How Many Ounces in a Cup

Need an instant calculation for how many ounces are in a cup? Want to convert tablespoons into cups? Know the difference between fluid ounces and dry ounces? Here is the ultimate quick guide and measurement chart for working with recipes using both the metric and imperial system.

With so many recipes out there, it can be confusing to work with different measurements. Unfortunately, not all measurements are created equal.

While dry and liquid ingredients use similar terminology and equipment, each has a different formulation. Dry measurements refer to the weight, while liquid measurements consider the volume of liquid.

Sure, plenty of online calculators can provide you with one or two answers; however, they aren’t comprehensive or easy to read. Here, you can quickly convert ounces to cups for all your favorite recipes using both the metric and imperial systems.

Table of Contents

1. Ounces vs. Cups
2. Converting ounces to cups
3. What equipment you’ll need for measuring? 
4. British vs. American measuring cups
5. More cooking resources
6. Frequently Asked Questions

Ounces vs. Cups

An ounce is a smaller unit of measure used to weigh out volume, weight, and mass. It measures small quantities of ingredients in recipes or the specific weight of a certain item.

On the other hand, cups are kitchen tools used to accurately measure and portion out dry or liquid ingredients for cooking and baking. They typically come in sets with various cup and spoon sizes, ensuring precise measurements.

In the US, one cup equals 1/2 of a US pint.

In the metric system, 1 metric cup is 250 ml.

Converting ounces to cups

Here is what you need to know to understand how many ounces are in one cup and more:

• 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces 
• ¾ cup = 6 fluid ounces 
• ½ cup = 4 fluid ounces
• ¼ cup = 2 fluid ounces

Below is a conversion chart for converting between ounces and cups for liquid ingredients. We’ve rounded these to the nearest whole number for simplicity.

Ounces (fl oz)	Cups	Milliliters (mL)	Tablespoons (Tbsp)
2 fl oz	1/4 cup	59 mL	4 Tbsp
2 2/3 fl oz	1/3 cup	79 mL	5 Tbsp
4 fl oz	1/2 cup	118 mL	8 Tbsp
5 1/3 fl oz	2/3 cup	158 mL	10 Tbsp
6 fl oz	3/4 cup	177 mL	12 Tbsp
8 fl oz	1 cup	237 mL	16 Tbsp
12 fl oz	1 1/2 cups	355 mL	24 Tbsp
16 fl oz	2 cups	474 mL	32 Tbsp
32 fl oz	4 cups	948 mL	64 Tbsp
64 fl oz	8 cups	1896 mL	128 Tbsp

Unlike liquid ingredients, a cup of dry ingredients will contain different ounces. The measurement with dry ingredients directly depends on the type of the ingredient. Here is a helpful conversion chart for converting between ounces and cups for dry ingredients.

Ounces (oz)	Grams (g)	Pounds (lb)
1/2 ounce	15 grams	0.03125 pounds
1 ounce	28 grams	0.0625 pounds
2 ounces	56 grams	0.125 pounds
3 ounces	85 grams	0.1875 pounds
4 ounces	113 grams	0.25 pounds
5 ounces	142 grams	0.3125 pounds
8 ounces	226 grams	0.5 pounds
10 ounces	283 grams	0.625 pounds
12 ounces	340 grams	0.75 pounds
15 ounces	425 grams	0.9375 pounds

Try this handy tool to know the ounces in cups for hundreds of other dry ingredients.

What equipment you’ll need for measuring? 

Three key sets of equipment are needed to measure the liquid and dry ingredients. These include granulated cups, liquid cups, and measuring spoons.

Granulated measuring cups 

These cups are used for measuring the dry ingredients. If you want to measure flour with granulated measuring cups, sieve it before adding it for measurement. This is essential for an accurate measurement.

Although most package flours have already been sieved, they often get shaken up and move around during shipping. As a precaution, it’s always best to sieve once more before measuring.

For complete accuracy, use the spoon-and-scrape method. Once you’ve added the sieved flour to the cup, scrape the top with a spoon to remove excess flour. This is essential for baking recipes and desserts like cakes and muffins.

Liquid measuring cups 

Liquid measuring cups are used if the ingredient is a fluid or liquid. These can come in both plastic or glass and are used to measure cups, ounces, and milliliters. This is great for portioning out milk in a cake or water in a smoothie.

Measuring spoons 

For tablespoon and teaspoon measurements, measuring spoons are used. 

British vs. American measuring cups

Cup measurements can also differ depending on what country you live in. British and American cups and ounce measurements also vary because they use different measurement systems. In the United States, they use the imperial system. Whereas, in the United Kingdom, and in many other countries, they use the metric system.

1 UK cup (metric system) = 250 ml 

1 US cup (imperial system) = 240 ml 

For accurate results when following recipes, always check to see which system they are using OR accurately measure using cups and spoons.

More cooking resources

• How many grams in an ounce
• How many teaspoons in a tablespoon
• How many grams in a cup
• How many tablespoons in a cup
• How many liters in a gallon

Frequently Asked Questions