Molasses:
Grams to Cups
By Stefan Ulrich · Last updated
Molasses weighs 340 grams per cup — the same as honey, reflecting its similar sugar concentration and viscosity. It's the byproduct of sugar refining, and its deep, bittersweet intensity is what gives gingerbread, Boston baked beans, and dark rye bread their distinctive character.
How much Molasses weighs at each cup measure.
Convert Molasses
1 cup = 340 grams
= — grams
= — cups
Quick reference
Measurement Table
| Cups | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 7 g | 0.25 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 21 g | 0.74 oz |
| ⅛ cup | 43 g | 1.52 oz |
| ¼ cup | 85 g | 3.00 oz |
| ⅓ cup | 113 g | 3.99 oz |
| ½ cup | 170 g | 6.00 oz |
| ⅔ cup | 227 g | 8.01 oz |
| ¾ cup | 255 g | 8.99 oz |
| 1 cup | 340 g | 11.99 oz |
| 1¼ cups | 425 g | 14.99 oz |
| 1½ cups | 510 g | 17.99 oz |
| 2 cups | 680 g | 23.99 oz |
| 3 cups | 1020 g | 35.98 oz |
About Molasses
The three grades of molasses have nearly identical weights per cup: light molasses (~340 g), dark molasses (~340 g), and blackstrap molasses (~345 g). Blackstrap is the most concentrated — extracted after the third boiling — and is dramatically more bitter and mineral-rich than the other grades.
For baking, unsulfured dark molasses is the standard. Sulfured molasses (made from unripe sugar cane) has a chemical taste that's off-putting in baked goods. Grandma's Molasses and Brer Rabbit Dark are reliable unsulfured brands.
Molasses is the 'secret ingredient' in brown sugar — light brown sugar contains about 3.5% molasses by weight, dark brown sugar about 6.5%. To make your own: combine 200 g granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon molasses and blend until uniform.
Tips for measuring Molasses
- Spray measuring cup with oil before measuring — same trick as honey.
- Unsulfured molasses for baking; avoid sulfured varieties.
- Blackstrap molasses is very bitter — don't substitute 1:1 for regular molasses.
- Store at room temperature in the original jar — it keeps indefinitely.
Common mistakes
- Using blackstrap when regular molasses is called for — overwhelmingly bitter
- Measuring by volume with cold, thick molasses — warm slightly for accuracy
Frequently Asked Questions
- How many grams in a cup of Molasses?
- 1 cup of Molasses weighs 340 grams — the standard used in most American recipes. Use the converter above for any other amount.
- How many grams is 1 tablespoon of Molasses?
- 1 tablespoon of Molasses weighs about 21 grams. The full table above lists every common cup fraction.
- What's the most common mistake when measuring Molasses?
- Using blackstrap when regular molasses is called for — overwhelmingly bitter. Weighing on a kitchen scale avoids it entirely.
- How do I measure sticky Molasses cleanly?
- Lightly grease the cup or spoon first — molasses then slides out completely, so the gram weight stays accurate.