How Much Does a Stick of Butter Weigh?
1 US stick of butter = 113 g½ cup · 8 tablespoons · 4 oz
Reference values Being verified with kitchen scale tests. Current figures follow the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart.
On this page: Stick chart · Wrappers · European blocks · FAQ
The US stick, in every common measure
A US stick of butter is a fixed size: ½ cup, 8 tablespoons, 4 ounces, or 113 g. That’s the amount printed on most American wrappers, and it’s the reference weight we use — from the King Arthur Baking chart’s 226 g per cup, so one stick is 113 g. Those figures are still pending our own scale tests.
Four sticks are sold as a 1-pound box. Our reference adds up to 452 g for 4 sticks, about 2 grams under a true pound (453.6 g). For home baking that difference is tiny; if you need a precise pound, weigh it.
Butter sticks to grams, ounces, tablespoons and cups
From ¼ stick to 4 sticks. Ounces follow the usual US stick labeling (1 stick = 4 oz). Grams are calculated from the 226 g-per-cup reference value (113 g per stick).
| Sticks | Grams | Ounces | Tablespoons | Cups |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ¼ stick | 28 g | 1 oz | 2 tbsp | ⅛ cup |
| ½ stick | 57 g | 2 oz | 4 tbsp | ¼ cup |
| 1 stick | 113 g | 4 oz | 8 tbsp | ½ cup |
| 1½ sticks | 170 g | 6 oz | 12 tbsp | ¾ cup |
| 2 sticks | 226 g | 8 oz | 16 tbsp | 1 cup |
| 3 sticks | 339 g | 12 oz | 24 tbsp | 1½ cups |
| 4 sticks | 452 g | 16 oz (1 lb) | 32 tbsp | 2 cups |
Reference values Being verified with kitchen scale tests. Current figures follow the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart.
PLACEHOLDER — Imran to complete: Weigh a stick (and, if you like, ½ stick and 2 sticks) on your scale. Note the brand and whether you included the wrapper. A photo of a stick on the scale, and of the tablespoon marks on the wrapper, belongs here.
Using the marks on the wrapper
US butter is typically sold in 1-pound boxes of four sticks. The paper wrapper is marked in tablespoons — usually with a line for every tablespoon — so you can cut 2 tablespoons (¼ stick) or 4 tablespoons (½ stick) without a measuring cup. Cut through the paper, then unwrap.
If the butter is soft and you need to pack it into a cup instead, press out air pockets and level the top. For melted butter, measure the stick or the grams first, then melt. The weight doesn’t change when butter melts; a volume reading of already-melted butter is less reliable, because some of it clings to the cup.
European blocks are not US sticks
Butter sold in much of Europe comes in 250 g blocks, not 113 g sticks. A 250 g block is a little more than two US sticks (226 g). Some packages are 200 g or 227 g. If a recipe says “1 stick” and you have a European block, weigh 113 g rather than guessing by eye. If a European recipe lists 50 g or 100 g, use a scale — those amounts don’t land on neat US stick fractions (50 g is a little under ½ stick).
The full cups, tablespoons and grams chart lives on the butter cups-to-grams page. To switch grams and ounces, or cups and tablespoons, use the weight converter and the volume converter.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a stick of butter weigh?
One US stick weighs 113 g, which is the usual 4 oz label and also ½ cup or 8 tablespoons. That 113 g figure is our reference value, from the King Arthur Baking chart’s 226 g per cup, and is still pending a scale test.
How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?
Eight. The wrapper is usually marked in tablespoons, so 2 tablespoons is ¼ stick and 4 tablespoons is ½ stick.
How many sticks of butter are in a cup?
Two US sticks equal 1 cup. Four sticks equal 2 cups, and are sold as a 1-pound box.
Is a European block of butter the same as a US stick?
No. A common European block is 250 g, a little more than two US sticks (226 g). Some packages are 200 g or 227 g. If a recipe says “1 stick,” weigh 113 g rather than cutting a 250 g block in half.
Does melted butter weigh the same as a solid stick?
Yes. The weight doesn’t change when butter melts; the volume reading does. Measure the stick or the grams first, then melt it.