How many sticks of butter are in 1/2 a cup?
Sounds like you’re making a recipe. Or you’re standing in the dairy section of the grocery store feeling a little lost. Just how many cups is in a stick of butter? The answer is ½ a cup. While we’re at it, here are some other common butter measurements, converted.
- 1 stick of butter = ½ cup
- 1 stick of butter = 8 Tbsp.
- 1 cup = 2 sticks of butter
- 1 pound of butter = 4 sticks of butter
- 1 pound of butter = 2 cups
Spoiler alert, we know.
But, here’s the deal: In the U.S., butter is typically sold in pre-wrapped sticks bundled together in 1/2-pound or 1-pound packages. And recipes usually call for cups. Isn’t that fun?
To make this easy for you, we created a few handy charts that convert butter from sticks to cups to grams to tablespoons and so on. Save the image at the bottom to your phone for the next time you go to the store. And, you know, want to make our Bread Pudding with Bourbon Caramel Sauce.
Common Butter Conversions
How Much Butter Is in a Cup, Tablespoon, or Pound
| Sticks | Cups | Tablespoons | Pounds |
| ¼ Stick of Butter | 1/8 cup | 2 tablespoons | 1/16 pound |
| ½ Stick of Butter | ¼ cup | 4 tablespoons | 1/8 pound |
| 1 Stick of Butter | ½ cup | 8 tablespoons | ¼ pound |
| 2 Sticks of Butter | 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | ½ pound |
| 4 Sticks of Butter | 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 1 pound |
How Much Butter Is in Grams, Ounces, and Cups
| Sticks | Grams | Ounces | Cups |
| ¼ Stick of Butter | 28g | 1 oz | 1/8 cup |
| ½ Stick of Butter | 57g | 2 oz | ¼ cup |
| 1 Stick of Butter | 113g | 4 oz | ½ cup |
| 2 Sticks of Butter | 227g | 8 oz | 1 cup |
| 4 Sticks of Butter | 454g | 16 oz | 2 cups |
Butter FAQs
In case you hate charts, we hope these butter answers offer some clarification.
How many sticks of butter are in 1 cup?
2 sticks of butter equals 1 cup. (Each stick of butter equals 1/2 a cup)
How many cups are in a pound of butter?
1 pound of butter equals two cups.
How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?
There are 8 tablespoons in a stick of butter.
How many cups is 24 tablespoons?
24 tablespoons is equal to 3 cups. Also, how much are you baking? Can we come over?
Should I use unsalted or salted butter when baking?
Unless a recipe states otherwise, you should always use unsalted butter. This allows you to control just how much salt you want to add to a recipe.
Can I use these butter measurements for margarine?
No. Just no.
My background is in publishing (I've worked at Parade, Men's Journal, Us Weekly, Stuff, Blender, Beachbody, and more), mostly with a focus in health, fitness, and entertainment. I've also run my own baking company and competed on Cupcake Wars, so hit me up with your baking questions!
For more details, check out my full bio or follow me on Instagram, Twitter, or LinkedIn.
- If You Can’t Find the Starbucks Green Slime Tumbler, These Etsy Ones Are the Next Best Thing - September 12, 2023
- 10 Stunning Barbie Charcuterie Boards to Make for Your Watch Party - August 31, 2023
- The 62 Best Trader Joe’s Products Of All Time - April 21, 2023
This is such an Interesting Information. Thank you very much for this, it will really help most of us.
For sure 🙂
So informative! I love it! Thanks
You got it! Glad these butter conversions help!
THIS is great! I have this bookmarked, thank you!!
You’re welcome!
Great guide! Bookmarking it for future reference!
Awesome!
I so need this guide! 🙂
Glad you love it!
Table looks slick.
Because it’s made of butter? 😉
Ok. I should be able to figure this out, but….I have a recipe that calls for 1 2/3 lbs of butter. I am thinking 4 sticks for the 1 lb. 2 sticks for the 1/2 lb. And…I am lost for the rest. Thank you for your help
That’s not the easiest one. You’re correct that it’s 4 sticks for 1lb. Then it’s 21 tbsp for the remaining 2/3 lbs.
That’s 2 additional sticks plus 2/3 of one stick or 5 1/3 tbsp.
Total butter needed: 6 sticks plus 5 1/3 tbsp (or just 5 tbsp)