Kitchen Measurement Converter
Last reviewed: April 2026
Convert between teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, fluid ounces, milliliters, and liters. A unified kitchen measurement converter for any recipe. This calculator runs entirely in your browser — your data stays private, and no account is required.
Accurate measurement is critical in baking but more forgiving in cooking. Volume measurements (cups, tablespoons) are standard in American recipes, while weight measurements (grams) are standard internationally and in professional kitchens because they are more precise and consistent.[1] A cup of flour can vary by 20-30% in weight depending on how it is scooped — loosely spooned flour weighs about 120 grams while packed flour exceeds 150 grams, which is why serious bakers prefer a kitchen scale.[2] Liquid and dry measuring cups are designed differently: liquid cups have a pour spout and are read at eye level, while dry cups are meant to be leveled off with a straight edge.[3] Use the Cooking Converter for ingredient-specific weight-to-volume conversions.
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon. The most commonly needed conversion. 2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce. 4 tablespoons = ¼ cup. 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup. 2 cups = 1 pint. 4 cups = 1 quart. 4 quarts = 1 gallon. 1 cup = 236.588 mL. 1 tablespoon = 14.787 mL. 1 teaspoon = 4.929 mL.
The US cup is 236 mL. The metric cup (used in Australia, New Zealand) is 250 mL. The UK does not commonly use cups — British recipes typically use grams for dry ingredients and mL for liquids. A UK tablespoon is 15 mL (same as metric), while the US tablespoon is 14.79 mL — close enough that the difference rarely matters in cooking.
Volume measurements (cups, tablespoons) are convenient but imprecise for dry ingredients. A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120g to 160g depending on how it's scooped and packed. For baking precision, weight measurements are superior: 1 cup all-purpose flour ≈ 120–125g, 1 cup granulated sugar ≈ 200g, 1 cup butter ≈ 227g (2 sticks). Use our Cups to Grams Converter for ingredient-specific conversions.
Butter: 1 stick = ½ cup = 8 tablespoons = 113g. A "dash": ~⅛ teaspoon. A "pinch": ~1/16 teaspoon. Heavy cream: 1 cup = 240 mL = 232g. Honey: 1 cup = 340g (heavier than water). Oil: 1 cup = 218g (lighter than water). Liquid ingredients are fairly consistent by volume, but dry ingredients vary significantly — always weigh when precision matters.
| Measurement | Equivalent | Metric |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 3 teaspoons | 14.8 mL |
| 1 fluid ounce | 2 tablespoons | 29.6 mL |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons / 8 fl oz | 236.6 mL |
| 1 pint | 2 cups | 473.2 mL |
| 1 quart | 4 cups / 2 pints | 946.4 mL |
| 1 gallon | 4 quarts / 16 cups | 3,785 mL |
Cooking measurements use two distinct systems that reflect deep historical and cultural differences. The US customary system measures volume using cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, and fluid ounces — a tradition inherited from British colonial cooking where ingredients were scooped and leveled using standardized vessels. The metric system, used by the rest of the world and by professional kitchens, measures most ingredients by weight in grams and kilograms. Weight measurement is inherently more precise: a cup of flour can vary from 120 to 160 grams depending on how tightly it is packed, whether it was sifted, and even the humidity in the kitchen. A scale reading of 150 grams is 150 grams regardless of any of those factors.
The US customary volume system uses this hierarchy: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon, 2 tablespoons = 1 fluid ounce, 8 fluid ounces = 1 cup, 2 cups = 1 pint, 2 pints = 1 quart, 4 quarts = 1 gallon. The metric system is simpler: 1000 milliliters = 1 liter, and 1 milliliter of water weighs 1 gram. This clean relationship between volume and weight makes metric calculations straightforward. Note that UK/Imperial measurements differ from US measurements despite sharing names: a UK pint is 568 ml versus 473 ml for a US pint, and a UK tablespoon is 15 ml (same as metric) while an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml. These differences make specifying which system a recipe uses critically important for accuracy.
For many savory cooking applications, precise measurements are forgiving — a tablespoon more or less of olive oil or a half-cup variation in broth rarely ruins a dish. But baking is chemistry, and chemistry requires precision. Flour is the most problematic volume-measured ingredient because its density varies enormously with handling. The "scoop and sweep" method (scooping the measuring cup directly into the flour bag and leveling) typically packs 140-160 grams per cup. The "spoon and level" method (spooning flour into the cup and leveling) typically yields 120-130 grams. Professional baking recipes specify weight for exactly this reason — 150 grams of flour is 150 grams regardless of method.
Liquid measurements have their own precision considerations. A liquid measuring cup (glass or plastic with markings up the side and a pour spout) is designed for liquids and should be read at eye level at the bottom of the meniscus (the curved surface of the liquid). Dry measuring cups (nested metal or plastic cups meant to be leveled with a straight edge) measure volume accurately only when filled and leveled. Using a dry measuring cup for liquids or a liquid measuring cup for flour introduces measurement errors of 5-15%, which can meaningfully affect baked goods where hydration ratios determine texture and crumb structure.
When converting recipes between systems, these reference weights are indispensable: 1 cup all-purpose flour ≈ 125-130g (spooned and leveled), 1 cup granulated sugar = 200g, 1 cup brown sugar (packed) = 220g, 1 cup butter = 227g (2 sticks), 1 cup water = 237ml = 237g, 1 cup milk ≈ 244g (slightly denser than water), 1 cup honey ≈ 340g (much denser than water). These conversions are not constant across ingredients because density varies. One cup of popcorn kernels weighs far more than one cup of popped popcorn, and one cup of grated cheese weighs less than one cup of cubed cheese from the same block. Weight-based recipes eliminate this ambiguity entirely.
Temperature conversion between Fahrenheit and Celsius is equally essential for international recipes. The formula is °F = (°C × 9/5) + 32 and °C = (°F − 32) × 5/9. Common baking temperatures: 180°C = 356°F (standard cakes), 200°C = 392°F (bread), 220°C = 428°F (pizza), 150°C = 302°F (slow roasting). Gas mark conversions (used in British recipes) add another layer: Gas Mark 4 = 180°C = 350°F, Gas Mark 6 = 200°C = 400°F. When a recipe simply says "moderate oven," it generally means 175-190°C (350-375°F). Fan-assisted (convection) ovens run about 20°C hotter than conventional ovens, so reduce the temperature by 20°C (or about 25°F) when using convection mode with a recipe written for conventional baking.
Scaling recipes proportionally seems straightforward — double everything to serve twice as many people — but several factors break this linear relationship. Cooking times do not scale linearly with volume: doubling a cake recipe produces a thicker batter layer that takes longer to heat through, often requiring 15-25% more baking time at a slightly lower temperature to avoid burning the exterior before the center sets. Spices and salt scale sub-linearly: doubling a recipe rarely requires doubling the salt or garlic because larger volumes of food present more surface area in the mouth, and seasoning intensity is perceived relative to bite size, not total volume.
Leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda, yeast) require careful adjustment when scaling. Baking soda and baking powder should generally be scaled at about 80-90% of the proportional increase for doubled recipes and about 70-75% for tripled recipes. Excess leavening causes baked goods to rise too quickly, then collapse as the structure cannot support the gas expansion. Yeast in bread recipes is more forgiving — doubling the yeast doubles the fermentation speed, which can be offset by reducing temperature or shortening rise times. Professional bakeries often reduce yeast percentage in large batches and extend fermentation time, which produces more complex flavor through longer enzymatic activity while maintaining consistent rise and structure.
See also: Cups to Grams · Grams to Cups · Tablespoons to Cups · mL to Cups · Recipe Scaler
→ Key conversions to memorize. 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon. 4 tablespoons = ¼ cup. 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. 1 cup = 8 fl oz = 237 mL. 2 cups = 1 pint. 4 cups = 1 quart. These six facts cover 95% of recipe conversions.
→ Fluid ounces and weight ounces are different. 1 fluid ounce of water weighs approximately 1 ounce — but 1 fluid ounce of honey weighs about 1.5 ounces, and 1 fluid ounce of flour weighs about 0.5 ounces. Volume and weight only align for water.
→ Metric is more precise for baking. Professional bakers weigh ingredients in grams because volume measurements vary by how you scoop, pack, and level. A cup of flour can weigh 120–160g depending on technique. Use our Cups to Grams Converter for weight-based accuracy.
→ Australian tablespoons are different. An Australian tablespoon is 20 mL (4 teaspoons), while US/UK tablespoons are 15 mL (3 teaspoons). If using an Australian cookbook, reduce tablespoon measurements by 25%. This catches people off guard with baking recipes.
See also: Cups to Grams · Cooking Converter · Tablespoons to Cups · mL to Cups