There are 2 sticks of butter in a cup. That is the answer: 1 cup of butter equals 2 sticks, which equals 16 tablespoons, which equals 8 ounces, which equals 227 grams. If a recipe calls for half a cup of butter, use 1 stick. If it calls for 1 1/2 cups, use 3 sticks. This page gives you the table, the baking examples, and the reason the cup is the unit that ties butter together — because a pound of butter is 2 cups, and a pound is 4 sticks, so a cup is 2 sticks.
The conversion table
| Cups of butter | Sticks | Tablespoons | Ounces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 1/4 stick | 2 tbsp | 1 oz | 28.4 g |
| 1/4 cup | 1/2 stick | 4 tbsp | 2 oz | 56.7 g |
| 1/3 cup | 2/3 stick | 5 1/3 tbsp | 2 2/3 oz | 75.6 g |
| 1/2 cup | 1 stick | 8 tbsp | 4 oz | 113.4 g |
| 2/3 cup | 1 1/3 sticks | 10 2/3 tbsp | 5 1/3 oz | 151.2 g |
| 3/4 cup | 1 1/2 sticks | 12 tbsp | 6 oz | 170.1 g |
| 1 cup | 2 sticks | 16 tbsp | 8 oz | 226.8 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 3 sticks | 24 tbsp | 12 oz | 340.2 g |
| 2 cups | 4 sticks | 32 tbsp | 16 oz | 453.6 g |
The gram figures are rounded to one decimal place. A cup of butter is 8 ounces, and a stick is 4 ounces, so a cup is 2 sticks.
Worked example 1: a cake that needs a cup of butter
A cake recipe calls for 1 cup of butter, and your butter is in sticks. One cup is 2 sticks, so unwrap two sticks and use them both. If the recipe calls for 1 1/2 cups, that is 3 sticks, which is 12 ounces, or 340 grams. The conversion is so simple that it is easy to get careless, and the usual mistake is to use 1 stick for 1 cup, which halves the butter and leaves a dry, crumbly cake. Always double the cups to get sticks, and check the number before you unwrap.
Worked example 2: a cookie recipe that needs half a cup
A cookie recipe calls for half a cup of butter, and you have a stick in the fridge. Half a cup is 1 stick, so unwrap it and use the whole thing. That is the most common butter amount in baking, and it is the reason the stick is half a cup: the packaging was designed so that the most common amount is a single unit. If the recipe calls for a quarter cup, that is half a stick, and if it calls for three quarters of a cup, that is a stick and a half.
Worked example 3: a recipe written in cups only, scaled up
A pastry recipe calls for 2 cups of butter, and you are doubling it for a large batch. Two cups is 4 sticks, which is a pound, and doubling it gives 4 cups, which is 8 sticks, or 2 pounds. That is a lot of butter, and you should check that you have enough before you start: 8 sticks is two boxes, if butter is sold in boxes of 4 sticks. The conversion matters most at this scale, where you are buying butter rather than measuring it, and the anchor to remember is that a pound is 4 sticks and 2 cups, so a cup is 2 sticks.
Method and source
A US cup of butter is defined as 8 ounces, and a US stick of butter is defined as a quarter of a pound, which is 4 ounces, so a cup is 2 sticks. The cup is a measure of volume, and the stick is a measure of weight, but the density of butter is such that 8 ounces fills a cup, so the two agree. A European block of butter is usually 250 grams, which is about 1.1 cups, and it is not marked in cups, so a European baker weighs butter rather than measuring it in cups. The figure 2 sticks is exact for an American cup, and it is the most reliable butter conversion you will use, because the wrapper does the measuring for you.
Practical guidance
Use the tablespoon marks on the wrapper when you have American butter: a cup is 16 tablespoons, so 2 sticks is 16 tablespoons, and you can cut each stick at the 8-tablespoon mark. When you have European butter, weigh it instead: a cup is 227 grams, and half a cup is 113 grams. Soften butter at room temperature for 30 minutes before you cream it, and do not melt it unless the recipe says to, because melted butter gives a different texture. Store butter in the fridge, and freeze it if you will not use it within a few weeks. And remember the anchor: a cup is 2 sticks, 16 tablespoons, 8 ounces, and 227 grams.
Frequently asked questions
How many sticks of butter are in 1 cup?
There are 2 sticks in 1 cup of butter. That is the standard American conversion, and it is printed on the wrapper. A cup is also 16 tablespoons, 8 ounces, and 227 grams.
How many sticks of butter are in half a cup?
There is 1 stick in half a cup of butter. Half a cup is also 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, and 113 grams. It is the most common butter amount in baking.
How many sticks of butter are in 2 cups?
There are 4 sticks in 2 cups of butter. Two cups is also 32 tablespoons, 16 ounces, 1 pound, and 454 grams. It is a common amount for a large batch of pastry.
How many cups are in 1 stick of butter?
There is half a cup in 1 stick of butter. A stick is also 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, and 113 grams.
How many grams are in a cup of butter?
There are 226.8 g in a cup of butter, usually rounded to 227 g. A cup is 2 sticks, 16 tablespoons, and 8 ounces.
Is a cup of butter the same as a cup of oil?
No, by weight. A cup of butter weighs 227 grams, and a cup of oil weighs about 218 grams, because oil is slightly less dense than butter. By volume they are the same — a cup is a cup — but if a recipe gives a weight, use the weight for the ingredient it names.
Why a cup is two sticks and not one
A cup of butter is two sticks because a stick is half a cup, and the packaging was designed so that the most common amounts are whole sticks. Half a cup is one stick, a cup is two sticks, and a pound is four sticks, so the amounts a baker uses most often are whole numbers of sticks, and there is nothing to cut or measure. The system breaks only for thirds: a third of a cup is 5 1/3 tablespoons, which is two thirds of a stick, and a recipe that calls for a third of a cup of butter is better measured by weight, because a third of a cup is 76 grams and a scale will give you that exactly. For halves, quarters, and whole cups, count sticks; for thirds, weigh it.