Butter conversion chart

In the US, butter is sold in 1-pound boxes of four sticks. Each stick is ½ cup and is marked in tablespoons on the wrapper.

Sticks	Cups	Tablespoons	Grams	Ounces
¼ stick	2 tbsp	2	28 g	1 oz
½ stick	¼ cup	4	57 g	2 oz
1 stick	½ cup	8	113 g	4 oz
1½ sticks	¾ cup	12	170 g	6 oz
2 sticks	1 cup	16	227 g	8 oz
3 sticks	1½ cups	24	340 g	12 oz
4 sticks	2 cups	32	454 g	16 oz (1 lb)

Handy numbers: 1 tablespoon of butter ≈ 14 g, 1 teaspoon ≈ 4.7 g, and a European or Australian 250 g block ≈ 2.2 US sticks (1 cup + 1½ tbsp).

Measuring butter without a wrapper

Weigh it. This is the most accurate method. Use the gram values above.
Water displacement. Fill a liquid measuring cup with 1 cup of cold water, add butter until the level rises by the amount you need, then drain the water.
Pack it. For softened butter, press it firmly into a dry measuring cup to push out air pockets, then level it off.

Butter substitutions

Salted for unsalted: the amounts are the same. Reduce the recipe's added salt by about ¼ teaspoon per stick of salted butter (brands vary).
Oil for melted butter: use about ¾ as much oil (for example, ¾ cup oil for 1 cup butter). Butter is roughly 80% fat and oil is 100% fat. Oil works best in recipes that call for melted butter, such as muffins, quick breads and brownies, and not in recipes that cream butter with sugar.
Margarine or baking sticks: usually 1:1 by volume, but spreads in tubs contain more water and can make cookies spread.

Frequently asked questions

How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?

8 tablespoons. A US stick is ½ cup, 4 ounces or about 113 grams.

How much is 100 grams of butter?

About 7 tablespoons, a little under a stick (0.88 sticks), or just under ½ cup.

Are all sticks of butter the same size?

In the US, yes: 4 oz (113 g). The long, thin "Elgin" sticks common in the eastern US and the short, stubby "Western" sticks are the same weight in a different shape. Outside the US, butter is usually sold in 250 g or 200 g blocks.