Kitchen Conversion Chart

There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup. Here is the full breakdown:

1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 8 fluid ounces = 236.6 mL
¾ cup = 12 tablespoons = 6 fluid ounces
½ cup = 8 tablespoons = 4 fluid ounces
⅓ cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
¼ cup = 4 tablespoons = 2 fluid ounces

These are US measurements. A UK tablespoon is 20 mL (vs 14.8 mL in the US), so a UK cup holds about 14 UK tablespoons, not 16.

There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. This is universal across US, UK, and metric systems — one of the few measurements everyone agrees on.

Handy multiples: 2 tablespoons = 6 teaspoons = 1 fluid ounce. 1 tablespoon = 14.79 mL. When a recipe calls for ½ tablespoon, use 1½ teaspoons. For ¼ tablespoon, use ¾ teaspoon.

There are 8 fluid ounces in 1 US cup. But this measures volume, not weight. A cup of water weighs about 8.3 ounces (by weight). A cup of flour weighs only 4.2 ounces. A cup of honey weighs 12 ounces.

The full US volume ladder: 1 cup = 8 fl oz, 1 pint = 16 fl oz (2 cups), 1 quart = 32 fl oz (4 cups), 1 gallon = 128 fl oz (16 cups). For precise weight conversions by ingredient, use the ingredient weight table below or our recipe converter.

You need to know the ingredient. There is no single cups-to-grams number because each ingredient has a different density. Common conversions per US cup:

• All-purpose flour: 120g
• Granulated sugar: 200g
• Brown sugar (packed): 220g
• Butter: 227g
• Water/milk: 237g
• Honey: 340g
• Rolled oats: 90g
• Cocoa powder: 86g

This page has a full ingredient weight table with 29 ingredients, and the quick converter at the top handles custom amounts. For scaling whole recipes, use the recipe scaler.

180°C = 356°F, which most people round to 350°F (the most common baking temperature). The formula is: (°C × 9/5) + 32 = °F.

Common oven temperatures:
150°C = 300°F (slow roasting)
160°C = 325°F (low baking)
180°C = 350°F (standard baking)
190°C = 375°F (cookies, casseroles)
200°C = 400°F (roasting vegetables)
220°C = 425°F (pizza, high-heat roasting)
230°C = 450°F (bread, searing)

If your oven uses Gas Mark (common in UK recipes), the temperature table on this page includes Gas Mark equivalents.

A US cup is a US cup — 236.6 mL — regardless of the measuring cup. The difference is in accuracy and technique, not the size of the unit.

Liquid measuring cups (glass, with a spout and markings on the side) let you fill to the line and pour. They are less accurate for dry ingredients because you cannot level them off.

Dry measuring cups (metal or plastic, flat rim) are designed to be filled and leveled with a straight edge. They are less practical for liquids because you will spill trying to carry a full one.

Using the wrong type does not change the volume, but it changes how accurately you measure. For professional kitchens, the answer is to skip cups entirely and weigh everything in grams. A $15 kitchen scale is more accurate than any measuring cup.

Convert each ingredient individually — do not apply a single multiplier to the whole recipe. For liquids, 1 cup = 236.6 mL works universally. For dry ingredients, convert by weight using ingredient-specific densities (see the ingredient table on this page).

Example: a recipe calls for 2 cups flour, 1 cup sugar, 1 cup milk. That is 240g flour (120g/cup), 200g sugar (200g/cup), and 237 mL milk. Notice how 2 cups of flour and 1 cup of sugar weigh roughly the same — that is why a single conversion factor does not work.

For converting and scaling full recipes at once, use the recipe converter. Accurate conversions are the first step toward reliable recipe costing -- see our guide on how to calculate food cost for the full workflow.

Gas Mark is the temperature scale used on gas ovens in the UK and some other countries. Each Gas Mark step is roughly 25°F (14°C).

Gas Mark 1 = 275°F / 135°C (very low)
Gas Mark 2 = 300°F / 150°C
Gas Mark 3 = 325°F / 165°C
Gas Mark 4 = 350°F / 180°C (moderate)
Gas Mark 5 = 375°F / 190°C
Gas Mark 6 = 400°F / 200°C (hot)
Gas Mark 7 = 425°F / 220°C
Gas Mark 8 = 450°F / 230°C (very hot)
Gas Mark 9 = 475°F / 245°C

If a UK recipe says "Gas Mark 4," set your oven to 350°F. The conversion is: °F = (Gas Mark × 25) + 250.