Pounds to Cups Converter
There is no single answer for pounds to cups, because pounds measure weight and cups measure volume. The answer depends on the ingredient: 1 pound of all-purpose flour is 3.629 cups.
Type a number and the answer appears straight away.
1 pound of water =1.917 cups
- Density used
- 1 g/mL
Weights are typical values. Packing, brand and moisture change the result, so weigh ingredients when accuracy matters.
| Ingredient | 1 pound in cups |
|---|---|
| Water | 1.917 |
| Milk | 1.851 |
| All-purpose flour | 3.629 |
| Bread flour | 3.489 |
| Cake flour | 3.979 |
| Whole wheat flour | 3.78 |
| Almond flour | 4.725 |
| Granulated sugar | 2.268 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 2.062 |
| Powdered sugar | 3.78 |
| Butter | 1.998 |
| Vegetable oil | 2.081 |
| Olive oil | 2.1 |
| Honey | 1.334 |
| Maple syrup | 1.409 |
| Rolled oats | 5.04 |
| White rice (uncooked) | 2.452 |
| Cocoa powder | 5.336 |
| Cornstarch | 3.78 |
| Table salt | 1.553 |
| Baking powder | 2.052 |
| Chocolate chips | 2.668 |
| Peanut butter | 1.68 |
| Yogurt or sour cream | 1.851 |
The math behind it: Pounds to Cups
volume = weight / density
Choose your ingredient above and the calculator applies its typical density. Dry goods are assumed to be spooned into the cup and leveled off; scooping straight from the bag packs in up to 20% more.
1 pound in cups, by ingredient
| Ingredient | Cups (cups) |
|---|---|
| Water | 1.917 |
| Milk | 1.851 |
| All-purpose flour | 3.629 |
| Bread flour | 3.489 |
| Cake flour | 3.979 |
| Whole wheat flour | 3.78 |
| Almond flour | 4.725 |
| Granulated sugar | 2.268 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 2.062 |
| Powdered sugar | 3.78 |
| Butter | 1.998 |
| Vegetable oil | 2.081 |
| Olive oil | 2.1 |
| Honey | 1.334 |
| Maple syrup | 1.409 |
| Rolled oats | 5.04 |
| White rice (uncooked) | 2.452 |
| Cocoa powder | 5.336 |
| Cornstarch | 3.78 |
| Table salt | 1.553 |
| Baking powder | 2.052 |
| Chocolate chips | 2.668 |
| Peanut butter | 1.68 |
| Yogurt or sour cream | 1.851 |
Common questions
How many cups are in 1 pound?
It depends on the ingredient. For all-purpose flour it is 3.629 cups; for yogurt or sour cream it is 1.851 cups. The chart above lists every ingredient we cover.
Is it better to weigh ingredients or use cups?
Weighing is more consistent, especially for flour, where a cup can vary by 30 grams depending on how it is filled. Professional bakers measure by weight for that reason.
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