Quick Answer
One US cup of brown sugar weighs about 220 grams. That works out to 13.8 g per tablespoon and 4.58 g per teaspoon. Packed into the cup as recipes intend - light packing gives ~170 g. Weights vary slightly by brand, moisture, and how tightly you pack - for precise baking, a kitchen scale beats volume measures.
Key Facts
- 1 cup brown sugar = 220 g
- 1 tablespoon = 13.8 g
- 1 teaspoon = 4.58 g
- 1/2 cup = 110 g
- Packed into the cup as recipes intend - light packing gives ~170 g.
- Values assume standard US measures (1 cup = 236.59 mL)
Frequently Asked Questions
How many grams in 1 cup of brown sugar?
About 220 grams, scoop-and-level for dry ingredients. Packed into the cup as recipes intend - light packing gives ~170 g.
How many grams in a tablespoon of brown sugar?
One US tablespoon (15 mL) of brown sugar is about 13.8 grams. A teaspoon is 4.58 g.
Why does brown sugar weigh more (or less) than water?
Dry ingredients are weighed by how they pack into the cup volume. Brown Sugar has an apparent density of about 0.93 g/mL - lighter than water - depending on particle size and air gaps.
How many cups is 100 g of brown sugar?
100 g ÷ 220 g/cup ≈ 0.45 cups - about a little less than a full cup. The reverse table on this page covers 25-1000 g.
Should I weigh or measure by volume?
Weighing is more accurate - volume measures vary with how you scoop, pack, and level, and brands differ by 5-15%. For cookies and cakes where ratios matter, grams are the professional standard. The tables here convert either direction.