Cooking Conversion Calculator (US Cups to Grams, Density-Aware)
Convert US volume measures (cups, tbsp, tsp) to grams and milliliters for common ingredients, using each ingredient's density. Runs in your browser.
Volume-to-weight depends on the ingredient’s density, so a cup of flour (≈120 g) weighs far less than a cup of honey (≈340 g) — which is why weighing is more accurate than measuring cups, especially for flour, where scooping can pack in 20%+ extra. Gram weights here follow the King Arthur Baking ingredient chart; volume (mL) is a pure unit conversion (1 US cup = 236.6 mL). For best baking results, weigh dry ingredients. Educational; everything runs in your browser.
About this tool
Recipes written in US volume units (cups, tablespoons, teaspoons) are notoriously imprecise for baking, and converting them to metric weight is the fix professional bakers swear by — but a cup is a measure of volume, not weight, so the conversion depends entirely on what you are measuring. A cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120 grams, a cup of granulated sugar about 200 grams, and a cup of honey about 340 grams: same volume, very different weights, because each ingredient has a different density. This calculator is density-aware. You pick the ingredient, enter an amount in cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces, or milliliters, and it returns the weight in grams (and ounces) using that ingredient's specific gram-per-cup figure, plus the equivalent volume in milliliters. The gram weights follow the widely used King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart, the de facto reference for US home baking. Why this matters: flour is the worst offender for volume measuring because scooping the cup directly into the bag compacts it, and a 'cup' can vary by 20% or more depending on technique — enough to make a cake dry or a dough stiff. Weighing eliminates that variance entirely, which is why serious baking recipes increasingly list grams. The tool covers the common culprits — flours, sugars (granulated, brown packed, powdered), butter, milk, water, honey, cocoa, rice, and oats. Pure liquids like water convert almost one-to-one between milliliters and grams (since water's density is about 1 g/mL), while the volume-to-mL conversion is exact (1 US cup = 236.6 mL). For the most reliable baking, weigh your dry ingredients with a kitchen scale rather than measuring by cup. Educational; everything runs in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
How to use it
- Choose the ingredient you're measuring.
- Enter the amount and pick the unit (cup, tbsp, tsp, fl oz, or mL).
- Read the weight in grams and ounces, plus the volume in milliliters.
- For baking, prefer the gram weight and use a kitchen scale.
Frequently asked questions
- How many grams is a cup of flour?
- About 120 grams of all-purpose flour per US cup, per the King Arthur Baking chart. Note this varies with how you fill the cup — scooping can pack in 20% more, which is why weighing is more reliable.
- Why does the weight depend on the ingredient?
- Because a cup measures volume, not weight, and ingredients have different densities. A cup of flour (~120 g), sugar (~200 g), and honey (~340 g) all occupy the same space but weigh very differently.
- Is weighing really more accurate than measuring cups?
- Yes, especially for flour. Cup measurements vary with technique and settling; a scale gives the same result every time. This is why most professional and serious home-baking recipes list weights.
- How many milliliters in a US cup?
- A US cup is 236.6 mL. This volume conversion is exact regardless of ingredient; only the weight (grams) depends on density.
- Does 1 mL of water equal 1 gram?
- Approximately, yes — water's density is about 1 g/mL, so a cup of water (236.6 mL) weighs about 236.6 g. Other liquids differ slightly (milk is a bit denser, honey much denser).
- Is anything uploaded?
- No. All calculations run entirely in your browser.