Cups and ounces are the most common units in US recipes. Whether you're scaling a recipe or converting to metric, here's everything you need.
The Formula
Cups to Fluid Ounces (Volume)
fl oz = cups Γ 8
cups = fl oz Γ· 8
1 US cup = 8 US fluid ounces = 236.6 mL
Cups to Fluid Ounces Quick Reference
| Cups | Fluid Ounces | mL |
|---|---|---|
| β cup | 1 fl oz | 29.6 mL |
| ΒΌ cup | 2 fl oz | 59.1 mL |
| β cup | 2.67 fl oz | 78.9 mL |
| Β½ cup | 4 fl oz | 118.3 mL |
| β cup | 5.33 fl oz | 157.7 mL |
| ΒΎ cup | 6 fl oz | 177.4 mL |
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 236.6 mL |
| 1Β½ cups | 12 fl oz | 354.9 mL |
| 2 cups | 16 fl oz | 473.2 mL |
| 4 cups | 32 fl oz | 946.4 mL |
Cups to Grams: It Depends on the Ingredient
Volume ounces and weight ounces are not the same. When a recipe says "8 oz of flour" it likely means weight ounces, not fluid ounces. Here's the conversion by ingredient:
Flour (all-purpose)
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| ΒΌ cup | 31 g | 1.1 oz |
| Β½ cup | 63 g | 2.2 oz |
| 1 cup | 125 g | 4.4 oz |
| 2 cups | 250 g | 8.8 oz |
Granulated Sugar
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| ΒΌ cup | 50 g | 1.8 oz |
| Β½ cup | 100 g | 3.5 oz |
| 1 cup | 200 g | 7.1 oz |
Brown Sugar (packed)
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| ΒΌ cup | 55 g | 1.9 oz |
| Β½ cup | 110 g | 3.9 oz |
| 1 cup | 220 g | 7.8 oz |
Butter
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| β cup | 28 g | 1 oz | 2 tbsp |
| ΒΌ cup | 57 g | 2 oz | 4 tbsp (Β½ stick) |
| Β½ cup | 113 g | 4 oz | 8 tbsp (1 stick) |
| 1 cup | 227 g | 8 oz | 16 tbsp (2 sticks) |
Milk / Water / Liquid Ingredients
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| ΒΌ cup | 59 g | 2.1 oz |
| Β½ cup | 118 g | 4.2 oz |
| 1 cup | 237 g | 8.3 oz |
Honey / Maple Syrup
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| ΒΌ cup | 85 g | 3 oz |
| Β½ cup | 170 g | 6 oz |
| 1 cup | 340 g | 12 oz |
Rolled Oats
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| Β½ cup | 45 g | 1.6 oz |
| 1 cup | 90 g | 3.2 oz |
Cocoa Powder
| Cups | Grams | Weight oz |
|---|---|---|
| ΒΌ cup | 25 g | 0.9 oz |
| Β½ cup | 50 g | 1.8 oz |
| 1 cup | 100 g | 3.5 oz |
Scaling Recipes Up or Down
New Amount = Original Amount Γ (Desired Servings Γ· Original Servings)
Example: Recipe makes 12 cookies, you want 30:
- Scale factor = 30 Γ· 12 = 2.5
- If original uses 2 cups flour β new amount = 2 Γ 2.5 = 5 cups
- If original uses 1 cup sugar β new amount = 2.5 cups
Measuring Accurately
Flour: Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level with a straight edge. Never scoop directly from the bag β packing adds 20β30% extra flour, which can dry out baked goods significantly.
Brown sugar: Pack firmly into the cup β the cup should hold its shape when tipped out.
Liquids: Use a liquid measuring cup (with a spout) placed on a flat surface. Read at eye level.
Butter: US sticks are labelled with tablespoon marks. 1 stick = Β½ cup = 8 tablespoons = 113 g.
UK vs US Cups
The US cup (236.6 mL) and the metric cup used in Australia/Canada (250 mL) differ by about 5%. For most recipes the difference is insignificant, but for precision baking, note which standard your recipe uses.
Use our unit converter to convert any recipe measurement between cups, fl oz, mL, grams, and tablespoons instantly.