Sometimes when baking or cooking, you may come across a recipe with a measurement that you don’t recognize. Maybe it asks for the weight of an ingredient in grams, or you just can’t find your measuring cups! Never fear, check out these handy charts to help you keep all of those measurements straight!
Common Abbreviations:
Many recipes use short forms instead of writing out the whole word. These are some common abbreviations you may come across.
g = grams
kg = kilograms
lb = pound
oz = ounce
ml, mL = millilitres
L, l = litres
tsp, t = teaspoons
tbsp, Tbsp, T, TB = tablespoons
Measuring Conversions:
| pinch or dash | – less than 1/8 tsp |
| 1 tsp | – 5 ml |
| 1 Tbsp | – 3 tsp – 15 ml |
| 1/4 cup | – 4 Tbsp – 60 ml |
| 1/3 cup | – 5 Tbsp + 1 tsp – 78 ml |
| 1/2 cup | – 8 Tbsp – 120 ml |
| 1 cup | – 16 Tbsp – 240 ml |
| 1 oz | – 28 g – 30 ml |
| 1 lb | – 450 g – 16 oz |
| 1 kg | – 2.2 lbs – 1000 g |
| 1 L | – 1000 ml – 4 cups |
| 1 quart | – 0.95 L – 950 ml |
| 1 gallon | – 3.8 L – 3800 ml |
Ingredient Weights:
It’s common to use weights for ingredients in baking instead of using cups. If two people scoop 1 cup of flour, it might weigh slightly different amounts! This is because when you measure using grams, it is more accurate. If you do not have a kitchen scale, you can still make recipes that list ingredients using grams by using this handy chart.
| Flour (sifted) | Sugar (white) | Sugar (brown) | Butter | Water | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 30 g | 50 g | 45 g | 57 g | 57g |
| 1/3 cup | 40 g | 65 g | 60 g | 76 g | 76 g |
| 1/2 cup | 60 g | 100 g | 90 g | 114 g | 114 g |
| 1 cup | 120 g | 200 g | 180 g | 227 g | 227 g |
