Cups to Milliliters
Convert US cups to milliliters for metric recipes and kitchen scales. 1 cup = 236.588 mL — enter any cup value for instant ml with cooking ingredient context.
Enter your values above to see the results.
Tips & Notes
- ✓The cup size varies by country: US traditional cup = 236.588 mL; US legal cup (FDA nutrition) = 240 mL; metric cup (Australia, NZ, Canada) = 250 mL; UK cup = 284 mL (rarely used, UK recipes use metric). For international recipe conversion, verify which cup size the recipe uses.
- ✓US recipe to metric conversion: 1/4 cup = 59.15 mL; 1/3 cup = 78.86 mL; 1/2 cup = 118.29 mL; 3/4 cup = 177.44 mL; 1 cup = 236.59 mL; 1.5 cups = 354.88 mL; 2 cups = 473.18 mL. Rounding for practical cooking: these are typically rounded to 60/80/120/180/240 mL on metric measuring cups.
- ✓Weight vs. volume for accuracy: professional baking uses weight (grams) not volume (cups/mL). 1 cup all-purpose flour ≠ a consistent weight — sifted flour weighs 113g/cup, spooned-and-leveled weighs 125g/cup, scooped-and-packed weighs 150g/cup. For precision, convert recipes to grams.
- ✓Scaling recipes: if a recipe serves 4 using 2 cups (473 mL) of something, and you want to serve 10: new amount = 2 cups × (10/4) = 5 cups = 5 × 236.588 = 1,182.9 mL ≈ 1.183 liters.
- ✓Liquid vs. dry measuring cups: US measuring cups for liquids have a spout and graduated markings; dry measuring cups are flat-top for leveling. Both hold the same volume (1 cup = 236.588 mL), but dry ingredients should be measured in dry cups for accuracy.
Common Mistakes
- ✗Using Australian/metric 250 mL cup when following a US recipe — US cup = 236.588 mL; metric cup = 250 mL. A US recipe calling for 2 cups = 473.2 mL. Using metric cups: 2 × 250 = 500 mL — 5.6% more than intended. For most cooking this is fine; for precise baking it can affect results.
- ✗Treating "cup" as a precise measurement for all ingredients — a US cup of flour (spooned and leveled) weighs about 120-125g. A US cup of brown sugar (packed) weighs about 220g. A US cup of water weighs 236.6g. "Cup" is a volume measurement that gives different masses for different ingredients.
- ✗Confusing US tablespoons/teaspoons with metric tablespoons — US tablespoon = 14.787 mL; metric tablespoon = 15 mL (0.9% different). US teaspoon = 4.929 mL; metric teaspoon = 5 mL. Most recipe sites round US tablespoons to 15 mL and teaspoons to 5 mL — check if your recipe already uses rounded values.
- ✗Scaling volume without checking if the recipe scales linearly — some ingredients (baking powder, salt, yeast) do not scale proportionally. Leavening agents typically scale at 75% of the proportional increase for large batches. Volume conversions are correct, but recipe scaling requires understanding of each ingredient.
- ✗Using mL measuring cups for dry ingredients intended to be leveled — in baking, dry ingredients like flour must be spooned into a measuring cup and leveled off with a straight edge. Using a liquid measuring cup (which shows mL) and filling to the 240 mL mark with flour is less accurate than using a dry measuring cup.
Cups to Milliliters Overview
The US measuring cup is one of the most recognizable cooking tools in American kitchens — but it creates translation challenges when following international recipes or using metric measuring equipment. The 236.588 mL value connects the American cup to the SI volume system.
Cups to milliliters formula:
mL = cups × 236.588 | US cup = 236.588 mL | Metric cup (AU/NZ) = 250 mL | UK cup = 284 mL
EX: US recipe: 2.5 cups of milk → 2.5 × 236.588 = 591.5 mL ≈ 590 mL. Scale up 4× for a party: 10 cups = 10 × 236.588 = 2,365.9 mL = 2.366 litersInverse — mL to cups:
cups = mL / 236.588 | cups = mL × 0.00422675
EX: 500 mL cream → 500/236.588 = 2.113 cups ≈ 2 cups + 2 tablespoons (1 tbsp ≈ 15 mL). 750 mL bottle → 750/236.588 = 3.17 cupsUS recipe to metric — common measurement conversions:
| US Measurement | mL (exact) | mL (practical) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 teaspoon | 1.23 mL | 1.25 mL | Very small, use 1 mL |
| 1/2 teaspoon | 2.46 mL | 2.5 mL | Pinch of salt range |
| 1 teaspoon | 4.93 mL | 5 mL | Standard teaspoon |
| 1 tablespoon | 14.79 mL | 15 mL | 3 teaspoons |
| 1/4 cup | 59.15 mL | 60 mL | 4 tablespoons |
| 1/3 cup | 78.86 mL | 80 mL | 5.33 tablespoons |
| 1/2 cup | 118.29 mL | 120 mL | 8 tablespoons |
| 1 cup | 236.59 mL | 240 mL | 16 tablespoons |
| Country/System | Cup Size (mL) | vs. US Cup | Used In |
|---|---|---|---|
| US traditional | 236.588 mL | Reference | US recipes, measuring cups |
| US legal (FDA) | 240 mL | +1.4% | Nutrition labels |
| Metric cup | 250 mL | +5.7% | Australia, NZ, Canada metric |
| Imperial cup | 284 mL | +20% | UK (rarely used now) |
| Japanese go (合) | 180 mL | −24% | Rice measurement, sake |
Frequently Asked Questions
Multiply cups by 236.588 for exact conversion. Practical rounding: 1/4 cup = 60 mL; 1/3 cup = 80 mL; 1/2 cup = 120 mL; 3/4 cup = 180 mL; 1 cup = 240 mL (rounded); 1.5 cups = 355 mL; 2 cups = 475 mL. Note: US standard cup = 236.588 mL, but US recipes often round to 240 mL on metric measurements. Australian and metric cups are exactly 250 mL — if a recipe uses Australian measurements, use 250 mL per cup.
Volume in mL for 1 cup (236.588 mL): water, milk, broth = 236.6 mL; cooking oil = 236.6 mL; honey = 236.6 mL (but honey is better measured by weight: 1 cup = 340g). Sub-cup measurements: 1 tablespoon (US) = 14.79 mL ≈ 15 mL; 1 teaspoon (US) = 4.93 mL ≈ 5 mL; 1/4 teaspoon = 1.23 mL ≈ 1.25 mL. Practical kitchen rounding used in most metric conversions: 1 tbsp = 15 mL; 1 tsp = 5 mL; 1/4 tsp = 1 mL; 1 cup = 240 mL.
Cup sizes by country: US traditional cup = 236.588 mL (16 US tablespoons, 8 US fl oz). US legal cup (FDA) = 240 mL (used on US nutrition labels). Metric cup (Australia, NZ, Canada metric) = 250 mL. Japanese cup (一合, go) = 180 mL (traditional, used for rice). UK cup = 284 mL (based on imperial pint/2, rarely used — UK recipes use metric mL). When following recipes online, check the recipe origin: Australian recipes use 250 mL cups, US recipes use 236.588 mL cups. A significant difference for 3+ cups in a recipe.
For metric conversion, convert cups to mL and use weight (grams) for dry ingredients. Standard conversions: 1/4 cup = 60 mL; 1/2 cup = 120 mL; 1 cup = 240 mL (rounded). For precision: dry ingredients by weight. All-purpose flour: 1 cup = 120-125g; granulated sugar: 1 cup = 200g; brown sugar (packed): 1 cup = 220g; butter: 1 cup = 227g; cocoa powder: 1 cup = 85-100g. For liquids: the mL conversion is accurate (water, milk, oil). Mixed recipe example: if recipe calls for 2 cups flour (250g), 1 cup sugar (200g), 1/2 cup butter (113g), 1 cup milk (240 mL) — use these gram and mL values directly on a kitchen scale.
US dry measuring cups (nested set): solid tops designed to be leveled with a straight edge. Sizes: 1/4, 1/3, 1/2, 3/4, 1 cup. Used for flour, sugar, oats, shredded cheese. US liquid measuring cups: clear glass or plastic, graduated markings, pour spout. Read at eye level at the bottom of the meniscus. Both hold the same volume (1 cup = 236.588 mL), but dry measuring cups give more accurate results for dry ingredients because they allow for proper leveling. Scooping flour directly from the bag into a dry cup then leveling is the US standard technique for measuring flour by volume.
Professional baking uses weight (grams, kg) not volume (mL, cups) for dry ingredients because weight is independent of packing density. However, milliliters remain standard for liquids in commercial kitchens worldwide. Commercial batch scaling: a recipe using 2 cups (473 mL) of vanilla extract per batch, produced in 50-batch runs = 23,650 mL = 23.65 liters per production run. Liquid ingredients in commercial recipes are specified in mL or liters; dry ingredients in grams or kg. Most commercial baking equipment (volumetric depositors, filling machines) is calibrated in mL or liters — making mL the professional language of liquid measurement in food production.