Kitchen Measurement Conversions: oz to ml, Cups to Grams, and Every Recipe Conversion You Need
You found a recipe online that calls for 8 oz of milk, 2 cups of flour, and 3 tablespoons of butter. But your kitchen scale reads in grams and your measuring cup shows milliliters. Sound familiar? Converting between cooking measurements is one of the most common frustrations for home cooks, especially when following recipes from different countries.
This guide covers every kitchen measurement conversion you will need, with accurate tables you can bookmark and reference while cooking. For quick, interactive conversions, try our Cooking Converter tool.
Why Recipes Use Different Measurement Systems
The United States, Liberia, and Myanmar are the only countries that have not officially adopted the metric system. American recipes use cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, and fluid ounces. European, Australian, and most other international recipes use grams and milliliters. This creates confusion when you find a recipe from another country or follow a cookbook by a foreign author.
The problem goes deeper than just different units. A "cup" in the US is 240 ml, but an Australian cup is 250 ml, a Japanese cup is 200 ml, and a Canadian cup can mean either 250 ml (metric) or 227 ml (imperial). Knowing which system a recipe uses is the first step to accurate conversions.
Volume Conversions: Teaspoons, Tablespoons, Cups, and Fluid Ounces
These are the fundamental volume conversions every cook should know:
| US Measurement | Metric Equivalent | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) | 5 ml | Smallest standard measure |
| 2 teaspoons | 10 ml | |
| 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | 15 ml | = 3 teaspoons |
| 2 tablespoons | 30 ml | = 1 fl oz |
| 1 fluid ounce (fl oz) | 29.57 ml | Often rounded to 30 ml |
| 2 fl oz | 59.15 ml | = 1/4 cup |
| 4 fl oz | 118.3 ml | = 1/2 cup |
| 8 fl oz | 236.6 ml | = 1 cup |
| 16 fl oz | 473.2 ml | = 1 pint (US) |
| 1 cup (US) | 240 ml | Standard US cup |
| 1/4 cup | 60 ml | |
| 1/3 cup | 80 ml | |
| 1/2 cup | 120 ml | |
| 3/4 cup | 180 ml |
Cups to Grams: Why the Ingredient Matters
This is where many conversions go wrong. One cup of flour does not weigh the same as one cup of sugar, because they have different densities. A cup measures volume, not weight. If a recipe says "1 cup of flour" and you need grams, you must know which ingredient you are measuring.
| Ingredient | 1 Cup (US) in Grams | 1/2 Cup in Grams |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120 g | 60 g |
| Bread flour | 130 g | 65 g |
| Cake flour | 115 g | 57 g |
| Granulated sugar | 200 g | 100 g |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 220 g | 110 g |
| Powdered sugar | 120 g | 60 g |
| Butter | 227 g | 113 g |
| Honey / maple syrup | 340 g | 170 g |
| Milk | 245 g | 122 g |
| Water | 240 g | 120 g |
| Cocoa powder | 85 g | 42 g |
| Rolled oats | 90 g | 45 g |
| Rice (uncooked) | 185 g | 92 g |
Notice how 1 cup of honey (340 g) weighs nearly three times as much as 1 cup of cocoa powder (85 g). This is why professional bakers strongly prefer weighing ingredients in grams rather than using volume measurements. Weight is precise regardless of how you scoop or pack the ingredient.
Ounces to Milliliters (oz to ml)
When a recipe calls for ounces, first determine whether it means fluid ounces (volume) or weight ounces. Liquid ingredients are almost always fluid ounces. Here are the most common oz to ml conversions:
- 1 oz to ml = 29.57 ml (round to 30 ml)
- 2 oz to ml = 59.15 ml (round to 60 ml)
- 4 oz to ml = 118.3 ml (round to 120 ml)
- 6 oz to ml = 177.4 ml (round to 180 ml)
- 8 oz to ml = 236.6 ml (round to 240 ml, or 1 cup)
- 12 oz to ml = 354.9 ml (a standard soda can)
- 16 oz to ml = 473.2 ml (1 US pint)
UK vs US Measurements
If you follow British recipes, be aware of a few differences. A UK tablespoon is 15 ml (same as US). A UK teaspoon is also 5 ml. However, the UK pint is 568 ml compared to the US pint of 473 ml. Older British cookbooks may use imperial cups (284 ml) rather than metric cups (250 ml). When in doubt, check whether the recipe specifies metric or imperial measurements.
How to Scale Recipes Up or Down
Scaling a recipe requires multiplying every ingredient by the same factor. To double a recipe, multiply by 2. To halve it, multiply by 0.5. To go from a recipe serving 4 to one serving 6, multiply by 1.5.
Some practical tips for scaling:
- Convert everything to grams or milliliters first, then scale. It is much easier to multiply 120 g by 1.5 than to figure out what 1.5 times 1/3 cup is.
- Spices and salt do not always scale linearly. When doubling, start with 1.5 times the spice and adjust to taste.
- Baking times change when you scale. A doubled cake recipe in a larger pan needs more time at a slightly lower temperature.
- Leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda, yeast) should be scaled carefully. Too much can cause baked goods to rise and collapse.
Use our Cooking Converter to handle the math instantly for any ingredient and measurement combination.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ml in a cup?
A US cup equals 240 ml. An Australian or metric cup is 250 ml. A Japanese cup is 200 ml. Most international recipes and the ones you will find online from the US use the 240 ml standard.
How many tablespoons in an ounce?
There are 2 tablespoons in 1 fluid ounce. Since 1 tablespoon = 15 ml and 1 fluid ounce = 29.57 ml, this is approximate but close enough for cooking.
How many grams in a cup of flour?
One US cup of all-purpose flour weighs approximately 120 grams when spooned into the cup and leveled. If you scoop the cup directly into the flour bag, you can pack in up to 150 grams, which is why weighing is more accurate.
How do I convert a recipe from cups to grams?
You need to convert each ingredient individually since different ingredients have different densities. Use the cups-to-grams table above or our Cooking Converter tool. Water and milk are close to 240 g per cup, flour is about 120 g, and sugar is about 200 g.
Is a UK tablespoon the same as a US tablespoon?
Yes, both are 15 ml in modern usage. Historically, the US tablespoon was defined as 14.8 ml, but modern US measuring spoons are manufactured to 15 ml. You can treat them as identical for cooking purposes.
What is the difference between fluid ounces and weight ounces?
Fluid ounces measure volume (how much space a liquid takes up), while weight ounces measure mass. For water, 1 fluid ounce weighs almost exactly 1 ounce by weight. For other liquids like honey or oil, this does not hold true. Recipes for liquids use fluid ounces; recipes for solids use weight ounces.