How Much Is 1/3 Stick Of Butter In Tablespoons

You're halfway through a cookie recipe, hands dusted with flour, and the instructions call for 1/3 stick of butter. The wrapper only shows tablespoon marks. Now what?

Yeah. Been there.

What Is a Stick of Butter Anyway

In the U.Practically speaking, each stick weighs four ounces — 113 grams if you're metric-minded — and equals eight tablespoons. , butter comes in one-pound boxes split into four sticks. Worth adding: s. That's half a cup. The wrapper usually has lines marked for every tablespoon, sometimes even teaspoons, which is handy until you need a fraction that doesn't land on a line.

European butter? Different story. Blocks are often 250 grams, no pre-marked wrappers. Tub butter? That said, whipped, salted, unsalted, plant-based — volumes shift because of air and water content. But the standard stick? That's the baseline most American recipes assume.

The Quick Answer: 1/3 Stick in Tablespoons

One stick = 8 tablespoons.
One-third of 8 = 2.666… tablespoons.

So 1/3 stick of butter is 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.

If you're measuring by weight, that's about 37.7 grams. Worth adding: round to 38 if your scale doesn't do decimals. In cups, it's a scant 1/6 cup — not a standard measure, so don't bother with the liquid cup.

Why Butter Measurement Gets Confusing

Recipes aren't consistent. " A few go metric: "38 grams.Some call for "1/3 stick." Others say "2 2/3 tablespoons." And then there's the "knob of butter" crowd — British recipes love that one. It's vague on purpose, but for baking, vague fails.

The wrapper marks help, but they're not perfect. Practically speaking, the lines are printed on paper that stretches. Cold butter cracks when you try to cut exactly at the 2-tablespoon line. Soft butter smears. And if you're using a butter dish, the wrapper's long gone.

Weight solves this. In practice, always. A digital kitchen scale costs $15 and removes every guess. But not everyone has one handy, and not every recipe gives grams. So volume measures persist.

How to Measure Butter Accurately

Using the Wrapper Marks

This works fine for whole tablespoons. So two teaspoons is two-thirds of the way to the next line. For 1/3 stick, find the 2-tablespoon line, then estimate two teaspoons beyond it. Eyeball it. Because of that, each tablespoon mark is three teaspoons. It's close enough for most cookies, brownies, quick breads.

But — and this matters — the wrapper assumes the stick is a perfect rectangle. The ends are rounded. The first and last tablespoon are slightly smaller. It's not. The corners taper. If precision matters (laminated dough, caramel, candy), don't trust the wrapper.

Water Displacement Method

Old-school trick. Still, fill a liquid measuring cup with cold water to the 1-cup line. Add butter until the water rises to 1 cup + 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (that's 1 1/6 cups total). The displaced water equals the butter volume.

Works. And if your butter is soft, it dissolves into the water. Messy. Water gets on the butter. You have to pat it dry. Use cold, firm butter only.

Kitchen Scale (Best Way)

Place bowl on scale. Now, done. That said, no lines, no water, no guessing. Tare. Add butter until it reads 38 grams. Works for any amount, any butter type, any temperature.

If you bake even occasionally, get a scale. It's the single tool that improves consistency more than any other.

Butter Conversion Cheat Sheet

Keep this somewhere. Which means fridge magnet. Phone note. Inside the baking cabinet.

Grams are rounded to the nearest whole number. 8 tablespoons. Not the same as 1/3 stick. In real terms, european 250g blocks: 1/3 block ≈ 83g ≈ 5. Check the package.

For more on this topic, read our article on 48 oz is how many pounds or check out how long is 10 million minutes.

Common Mistakes People Get Wrong

Using whipped or tub butter 1:1 for stick butter. Whipped has air. Tub has water and oils. Volume-for-volume, you get less fat. Cookies spread. Pie crusts toughen. If a recipe calls for stick butter, use stick butter. Or weigh it — 113g per stick — and match the weight with whatever butter you have.

Measuring melted butter in a dry cup. Melted butter is liquid. Use a liquid measuring cup. Dry cups are for scooping and leveling. You'll under-measure by 10–15% if you pour melted butter into a dry cup and don't level it — which you can't, because it's liquid.

Assuming "softened" means "melted." Softened butter holds a thumbprint but keeps its shape. Melted is liquid. They behave differently in creaming, lamination, emulsification. If the recipe says softened, let it sit out 30–60 minutes. Microwave in 5-second bursts if you're desperate, but stop before it turns shiny.

Ignoring salt content. Salted vs unsalted changes flavor and

can affect chemical reactions in baking. Unsalted gives you control over salt levels and won't introduce unexpected moisture. For precision baking—especially cookies, cakes, and pastry—always reach for unsalted. Save salted butter for spreading on bread or cooking where exact measurements matter less.

Why This Matters for Your Recipes

These measurement errors compound. On the flip side, your cake layers might dome unevenly because the fat-to-liquid ratio shifted. In practice, a cookie recipe calling for 1 stick butter that actually contains only 90g due to improper measuring will spread differently, bake faster, and taste off. Pie crusts become tough when butter subsurfaces instead of staying cold and discrete.

Pro tip: Once you own a scale, clean it immediately after each use. Butter residue affects accuracy. Keep a small bowl dedicated just to butter weighing—it lives on your scale.

The Investment That Pays for Itself

A basic digital kitchen scale costs $15–$25. That's less than three specialty spatulas. Consider how many times you've thrown out a batch of cookies because they didn't turn out right—you've probably spent more on ingredients and waste than a scale costs.

Look for one with a tare function and at least 11lb capacity. Read reviews for battery life—some models die after months. Practically speaking, oXO and Escali get consistent praise. Test it with a full water bottle before committing to ensure accuracy.

Making the Switch Effortless

Don't overhaul everything at once. Practically speaking, start by weighing your butter for one new recipe each week. That's why then tackle oil, sugar, and flour. You'll immediately notice improved results. Soon you'll find yourself reaching for the scale automatically.

Keep your measuring cups where they are—they're still useful for quick tasks and visual cues. But for anything involving precise ratios, trust grams. Your future self, opening a recipe that says "38g butter" and knowing exactly what that means, will thank you.

Final Word: Butter measurement seems trivial until you've struggled with inconsistent results. Whether you're a weekend baker or daily cook, investing in proper tools and techniques pays dividends in every dish. The scale isn't just convenient—it's the difference between hoping your cookies turn out right and knowing they will.