typically sold in 250g blocks, and recipes almost always specify grams directly, making a kitchen scale the easiest tool. Common UK quantities — 50g, 100g, 125g, 150g, 200g — all fall within a single 250g block.
Salted vs Unsalted Butter: Does It Affect the Weight?
No — salted and unsalted butter weigh the same per cup, tablespoon, or stick. Most recipes specify unsalted butter so the recipe’s salt level can be controlled precisely; if using salted butter instead, reduce any added salt by about ¼ teaspoon per 113g.
How to Measure Butter Without a Scale
If you don’t have a scale, the water displacement method works: fill a jug with a known amount of cold water, add butter until the water rises by the volume you need, then remove and pat dry. For US stick butter, use the tablespoon markings printed on the wrapper instead.