Cooking Conversions: Grams to Ounces, Cups to Milliliters

Whether you're baking a cake, following an international recipe, or meal prepping, one thing is certain: accurate measurements make all the difference. Too much flour? Dense cake. Too little sugar? Flat cookies. The wrong liquid amount? A sauce that never thickens.

But here's the problem: recipes from around the world use different measurement systems. One says “1 cup of flour,” another says “120 grams,” and a third says “4.2 ounces.” How do you know they’re the same?

Welcome to the world of cooking conversions — where grams, ounces, cups, and milliliters meet. In this guide, you’ll learn:

• The exact conversions between grams, ounces, cups, and mL
• How to convert dry vs. liquid ingredients correctly
• Why weight beats volume in baking
• Common kitchen mistakes (and how to avoid them)
• Printable conversion charts you can save or print
• And how our free unit converter tool makes it effortless

Let’s turn kitchen confusion into confidence.

📏 The Two Measurement Systems: Metric vs. Imperial

The world uses two main systems for cooking:

🌍 Metric System (Used in Most Countries)

• Weight: grams (g), kilograms (kg)
• Volume: milliliters (mL), liters (L)
• Used in: Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, Africa

🇺🇸 Imperial System (Used in the United States)

• Weight: ounces (oz), pounds (lb)
• Volume: cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, fluid ounces
• Used in: USA, Liberia, Cayman Islands

If you’re using a recipe from the UK or Europe, it likely uses grams and milliliters. If it’s from a classic American cookbook, it probably says cups and ounces.

⚖️ Grams to Ounces: The Essential Conversion

The most common weight conversion in cooking is grams to ounces.

For everyday use, you can round this to:

1 oz ≈ 28 g

✅ Quick Reference: Grams to Ounces

Example: A recipe calls for 150g of chocolate. How many ounces is that?

150 ÷ 28.35 ≈ 5.3 oz

So, use about 5¼ ounces.

🥛 Cups to Milliliters: Liquid & Dry Conversions

In the U.S., recipes use cups for both liquids and dry ingredients. But a “cup” isn’t always the same:

• 1 US cup = 236.59 mL (often rounded to 240 mL)
• 1 Metric cup = 250 mL (used in Australia, New Zealand)

For most home cooking, using 240 mL = 1 cup is close enough.

✅ Liquid Conversion Chart

🍞 Why Weight Beats Volume in Baking

Baking is science. Unlike cooking, where you can adjust seasoning, baking relies on precise ratios. That’s why weight (grams or ounces) is far more accurate than volume (cups).

Example: 1 cup of all-purpose flour can weigh anywhere from 110g to 140g depending on how you scoop it:

• Spoon & level: ~120g
• Dip & sweep: ~140g (too much!)
• Fluffed & spooned: ~110g

This variation can ruin your recipe.

🥣 Common Ingredient Conversion Guide

Here are the most-used ingredients with their standard conversions.

Flour

• 1 cup all-purpose flour = 120g = 4.2 oz
• 1 cup whole wheat flour = 125g
• 1 cup bread flour = 127g

Sugar

• 1 cup granulated sugar = 200g = 7 oz
• 1 cup brown sugar (packed) = 220g
• 1 cup powdered sugar = 120g

Butter

• 1 stick butter = 113g = 4 oz = ½ cup
• 1 cup butter = 227g = 8 oz

Liquids

• 1 cup water/milk = 240 mL = 8 fl oz
• 1 cup oil = 218g (weight varies by density)

📌 Quick Kitchen Conversion Tips

1. Use a kitchen scale for baking — it’s the most accurate tool.
2. Don’t pack flour into the cup. Spoon it in and level it.
3. Use the right cup: liquid vs. dry measuring cups are different.
4. 1 tablespoon = 15 mL, 1 teaspoon = 5 mL
5. Double-check international recipes — “cup” may mean 250 mL.
6. Bookmark this page or save our unit converter for quick access.

🧰 How Our Unit Converter Makes Cooking Easier

You don’t need to memorize every conversion. Our free online unit converter does the work for you:

• Convert grams ↔ ounces
• Switch between cups ↔ milliliters
• Change pounds to kilograms
• All in real-time, with a copy-to-clipboard button

Just select:

1. Weight or Volume
2. Choose your units (e.g., grams to ounces)
3. Type the amount
4. Get the result instantly

🖨️ Printable Cooking Conversion Chart

Want a physical copy? Here’s a summary you can print and keep in your kitchen:

Take a screenshot or copy this into a document to print!

✅ Final Tips for Perfect Cooking Conversions

• Use grams for baking — it’s the gold standard.
• Use cups for liquids — they’re designed for it.
• Check the country of the recipe — Australia uses metric cups.
• Invest in a good scale — they’re cheap and last years.
• Always verify if “cup” means 240mL or 250mL.

🔚 Conclusion: Master Your Kitchen Measurements

Cooking conversions don’t have to be confusing. Whether you're switching from grams to ounces or cups to milliliters, now you have the tools, charts, and knowledge to do it right.

Remember:

• Weight is more accurate than volume
• 1 oz = 28.35 g, 1 cup = 240 mL
• Use a kitchen scale for baking
• Use our free converter tool for instant results

No more guessing, no more ruined recipes. Just delicious results — every time.