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Free Cups (US) to Milliliters Converter

A US legal cup is exactly 236.5882365 milliliters—crucial when translating American recipes for cooks using metric measuring jugs and scales worldwide.

1 cup = 236.59 mL

Pick any units and edit either box — it converts instantly in your browser.

Quick answer

One US cup equals 236.59 milliliters. Multiply cups by 236.59 to get mL. Note: a metric cup is 250 mL, which is different—always check your recipe's origin country.

Formula & method

milliliters = cups (us) × 236.5882365
  • cup — value in cups (us)
  • mL — result in milliliters
  • 236.5882365 — exact conversion factor (1 cup = 236.5882365 mL)

To convert back, divide by 236.5882365 (1 mL = 0.004227 cup).

Cups (US) to Milliliters — common values

Cups (US) (cup)Milliliters (mL)
0.25 cup59.15 mL
0.33 cup78.07 mL
0.5 cup118.29 mL
0.66 cup156.15 mL
0.75 cup177.44 mL
1 cup236.59 mL
2 cup473.18 mL
4 cup946.35 mL

Examples

Example 1: A typical sauce ingredient
Input
0.5 cup
Result
118.29 mL
Why
Half cup is a common amount in soup and sauce recipes
Example 2: A main dry ingredient
Input
1 cup
Result
236.59 mL
Why
Standard flour or sugar measurement in US baking
Example 3: A liquid base for soup or stew
Input
2 cup
Result
473.18 mL
Why
Stock or broth amount needed to start a pot
Example 4: A full imperial pint equivalent
Input
4 cup
Result
946.35 mL
Why
Large batch of batter or liquid for a cake or pudding

Common mistakes

  • Mixing up unit definitions — Uses the US legal/customary cup (236.6 mL); a metric cup is 250 mL.
  • Rounding too early. Multiply by the full factor (236.5882365) first, then round only the final milliliters value.
  • Converting the wrong way. This page goes Cups (US) → Milliliters; to go back, divide by 236.5882365.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a US cup and a metric cup?

A US legal cup is 236.59 mL, while a metric cup is 250 mL. The difference is small (about 6%) but matters in precise baking. Always check whether your recipe is from a US or metric source.

Why is a US cup so oddly specific?

The US cup was historically defined as 1/16 of a US gallon (3.785 L ÷ 16 = 236.59 mL). It's now a legal standard in US cooking and labeling.

Should I use a scale instead of cups?

For baking and pastry work, yes—weight (grams) is far more accurate than volume. But if you're using cups, convert to mL and weigh the ingredient by density for best results.

Can I use a standard kitchen measuring jug marked in mL?

Yes, absolutely. Fill to 237 mL (rounding from 236.6) for each US cup. Most metric jugs have markings that make this straightforward.

What if my recipe uses imperial cup markings instead of US?

Check the source. If it's a UK or Australian recipe, an 'imperial cup' is 284 mL, not 237 mL. Always verify your recipe's origin country or look for weight measurements instead.

How precise does my conversion need to be?

For baking and pastry, stay within 5 mL if possible (use 235–240 mL instead of guessing). For soups, stews, and sauces, rounding to the nearest 10 mL is fine.

Sources & references

External references open in a new tab. We are independent and not affiliated with these organizations.

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