1 Pound in Cups of Butter
1 pound of butter is 2 cups — 4 sticks. A pound of butter is two cups, or four sticks, and it is the conversion printed on the side of every butter wrapper in America. It matters because butter is sold by the pound, measured by the stick and written into recipes by the cup, and all three have to agree. This page gives the figure, explains the stick markings and shows a pound of butter working in the recipes that actually use that much.
Why this conversion exists
Butter is sold by the pound, measured by the stick and written into recipes by the cup, and all three have to agree. A pound is 2 cups, 4 sticks and 453.6 g, and a single stick is 8 tablespoons, half a cup and 113.4 g, so the three units are really one system with three names. The conversion is exact, because it is a matter of definition rather than density, which is why it never carries a dispute note. The mistakes it prevents are practical ones: cutting a stick by eye, measuring softened butter in a cup, and assuming a European 250 g block is a pound. This page gives the figures, the tables and the stick markings that make the conversion automatic.
1 pound of butter conversion table
| Pounds of butter | Cups | Sticks | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 lb | 0.5 cups | 1 stick | 113.4 g |
| 0.5 lb | 1 cup | 2 sticks | 226.8 g |
| 1 lb | 2 cups | 4 sticks | 453.6 g |
| 1.5 lb | 3 cups | 6 sticks | 680.4 g |
| 2 lb | 4 cups | 8 sticks | 907.2 g |
| 3 lb | 6 cups | 12 sticks | 1360.8 g |
The table covers the amounts recipes actually ask for, from a quarter pound to three pounds. One pound is 2 cups, 4 sticks and 453.6 g, and every row is that figure scaled, so the table is exact to the rounding shown. A single stick is 8 tablespoons, half a cup and 113.4 g, which is the unit to use when a recipe calls for less than a pound.
Cups of butter back to pounds
The table above starts from pounds, because butter is sold by the pound. The table below starts from cups, because recipes are written in cups, and the two together cover every direction. The cup figures here use the King Arthur Baking value of 227 g per cup of butter, measured scooped.
| Cups of butter | Pounds | Sticks | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0.25 cups | 0.12 lb | 2 sticks | 56.8 g |
| 0.5 cups | 0.25 lb | 4 sticks | 113.5 g |
| 1 cup | 0.5 lb | 8 sticks | 227 g |
| 1.5 cups | 0.75 lb | 12 sticks | 340.5 g |
| 2 cups | 1 lb | 16 sticks | 454 g |
| 4 cups | 2 lb | 32 sticks | 908 g |
Worked examples
Pie crust calling for 1 lb of butter
A pie crust recipe that calls for 1 lb of butter needs 2 cups, which is 4 sticks and 453.6 g. A pie crust is flour and butter in a fixed ratio, and the butter is cut in cold, so measuring it by the cup after it softens would change the pastry entirely. Weigh the butter on a scale when the recipe is a bake, because a cup of butter is approximate and a scale is exact. That is the figure to measure: 1 lb on the scale, or 4 sticks cut along the wrapper markings, or 2 cups if the butter is already softened and weighed. Because a pound of butter is sold as four sticks, the stick count is usually the easiest way to measure it, and the cup figure is the way to check it against the recipe. A recipe that calls for 1 lb of butter and gets 2 cups will behave exactly as written, because the conversion is a matter of definition rather than density.
Pound cake calling for 2 lb of butter
A pound cake recipe that calls for 2 lb of butter needs 4 cups, which is 8 sticks and 907.2 g. A pound cake takes its name from a pound each of butter, sugar, eggs and flour, and the butter is the first pound, so the conversion is the recipe's foundation. Cut along the tablespoon markings on the wrapper while the butter is cold and firm, because the markings only line up while it holds its shape. That is the figure to measure: 2 lb on the scale, or 8 sticks cut along the wrapper markings, or 4 cups if the butter is already softened and weighed. Because a pound of butter is sold as four sticks, the stick count is usually the easiest way to measure it, and the cup figure is the way to check it against the recipe. A recipe that calls for 2 lb of butter and gets 4 cups will behave exactly as written, because the conversion is a matter of definition rather than density.
Roux for gumbo calling for 0.5 lb of butter
A roux for gumbo recipe that calls for 0.5 lb of butter needs 1 cup, which is 2 sticks and 226.8 g. A roux is equal parts fat and flour by weight, and the butter is the fat, so a pound of butter is the starting point for a large pot of gumbo. Measure the butter while it is cold and let it soften afterwards, rather than trying to measure softened butter in a cup. That is the figure to measure: 0.5 lb on the scale, or 2 sticks cut along the wrapper markings, or 1 cup if the butter is already softened and weighed. Because a pound of butter is sold as four sticks, the stick count is usually the easiest way to measure it, and the cup figure is the way to check it against the recipe. A recipe that calls for 0.5 lb of butter and gets 1 cup will behave exactly as written, because the conversion is a matter of definition rather than density.
Scaling the recipe up and down
Scaling a butter recipe is straightforward, because the conversion is exact. Double the recipe and 1 lb of butter becomes 2 lb, which is 4 cups, 8 sticks and 907.2 g. Halve it and you need 0.5 lb, which is 1 cup, 2 sticks and 226.8 g. When you scale, count the sticks first and check the cups second, because the stick is the unit butter is sold in, and a miscounted stick is a real error in a bake. Remember that butter is sold by weight and measured by volume in recipes, so the scale is always the final authority when the two disagree.
How the conversion is defined
The figures on this page are standard definitions, not measured densities, so there is no dispute to report. One pound of butter is 453.59 g by definition, one stick is 113.4 g, one cup of butter is 227 g according to the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart, and one stick is 8 tablespoons or half a cup. Butter is measured scooped when a cup is used, because it is a solid fat pressed into the cup to remove air pockets, and the top is levelled with a knife. In practice, the stick markings on the wrapper are the most reliable way to measure butter without a scale, and the weight on a scale is the most reliable way of all. The gram figures here are approximate in the same way every butter measurement is approximate: temperature changes how butter packs, so cold butter and softened butter do not fill a cup the same way.
Reading the markings on a butter stick
An American stick of butter is marked in tablespoons along its wrapper, usually in eight divisions, and each division is one tablespoon, or 14.2 g. A whole stick is 8 tablespoons, half a cup and 113.4 g, and four sticks make a pound, which is 2 cups and 453.6 g. The markings are the fastest way to measure butter in a kitchen without a scale: cut along the line for the number of tablespoons the recipe needs, and the rest of the stick stays wrapped for later. The markings only work while the butter is cold and firm, because softened butter deforms and the lines stop lining up with the butter inside. European butter is sold in 250 g blocks without tablespoon markings, so the conversion there is by weight: 250 g is 2.2 sticks, or 1.1 cups.
Common mistakes
- Measuring melted butter by the cup. Melted butter should be measured in a jug or weighed, not scooped into a dry cup, because it clings and pours unevenly. A cup of melted butter is not the same as a cup of solid butter measured and then melted.
- Cutting the stick by eye. A stick of butter is marked in tablespoons, and cutting it by eye instead of by the markings is how a recipe gains or loses a tablespoon of fat. Use the wrapper markings, or weigh the butter.
- Using a cup for softened butter. Softened butter traps air when it is spooned into a cup, so the cup holds less butter than the recipe expects. Weigh softened butter, or use the stick markings while it is still cold and firm.
- Assuming all butter blocks weigh a pound. American butter is sold in one-pound blocks of four sticks, but European butter is often sold in 250 g blocks, which is 2.2 sticks. Check the packet weight before assuming the block is a pound.
Practical guidance
Butter is easiest to measure while it is cold and firm, because the stick markings on the wrapper only line up with the butter inside while it holds its shape. Cut along the tablespoon markings for the amount the recipe needs, and keep the rest wrapped for later, because an unwrapped stick absorbs fridge odours. If the recipe needs softened butter, measure it while it is cold and then let it soften, rather than trying to measure it after it has softened, because softened butter traps air in a cup and the markings no longer apply. For melted butter, measure it in a jug or weigh it, because melted butter clings to a dry cup and never fully reaches the bowl. When a recipe calls for a pound of butter, unwrap all four sticks at once and check that they are the standard 113.4 g sticks, because European butter is sold in 250 g blocks, and a 250 g block is 2.2 sticks, not two. And remember that butter is sold by weight and measured by volume in recipes, so the scale is always the final authority when the two disagree.
Frequently asked questions
How many sticks of butter is 1 pound?
1 pound of butter is 4 sticks, and each stick is 8 tablespoons, half a cup and 113.4 g. The stick is the unit butter is sold in, so the stick count is usually the easiest way to measure it: cut along the tablespoon markings on the wrapper while the butter is cold and firm, and the rest of the stick stays wrapped for later.
How many grams is 1 pound of butter?
1 pound of butter is 453.6 g, because one pound is 453.59 g by definition. A single stick is 113.4 g, half a pound is 226.8 g and two pounds is 907.2 g. When a recipe gives grams, weigh the butter on a scale rather than converting through cups, because the scale is exact and the cup is approximate.
Can I measure a pound of butter in cups?
Yes, but weigh it if the recipe matters. A pound of butter is 2 cups when the butter is pressed into the cup to remove air pockets and the top is levelled, which is the scooped method in the King Arthur Baking chart. Softened butter traps air in a cup, so a cup of softened butter holds less than the recipe expects, and the stick markings or a scale are more reliable.
Is European butter the same as American butter for this conversion?
The weight is the same, but the packaging is not. American butter is sold in one-pound blocks of four 113.4 g sticks, while European butter is usually sold in 250 g blocks, which is 2.2 sticks and 1.1 cups. Check the packet weight before assuming the block is a pound, and convert by weight on a scale when the two systems meet.
How do I measure butter without a scale?
Use the tablespoon markings printed on the stick's wrapper, which divide each stick into eight tablespoons. Cut along the line for the number of tablespoons the recipe needs, while the butter is cold and firm, because the markings only line up while the butter holds its shape. A pound is four sticks, so count the sticks first and the tablespoons second.
Related conversions
Use the butter stick converter, cups to grams converter, butter to oil converter for instant answers, or browse the units hub for every conversion on this site. For the weight of butter by the cup, see butter in grams. Nearby pages in this series: 4 ounces in cups, 100 grams in cups, 100 grams in ounces. See also our disclaimer about approximate conversions and about CookScale for how our figures are sourced.