Convert between kitchen volume units.
Result = Q × F
All cooking unit conversions are performed by multiplying the input quantity by a fixed conversion factor that relates the source unit to the target unit. Every standard cooking unit has a well-established relationship to every other unit.
For example:
The general formula is:
Result = Input × Conversion Factor
Result = Q × F = 2.5 × 16 = 40
Result: 2.5 cups = 40 tablespoons
The result tells you the exact equivalent of your input in the new unit. In this example, 2.5 cups equals exactly 40 tablespoons — because there are 16 tablespoons in every US cup. This is useful when you only have a tablespoon measure handy or need to divide a recipe ingredient precisely. For metric conversions, note that the US customary cup is defined as 240 mL, so fractional results are common and correct.
Cooking measurements come from two main systems: US customary and metric. US recipes typically use cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces, pints, quarts, and gallons. International and scientific recipes often use milliliters, liters, and grams.
| Unit | Equivalent | |------|------------| | 1 gallon | 4 quarts | | 1 quart | 2 pints | | 1 pint | 2 cups | | 1 cup | 8 fluid ounces | | 1 fluid ounce | 2 tablespoons | | 1 tablespoon | 3 teaspoons |
Volume units (cups, tablespoons, mL) measure how much space an ingredient takes up, while weight units (grams, ounces) measure how heavy it is. For dry ingredients like flour, sugar, and cocoa powder, weight conversions depend on the ingredient's density. A cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120–125 g, while a cup of water weighs 240 g. For liquids that are mostly water, 1 mL ≈ 1 g is a reliable approximation.
Baking is especially sensitive to measurement precision. Too much flour can produce dry, dense baked goods, while too little can cause collapse. Using a converter ensures you replicate a recipe's intent exactly, whether you're halving a batch, scaling up for a crowd, or adapting a British recipe that uses metric measurements.
Dry measuring cups are designed to be filled to the rim and leveled off, giving a precise volume of dry ingredients like flour or sugar. Liquid measuring cups have a spout and markings on the side so you can accurately measure liquid to a specific line without overflow. Using the wrong type can affect measurement accuracy.
To halve ¾ cup, divide by 2: ¾ ÷ 2 = 3/8 cup, which equals 6 tablespoons. Converting to tablespoons or teaspoons first often makes it easier to measure odd fractional amounts without guessing.
These are informal measures. A pinch is roughly ⅛ teaspoon or less (about 0.6 mL). A dash is approximately ⅛ teaspoon (0.6 mL) in cooking or 1/8 fl oz in bartending contexts. These are approximations and vary by tradition.
Replace cups with mL (1 cup = 240 mL), tablespoons with mL (1 tbsp = 14.787 mL), and weight ounces with grams (1 oz = 28.35 g). Use our cooking converter to handle each ingredient in sequence for the fastest results.
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup. This means ½ cup = 8 tablespoons, ¼ cup = 4 tablespoons, and ⅛ cup = 2 tablespoons.
There are exactly 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. So 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons, and ½ tablespoon = 1½ teaspoons.
1 US cup equals exactly 240 milliliters. The Australian/Canadian metric cup is 250 mL, and the UK imperial cup is approximately 284 mL.
Cups measure volume, not weight, so the gram equivalent depends on the ingredient. For water: 1 cup ≈ 240 g. For all-purpose flour: 1 cup ≈ 120–125 g. For granulated sugar: 1 cup ≈ 200 g. Use an ingredient-specific density for accurate weight conversions.
1 US pint = 16 US fluid ounces. Note that the UK (imperial) pint = 20 imperial fluid ounces, so international recipes may differ.
Yes — volume units (cups, tablespoons, mL) apply to both liquids and dry ingredients measured by volume. However, if you need to convert dry ingredients to grams or ounces by weight, you'll need to account for the ingredient's density.
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