Cooking Measurement Converter
Convert between cups, tablespoons, grams, ounces, and more — by ingredient.
Converting between volume and weight depends on ingredient density — water and flour weigh very different amounts per cup.
1 Cups of All-Purpose Flour equals
120.0 Grams
What is it?
This calculator converts between common cooking measurements — cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, milliliters, grams, and ounces — including conversions between volume and weight, which depend on the specific ingredient's density.
Formula
Volume ↔ Volume: convert via milliliters
Volume ↔ Weight: grams = (ml ÷ 236.588) × grams-per-cup for that ingredient
Formula Explanation
Converting between two volume units (like cups to tablespoons) or two weight units (like grams to ounces) is a fixed ratio. But converting between volume and weight — like "how many grams in a cup of flour" — depends entirely on the ingredient, since a cup of flour, a cup of sugar, and a cup of honey all weigh very different amounts.
Example Calculation
1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120g, but 1 cup of honey weighs about 340g — the same volume, very different weight, because honey is much denser than flour.
How to Use
- Enter the amount you want to convert.
- Select the unit you're converting from and to.
- If converting between volume and weight, select the specific ingredient — density varies significantly by ingredient.
- Read off the converted amount.
Benefits
- Covers both same-type conversions (cups to tablespoons) and volume-to-weight conversions, which most simple converters skip.
- Uses ingredient-specific density for accurate volume-to-weight results.
- Supports the most common baking and cooking measurement units in one tool.
Use Cases
- Converting a US recipe measured in cups to grams for a kitchen scale.
- Adjusting an international recipe that uses metric measurements to US cups and spoons.
- Getting an accurate weight measurement for baking, where precision matters more than in general cooking.
What Your Result Means
The result is your converted measurement. For volume-to-weight conversions, remember this is an approximation — factors like how tightly an ingredient is packed (especially flour and brown sugar) can shift the actual weight by 10% or more.
Tips
- For baking, weight (grams) is more precise and consistent than volume — a kitchen scale reduces measurement errors significantly.
- Spoon flour into a measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly, which can pack it down and add extra weight.
- Brown sugar is typically measured 'packed,' meaning pressed firmly into the cup, unlike most other dry ingredients.
Common Mistakes
- Using a generic volume-to-weight conversion without accounting for the specific ingredient's density.
- Assuming 1 cup always equals roughly 240g regardless of ingredient — this is only true for water-like liquids.
- Mixing up US customary cups/tablespoons with UK or metric cup sizes, which differ slightly.
FAQs
Why does 1 cup of flour not weigh the same as 1 cup of sugar?
Because weight depends on density, and different ingredients pack differently into the same volume — flour is light and airy, while sugar granules pack more densely.
Is a US cup the same as a UK or metric cup?
No, a US cup is about 236.6 ml, while a metric cup (used in Australia, for example) is exactly 250 ml — a small but sometimes meaningful difference in baking.
Should I measure by weight or volume when baking?
Weight (grams) is generally more accurate and consistent for baking, since volume measurements can vary based on how ingredients are packed or leveled.
Volume-to-weight conversions are approximate and based on standard densities — actual weight can vary based on ingredient brand, moisture, and how it's packed into the measuring cup.
Last updated: July 26, 2026