Cups to Pounds Converter
Free cups to pounds converter for recipe conversions. Convert between cups and pounds for flour, sugar, butter, milk, and more. Supports multiple volume units (cups, ml, liters, gallons, fluid ounces) and weight units (pounds, grams, kilograms, ounces). Perfect for baking and cooking measurements.
Last updated: January 23, 2026
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Density is automatically set based on the selected ingredient
Conversion Result
2.00 cups = 0.95 lb
Density: 0.911 g/mL
What is the Difference Between Pounds and Cups When Baking?
Our cups to pounds converter uses two imperial measurements: cups andpounds. However, these two units measure substances differently.
A cup is a unit of volume - how much space something takes up. Most recipes using cups are based on the US customary cup (236.59 mL), which is what we use in this converter.
Note: There is also a metric cup (250 mL) used in some countries like the UK, Australia, and Canada.
A pound (lb) is a unit of mass - how much something weighs. The abbreviationlb came from the Roman unit libra, Latin for scales or balance.
A pound equals 16 ounces or 0.45 kilograms. Flour is commonly measured in pounds in professional baking.
Important: Because cups and pounds measure different things (volume vs. mass), you can't use a standard conversion between them. Instead, you must use the density of the ingredient to convert between cups and pounds. Our calculator handles this automatically.
How Do I Convert Cups to Pounds and Pounds to Cups?
To convert cups to pounds or pounds to cups, you need to use the ingredient's density. Density is the relationship between mass and volume, expressed as:
density = mass ÷ volume
Rearranging this formula, we get:
mass = density × volume
volume = mass ÷ density
Conversion Steps
- Select your ingredient - Our calculator includes 35+ common ingredients with pre-set densities
- Enter volume or weight - Input either cups (or other volume units) or pounds (or other weight units)
- Get instant conversion - The calculator automatically converts to the other unit using the ingredient's density
- Use custom density - For ingredients not listed, select "Custom ingredient" and enter the density in g/mL
How Do I Convert 1 Cup to a Pound?
| Product | Density (kg/m³) | Cups in 1 lb | Pounds in 1 cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 1000 | 1.9 | 0.52 |
| Flour | 530 | 3.6 | 0.28 |
| Milk | 1030 | 1.9 | 0.54 |
| Sugar | 850 | 2.3 | 0.44 |
| Salt | 1217 | 1.6 | 0.63 |
| Honey | 1420 | 1.4 | 0.74 |
| Butter | 911 | 2.0 | 0.50 |
| Oil | 920 | 2.0 | 0.49 |
| Rice (uncooked) | 900 | 2.5 | 0.40 |
| Oats | 400 | 5.7 | 0.18 |
Note: These values are approximations. Actual densities may vary based on brand, temperature, and how ingredients are packed. For precise baking, use weight measurements (pounds or grams).
Butter: A Special Case
Butter is one of the ingredients most commonly measured in pounds, partly because the cup to pound conversion is very straightforward:
- • 1/2 cup of butter = 1/4 lb of butter (or one stick of butter)
- • 1 cup of butter = 1/2 lb of butter (or two sticks of butter)
- • 2 cups of butter = 1 lb of butter (or four sticks of butter - usually how you buy one package of butter at the store)
So Which Should I Use for Baking: Cups or Pounds?
Because the volume of something can vary based on how tightly it is packed, weight is a more consistent measurement, especially for substances that we can compress, such as flour.
- ✓ Following home recipes
- ✓ General cooking and everyday baking
- ✓ Quick measurements for casual recipes
- ✓ No digital scale available
- ✓ Recipes are flexible with measurements
- ✓ Professional or precision baking
- ✓ Large-scale operations
- ✓ Scaling recipes up or down
- ✓ Working with compressible ingredients (flour, sugar)
- ✓ Wanting consistent, reproducible results
Pro Tip: Digital scales are now inexpensive and easily accessible, making weight measurements much easier than in the past. If you're serious about baking or want to take your recipes to the next level, consider using weight measurements (pounds or grams) for better precision and consistency.
Conversion Examples
Given: 2 cups of butter
Volume: 2 × 236.588 ml = 473.176 ml
Density: 0.911 g/mL
Calculation: 473.176 × 0.911 = 431.0 g = 0.95 lb
Result: 2 cups = 0.95 lb (approximately 1 lb)
Given: 3 cups of flour
Volume: 3 × 236.588 ml = 709.764 ml
Density: 0.529 g/mL
Calculation: 709.764 × 0.529 = 375.5 g = 0.83 lb
Result: 3 cups = 0.83 lb
Given: 1 pound of sugar
Weight: 1 × 453.592 = 453.592 g
Density: 0.85 g/mL
Calculation: 453.592 ÷ 0.85 = 533.6 ml = 2.25 cups
Result: 1 lb = 2.25 cups
Given: 4 cups of water
Volume: 4 × 236.588 ml = 946.352 ml
Density: 1.0 g/mL
Calculation: 946.352 × 1.0 = 946.352 g = 2.09 lb
Result: 4 cups = 2.09 lb
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