🥄 Cooking Measurement Converter
A cooking measurement converter that accounts for ingredient density, using King Arthur Baking's weight chart, so a cup of flour and sugar convert correctly.
What Cooking Measurement Converter Does
Volume and weight are different physical quantities, and confusing them is the single biggest source of baking measurement error. A cup measures space; a gram measures mass. How much mass fits into that cup of space depends entirely on how densely the ingredient packs — which is why a cup of flour (120g) and a cup of granulated sugar (198g) are nowhere near the same weight despite occupying identical volume.
This is also why recipes that specify weight are more reliable than ones that specify volume: how tightly flour gets packed into a measuring cup varies a lot between people — scooping directly from the bag versus spooning it in and leveling can produce a meaningfully different weight for the "same" cup, while a gram is a gram regardless of technique.
How to Use Cooking Measurement Converter
- Select the ingredient you are converting
- Enter the amount and choose the unit you have
- Choose the unit you want, and read the converted amount
Grams per US cup — selected ingredients
Verified against King Arthur Baking's published Ingredient Weight Chart.
| Ingredient | Grams per cup |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 120g |
| Granulated sugar | 198g |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 213g |
| Butter | 226g |
| Honey | 336g |
| Water / milk | 227g |
How to Read Your Result
Why water and milk differ slightly from the "exact" physics number
One US cup is 236.588 mL, and water's density is almost exactly 1g/mL, which would put a cup of water at 236.6g. King Arthur's published chart rounds this to 227g (8 oz) for consistency with how it lists other liquids by volume-to-weight — this tool follows King Arthur's stated figure since it is the source being cited throughout.
When precision actually matters
For most everyday cooking — soups, sauces, sautéed vegetables — small volume-measurement variances barely register in the final result. Baking is the exception: leavening, gluten development, and moisture ratios are sensitive enough that a flour measurement off by 15-20% (easy to do by scooping straight from the bag) can visibly change texture, which is the real reason bakers push weight over volume much harder than cooks do.
Liquid and dry measuring cups are not interchangeable in practice
Both hold the same volume, but liquid measuring cups are designed to be read at eye level with a pour spout for accuracy, while dry measuring cups are designed to be leveled off flat across the top. Using a dry cup for liquids or a liquid cup for dry ingredients is a common source of measurement error independent of the density question this tool solves.
Limitations & Accuracy Notes
- Density figures are for the specific ingredient form listed (e.g., granulated white sugar, packed brown sugar) — a different form or brand of the same ingredient can weigh differently.
- Sifted vs. unsifted flour, or firmly vs. loosely packed brown sugar, can shift the actual weight of "a cup" by a meaningful margin even for the same ingredient.
- This tool covers a curated list of common baking ingredients, not every ingredient a recipe might call for.
- Uses the US customary cup (236.588 mL) throughout — a recipe written in metric or UK cups should be converted with that in mind, since those cup sizes are not identical.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why does a cup of flour weigh less than a cup of sugar?
Why do recipes recommend weighing ingredients instead of using cups?
Where do the density figures come from?
Can I convert between any two units regardless of ingredient?
Is a US cup the same as a metric or UK cup?
Why do European recipes usually list grams instead of cups?
Is my data stored?
References & Further Reading
- King Arthur Baking — Ingredient Weight Chart — Source of every gram-per-cup figure used in this tool, verified against the live chart