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Ingredient Converter

A cup of flour and a cup of honey don't weigh the same amount - this converter uses each ingredient's actual density so the result is accurate, not a rough estimate.

Result

Converted Amount
120 g
Equivalent Weight
120 g
Ingredient
All-purpose flour
UnitAmount
Cups1
Tablespoons16
Teaspoons48
Milliliters236.59
Grams120
Ounces (weight)4.23

About the Ingredient Converter

Recipes measure ingredients two different ways - by volume (cups, tablespoons) or by weight (grams, ounces) - and the two only line up if you know how dense the specific ingredient is. A cup of flour and a cup of honey aren't remotely the same weight, so a generic volume-to-weight converter that ignores the ingredient gets the answer wrong.

How It Works

This converter looks up a reference density (grams per US cup) for the ingredient you select, then uses that density to convert your amount from whichever unit you're starting with into grams, and from grams into whichever unit you want. Weight-to-weight conversions (like grams to ounces) use a fixed ratio and don't need the density at all.

grams = volume(mL) × density(g/mL), where density(g/mL) = density(g/cup) ÷ 236.588

Formula & Methodology

Every ingredient has a density figure sourced from standard baking references (King Arthur Baking / USDA), expressed as grams per US cup. To go from a volume unit to grams, the calculator first converts your input to milliliters using the standard US volume conversions (1 cup = 236.588 mL, 1 tablespoon = 14.7868 mL, 1 teaspoon = 4.92892 mL), then multiplies by the ingredient's density per milliliter. To go the other direction, it divides.

Step-by-Step: Calculating It By Hand

  1. 1Find the ingredient's density in grams per cup from a reliable baking reference.
  2. 2Convert that to grams per milliliter by dividing by 236.588.
  3. 3Convert your starting amount to milliliters (if it's a volume unit) using standard conversion factors.
  4. 4Multiply by the density in grams per milliliter to get the weight in grams.
  5. 5Convert grams to your target unit if it isn't grams.

Examples

1 cup flour vs. 1 cup honey

1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 120g, while 1 cup of honey weighs about 340g - almost triple, despite being the same volume.

Converting a European recipe

A recipe calling for 250g flour converts to about 2.08 cups (250 ÷ 120), letting you use US measuring cups for a gram-based recipe.

Advantages

  • Uses real per-ingredient density instead of one generic volume-to-weight ratio
  • Covers 13 common baking ingredients with reference-backed figures
  • Converts between six units - cups, tablespoons, teaspoons, mL, grams, and ounces
  • Shows every unit at once in the results table, not just the one you asked for

Common Mistakes

  • Assuming all ingredients convert at the same rate as water or flour
  • Using a generic online "cups to grams" converter that doesn't ask which ingredient you're measuring
  • Mixing up packed and unpacked measurements for brown sugar

Edge Cases to Watch For

  • Packed vs. spooned-and-leveled measuring technique can shift flour and brown sugar volume readings by 10-15%, which no calculator can correct for since it depends on how you measured.
  • Sifted flour is noticeably less dense than scooped flour - if a recipe specifies "1 cup sifted flour," measuring after sifting gives a different weight than before.
  • Liquid ingredients close to water's density (milk, most juices) convert almost identically to water, but thick liquids like honey or molasses are meaningfully denser.

Common Use Cases

  • Converting a European or UK recipe (grams) to US cup measurements
  • Following a US recipe with a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups
  • Scaling a recipe precisely by weight rather than approximate volume
  • Doubling or halving a recipe where volume measuring gets imprecise at small amounts
Written & fact-checked by the Calculateus TeamLast updated August 5, 2026How we verify our formulas

Frequently asked questions

Why does 1 cup of flour weigh less than 1 cup of sugar?

Density differs by ingredient - flour is light and airy (about 120g per cup) while granulated sugar packs more tightly (about 200g per cup), so the same volume holds a different mass.

Are these conversions exact for every brand?

They use standard reference densities (King Arthur Baking / USDA figures) that hold well for most brands, but scooping technique (packed vs. spooned-and-leveled) can shift flour and brown sugar measurements by 10-15%. For baking where precision matters, weighing ingredients on a kitchen scale is always more accurate than converting from volume.

Why is a weight-to-weight conversion (grams to ounces) always exact?

Weight units convert at a fixed ratio (1 oz = 28.35g) regardless of ingredient, so those conversions don't depend on density at all - only volume-to-weight conversions (cups to grams) need the ingredient's density.

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Conclusion

Weight is the more precise way to measure baking ingredients, but most home recipes are still written in cups and spoons. This converter bridges the two using real ingredient density rather than a one-size-fits-all ratio, so switching between a US recipe and a kitchen scale (or a metric recipe and US measuring cups) actually comes out right.