How Many Cups Are in a Pound of Flour?
For all-purpose flour, one pound is about 3¾ US cups. The exact conversion depends on the flour type and how you fill the cup.
One Pound of Flour in Cups, by Type
Cup weights are based on common US baking standards. Brands and recipes can use slightly different weights, so check your recipe when precision matters.
| Flour type | Cups per lb | Grams per cup | Ounces per cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 3¾ cups | 120 g | 4.25 oz |
| Bread flour | 3½ cups | 127 g | 4.5 oz |
| Whole-wheat flour | 4 cups | 113 g | 4 oz |
| Cake flour | 4 cups | 114 g | 4 oz |
| Self-rising flour | 3¾ cups | 120 g | 4.25 oz |
All conversions are approximate. One avoirdupois pound equals 453.6 grams and 16 ounces.
Convert Pounds to Cups
Choose your flour, enter its weight in pounds, and calculate an estimated volume for your recipe.
How to Fill a Cup Without Packing Flour
If a recipe says “sifted flour,” sift before measuring only when the wording places “sifted” before “flour.”
Common Recipe Amounts
A standard loaf of sandwich bread often uses 3 to 4 cups of bread flour—roughly one pound. A batch of cookies may use 2¼ cups of all-purpose flour, or about 270 g. For pizza dough, weighing 500 g of flour is more reliable than aiming for about 4 cups.
Flour Conversion FAQs
How many cups are in ½ pound of flour?
Half a pound of all-purpose flour is about 1⅞ cups, or 227 g. For a fast kitchen estimate, use just under 2 cups.
How many cups are in 2 pounds of flour?
Two pounds of all-purpose flour is about 7½ cups, or 907 g. Bread flour measures a little lower by volume because each cup is heavier.
How many cups are in a 5-pound bag of flour?
A 5-pound bag of all-purpose flour contains about 18¾ cups using the 120 g-per-cup standard. The total varies with flour type and measuring method.
Why do flour conversion websites disagree?
Sources may use different cup weights, flour types, or measuring methods. A scooped cup can weigh much more than a spooned-and-leveled cup. For repeatable baking, follow the gram weight provided by the recipe whenever possible.