How butter is measured
In the US, butter is sold in 1 pound boxes of four sticks, and each stick's wrapper is marked in tablespoons. That makes volume and weight easy to swap: a stick is 1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces and about 113 grams. In most of Europe, the UK and elsewhere, butter comes in 250 gram blocks and recipes call for it by weight, so you'll often need to go between the two.
The formula
1 oz = 28.35 g → 1 stick ≈ 113.4 g · 1 tbsp ≈ 14.2 g
1 lb = 4 sticks = 2 cups ≈ 453.6 g
250 g block ≈ 2.2 sticks
Example: 1 cup of butter
| Unit | 1 cup equals |
|---|---|
| Grams: 8 oz × 28.35 | 227 g |
| US sticks | 2 |
| Tablespoons | 16 |
| Teaspoons | 48 |
| Ounces | 8 oz |
| Pounds | 0.5 lb |
| 250 g blocks: 227 ÷ 250 | 0.91 |
Quick butter chart
| Sticks | Cups | Tablespoons | Ounces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 | 1/8 | 2 | 1 | 28 |
| 1/2 | 1/4 | 4 | 2 | 57 |
| 1 | 1/2 | 8 | 4 | 113 |
| 1 1/2 | 3/4 | 12 | 6 | 170 |
| 2 | 1 | 16 | 8 | 227 |
| 4 | 2 | 32 | 16 (1 lb) | 454 |
European butter and 250 g blocks
A 250 gram block is a little more than two US sticks (2.2 sticks, or about 1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoons). European-style butter also tends to have slightly more fat: US butter must be at least 80% butterfat, while many European and European-style butters are 82% or higher. You can swap them one-for-one by weight in almost any recipe; the higher-fat kind can make flakier pastry.
Tips
- Use the wrapper. Slice straight through the tablespoon lines printed on the paper.
- Soft butter by volume is messy. Pressing soft butter into a measuring cup traps air. Use sticks or a scale.
- Melted butter measures the same. 8 tablespoons of solid butter makes about 1/2 cup melted.
- Salted vs. unsalted: swap freely, but reduce added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon per stick of salted butter.
Frequently asked questions
How much is a stick of butter?
A standard US stick of butter is 1/2 cup, 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, or about 113 grams. A 1 pound box holds 4 sticks.
How many sticks of butter are in a cup?
Two. One cup of butter is 2 sticks, 16 tablespoons, 8 ounces or about 227 grams.
How many grams is a tablespoon of butter?
About 14 grams (14.2 g). That comes from dividing a 113 gram stick by its 8 tablespoon markings.
How do I convert a recipe that uses a 250 g block of butter?
A 250 gram block is about 2.2 US sticks, or 1 cup plus about 1 1/2 tablespoons. If a European recipe calls for a whole block, use 2 sticks plus 1 1/2 tablespoons, or simply weigh 250 grams.
Can I use salted butter instead of unsalted?
Yes, the amounts are the same by weight. Salted butter contains roughly 1/4 teaspoon of salt per stick, though brands vary, so cut the recipe's added salt by about that much.
Why are some sticks of butter short and fat?
West of the Rockies, butter is often packed in short, stubby 'Western' sticks; elsewhere you'll usually see long, thin 'Elgin' sticks. Both weigh 4 ounces and hold 1/2 cup, so they convert the same.
Rates and figures last checked October 2026.
This calculator gives estimates for planning. Check current rates and product labels before you buy, list or file.