How this calculator works
Butter is sold in different shapes in different countries, so recipes mix weight and volume freely. In Canada and the United States a stick is a quarter pound, 113.4 g, and measures half a US cup, 8 tablespoons or 24 teaspoons. The US customary cup is 236.588 mL, so one cup of butter weighs 227 g on the USDA household-measure basis. Butter is close to but not exactly as dense as water, so 236.588 mL of butter weighs about 227 g rather than 237 g. A 454 g block sold in Canada is four sticks by weight, but it is a single block rather than four wrapped sticks.
Formula
grams = amount x unit weight, where 1 stick = 113.4 g, 1 cup = 227 g, 1 tablespoon = 14.1875 g and 1 teaspoon = 4.729 g. sticks = grams / 113.4. cups = grams / 227. tablespoons = grams / 14.1875. teaspoons = grams / 4.729. millilitres = grams / 227 x 236.588.
Worked example
A recipe asks for 1.5 sticks of butter. That is 1.5 x 113.4 = 170.1 g, which is 170.1 / 227 = 0.7493 cups, 12 tablespoons, 36 teaspoons and 177.2 mL. A Canadian cook weighing the same amount on a kitchen scale would use 170 g to the nearest gram.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a stick of butter the same in Canada?
Not always by shape. Canadian butter is usually sold in 454 g blocks rather than wrapped sticks. The weight is the same: 454 g is four quarter-pound sticks, and quartering the block gives pieces of 113.5 g, within a fraction of a gram of the US stick.
Why does one cup weigh 227 g rather than 237 g?
A cup is a volume of 236.588 mL, but butter is less dense than water at about 0.96 g/mL. The USDA household measure for one cup of butter is 227 g, which is why the mass is lower than the volume in millilitres.
Can I use margarine instead?
For most baking, yes, at the same weight. Margarine spreads and light products contain more water and behave differently in pastry and creaming, so check the tub label rather than assuming an exact swap.
Should I use salted or unsalted butter?
This calculator converts amounts, not salt content. If a recipe specifies unsalted butter and you only have salted, reduce the added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon per 113 g stick, or follow the recipe author's guidance.