Butter Conversion Calculator
Convert butter between US sticks, cups, tablespoons, grams and ounces — the conversion metric bakers need most, since American recipes measure butter in "sticks" that don't exist elsewhere.
How to use this calculator
- Enter the amount and the unit your recipe uses.
- Read the equivalent in sticks, cups, tablespoons, grams and ounces.
- US sticks are marked in tablespoons on the wrapper for easy cutting.
Formula used
The US butter stick is a fixed unit — 113 grams, or a quarter-pound — with tablespoon marks on the wrapper. Everything converts from there. European butter is sold in 250 g blocks instead, so there's no direct 'stick' equivalent.
Example calculation
1 stick of butter = 113 g = ½ cup = 8 tablespoons = 4 oz.
So a recipe wanting 2 sticks needs 227 g — just under one European 250 g block.
Decoding the butter stick
American recipes measure butter in "sticks," a unit that baffles the rest of the world where butter comes in blocks weighed in grams. A US stick is precisely a quarter-pound — 113 grams, half a cup, eight tablespoons — and its wrapper is helpfully printed with tablespoon markings so you can slice off exactly what you need. Knowing the single anchor (1 stick = 113 g) unlocks every other conversion.
The mismatch runs the other way too: European butter typically comes in 250 gram blocks, which is about 2¼ sticks, so there's no clean stick equivalent — a recipe calling for "1 stick" means cutting roughly a quarter off a 250 g block plus a little more. Because butter is often a major ingredient by weight in baking, getting this conversion right genuinely matters for the result, and weighing in grams is (as ever) the most reliable route.
Why use this calculator?
- Translate US-stick recipes for a metric kitchen instantly.
- Convert between all five butter units at once.
- Know how sticks relate to European 250 g blocks.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a stick of butter?
A US stick of butter is 113 grams (a quarter-pound), equal to ½ cup, 8 tablespoons, or 4 ounces. The wrapper is marked in tablespoons so you can cut off precise amounts.
How many sticks in a cup of butter?
Two — one stick is ½ cup, so a cup of butter is 2 sticks, which is 227 grams, 16 tablespoons or 8 ounces.
How do I convert a European butter block to sticks?
A European 250 g block is about 2¼ US sticks (since each stick is 113 g). So for a recipe needing 1 stick, cut a bit under a quarter off a 250 g block, or better, weigh out 113 g.