Guides /International Conversions
US recipe to metric.
Complete guide.
Converting a US recipe to metric is mostly about volumes (cups → ml) and temperatures (°F → °C). Weights already convert directly since ounces and grams share a fixed ratio.
US cups to milliliters
| US measure | Metric (ml / L) |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 5 ml |
| 1 tablespoon | 15 ml |
| ¼ cup | 60 ml |
| ⅓ cup | 80 ml |
| ½ cup | 120 ml |
| ⅔ cup | 160 ml |
| ¾ cup | 180 ml |
| 1 cup | 240 ml |
| 2 cups (1 pint) | 480 ml |
| 4 cups (1 quart) | 960 ml |
| 1 gallon | 3,785 ml (3.8 L) |
1 US cup = 240 ml (not 250 ml — that's the Australian/UK metric cup)
Cups to grams: use ingredient-specific weights
Converting cups directly to ml works for liquids. For dry ingredients — flour, sugar, oats — you need the ingredient's density. 1 cup of all-purpose flour ≈ 120 g, not 240 g (the water-equivalent). Use the cups to grams reference table or paste your whole ingredient list into the converter and switch to Metric mode.
Fahrenheit to Celsius oven temperatures
The formula is: °C = (°F − 32) × 5 ÷ 9. Common conversions you'll encounter in US recipes:
| °F | °C | Use |
|---|---|---|
| 325°F | 165°C | Low — cheesecakes, braised meats |
| 350°F | 175°C | Medium — cakes, cookies |
| 375°F | 190°C | Medium-high — quick breads, pies |
| 400°F | 205°C | Hot — roasted vegetables |
| 425°F | 220°C | Very hot — pizza, crispy potatoes |
| 450°F | 230°C | High — artisan bread, searing |
Ounces and pounds to grams
Weight conversions are straightforward: 1 oz = 28.35 g, 1 lb = 453.6 g. For cooking purposes, round to 28 g/oz and 450 g/lb. A recipe calling for "1 lb chicken breast" means 450 g; "8 oz cream cheese" means 225 g.
Fluid ounces to ml
1 US fluid ounce = 29.57 ml ≈ 30 ml. For a US recipe calling for "8 fl oz stock," that's 240 ml (1 cup). "16 fl oz" = 480 ml. Fluid ounces and weight ounces are different units — always check the recipe context.
US quarts, pints, and gallons in metric
Larger volume units appear in US recipes for soups, stocks, and beverages. A US pint is 473 ml (just under 2 metric cups); a US quart is 946 ml (just under 1 litre); a US gallon is 3,785 ml (3.8 litres). UK pints are larger — 568 ml — so "1 pint milk" in an old British recipe means noticeably more liquid than in a US recipe. When a recipe specifies a quart of broth or a gallon of cider, converting to litres first makes it easier to shop from metric-labelled packaging.
Why converting to metric once is worth the effort
US recipes written in cups and Fahrenheit require constant reference to conversion tables every time you cook from them in a metric kitchen. Converting a recipe once — annotating the gram weights and Celsius temperatures directly into the recipe — means you never need to recalculate again. The process takes 5–10 minutes for a typical recipe and makes it immediately usable for any cook anywhere in the world. For recipes you return to regularly, it's one of the highest-leverage improvements you can make to your recipe collection.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I convert US cups to ml?
- 1 US cup = 240 ml. Common conversions: ¼ cup = 60 ml, ⅓ cup = 80 ml, ½ cup = 120 ml, 1 cup = 240 ml. Note: Australian and UK metric cups are 250 ml, not 240 ml.
- How do I convert ounces to grams in a recipe?
- 1 oz = 28.35 g (round to 28 g for cooking). 4 oz = 113 g, 8 oz = 227 g, 1 lb = 454 g. Weight conversions are straightforward since both US and UK use the same avoirdupois ounce.
- What is 350°F in Celsius for baking?
- 350°F = 175°C standard oven / 155°C fan. This is the most common baking temperature in US recipes.
- How do I convert cups of flour to grams?
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour = 120 g (spoon-and-level technique). You can't use a single cups-to-grams conversion factor — each ingredient has its own density. Use an ingredient-specific reference table or a recipe converter tool.
- Is it worth converting a US recipe to metric?
- Yes, especially for recipes you use regularly. The one-time conversion takes 5–10 minutes and produces a gram-based recipe you can reproduce exactly every time, share internationally, and scale accurately without fractional cup calculations.
Convert a whole US recipe to metric
Paste your ingredient list and switch to Metric — every cup, tablespoon, and ounce converts to grams and ml at once, using ingredient-specific densities.