Recipe Unit Conversion Guide: Cups, Grams, Ounces, and More

Confused by cups vs grams vs ounces? This complete guide explains how to convert cooking measurements, with common ingredient weight charts.

One of the biggest frustrations in cooking is dealing with recipes from different countries, cuisines, or eras — each using different measurement systems. American recipes use cups and ounces; European and Asian recipes use grams and milliliters. Mastering unit conversion makes you a more versatile cook.

Volume vs. Weight: The Core Difference

Volume (cups, tablespoons, milliliters) measures space. Weight (grams, ounces) measures mass. For liquids, they're interchangeable (1 ml of water = 1g). For dry ingredients, they're very different — 1 cup of flour ≠ 1 cup of sugar by weight.

Why weight wins: A cup of flour can vary by 20–30% depending on how tightly it's packed. 100g of flour is always 100g.

Common Conversion Factors

Volume

1 cup = 240 ml = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons

1 tablespoon = 15 ml = 3 teaspoons

1 teaspoon = 5 ml

1 fluid ounce = 30 ml

Weight

1 ounce = 28.35 grams

1 pound = 453.6 grams

1 kilogram = 2.205 pounds

Ingredient Weight Chart (per 1 cup)

| Ingredient | Grams | Ounces | |---|---|---| | All-purpose flour | 120–130g | 4.2–4.6 oz | | Cake flour | 100g | 3.5 oz | | Bread flour | 130g | 4.6 oz | | White sugar | 200g | 7 oz | | Brown sugar (packed) | 220g | 7.8 oz | | Powdered sugar | 120g | 4.2 oz | | Butter | 227g | 8 oz | | Honey | 340g | 12 oz | | Rice (dry) | 185g | 6.5 oz | | Rolled oats | 90g | 3.2 oz |

Temperature Conversion

American recipes use Fahrenheit; most of the world uses Celsius.

°C to °F: multiply by 9/5, then add 32

°F to °C: subtract 32, then multiply by 5/9

Common baking temperatures:

325°F = 165°C

350°F = 175°C

375°F = 190°C

400°F = 205°C

425°F = 220°C

Pan Size Equivalents

9" round pan ≈ 8" square pan (same area)

9×13" pan holds roughly 2× as much as a 9" round pan

Standard loaf pan (9×5") = 8 cups capacity

Tips for Accurate Conversion

Use a digital scale — the most accurate tool for dry ingredients

Zero out the scale with the bowl (tare function)

Sift flour after measuring — never before, it reduces weight

Pack brown sugar when measuring by volume

When you combine unit conversion with recipe scaling, the math can get complex quickly. Recipe Scaler handles both scaling and unit display simultaneously, so you can work in whichever units you prefer.