How Many Tablespoons in a Stick of Butter?

Recipes measure butter in every possible way – sticks, cups, tablespoons, grams. So, how many tablespoons are in a stick of butter? The quick answer is 8. But if your recipe calls for 6 tablespoons, ⅓ cup or 200 grams, you'll want the full chart below.

This guide covers US butter sticks, cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, grams and ounces, plus how to measure butter when it doesn't come in sticks – like the 250-gram blocks sold in Europe, the UK and many other countries.

Butter Conversion Chart

Based on a standard US stick of butter (4 oz / 113 g). 1 tablespoon of butter weighs about 14 grams.

How Much Is a Stick of Butter?

In the United States, butter is usually sold in 1-pound boxes containing four sticks. Each stick is:

• 8 tablespoons
• 24 teaspoons (3 teaspoons per tablespoon)
• ½ cup
• 4 ounces
• 113 grams

You may see two shapes of stick: long and thin (common in the East) or short and wide (common in the West). They're shaped differently but weigh exactly the same.

How to Measure Butter Without Sticks

If your butter comes in a tub or a block without markings, use one of these methods:

1. Use a kitchen scale (most accurate)

Weigh it: 14 g per tablespoon, 113 g per stick, 227 g per cup. This is the easiest method for baking.

2. Use the water displacement method

1. Fill a 2-cup liquid measuring cup with 1 cup of cold water.
2. Add chunks of cold butter until the water level rises by the amount you need (for ½ cup of butter, until it reaches 1½ cups).
3. Pour off the water and use the butter.

3. Pack it into measuring spoons or cups

Press softened butter firmly into a measuring spoon or cup and level the top with a knife. It works, but air pockets make it less accurate.

European and UK Butter Blocks

Outside the US, butter is often sold in 250-gram blocks (sometimes 200 g or 500 g). Here's how they compare:

Salted vs Unsalted Butter

Salted and unsalted butter measure the same. Most baking recipes use unsalted butter so you can control the salt. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt by about ¼ teaspoon per stick.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

1. Confusing a stick with a cup. A stick is ½ cup. Fix: Use 2 sticks when a recipe asks for 1 cup.
2. Measuring melted butter as solid. Fix: Measure first, then melt – unless the recipe says "1 cup melted butter".
3. Trusting off-center wrapper lines. Fix: Check that the wrapper is lined up with the end of the stick.
4. Swapping 250 g for 2 sticks. That's 24 g extra. Fix: Weigh 227 g for 2 sticks.
5. Using tub spreads in baking. Spreads contain more water. Fix: Use real block or stick butter for baking.

The Bottom Line

A stick of butter is 8 tablespoons – the same as ½ cup, 4 ounces or 113 grams. Two sticks make a cup, and four sticks make a pound. If your butter comes in blocks, a kitchen scale is the easiest way to measure. Need other ingredients? Try our cups to grams converter.