Cooking Measurement Conversions: Cups, Tablespoons, Grams, and More
A complete cooking conversion reference — US to metric, volume to weight, and how to scale recipes up or down.
US Volume Measurements
- 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
- 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
- 16 tablespoons = 1 cup
- 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 236.6 ml
- 2 cups = 1 pint = 473 ml
- 4 cups = 1 quart = 946 ml
- 4 quarts = 1 gallon = 3,785 ml
Common Ingredient Weights (per cup)
- All-purpose flour: 120–130g (spooned and leveled)
- Bread flour: 130g
- Granulated sugar: 200g
- Brown sugar (packed): 220g
- Butter: 227g
- Milk: 240g
- Water: 240g
- Honey/maple syrup: 340g
- Rolled oats: 90g
- Rice (uncooked): 185g
Why Weight > Volume for Baking
A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 100g to 160g depending on how it's scooped (sifted, spooned, or packed). This 50–60% variation is why professional bakers use weight (grams) rather than volume — it's far more precise and reproducible. Using a kitchen scale is the single biggest improvement most home bakers can make.
Scaling Recipes
Multiply all ingredient quantities by the same scaling factor (desired yield ÷ original yield). Exceptions: leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda) often need slightly less than proportional scaling when increasing recipe by 3× or more; salt to taste rather than scaling exactly; cooking time and temperature may need adjustment for different pan sizes.