How many cups are in a pound of sugar?

A pound of granulated sugar is about 2 1/4 US cups (454 g). Icing sugar is lighter, at about 3 3/4 cups per pound.

Quick conversion table

Sugar	1 US cup	Cups per pound
Granulated or caster	about 200 g	about 2 1/4
Brown, packed	about 200 g	about 2 1/4
Icing, sifted	about 120 g	about 3 3/4

Why the numbers vary

Fine sugar packs differently from coarse sugar, and icing sugar is mostly air. The figures are close estimates, so weigh when a recipe needs to be exact.

When a live helper is useful

A baker on video can watch you measure and tell you straight away if the mixture looks right.

Frequently asked questions

How many grams are in a cup of granulated sugar?

A US cup of granulated sugar weighs about 200 g.

How many cups of brown sugar are in a pound?

About 2 1/4 cups when firmly packed, since a packed cup is around 200 g.

How many cups of icing sugar are in a pound?

About 3 3/4 cups, because a cup of sifted icing sugar is only around 120 g.

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