Ingredient Weight Converter · sweetener
Molasses: cups to grams
1 cup of molasses weighs 337 grams. Use the converter below for any other amount, or check the quick-reference table.
By Andrew Flores, Editor and publisher, Nathan Management. Last reviewed .
Density source: USDA FoodData Central, cross-checked against the King Arthur Baking weight chart. How these figures are derived and corrected is documented in our editorial standards.
Molasses baseline: 1 cup = 337 g.
Common amounts
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams | Ounces (weight) | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4.0 | 84 g | 2.97 oz | 59 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.3 | 112 g | 3.96 oz | 79 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8.0 | 169 g | 5.94 oz | 118 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 | 225 g | 7.93 oz | 158 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12.0 | 253 g | 8.92 oz | 177 mL |
| 1 cup | 16.0 | 337 g | 11.89 oz | 237 mL |
| 1.5 cups | 24.0 | 506 g | 17.83 oz | 355 mL |
| 2 cups | 32.0 | 674 g | 23.77 oz | 473 mL |
| 3 cups | 48.0 | 1011 g | 35.66 oz | 710 mL |
| 4 cups | 64.0 | 1348 g | 47.55 oz | 946 mL |
Spoon weights
Derived from the same 337 g per cup — a US tablespoon is 1/16 of a cup and a teaspoon is 1/48.
| Amount | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 21 g |
| 1 teaspoon | 7.0 g |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 3.5 g |
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.8 g |
Molasses at a glance
- Extractions
- First (light/mild), second (dark/robust), third (blackstrap). Each is more bitter and more mineral than the last
- It is acidic
- pH around 5 — molasses is usually what activates the baking soda in a gingerbread recipe
- Sulphured vs. unsulphured
- Sulphured molasses comes from young cane treated with sulphur dioxide and tastes of it. Buy unsulphured
What a cup of molasses actually weighs
The published 337 g assumes one specific way of filling the cup. Here is what the same cup weighs under the other common handling methods and product forms, and how far off the recipe you end up.
| How it was measured | Grams per cup | vs. published | Why |
|---|---|---|---|
| Poured from an oiled cup and scraped | 337 g | published figure | The published figure. |
| Poured from a dry cup, not scraped | ~316 g | -6% | Molasses is the stickiest common baking liquid — a tablespoon or more stays in the cup. |
A tilde (~) marks a working estimate rather than a published figure — it varies with brand, grind, or how hard the cup was packed.
Why measuring molasses by cup goes wrong
Molasses is the dark, mineral-rich syrup left after sugar has been crystallized out of cane juice. Unsulphured molasses is the baking standard. A cup weighs 337 grams. Blackstrap molasses is the third extraction — bitter, intensely flavored, and best reserved for gingerbread that wants to taste like winter.
Practical tips for working with molasses
To measure molasses without losing half to the side of the cup, oil the measuring cup first or warm the molasses jar in a bowl of hot water for a minute. The thinner viscosity releases cleanly. Always scrape the rubber spatula into the bowl — that last clinging tablespoon is roughly 20 grams of sugar that matters.
Note from this ingredient's record: Use unsulphured for baking. Blackstrap is bitter and meant for gingerbread that wants a strong mineral note, not for cookies.
Substitutions that work — and what they cost you
Dark brown sugar for molasses
Ratio: 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar per 1 cup molasses, plus a little extra liquid
Trade-off: You lose the acidity. If the recipe uses baking soda, add 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or cream of tartar per 1/4 teaspoon soda or the result tastes soapy.
Blackstrap for regular molasses
Ratio: At most half the molasses, the rest unsulphured
Trade-off: Blackstrap is markedly more bitter and mineral. A full swap will dominate everything else in the pan.
When molasses ruins the recipe
| What you see | What went wrong | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Gingerbread tastes flat and faintly soapy | The molasses was replaced with a neutral sweetener, so the baking soda had no acid to react with and stayed in the crumb. | Keep the molasses, or add an acid — 1/2 teaspoon lemon juice or cream of tartar per 1/4 teaspoon of soda. |
Storing molasses
Sealed at room temperature for about a year. It thickens badly in the fridge; there is no reason to refrigerate it.
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