Cooking Converter

1 cup flour ≈ 120 g · 1 cup sugar ≈ 200 g · 1 cup water = 240 g

Cooking

How to Use This Tool

Ingredient-Aware Cooking Conversion

Most cooking converters assume 1 cup of every ingredient weighs the same — but that’s wrong. A cup of flour weighs about 120 g, while a cup of sugar weighs about 200 g. This converter uses ingredient-specific density factors for accurate volume-to-weight conversions.

How to Use

  1. Select your ingredient from the dropdown.
  2. Enter the amount in the ‘From’ field.
  3. Choose the source unit (cups, tablespoons, grams, etc.).
  4. Choose the target unit.
  5. The result updates automatically as you type.

Common Cooking Conversions

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour ≈ 120 g
  • 1 cup granulated sugar ≈ 200 g
  • 1 cup butter ≈ 227 g (2 sticks)
  • 1 cup water ≈ 240 g
  • 1 tablespoon ≈ 15 ml ≈ 3 teaspoons

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%.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Why do I need to select an ingredient?

Because different ingredients have different densities. 1 cup of flour weighs about 120 g, but 1 cup of sugar weighs about 200 g. Without knowing the ingredient, we cannot convert volume to weight accurately.

Are the density values exact?

No u2014 they're approximate averages from USDA data. Actual density varies by packing method (sifted vs. spooned flour, packed vs. loose brown sugar), humidity, and brand. For baking where precision matters, use a kitchen scale rather than volume measurement.

What's the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?

A US cup is 240 ml (sometimes 236.6 ml in legal contexts). A metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand, Canada) is 250 ml. Our converter uses the US cup.

Can I convert between volume units (cups to tablespoons)?

Yes. Volume-to-volume conversions (cups u2194 tablespoons u2194 teaspoons u2194 ml) don't require ingredient selection u2014 they work for any liquid or pourable ingredient. Only volume-to-weight conversions need the density factor.