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Cooking Unit Converter

Convert between cooking and kitchen measurements including cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, milliliters, and more.

Note: US and UK measurements differ! A US cup is 236.59 mL while a UK pint is 568.26 mL (20% larger than US pint). Always check which system your recipe uses.

Quick Reference Conversions

US Tablespoon
= 3 tsp
≈ 14.79 mL
US Cup
= 16 tbsp
≈ 236.59 mL
US Fluid Ounce
= 2 tbsp
≈ 29.57 mL
US Pint (Liquid)
= 2 cups
≈ 473.18 mL
US Quart (Liquid)
= 2 pints
≈ 946.35 mL
US Gallon (Liquid)
= 4 quarts
≈ 3.785 L

Common Cooking Conversions

US Measurements

  • 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
  • 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
  • 5 tablespoons + 1 tsp = 1/3 cup
  • 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
  • 16 tablespoons = 1 cup
  • 2 cups = 1 pint
  • 2 pints = 1 quart
  • 4 quarts = 1 gallon

Metric Equivalents

  • 1 tsp (US) ≈ 4.93 mL
  • 1 tbsp (US) ≈ 14.79 mL
  • 1/4 cup ≈ 59 mL
  • 1/3 cup ≈ 79 mL
  • 1/2 cup ≈ 118 mL
  • 1 cup ≈ 237 mL
  • 1 pint ≈ 473 mL
  • 1 quart ≈ 946 mL

Small Measurements

  • 1 drop (gtt): ≈ 0.05 mL (medical/pharmaceutical)
  • 1 dash: ≈ 1/8 teaspoon ≈ 0.62 mL
  • 1 pinch: ≈ 1/16 teaspoon ≈ 0.31 mL
  • 1 smidgen: ≈ 1/32 teaspoon ≈ 0.15 mL
  • FDA teaspoon: 5 mL (exact, nutrition labels)
  • FDA tablespoon: 15 mL (exact, nutrition labels)
  • US teaspoon: 4.92892 mL (traditional)
  • US tablespoon: 14.78676 mL (traditional)

US vs UK Differences

  • US cup: 236.59 mL vs UK cup (uncommon): 284.13 mL
  • US fluid ounce: 29.57 mL vs UK fluid ounce: 28.41 mL
  • US pint: 473.18 mL vs UK pint: 568.26 mL (20% larger!)
  • US gallon: 3.785 L vs UK gallon: 4.546 L (20% larger!)
  • US dry measures: Different from liquid (dry pint = 550.61 mL, dry gallon = 4.405 L)

Ingredient-Specific Conversions

Note: These are volume-to-weight conversions for common ingredients (approximate):

Flour (All-Purpose)
  • 1 cup ≈ 120-125 g
  • 1 tbsp ≈ 7.5 g
Sugar (Granulated)
  • 1 cup ≈ 200 g
  • 1 tbsp ≈ 12.5 g
Brown Sugar (Packed)
  • 1 cup ≈ 220 g
  • 1 tbsp ≈ 14 g
Butter
  • 1 cup ≈ 227 g (2 sticks)
  • 1 tbsp ≈ 14 g
  • 1 stick ≈ 113 g (8 tbsp)
Honey/Syrup
  • 1 cup ≈ 340 g
  • 1 tbsp ≈ 21 g
Milk/Water
  • 1 cup ≈ 240 g
  • 1 tbsp ≈ 15 g

About Cooking Measurements

Cooking measurements vary significantly between countries and have evolved from traditional practices. Understanding these differences is essential for successfully following recipes from different regions.

US Customary System

The US uses a system based on historical English units but with different definitions. The basic units are:

  • Teaspoon (tsp): 1/6 fluid ounce = 4.92892 mL (traditional) or 5 mL (FDA)
  • Tablespoon (tbsp): 1/2 fluid ounce = 14.78676 mL (traditional) or 15 mL (FDA)
  • Fluid Ounce (fl oz): 1/128 gallon = 29.5735 mL
  • Cup: 8 fluid ounces = 236.588 mL
  • Pint (liquid): 16 fluid ounces = 473.176 mL
  • Quart (liquid): 32 fluid ounces = 946.353 mL
  • Gallon (liquid): 128 fluid ounces = 3.78541 L

UK/Imperial System

The UK imperial system is based on different volume definitions than the US system:

  • Fluid Ounce (fl oz): 1/160 gallon = 28.4131 mL (slightly smaller than US)
  • Gill: 5 fluid ounces = 142.065 mL
  • Pint: 20 fluid ounces = 568.261 mL (20% larger than US pint)
  • Quart: 40 fluid ounces = 1.13652 L
  • Gallon: 160 fluid ounces = 4.54609 L (20% larger than US gallon)

Note: UK recipes often use weight (grams) rather than volume for dry ingredients, which is more accurate for baking.

Metric System

Most of the world uses metric measurements for cooking:

  • Milliliter (mL): Basic unit for small volumes
  • Centiliter (cL): 10 mL (common in some European countries)
  • Deciliter (dL): 100 mL (common in Scandinavia)
  • Liter (L): 1000 mL (basic unit for large volumes)

US Dry vs Liquid Measurements

The US system has separate dry and liquid measurements, though they're rarely distinguished in home cooking:

  • Dry Pint: 550.610 mL (16% larger than liquid pint)
  • Dry Quart: 1.10122 L
  • Dry Gallon: 4.40488 L

These are primarily used for agricultural commodities (fruits, grains) rather than home cooking.

FDA Standardized Measurements

For nutrition labeling in the US, the FDA defines:

  • Teaspoon: Exactly 5 mL
  • Tablespoon: Exactly 15 mL

These rounded metric values differ slightly from traditional US measurements but are easier to use internationally.

Traditional Small Measurements

  • Drop (gtt): Medical/pharmaceutical unit ≈ 0.05 mL (20 drops ≈ 1 mL)
  • Dash: Informal measure ≈ 1/8 teaspoon (what comes out in one quick shake)
  • Pinch: Amount you can pinch between thumb and finger ≈ 1/16 teaspoon
  • Smidgen: Half a pinch ≈ 1/32 teaspoon

Tips for Recipe Conversion

  • Always check the country of origin for recipes to know which system is being used
  • For baking, use weight (grams/ounces) when possible for better accuracy
  • Level off dry ingredients when using volume measurements (don't pack unless specified)
  • Brown sugar and shortening should be packed firmly into measuring cups
  • Liquids should be measured in clear measuring cups at eye level
  • When scaling recipes, not all ingredients scale linearly (especially leavening agents and spices)

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