🍳 Cooking Converter
Convert cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, milliliters, fluid ounces, and sticks of butter for any recipe.
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Common Cooking Conversions
| Input | Unit | Result | Unit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cup (US) | 236.58824 | Milliliter |
| 1 | Tablespoon | 2.9999998 | Teaspoon |
| 1 | Stick of Butter | 0.5 | Cup (US) |
| 1 | Stick of Butter | 7.9999999 | Tablespoon |
| 250 | Milliliter | 1.0566882 | Cup (US) |
| 2 | Cup (US) | 1 | Pint (US) |
Popular Conversions
Formula Reference
US volume hierarchy: 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 8 fl oz ≈ 236.6 mL 1 stick butter = ½ cup = 8 tbsp ≈ 118.3 mL 1 qt = 2 pt = 4 cups • 1 L ≈ 4.227 cups
About Cooking Conversions
Kitchen measurements are a constant source of confusion when following recipes across different countries. American recipes use volume for nearly everything — cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons — while European and UK recipes often specify grams by weight. Even among volume-based systems, a US cup (236.6 mL) differs slightly from a metric cup (250 mL) used in Australia and Canada, which can shift baking outcomes.
The US measurement hierarchy is straightforward: 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 8 fluid ounces ≈ 236.6 mL. A stick of butter — common in American recipes — equals exactly half a cup, or 8 tablespoons. Knowing these relationships lets you scale recipes up or down without recalculating each ingredient separately.
For baking in particular, volume measurements are less precise than weight because the same cup can hold wildly different amounts of flour depending on how it is scooped. The 'spoon and level' method (spooning flour into the cup and leveling the top with a knife) gives about 120–125 g per cup, while scooping directly from the bag can pack in up to 150–160 g. A kitchen scale eliminates this variability and is the preferred approach for consistent baking results.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are exactly 16 tablespoons in one US cup. This is handy for scaling: ¼ cup = 4 tablespoons, ⅓ cup ≈ 5⅓ tablespoons, and ½ cup = 8 tablespoons. Memorizing this relationship lets you substitute measuring cups with a single tablespoon when needed.
How many mL is a tablespoon?
One US tablespoon is approximately 14.787 mL. For cooking purposes, 15 mL is the standard rounded approximation and is used on metric measuring spoons sold internationally. Three teaspoons equal one tablespoon, and one teaspoon is approximately 4.93 mL.
How much butter is in a stick?
One stick of US butter is exactly ½ cup, 8 tablespoons, or 4 fluid ounces, which is approximately 113–118 grams (the slight variation depends on water content). Most US butter packaging has tablespoon markings printed on the wrapper, making it easy to cut accurate amounts without measuring spoons.
Is a metric cup the same as a US cup?
No. A US cup is 236.588 mL, while a metric cup (used in Australia, Canada, and other metric countries) is exactly 250 mL — about 5.5% larger. For most cooking this difference is minor, but in baking it can affect texture and rise, especially in large batches.
How do I convert a recipe from cups to grams?
Cups measure volume, not weight, so the conversion to grams depends on the ingredient's density. One cup of water weighs 236 g, but one cup of all-purpose flour weighs only 120–125 g, and one cup of honey weighs about 340 g. For precise baking, use an ingredient-specific weight chart or weigh ingredients on a kitchen scale rather than relying on volume-to-weight conversions.
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All conversion results are provided for general informational purposes only. Our formulas use internationally recognized conversion factors; however, rounding may affect precision. Do not rely on these results for professional, medical, legal, or engineering decisions without independent verification. Read our full disclaimer.