Kitchen & Baking Unit Conversions: Cups, Spoons, Grams, Milliliters Made Simple

Kitchen measurements can be surprisingly complex. A cup of flour weighs differently than a cup of sugar, and a tablespoon of butter is measured differently in different countries. Understanding these conversions is the key to consistent cooking and baking results. This guide covers all the essential kitchen conversions you need to confidently follow any recipe from anywhere in the world.

Volume Measurements

US Customary Volume Units

1 teaspoon (tsp) = 4.92892 mL

1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 14.7868 mL = 3 tsp

1 fluid ounce (fl oz) = 29.5735 mL = 2 tbsp

1 cup = 236.588 mL = 8 fl oz

1 pint (pt) = 473.176 mL = 2 cups

1 quart (qt) = 946.353 mL = 2 pints

1 gallon (gal) = 3.78541 L = 4 quarts

Metric Volume Units

1 milliliter (mL) = 1 cubic centimeter

1 liter (L) = 1000 mL

1 deciliter (dL) = 100 mL

Weight Measurements

US to Metric Weight

1 ounce (oz) = 28.3495 grams

1 pound (lb) = 453.592 grams = 16 oz

Metric Weight

1 gram (g) = 0.035274 oz

1 kilogram (kg) = 2.20462 lb

Ingredient Density Reference

Different ingredients have significantly different densities. This is why professional bakers prefer weighing ingredients rather than using volume measures.

International Differences

Cup Sizes Worldwide

**US cup**: 236.6 mL (8 fl oz) — standard in North America

**Metric cup** (Australia, NZ): 250 mL — slightly larger

**Japanese cup**: 200 mL — common in Japanese recipes and rice cookers

**UK cup**: 284 mL (rare) — found in older British recipes

Spoon Sizes

**US tablespoon**: 14.8 mL

**UK tablespoon**: 15 mL

**Australian tablespoon**: 20 mL — important to note!

**US/UK teaspoon**: ~5 mL

Practical Tips

Measuring Dry Ingredients: For flour, spoon it into your measuring cup and level with a straight edge. Scooping directly can compress the flour, adding up to 20% more. This is the single most common baking mistake.

Measuring Liquid Ingredients: Use a clear glass or plastic measuring cup with a spout. Place it on a flat surface and read at eye level. The meniscus (the slight curve of the liquid surface) should be at the line.

Butter Measurements: In the US, butter is sold in sticks with tablespoon and cup markings. 1 stick = 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp = 113 g. In Europe, butter is typically sold in 250 g or 500 g blocks.

Use our Cups to Milliliters Converter and Grams to Ounces Converter for quick kitchen conversions.

Ingredient	1 US Cup (grams)	1 tbsp (grams)	1 tsp (grams)

All-purpose flour	120-125	7.5-8	2.5-3
Granulated sugar	200-210	12.5	4.2
Brown sugar (packed)	220	13.8	4.6
Butter	227 (2 sticks)	14.2	4.7
Honey	340	21	7
Milk	245	15	5
Olive oil	218	13.6	4.5
Cocoa powder	85-100	5.3-6.3	1.8-2.1
Rice (uncooked)	190	11.9	4
Rolled oats	90-100	5.6-6.3	1.9-2.1