How to Convert Butter Sticks to Grams, Cups, and Tablespoons

In the US, butter is usually sold in 1-pound boxes of 4 sticks. Each stick is a quarter pound and is marked on its wrapper in tablespoons.

In much of the US, sticks are long and narrow (often called the "Elgin" shape). Many West Coast brands use shorter, stubbier "Western-style" sticks. Both hold the same 4 ounces, so the conversions above still apply. Only the shape differs, and both wrappers show tablespoon marks.

Outside the US, and for many imported or European-style brands, butter comes in blocks of 250 g or 500 g, sometimes 200 g or 227 g. To measure from a block:

Butter's weight doesn't change when it melts, but its volume does a little, and air beaten into softened butter makes it take up more space. That's why "1 cup of softened butter, packed" and "1 cup melted butter" aren't exactly the same. If your recipe gives sticks or grams, measure the butter cold and then soften or melt it.

For sticky things like shortening or coconut oil, the water displacement method works: fill a measuring cup with 1 cup cold water, add fat until the water reaches 1 1/2 cups, and you have 1/2 cup of fat. Pour off the water.

US federal standards require butter to contain at least 80% milkfat. European-style butters often have 82-85% and a little less water. They weigh about the same per tablespoon, so the conversions still hold.

In most recipes you can swap them freely. In laminated doughs (croissants, puff pastry) and some shortbread or pie crusts, the higher fat and lower water of European-style butter can give a flakier, more tender result, which is why some pastry recipes ask for it specifically.

Salted butter contains roughly 1.5-2% salt, about 1/4 teaspoon of table salt per stick, though brands vary. Most baking recipes call for unsalted butter so you control the salt. If you only have salted, you can usually reduce the recipe's added salt by about 1/4 teaspoon per stick.