Cooking Measurement Converter

What Is a Cooking Measurement Converter?

A cooking measurement converter translates amounts between the different units used in recipes — US customary volume units (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, gallons), metric volume units (milliliters and liters), and weight units (grams, kilograms, ounces, pounds). This is essential when following recipes from different countries, scaling recipes up or down, or switching between volume-based US recipes and weight-based European baking recipes.

Volume-to-volume and weight-to-weight conversions are mathematically exact. Volume-to-weight conversions (such as cups to grams) depend on the ingredient being measured, because different ingredients have different densities. One cup of all-purpose flour weighs 120 grams, while one cup of granulated sugar weighs 200 grams and one cup of butter weighs 227 grams. The converter above handles ingredient-specific volume-to-weight conversions for the most common baking and cooking ingredients. For pure liquid unit conversions (cups, pints, quarts, gallons, mL, L) without weight, see our liquid measurement converter. For oven temperature conversions, see our cooking gas mark converter.

How the Cooking Measurement Converter Works

Selecting From and To Units

Enter the amount you want to convert, then select the "From" unit and the "To" unit from the dropdowns. The converter supports all major volume units (tsp, tbsp, fl oz, cup, pint, quart, gallon, mL, L) and weight units (g, kg, oz, lb) in a single interface. Click "Convert" to see the result displayed as a chat bubble. You can then continue asking the AI follow-up questions about the conversion, such as recipe scaling, fraction equivalents, or measurement techniques.

Volume to Volume Conversions

Volume-to-volume conversions are exact and do not depend on the ingredient. They are calculated by converting the input to milliliters as an intermediate unit, then converting to the target unit. For example, 1 cup = 236.588 mL, and 1 tablespoon = 14.787 mL, so 1 cup = 236.588 / 14.787 = 16 tablespoons exactly. These conversions are reliable for both liquid and dry ingredients measured by volume.

Weight to Weight Conversions

Weight-to-weight conversions are also exact. The converter uses grams as an intermediate unit: 1 oz = 28.35 g, 1 lb = 453.59 g, 1 kg = 1000 g. For example, 8 oz = 226.8 g, and 500 g = 1.102 lb. These conversions are useful when scaling between US recipes (which use ounces and pounds) and metric recipes (which use grams and kilograms).

Volume to Weight (Ingredient-Specific)

When you select a volume unit as "From" and a weight unit as "To" (or vice versa), an ingredient selector appears. The converter uses standard density values for each ingredient to calculate the conversion. For example, 1 cup of all-purpose flour = 120 g (using a density of 0.507 g/mL based on sifted, spooned flour). If your ingredient is not listed, or if you pack flour differently, the result may vary — use the AI chat below to ask for a more precise answer for unusual ingredients or preparation methods.

Kitchen Measurement Equivalents Chart

The table below shows standard kitchen measurement equivalents across US and metric volume units. Use this as a quick reference when cooking or baking without access to a calculator.

Dry Measurement Conversions

Cups to Grams by Ingredient

Dry ingredient weights vary significantly by ingredient. The values below are based on standard scooping methods (spooned into the cup and leveled for flour, packed for brown sugar).

Ounces to Grams

1 oz = 28.35 g. Common conversions: 2 oz = 56.7 g, 4 oz = 113.4 g, 8 oz = 226.8 g, 12 oz = 340.2 g, 16 oz (1 lb) = 453.6 g. For precise conversions, use the converter above or multiply the oz value by 28.3495.

Pounds to Kilograms

1 lb = 0.4536 kg. Common conversions: 0.5 lb = 227 g, 1 lb = 454 g, 2 lb = 907 g, 5 lb = 2.27 kg, 10 lb = 4.54 kg. Recipes from the US often specify large quantities of ingredients like flour or sugar in pounds, while European recipes use kilograms or grams throughout.

Liquid Measurement Conversions

Cups to Milliliters

1 US cup = 236.588 mL. Common conversions: 1/4 cup = 59.15 mL, 1/3 cup = 78.86 mL, 1/2 cup = 118.29 mL, 2/3 cup = 157.73 mL, 3/4 cup = 177.44 mL, 1 cup = 236.59 mL, 2 cups = 473.18 mL, 4 cups = 946.35 mL. When scaling metric recipes for US measuring cups, divide the mL amount by 236.59 to get cups.

Fluid Ounces to Milliliters

1 US fl oz = 29.574 mL. Common conversions: 2 fl oz = 59.15 mL, 4 fl oz (1/2 cup) = 118.29 mL, 8 fl oz (1 cup) = 236.59 mL, 12 fl oz = 354.88 mL, 16 fl oz (1 pint) = 473.18 mL. Note that US fluid ounces and UK fluid ounces are slightly different: 1 UK fl oz = 28.41 mL, while 1 US fl oz = 29.57 mL.

Gallons to Liters

1 US gallon = 3.785 L. Common conversions: 0.5 gallon = 1.893 L, 1 gallon = 3.785 L, 2 gallons = 7.571 L. A US gallon contains 4 quarts, 8 pints, 16 cups, or 128 fluid ounces. Note that 1 UK (imperial) gallon = 4.546 L, which is significantly larger than a US gallon.

Common Cooking Fractions

Recipes frequently use fractional cup measurements. The table below converts common fractions of a cup to tablespoons and milliliters for quick reference.

Cooking Measurement Examples

Example 1 - Convert 3/4 Cup to Tablespoons

To convert 3/4 cup to tablespoons: 1 cup = 16 tablespoons, so 3/4 cup = 16 × 0.75 = 12 tablespoons. This is one of the most frequently needed kitchen conversions when measuring without a 3/4 cup measure. You can measure it as 12 level tablespoons or as 3/4 of a standard cup measure. In milliliters, 3/4 cup = 177.44 mL.

Example 2 - Convert 200g Flour to Cups

To convert 200g of all-purpose flour to cups: standard all-purpose flour weighs approximately 120g per cup (spooned and leveled). So 200g ÷ 120g/cup = 1.667 cups, or approximately 1 and 2/3 cups. In tablespoons, this is approximately 26.7 tablespoons, or 26 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons. Note that sifted flour is lighter (approximately 100g/cup), and flour scooped directly from the bag without spooning can weigh up to 150g per cup. Use our free AI meal planner if you need help with recipe quantities at scale.

Example 3 - Convert 500mL to Cups

To convert 500 mL to cups: 1 US cup = 236.588 mL, so 500 mL ÷ 236.588 = 2.113 cups, or approximately 2 cups and 2 tablespoons (2 tablespoons = 29.57 mL, so 2 cups + 2 tbsp = 473.18 + 29.57 = 502.75 mL — close enough for cooking purposes). This conversion is common when using metric liquid measuring jugs to measure for US recipes.

Frequently Asked Questions