---
title: "Cup: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "A US cup is about 240 ml, a metric cup is 250 ml, and a cup of flour weighs far less than a cup of sugar. Here is how to measure and convert."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/cup"
---

# Cup

A US cup is about 240 ml, a metric cup is 250 ml, and a cup of flour weighs far less than a cup of sugar. Here is how to measure and convert.

Also called Cups, Measuring cup, US cup, Metric cup.

A cup is a unit of volume used mostly in American recipes, and also in Canadian, Australian and New Zealand ones. A US cup holds 236.6 ml, which nutrition labels round to 240 ml. A metric cup, used in Australia, New Zealand and Canada, holds 250 ml. The difference is small enough to ignore in most cooking.

## Why it works

A cup measures space, not weight, so the same cup of two ingredients can weigh very different amounts. These weights are for a level US cup:

| Ingredient                    | Weight             |
| ----------------------------- | ------------------ |
| All-purpose flour, spooned in | about 120 to 125 g |
| Granulated sugar              | about 200 g        |
| Brown sugar, packed           | about 210 to 220 g |
| Butter                        | about 225 g        |
| Rolled oats                   | about 90 g         |

That is why bakers prefer a [kitchen scale](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kitchen-scale). If a recipe gives grams, use them.

## How to use it

Use dry measuring cups (a set of nested cups) for flour, sugar and grains, and fill them to the rim. Use a liquid measuring cup (a jug with lines) for water, milk and oil, and read it at eye level.

| Cups  | Milliliters | Other units                                                                                                                  |
| ----- | ----------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- |
| 1 cup | 240 ml      | 16 [tablespoons](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tablespoon), 8 [fl oz](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fluid-ounce) |
| ¾ cup | 180 ml      | 12 tablespoons                                                                                                               |
| ½ cup | 120 ml      | 8 tablespoons                                                                                                                |
| ⅓ cup | 80 ml       | 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon                                                                                                   |
| ¼ cup | 60 ml       | 4 tablespoons                                                                                                                |

In Swedish terms, 1 US cup is about 2.4 [deciliters](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deciliter).

## Common mistakes

* Scooping flour straight from the bag. It packs down and you can end up with 150 g or more instead of about 125 g. Spoon it into the cup and sweep it [level](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/level).
* Using a liquid jug for flour. You cannot level it, so the amount drifts.
* Not packing brown sugar when the recipe says [packed](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/packed).
* Using an old British "cup", which was about 284 ml. If a very old British recipe gives cups, compare it against weights where you can.

## In recipes

Look for "1 cup flour, spooned and leveled", "½ cup packed brown sugar" and "1 heaping cup". "C." and "c" are short for cup.

## Related terms

* [TablespoonA tablespoon is about 15 ml in the US, UK and Sweden but 20 ml in Australia. It equals 3 teaspoons. Here is how to measure and convert it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tablespoon)
* [Fluid ounceA fluid ounce measures volume, not weight. A US fl oz is 29.6 ml and a British one is 28.4 ml. Here is how they compare to cups and pints.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/fluid-ounce)
* [PackedPacked means pressing an ingredient firmly into the cup so there is no air. Recipes ask for it with brown sugar and fresh herbs. Here is how.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/packed)
* [LevelA level measure is filled to the rim and swept flat with a knife. Unless a recipe says heaping or packed, every spoon and cup should be level.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/level)
* [Kitchen scaleA kitchen scale weighs ingredients in grams or ounces, which is far more accurate than cups for baking. Here is how to use one and the tare button.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/kitchen-scale)
* [DeciliterA deciliter (dl) is exactly 100 ml, the main volume unit in Swedish and Nordic recipes. See how it compares to cups and what 1 dl weighs.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/deciliter)

[More in measurements](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/measurements)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)