Guide
How to convert cooking measurements without ruining a recipe
Most conversion mistakes don’t come from bad math. They come from treating volume and weight as if they were the same thing. A cup is a volume, a gram is a weight, and a cup of flour weighs about half as much as a cup of sugar. Use the converter above for quick swaps, and use the notes below when you’re working with ingredients where that difference matters.
Volume equivalents (US)
| Measure | Equals | Metric (approx.) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 3 teaspoons | 15 ml |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tablespoons | 60 ml |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 80 ml |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 120 ml |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons / 8 fl oz | 240 ml |
| 1 pint | 2 cups | 475 ml |
| 1 quart | 4 cups | 950 ml |
What one cup weighs
These are the typical weights for a spooned-and-leveled US cup. Packing, sifting and brand all shift the number, which is why a scale gives more consistent baking.
| Ingredient (1 cup) | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120–125 g | 4.25 oz |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 7 oz |
| Packed brown sugar | 210–220 g | 7.5 oz |
| Powdered sugar | 120 g | 4.25 oz |
| Butter (2 sticks = 1 cup) | 227 g | 8 oz |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 3.2 oz |
| Uncooked white rice | 185–200 g | 6.5–7 oz |
| Water or milk | 240 g | 8.5 oz |
| Honey | 340 g | 12 oz |
Three mistakes that throw recipes off
- Scooping flour straight from the bag. Dipping the cup packs it down and can add 20–30% more flour, the most common reason for dry cookies and dense cakes. Spoon flour into the cup and level it with a knife.
- Mixing up fluid ounces and ounces. Fluid ounces measure volume and ounces measure weight. They only line up for water and similar liquids.
- Using UK or Australian spoons interchangeably. An Australian tablespoon is 20 ml, not 15 ml. For salt, baking soda and baking powder, that difference is enough to taste.
When to switch to a scale
Cups are fine for soups, stir-fries, casseroles and most weeknight cooking. Switch to grams for bread, cakes, macarons and anything where the recipe author gave weights, because a 10% swing in flour or sugar changes the texture.