How Many Cups Are in a Pound of Sugar?
Use this easy chart to see how many cups of powdered, brown and granulated sugar equal one pound.
Knowing how many cups are in a pound of sugar for different sugar types is very helpful, especially for holiday baking to make sure you have enough sugar in your pantry.
The three most common sugars—granulated sugar, brown sugar, and powdered sugar—differ in texture and consistency and hence in weight so each variety of sugar has a different number of cups per pound. Here we break down the cups per pound of sugar for each type.
Tips
In baking, precise measurements matter a great deal and it is recommended to use a kitchen scale to weigh your ingredients. That's why a kitchen scale is among the baking tools every home cook needs.
BHG / Zoe Hansen
Cups of Sugar Per Pound
This table tells you how many cups are in a pound of the most common sugars.
Related: How to Substitute Brown Sugar for White Sugar in Baking Recipes
Sugar Weight Basics
Granulated (white sugar): The grain of granulated sugar is the smallest of these sugars, so it's much heavier by weight, and you get the fewest cups per pound of this type of sugar.
Brown sugar: Most recipes call for packed brown sugar.
Powdered sugar: Compared to the other sugars listed here, powdered sugar (or confectioners sugar) is fluffier and lighter, so you get more cups per pound.
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Related: How Do You Measure Sugar Correctly? Here's How and Why It Matters