How many grams are in a cup in New Zealand?

A New Zealand metric cup holds 250 mL of liquid. For water or milk (density approximately 1 g/mL), 1 cup equals roughly 250 g. For ingredients with a different density the weight per cup changes significantly. For example, 1 cup of plain flour (sifted and lightly spooned) weighs about 125 g, while 1 cup of white sugar weighs about 220 g. Always check the density of your specific ingredient, since a cup of flour and a cup of sugar differ by nearly 100 g.

What is the difference between a NZ metric cup and a US cup?

A New Zealand (and Australian) metric cup is 250 mL. A US customary cup is approximately 236.6 mL, often rounded to 240 mL for practical purposes. The difference is about 4 to 6 percent. For most home baking recipes the difference is small enough to ignore, but for large quantities or recipes requiring precision it is worth selecting the correct cup size. This converter lets you choose between NZ metric (250 mL) and US cups (240 mL).

Why does the grams-per-cup value differ between ingredients?

The number of grams in a cup depends entirely on the density of the ingredient. Dense liquids such as honey (about 340 g per metric cup) weigh much more than airy dry ingredients such as rolled oats (about 90 g per metric cup) or cocoa powder (about 100 g per metric cup). Flour values also vary by type: plain flour is typically 125 g per metric cup, while bread flour can be slightly heavier. For the most accurate baking results, weigh ingredients in grams using kitchen scales rather than relying on cup measurements.

Grams to Cups Converter

Convert grams to cups for common baking and cooking ingredients. Choose your ingredient and cup size (NZ metric 250 mL or US 240 mL). Results update instantly as you type.

Because cup volume is fixed but ingredient weight varies by density, this converter uses standard reference weights for each ingredient. For precision baking, weighing in grams is always more accurate than cups.

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Reference weights verified 2025 Based on standard NZ/AU metric cup (250 mL) and US cup (240 mL) measurements. Ingredient densities sourced from USDA National Nutrient Database and NZ Food Composition Data.

1. Ingredient and Weight

Ingredient

Grams per NZ metric cup (250 mL cup)

g/cup

Weight to convert

2. Cup Size

Cup size

Reference weight for ingredient (g per 250 mL cup)

g/cup

Conversion Result

Cups
1.00
NZ metric cups (250 mL)

Fraction

Nearest common fraction

Tablespoons

16.7

NZ metric tbsp (15 mL)

Teaspoons

50.0

NZ metric tsp (5 mL)

Quick Reference: Common Weights for This Ingredient

Cups	Grams	Tablespoons (15 mL)	Teaspoons (5 mL)

Conversion Breakdown

IngredientFlour, plain / all-purpose

Weight entered125 g

Cup size used250 mL (NZ metric)

Reference weight (250 mL cup)125 g

Scale factor for cup size1.000

Result in cups1.00 cups

How This is Calculated

FormulaCups = Grams / g-per-cup

g-per-cup125 g

Calculation125 / 125 = 1.00

1 tablespoon (NZ)15 mL

1 teaspoon (NZ)5 mL

Tablespoons per cup16.67 (250 mL / 15 mL)

Result: 125 g of plain flour equals 1.00 cup (NZ metric 250 mL).

How to Convert Grams to Cups

To convert grams to cups you divide the weight in grams by the number of grams per cup for that ingredient. The number of grams per cup is not fixed because it depends on the density of the ingredient and the size of the cup being used.

The formula is: Cups = Grams / Grams per cup

Where "grams per cup" is the reference weight for 1 cup of that ingredient. For example, 1 NZ metric cup of plain flour weighs 125 g, so 250 g of flour equals 2 cups. 1 NZ metric cup of white sugar weighs 220 g, so 110 g of sugar equals 0.50 cups.

Worked Example

Convert 125 g of plain flour to NZ metric cups (250 mL):

Reference weight for plain flour: 125 g per NZ metric cup
Cups = 125 g / 125 g per cup = 1.00 cup
In tablespoons: 1.00 cup x 16.67 tbsp/cup = 16.67 tablespoons
In teaspoons: 1.00 cup x 50 tsp/cup = 50.0 teaspoons

This matches the calculator's default output above.

Cup Sizes: NZ vs US

New Zealand recipes follow the Australian metric standard where 1 cup equals 250 mL. US recipes use a US customary cup of approximately 236.6 mL (sometimes rounded to 240 mL). The difference is small for small quantities but becomes noticeable in large recipes. If you are following a US recipe on a NZ cooking site, or vice versa, select the correct cup size in this converter for accurate results.

Reference Weights for Common Ingredients

Ingredient	g per NZ metric cup (250 mL)	g per US cup (240 mL)	Notes
Flour, plain / all-purpose	125 g	120 g	Spooned and levelled, not packed
Flour, self-raising	125 g	120 g	Same method as plain flour
Flour, wholemeal	130 g	125 g	Slightly denser than plain
Flour, bread (strong)	130 g	125 g	Higher protein, slightly heavier
Flour, almond	96 g	92 g	Blanched almond meal
Sugar, white granulated	220 g	211 g	Level cup
Sugar, caster (superfine)	220 g	211 g	Finer grain, similar weight
Sugar, icing (sifted)	120 g	115 g	Sifted before measuring
Sugar, brown (packed)	200 g	192 g	Firmly packed
Sugar, raw (demerara)	220 g	211 g	Level cup
Butter	225 g	216 g	Softened, packed
Milk (whole)	250 g	240 g	Density approx. 1 g/mL
Water	250 g	240 g	Pure water at room temperature
Honey	340 g	326 g	Dense liquid (density ~1.36 g/mL)
Oil, vegetable	216 g	207 g	Density ~0.865 g/mL
Oil, olive	216 g	207 g	Density ~0.865 g/mL
Rice, raw	185 g	178 g	Short or long grain, uncooked
Rolled oats	90 g	86 g	Light and airy
Cocoa powder	100 g	96 g	Spooned, not packed
Baking powder	230 g	221 g	Level teaspoon = approx 4.6 g
Salt (table)	290 g	278 g	Fine table salt
Breadcrumbs, dry	115 g	110 g	Dry packaged, lightly spooned
Desiccated coconut	85 g	82 g	Finely shredded, unsweetened
Cornflour (cornstarch)	120 g	115 g	Sifted
Peanut butter	260 g	250 g	Smooth, packed
Yoghurt (plain)	250 g	240 g	Full-fat, similar to water
Sour cream	240 g	230 g	Thick, full-fat
Cream cheese	230 g	221 g	Full-fat block style

Values are reference averages. Actual weights vary by brand, how the ingredient is prepared (sifted vs unsifted, packed vs spooned), and measurement technique. For precise baking always use kitchen scales.

Tips for Accurate Baking Measurements

Weigh in grams where possible. Kitchen scales cost less than $20 and remove all ambiguity from cup measurements.
For dry ingredients such as flour, spoon the ingredient into the cup and level it off with a straight edge rather than scooping directly from the bag, which can pack in up to 20 percent more.
For liquids, use a clear measuring jug at eye level to check the meniscus accurately.
Packed vs unpacked matters for brown sugar: most recipes expect firmly packed, which is the value used in this converter.
Icing sugar should be sifted before measuring by cup, or weighed directly.

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Method: Grams to cups conversion is calculated as: Cups = Grams / (reference grams per 250 mL cup) x (250 / selected cup mL). Reference ingredient weights are sourced from the USDA FoodData Central database, the New Zealand Food Composition Database (Plant and Food Research), and standard NZ/AU baking references. Tablespoon = 15 mL (NZ metric); teaspoon = 5 mL (NZ metric).

Reference weights are averages and will vary depending on how the ingredient is measured, the brand, and moisture content. For baking where precision matters, weighing ingredients in grams is always recommended over cup measurements.