Cooking Converter
American recipes use cups, British recipes use grams and gas marks, and most of the world uses milliliters. This converter handles the volume units and includes the oven temperature cross-reference that recipe translations usually leave out.
Last updated — conversions use exact unit definitions, so results stay accurate.
| Unit | Value |
|---|
How it works
Volume conversion for cooking runs through the milliliter. A US recipe cup is 236.59 mL, a US tablespoon is 14.79 mL and a US teaspoon is 4.93 mL — which is why 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons, and 1 tablespoon equals 3 teaspoons.
The "cup" is the least standardised unit in the kitchen. A US legal cup is 240 mL, a US customary cup is 236.59 mL, a metric cup used in Australia and the UK is 250 mL, and a Japanese cup is 200 mL. For anything where precision matters — baking especially — weigh ingredients in grams instead.
Converting volume to weight requires density, and this is where recipes go wrong. A cup of flour weighs about 120 g, a cup of sugar about 200 g, and a cup of water 236 g. The converter gives you volume; it deliberately does not guess weight, because a guessed density is worse than no number.
Oven temperatures are regional too. The chart below maps Celsius, Fahrenheit and British gas marks so you can follow a recipe written in any of the three. Note that fan (convection) ovens usually need about 20 °C less than the recipe states for a conventional oven.
Oven temperature chart
| Celsius | Fahrenheit | Gas mark | Typical use |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140 °C | 275 °F | 1 | Very slow — meringues, drying |
| 150 °C | 300 °F | 2 | Slow — slow roasting, braises |
| 160 °C | 325 °F | 3 | Warm — cakes, biscuits |
| 180 °C | 350 °F | 4 | Moderate — the default for most baking |
| 190 °C | 375 °F | 5 | Moderately hot — pastries, roasting |
| 200 °C | 400 °F | 6 | Hot — roasting vegetables |
| 220 °C | 425 °F | 7 | Hot — bread, pizza |
| 230 °C | 450 °F | 8 | Very hot — finishing, blast roasting |
| 240 °C | 475 °F | 9 | Very hot — artisan bread |
Frequently asked questions
How many milliliters are in a cup?
A US recipe cup is 236.59 mL, though the US legal cup used on nutrition labels is 240 mL. A metric cup, used in Australia and much of the UK, is 250 mL. Because they differ, weighing ingredients in grams is more reliable than measuring by cup.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
16 US tablespoons in 1 US cup, and 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. That makes 1 cup equal to 48 teaspoons. Australian tablespoons are 20 mL rather than 14.79 mL, so Australian recipes asking for a tablespoon want noticeably more.
What is gas mark 4 in Celsius?
Gas mark 4 is 180 °C, or 350 °F — the temperature most baking recipes call for. The full mapping is in the oven chart above, covering gas marks 1 to 9.
Do I need to adjust the temperature for a fan oven?
Usually yes: reduce by about 20 °C (or 25–50 °F) compared with a conventional oven, because circulating air transfers heat more efficiently. Many modern ovens do this automatically, so check the manual before adjusting.
Why do recipes say to weigh flour instead of using cups?
Because a cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 110 g to 150 g depending on how it is scooped and whether it is sifted. That variance is enough to change the texture of bread and cakes, which is why professional recipes give weights.