Cooking conversion
Cups to Milliliters Converter Guide
From US cups to metric milliliters, this guide helps bakers and beverage teams convert recipes accurately, including spoons, ounces, and pinch-level shortcuts.
Conversion constant
1 US cup = 236.588 milliliters
Multiply the number of cups by 236.588 to get milliliters (or 250 for the metric cup).
Step-by-step instructions
- 1
Select the Cooking category in the converter.
- 2
Choose Cups (US) in the “From” dropdown and Milliliters in the “To” dropdown.
- 3
Enter the number of cups from your recipe to see the equivalent milliliters.
- 4
Use the quick conversions to jump straight to tablespoons, teaspoons, or fluid ounces.
Conversion formula
milliliters = cups × 236.588
A US legal cup is defined as 240 mL for nutrition labels, but recipes and measuring cups typically use 236.588 mL. We rely on the latter for consistency with standard kitchenware.
If you are following an Australian or metric cookbook, use 250 mL per cup. The converter includes “Cups (Metric)” for that scenario.
When people use this conversion
International baking
Convert European cake recipes to US kitchenware or vice versa without grabbing a calculator mid-bake.
Beverage batching
Scale cocktails, salad dressings, or sauce batches by switching between cups, ounces, and milliliters.
Quick reference table
| Cups (US) | Milliliters | Context |
|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | ≈ 29.57 mL | Splash of cream or spirits |
| ¼ cup | ≈ 59.15 mL | Sauce reductions |
| ½ cup | ≈ 118.29 mL | Baking wet ingredients |
| 2 cups | ≈ 473.18 mL | Broth or soup additions |
Frequently asked questions
Why do some cups equal 240 mL and others 236.588 mL?
Nutrition labels in the US use a rounded 240 mL, but most measuring cups and cookbooks follow the traditional 8 US fluid ounces per cup (236.588 mL). Always follow the standard your recipe specifies; otherwise, stick with 236.588 mL for accuracy.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
One US cup contains 16 tablespoons. Multiply cups by 16 to get tablespoons, or by 48 to get teaspoons.
Can I convert directly to grams?
Grams depend on ingredient density. Use this converter for volume conversions, then consult ingredient-specific charts (e.g., flour vs. sugar) for gram equivalents.
Ready to convert cups (us) to milliliters?
Use the live calculator for precise results, then revisit this guide for formulas and best practices.
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