Cooking Unit Converter

What is a cooking converter?

A cooking converter translates between different measurement systems and units used in recipes. Recipes from different countries use different measurements — American recipes use cups and tablespoons, European recipes use grams and milliliters, and older recipes might use obscure measures like gills or drams. This tool bridges the gap.

The most common conversions in cooking are between volume (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, milliliters) and weight (grams, ounces, pounds). The tricky part is that volume-to-weight conversion depends on the ingredient — a cup of flour weighs about 120 grams, but a cup of sugar weighs about 200 grams. This tool handles ingredient-specific conversions.

Volume vs. weight: why ingredient density matters

The single most important concept in cooking measurement is that volume and weight are not interchangeable without knowing the density of the specific ingredient. A measuring cup holds a fixed volume of space — 240 ml for a US cup — but the mass of food that fits in that space changes dramatically depending on how dense the ingredient is.

Consider these examples using a standard US cup (240 ml):

• 1 cup of water = 240 g (density ≈ 1 g/ml — water is the reference).
• 1 cup of all-purpose flour (spooned and levelled) ≈ 120–125 g — flour is about half as dense as water because of air pockets between the granules.
• 1 cup of granulated white sugar ≈ 200 g — sugar crystals pack tighter than flour.
• 1 cup of packed brown sugar ≈ 220 g — packing expels air and increases apparent density.
• 1 cup of honey ≈ 340 g — honey is much denser than water (density ≈ 1.4 g/ml).

This is why there is no single universal answer to "how many grams is a cup?" — the answer always depends on the ingredient. When a recipe lists grams, use those numbers directly rather than converting from cups, because the recipe author already accounted for the specific ingredient density.

US, metric, and UK cups: not all cups are equal

Another source of confusion is that the word "cup" means different volumes in different countries. If you are cooking from a recipe written for a different region, you need to know which cup standard it uses:

• US customary cup = 236.6 ml (usually rounded to 240 ml in recipe writing). The most common standard in American cookbooks and websites.
• Metric cup = 250 ml. Used in Australia, Canada, South Africa, and most other countries that follow metric conventions. The difference from a US cup is about 5%, which is usually negligible in cooking but can add up in large batches.
• UK cup (historical) = 284 ml, derived from half an imperial pint. Modern UK recipes rarely use cup measurements — they typically use metric weights and millilitres — but older British cookbooks may still reference this larger cup.
• Japanese cup (合, gou) = 180 ml. Used for measuring rice and sake in Japanese cooking. One Japanese rice-cooker cup corresponds to this smaller measure.

This converter uses the US cup (236.6 ml) and the UK cup (284.1 ml) as separate selectable units so you can convert accurately whichever standard a recipe uses.

How to use this tool

Select the measurement type and units. Enter a value and see the converted result instantly. For volume-to-weight conversions, select the ingredient for accurate results. Common conversions like cups to grams for flour, sugar, and butter are built in.

Common cooking conversions

The table below covers the most frequently needed conversions between US customary volume units and metric, plus common weight conversions:

• 1 cup = 240 ml = 16 tablespoons.
• 1 tablespoon = 15 ml = 3 teaspoons.
• 1 stick of butter = 113 grams = 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup.
• 1 cup flour (all-purpose) = approximately 120-125 grams.
• 1 cup sugar (granulated) = approximately 200 grams.
• 1 fluid ounce (US) = 29.6 ml = 2 tablespoons.
• 1 ounce (weight) = 28.35 g.
• 1 pound = 453.6 g = 16 ounces.

Worked example: scaling a recipe

Suppose you have a cookie recipe written for a US audience that makes 24 cookies and you want to scale it to 36 cookies (1.5×). The recipe calls for:

After multiplying each amount by 1.5, you get:

• 2¼ cups flour (≈ 270 g) → 3⅜ cups (≈ 405 g). Because flour is light and compressible, weighing 405 g is far more reliable than trying to measure 3⅜ cups accurately.
• ¾ cup sugar (≈ 150 g) → 1⅛ cups (225 g). Awkward fractions are one of the main reasons professional bakers prefer weight — 225 g on a scale is unambiguous.
• ½ cup butter (113 g / 1 stick) → ¾ cup (170 g). Butter is sold in sticks in the US; knowing the weight equivalent makes it easy to cut the right amount without needing a liquid measuring cup.
• 1 tsp baking powder → 1½ tsp. Small volumes like this are still most conveniently measured by spoon; a kitchen scale is less useful at sub-5 g quantities unless you have a precision scale.

This example shows a practical pattern: use weight for bulk dry ingredients (flour, sugar, oats) where volume measurements are imprecise, and use spoon measures for small quantities of leaveners and spices where the tolerance is wide enough that a slight variation does not matter.

Cooking measurement tips

For baking accuracy, weigh ingredients with a kitchen scale rather than using measuring cups. Flour packed into a cup can vary by 30% in weight depending on how it is scooped. Professional bakers always use weight measurements. For cooking (as opposed to baking), small variations in measurement usually do not significantly affect the result.

When precision matters most — pastry, bread dough, macarons, chocolate tempering — switch to grams entirely and note the weight values the first time you make a recipe successfully. Your own measured weights, on your own scale, with your own brand of flour, will be more reliable than any generic conversion table.

Common mistakes to avoid

These are the measurement errors that most frequently cause recipe failures:

• Assuming one cup equals the same weight for all ingredients. As shown above, a cup of flour (≈120 g) weighs roughly half as much as a cup of water (240 g). Always look up the density of the specific ingredient.
• Scooping flour directly from the bag with the measuring cup. This packs flour in and can add 20–30% extra mass compared to the spooned-and-levelled method. Either spoon flour into the cup and level with a straight edge, or weigh it.
• Confusing fluid ounces (volume) with ounces (weight). A fluid ounce measures volume (29.6 ml). An ounce measures mass (28.35 g). They are only approximately equal for water; for most other ingredients they differ significantly.
• Using the wrong cup standard when following international recipes. A recipe from an Australian food blog uses 250 ml cups. If you measure with a US 240 ml cup, every cup-based measurement will be about 4% short — small for one cup, but noticeable across 3–4 cups of flour.

Frequently asked questions

Are Australian and US tablespoons the same?

No. A US tablespoon is 14.8 ml (usually rounded to 15 ml), while an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml. This difference can matter in baking. UK tablespoons are 15 ml. When following recipes from different countries, check which tablespoon size is intended. This tool lets you select the measurement standard.

Why do recipes use different measurement systems?

American recipes traditionally use volume measurements (cups, tablespoons) because they are convenient without a scale. European and professional recipes use weight (grams) because it is more precise and consistent. The US customary system evolved from British imperial measurements, while most of the world adopted the metric system. Both approaches work fine, but weight is objectively more accurate for baking.

How do I convert a recipe from cups to grams?

Look up the weight per cup for each specific ingredient — do not use a generic cups-to-grams number. Reliable sources include USDA food data tables, the ingredient manufacturer's nutrition label (which gives weight per serving alongside volume), or a tested recipe database. Measure the ingredient into a cup using your usual scooping method, weigh it on a scale, and record that number. Your result will reflect your technique and your brand of ingredient, making it the most accurate conversion for your kitchen.

Is a tablespoon the same everywhere?

No. A US tablespoon is 14.79 ml (commonly rounded to 15 ml). An Australian tablespoon is 20 ml — one-third larger. A UK tablespoon is 15 ml, the same as the US. In most of continental Europe, recipes do not use tablespoon measures at all, defaulting to millilitres and grams instead. For small amounts like 1 tablespoon of soy sauce the difference between 15 ml and 20 ml may not ruin a dish, but for a key ingredient like baking powder it can cause a recipe to rise too much or not enough.