Thick natural sweetener that adds moisture, flavor, and a tender crumb to baked goods.
1 cup = 339g
Honey
Measured
poured, cup lightly greased
Category
Syrup
Honey is a concentrated solution of natural sugars (mostly fructose and glucose) with only a small amount of water. That low water content makes it thick and dense — a cup weighs about 339 grams, far more than a cup of milk or water.
It sweetens and moistens cakes, breads, and glazes, browns quickly, and keeps baked goods soft for longer. Because it’s sticky and heavy, a scale is the cleanest way to measure — 1 US cup is about 339g.
Data last verified: 2026-08-04
Warm honey flows and levels more easily, while cool honey traps folds and clings more strongly to the cup.
Water content and botanical source vary between honeys and can cause small density differences.
Honey
339g per cup
Denser than water — one of the heaviest cups in baking.
Maple syrup
Thinner than honey with a distinct flavor.
Agave nectar
Milder and slightly runnier than honey.
Light corn syrup
Neutral flavor; resists crystallizing.
Molasses
Dark, robust, and slightly bitter.
These limited reference values are derived from the canonical cup weight. Use the converter for any other amount.
| Cups | Grams |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 85g |
| ⅓ cup | 113g |
| ½ cup | 170g |
| 1 cup | 339g |
Maple syrup
Also a liquid sweetener, but thinner and different in flavor; follow a recipe written for maple syrup rather than assuming the same amount.
Agave nectar
Milder in flavor; how much to use depends on the recipe, so follow one written for agave.
Light corn syrup
Neutral stand-in when you don't want honey's flavor.
1 US cup of honey weighs about 339 grams. Honey is denser than water, so a cup weighs far more than a cup of most liquids.
Honey is a thick, concentrated sugar solution, which gives it a high density — about 1.4 times heavier than the same volume of water.
Lightly oil the measuring cup or spray it first so the honey slides out cleanly, or skip the mess entirely and weigh it.
Sometimes, but honey adds liquid and browns faster than sugar, so the other liquids, the leavening and the baking temperature may all need changing. Use a recipe written for honey, or the substitution its author gives.