mL to Grams Converter
Volume to weight for real ingredients, with every density sourced.
What this tool does
Pick your ingredient and enter a volume, and it gives the weight in grams - or swap the direction. The conversion uses that ingredient's density, and shows where the density came from. It also asks which cup you mean, because US, metric and imperial cups differ by nearly 20%.
Converts between millilitres, cups, tablespoons and grams for a chosen ingredient.
Shows the source of each density and names which cup measure you are using.
How to use it
- Choose your ingredient, or pick "something else" and enter a density.
- Enter the amount and its unit - and note which cup, if you use cups.
- Read the weight, and the working underneath it - the millilitres, the density and the multiplication.
- Use "swap direction" to go from grams back to volume, or read the table of common amounts for the same ingredient.
Why use this converter
A millilitre is a volume and a gram is a weight, so converting between them depends on the ingredient's density. A cup of flour weighs far less than a cup of honey, which is why recipes written in grams are more reliable.
Why we built it
We built the ml to grams converter to cite the source of every density, because the same millilitre of flour and honey weighs very differently. For cup sizes use the cups to ml converter and scale recipes with the recipe scaler.
Related tools worth a look: the Steps to Miles Converter.
Who this tool is for
- Cooks converting recipes between volume and weight
- Bakers who prefer a scale
- Anyone with a recipe in the wrong unit
When to use it
- Following a recipe given in cups or millilitres when you have scales.
- Converting grams from a UK or metric recipe into cups.
- Baking, where accurate weights matter.
- Scaling a recipe up or down.
How the conversion works
Volume times density, and density needs the ingredient.
Millilitres times density. Density is how many grams one millilitre weighs, and it depends entirely on the ingredient - a millilitre of water is 1 gram, a millilitre of flour about half a gram, a millilitre of honey close to one and a half. That is why the tool asks what you are measuring: without the ingredient, mL and grams are not convertible at all.
Which cup?
There are four, and they differ by a fifth.
The one you choose. "Cup" is not a single measure: the US customary cup is 236.6 mL, the US legal cup used on nutrition labels is 240, the metric cup in Australia and New Zealand is 250, and the older imperial cup is 284. That is a spread of nearly 20%, enough to matter in baking, so the tool lists each one by name rather than pretending there is a single cup.
Where the densities come from
Named, per ingredient.
Most come from USDA FoodData Central, the US government food database, derived from its published household-portion weights - and each ingredient shows its food ID so you can check it. All-purpose flour is the exception: FoodData Central has no volumetric portion for it, so its figure is King Arthur Baking's widely-used 120 grams per US cup, and the tool says so rather than passing it off as USDA. No competing converter shows any source at all.
Why it is only approximate
A cup of flour is not one weight.
Because a dry ingredient does not have one fixed density. Flour scooped straight from the bag packs denser than flour spooned in gently; brown sugar depends on how hard it is pressed; a humid day adds weight. The densities here are sound reference values, good to a few percent, but that is the ceiling on any volume-to-weight conversion. It is exactly why serious recipes give grams in the first place.
What you give it, and what you get back
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Ingredient | A listed ingredient, or "something else" with a density you enter. |
| Amount and unit | Millilitres, cups or tablespoons, with the cup type. |
| Output | The weight in grams with the working, or the reverse. |
Issues you may run into
| What you see | Why it happens | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Result differs from my scales | Packing and humidity change density. | Treat the figure as close, not exact. |
| Cup size is wrong | US, metric and UK cups differ. | Choose the cup your recipe uses. |
| Ingredient not listed | The list is short and sourced. | Enter a density yourself. |
Assumptions and limitations
- Densities are approximate. Packing, grind and humidity move a dry ingredient by a few percent, so treat the result as close rather than exact.
- The ingredient list is short and sourced rather than long and unattributed. For anything not listed, enter its density directly.
- Flour's density is the King Arthur figure, not a USDA one, because USDA has no volumetric portion for flour. It is labelled accordingly.
Frequently asked questions
How do I convert mL to grams?
Millilitres times density. Density is how many grams one millilitre weighs, and it depends entirely on the ingredient - a millilitre of water is 1 gram, a millilitre of flour about half a gram, a millilitre of honey close to one and a half. That is why the tool asks what you are measuring: without the ingredient, mL and grams are not convertible at all.
Why do I need to pick the ingredient?
Because millilitres and grams are not directly convertible - they measure different things. The bridge is density, which is specific to each ingredient. A millilitre of oil and a millilitre of honey weigh very different amounts.
How many grams is a cup of flour?
About 120 grams for a US cup of all-purpose flour, which is the figure this tool uses (from King Arthur Baking). A metric cup, being larger, is about 127 grams. This is approximate - how the flour is packed changes it.
Which cup does this use?
The one you choose. "Cup" is not a single measure: the US customary cup is 236.6 mL, the US legal cup used on nutrition labels is 240, the metric cup in Australia and New Zealand is 250, and the older imperial cup is 284. That is a spread of nearly 20%, enough to matter in baking, so the tool lists each one by name rather than pretending there is a single cup.
Where do the densities come from?
Most come from USDA FoodData Central, the US government food database, derived from its published household-portion weights - and each ingredient shows its food ID so you can check it. All-purpose flour is the exception: FoodData Central has no volumetric portion for it, so its figure is King Arthur Baking's widely-used 120 grams per US cup, and the tool says so rather than passing it off as USDA. No competing converter shows any source at all.
Why is the result only approximate?
Because a dry ingredient does not have one fixed density. Flour scooped straight from the bag packs denser than flour spooned in gently; brown sugar depends on how hard it is pressed; a humid day adds weight. The densities here are sound reference values, good to a few percent, but that is the ceiling on any volume-to-weight conversion. It is exactly why serious recipes give grams in the first place.
Sources and accuracy
USDA FoodData Central per ingredient; King Arthur Baking for flour
Figures last checked against the source on . Standards and rates can change — if you are relying on this for something that matters, confirm against the source above. Think a figure is wrong or out of date? Send a correction.
Further reading
Which cup? US, metric and imperial cups are not the same — A cup is not one measure. US customary, US legal, metric and imperial cups differ by nearly 20%. The exact figures and why a recipe can fail on it.