Cooking Measurement Converter

Q: How many milliliters in a cup?

One US cup equals 236.59 milliliters. This is different from an imperial cup (284.13 mL) or a metric cup (250 mL). When following US recipes, use the 236.59 mL conversion.

Q: What is the difference between US and metric cups?

A US cup is 236.59 mL while a metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand, and some other countries) is exactly 250 mL. The difference of about 13 mL (roughly 1 tablespoon) can affect baking recipes where precision matters.

Q: How do I convert a recipe from metric to US measurements?

To convert metric to US: divide milliliters by 236.59 to get cups, divide milliliters by 14.79 to get tablespoons, or divide milliliters by 29.57 to get fluid ounces. For weights, you'll need a separate weight conversion since volume and weight aren't directly interchangeable.

Convert between all common cooking volume units instantly. Supports cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, milliliters, liters, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, and gallons — both US and metric.

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US vs. Metric Cooking Measurements

The United States uses a customary system of cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, and fluid ounces, while most of the world uses the metric system (milliliters and liters). This difference is the most common source of recipe conversion confusion. Here is a quick reference:

1 US cup = 236.59 mL (not 250 mL, which is a metric cup)
1 US tablespoon = 14.79 mL (often rounded to 15 mL)
1 US teaspoon = 4.93 mL (often rounded to 5 mL)
1 US fluid ounce = 29.57 mL
1 US pint = 473.18 mL (different from an imperial pint at 568.26 mL)
1 US quart = 946.35 mL
1 US gallon = 3,785.41 mL = 3.785 liters

Complete Conversion Reference Table

Keep these US-to-US conversions handy for everyday cooking:

1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 16 cups = 128 fluid ounces
1 quart = 2 pints = 4 cups = 32 fluid ounces
1 pint = 2 cups = 16 fluid ounces
1 cup = 8 fluid ounces = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons
1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons = 6 teaspoons
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

Why Metric Is More Precise for Baking

Professional bakers overwhelmingly prefer metric weight measurements (grams) over volume measurements (cups) for several reasons:

Consistency: A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120g to 160g depending on how it was scooped. Measuring 150g on a scale is the same every time.
Small quantities: Measuring 2 grams of salt on a scale is far more precise than trying to level a fraction of a teaspoon.
Easy scaling: Multiplying or dividing gram amounts is simple arithmetic with no awkward fractions to manage.
Fewer dishes: Weight measurements require only a bowl and a scale, while volume measurements need multiple cups and spoons.

For everyday cooking where exact precision is less critical — soups, stews, sauces, and marinades — volume measurements work perfectly well. But for baking, consider investing in a kitchen scale and using recipes that provide gram weights.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many milliliters in a cup?

One US cup equals 236.59 milliliters. This is the standard used in American recipes. A metric cup (used in Australia and New Zealand) is exactly 250 mL, and an imperial cup (older British recipes) is 284.13 mL. Always check which standard your recipe uses, though the difference between US and metric cups is small enough (about 1 tablespoon) that it usually does not matter for cooking.

What is the difference between US and metric cups?

A US cup is 236.59 mL while a metric cup is exactly 250 mL — a difference of about 13.4 mL, or roughly 1 tablespoon. For most cooking, this difference is negligible. However, in baking where precision matters (especially for flour and leavening agents), the difference can affect the outcome. When in doubt, use a kitchen scale for the most accurate measurements.

How do I convert a recipe from metric to US measurements?

For volume conversions: divide milliliters by 236.59 to get cups, divide by 14.79 to get tablespoons, or divide by 4.93 to get teaspoons. For example, 500 mL equals about 2.11 cups. For weight-based metric recipes (grams), you need ingredient-specific conversions because different ingredients have different densities — 100g of flour is about 0.8 cups, but 100g of sugar is about 0.5 cups.

Is a US pint the same as a British pint?

No. A US pint is 473.18 mL (16 US fluid ounces), while a British imperial pint is 568.26 mL (20 imperial fluid ounces). The imperial pint is about 20% larger. This is why a "pint" of beer in the UK is noticeably larger than in the US. Always check which system your recipe uses, especially for older British cookbooks.

Cooking Measurement Converter

US vs. Metric Cooking Measurements

Complete Conversion Reference Table

Why Metric Is More Precise for Baking

Frequently Asked Questions

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