Cooking Measurement Converter

While precise measurements are important, some recipes call for 'a pinch' or 'a dash.' Historically, a pinch was often considered about 1/8 of a teaspoon for dry ingredients, and a dash about 1/8 of a teaspoon for liquids (or a few drops). However, these are informal and can vary significantly!

Liquid measuring cups are typically clear with a spout for pouring and markings on the side. Dry measuring cups are designed to be filled to the brim and leveled off. While a 'cup' is a unit of volume, the design of the tool can impact accuracy for different ingredient types.

Many professional bakers prefer to measure dry ingredients like flour and sugar by weight (grams or ounces) rather than volume (cups) for greater accuracy and consistency, as the density of dry ingredients can vary.

A 'baker's dozen' is 13, not 12. The practice originated in medieval England where bakers would add an extra loaf to an order of a dozen to avoid being fined for selling short weight.

When measuring liquids in a clear container like a measuring cup, you should read the volume at the bottom of the meniscus, the curved upper surface of the liquid. This ensures an accurate measurement.

At higher altitudes, lower atmospheric pressure causes water to boil at a lower temperature. This can affect cooking times and may require adjustments to recipes, such as increasing baking time or adding more liquid.

A 'gill' (pronounced 'jill') is a historic unit of volume, equal to a quarter of a pint. In the US, this is about 4 fluid ounces, while in the UK it's 5 fluid ounces. It's famously mentioned in the nursery rhyme 'Jack and Jill'.

The tablespoon and teaspoon as we know them became standardized measurements in the late 19th century, with the Boston Cooking School being one of the first to promote level measurements for consistency in recipes.

An Imperial pint (used in the UK) contains 20 Imperial fluid ounces, while a US pint contains 16 US fluid ounces. As the Imperial fluid ounce is also slightly smaller, an Imperial pint is about 20% larger than a US pint.

Because honey is so dense and sticky, most professional recipes measure it by weight rather than volume. A cup of honey weighs significantly more than a cup of water.

Sifting flour before measuring it by volume incorporates air, making it lighter and less compact. One cup of sifted all-purpose flour weighs less than one cup of unsifted, scooped-and-leveled flour, which can significantly alter a recipe.

In bartending, a 'bar spoon' is often considered a standard measure. It typically holds about 5 milliliters, the same as a metric teaspoon.

Older recipes may use terms like 'a scant cup' (meaning slightly less than a full cup) or 'a heaping tablespoon' (meaning piled up above the spoon's edge). These are imprecise terms that modern recipes try to avoid.

In the US, butter is commonly sold in sticks. One stick of butter is standardized to be 1/2 cup, which is also equivalent to 4 ounces by weight or 8 tablespoons.

For medicinal or flavoring purposes, the 'drop' is sometimes used as a unit. It is not standardized, as its volume depends on the liquid's viscosity and the dropper, but it is often approximated as 1/20th of a milliliter.

An Australian metric tablespoon is officially 20 ml, which is different from the 15 ml metric tablespoon used in the UK and the approximately 14.8 ml US tablespoon. This can lead to confusion when using recipes from different regions.

In bartending, a jigger is a tool for measuring spirits. A standard US jigger typically measures 1.5 US fluid ounces on its large side and 0.75 or 1 US fluid ounce on its smaller side.

A noggin is an old English unit of volume, typically for alcoholic spirits, equal to one gill (a quarter of a pint). The term 'jack' is also sometimes used for a two-ounce measure of spirits.