How to Use This Tool

Cooking converter

Type a value into any field and the converter calculates the rest. It handles cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces, milliliters, grams, and ounces. Volume-to-weight conversions depend on the ingredient, so this page includes a table of common ingredient densities.

Common cooking conversions

Weight of common ingredients per cup

Volume measurements like cups and tablespoons measure space, not weight. A cup of flour weighs much less than a cup of sugar because flour is less dense. For baking especially, weight measurements (grams or ounces) are more accurate than volume.

Cooking conversion formulas

Cups to grams

grams = cups x weight per cup for that ingredient

Example: 2 cups of all-purpose flour = 2 x 120 = 240 grams.

Grams to ounces

ounces = grams / 28.3495

Example: 200 grams / 28.3495 = 7.05 ounces.

Tablespoons to cups

cups = tablespoons / 16

Example: 6 tablespoons / 16 = 0.375 cups, or 3/8 of a cup.

Fahrenheit to Celsius (oven temperatures)

Celsius = (Fahrenheit – 32) x 5/9

Example: 350F = (350 – 32) x 5/9 = 176.7C, usually rounded to 180C.

Oven temperature conversions

When you need cooking conversions

Following international recipes

American recipes use cups, tablespoons, and Fahrenheit. European, Australian, and most other recipes use grams, milliliters, and Celsius. A British recipe calling for 250g of flour is about 2.08 cups. An Australian recipe calling for 1 cup means 250 mL, not the US 236.6 mL.

Scaling recipes up or down

Halving or doubling a recipe is simple with weight measurements. Half of 200g is 100g. But half of 1/3 cup is harder to measure by volume. Converting to grams, doing the math, then measuring by weight saves time and reduces error.

Substituting ingredients

Substituting butter for oil, or honey for sugar, changes both the weight and volume. One cup of butter weighs 227g, while one cup of oil weighs 216g. Honey is sweeter by volume than sugar and also adds liquid. Knowing the weights helps you adjust proportions correctly.

Tips for accurate cooking measurements

• Flour should be spooned into the measuring cup and leveled, not scooped. Scooping packs the flour and can add 20 to 30% more than the recipe intends. A scooped cup of flour can weigh 150g instead of 120g.
• Brown sugar is the exception. Most recipes assume packed brown sugar, pressed firmly into the cup. One packed cup weighs about 220g.
• For baking, a kitchen scale is more reliable than measuring cups. Professional bakers weigh everything. A $15 digital scale that reads in grams will improve your results more than any other single tool.
• Liquid and dry measuring cups measure the same volume, but they are shaped differently. Liquid cups have a spout and extra space above the measurement line. Dry cups are meant to be filled and leveled. Using the right type reduces spills and improves accuracy.

Frequently asked questions

How many tablespoons in a cup?

16 US tablespoons = 1 US cup.

How many teaspoons in a tablespoon?

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon.

How many grams in a cup of flour?

About 120 grams for all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled. Bread flour is slightly heavier at 127 grams per cup.

How do I convert a recipe from cups to grams?

Look up the weight per cup for each ingredient. Multiply the number of cups by that weight. There is no single conversion factor because every ingredient has a different density.

What is the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?

A US cup is 236.6 mL. A metric cup (used in Australia) is 250 mL. A UK cup is 284.1 mL. The difference is small for one cup but adds up across multiple cups in a recipe.

How many sticks of butter in a cup?

2 US sticks of butter = 1 cup = 227 grams = 8 ounces. Each stick is 1/2 cup or 8 tablespoons.

How do I measure sticky ingredients like honey?

Spray the measuring cup or spoon with cooking oil first so the honey slides out. Or use a scale, which is faster and cleaner. One tablespoon of honey weighs about 21 grams.

What does “a pinch” mean in a recipe?

About 1/16 of a teaspoon, or roughly 0.3 mL. It is the amount you can pick up between your thumb and forefinger. A “dash” is slightly more, about 1/8 of a teaspoon.

Related conversion tools

• Volume Converter
• Weight Converter
• Temperature Converter
• Ounces to Grams Converter

Measurement guides

• How Big Is X Inches? A Visual Size Guide From 1 to 16 Inches
• Inches Explained: Conversion Chart, Tools, and Real-World Examples

Formula & Explanation

Volume-to-weight conversions require knowing the ingredient's density. We use approximate densities from the USDA FoodData Central database. Variations in packing (sifted vs. spooned flour, packed vs. loose brown sugar) can shift the result by 10-20%.