How Many Ounces in a Stick of Butter? Quick Answer
The Quick Answer
A standard US stick of butter weighs 4 ounces (½ cup, 8 tablespoons, or about 113 grams).
That's it. That's the answer. But keep reading because butter measurements are messier than they need to be.
Why This Confuses People
Butter is sold in different forms depending on where you live. In the US, butter typically comes in 1-pound blocks containing 4 sticks. Each stick is individually wrapped with measurement lines on the paper.
In most other countries, butter is sold by weight in blocks (usually 250g or 500g). This makes converting recipes a pain if you're used to sticks.
Butter Measurements at a Glance
| Measurement | Amount | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| 1 stick | ½ cup | 113g |
| ½ stick | ¼ cup | 57g |
| 1 tablespoon | ⅛ stick | 14g |
| 1 full block | 2 cups (4 sticks) | 454g |
What About Those Markings on the Wrapper?
US butter wrappers show lines for tablespoons and fractions of a cup. The wrapper also prints the cup equivalent (⅔ cup, ⅓ cup, etc.). These are useful if you're cutting butter instead of measuring.
Just cut at the line that matches your recipe. No math required.
European Butter Is Different
European-style butter (like Kerrygold) is often sold in 250g blocks. That's roughly 8.8 ounces or about 2 sticks plus ¾ of another stick.
If a recipe calls for "2 sticks" and you're using European butter, grab a 250g block and you're close enough. Most recipes won't notice the small difference.
How to Measure Butter When Your Sticks Are Melted
Sometimes you need melted butter for a recipe. Here's how to measure:
- By weight: Use a kitchen scale. Most accurate method.
- By volume: One stick = ½ cup melted. The volume doesn't change much when butter melts.
- Water displacement: Fill a measuring cup with water, note the level, add butter until water rises by ½ cup. Dump water, use butter. Accurate if you don't have a scale.
Quick Reference for Common Recipe Calls
- Recipe says "1 stick" → Use one wrapped stick or ½ cup
- Recipe says "½ cup butter" → Use one stick
- Recipe says "⅓ cup butter" → Use about 5⅓ tablespoons (roughly ⅔ of a stick)
- Recipe says "¼ cup butter" → Use half a stick
Getting Started: The Easiest Way to Measure
Buy a kitchen scale. Seriously. If you bake or cook with butter regularly, a scale eliminates all this confusion.
Put a bowl on the scale, zero it out, and add butter until you hit your target weight. No wrappers, no markings, no guessing.
A decent digital scale costs $10-15. Worth it.
The Bottom Line
One stick = 4 ounces = ½ cup. Remember that and you're set for most US recipes. If you're working with European recipes or metric measurements, weigh your butter or accept small approximations.
Don't overthink it. Butter isn't complicated food. It's just fat with a PR problem.