1 US cup equals 236.588 milliliters. To convert, multiply the number of cups by 236.588. The US cup is defined by NIST and is standard in American recipes; it is not the same as the 250 ml metric cup used in Australia, Canada, and South Africa.
The formula
ml = cups × 236.588
The factor 236.588 ml is exact by NIST definition (NIST Handbook 44, Appendix C). There is no approximation in the conversion — rounding only happens at display.
To convert back from milliliters to cups, divide by 236.588:
cups = ml ÷ 236.588
Practical examples
Example 1 — Scaling a US cake recipe internationally
A recipe from a US cookbook calls for 2 cups of all-purpose flour. You are in Germany and your scale measures in milliliters.
2 × 236.588 = 473.18 ml
Example 2 — Reading a European recipe in cups
A French pastry recipe calls for 300 ml of whole milk. Your measuring cups are in US cup markings.
300 ÷ 236.588 = 1.27 cups (a little more than 1 cup and 4 teaspoons)
Example 3 — Converting a standard quarter-cup
A recipe calls for ¼ cup of olive oil.
0.25 × 236.588 = 59.15 ml
This is close to a 60 ml shot glass — a useful real-world reference.
Common mistakes
Mistake 1 — Treating 1 cup as 250 ml
Many people assume 1 cup = 250 ml because that is the metric cup used in Australia, Canada, and South Africa. Using 250 ml instead of 236.588 ml introduces a 5.7% error. In baking, where flour ratios matter, that can mean a denser or crumbly result. Always check which cup standard a recipe uses.
Mistake 2 — Using the 240 ml approximation
Some older American baking guides round the US cup to 240 ml. This is a historical approximation, not the NIST standard. 240 ml introduces a 1.5 ml error per cup — negligible in most savory cooking, but noticeable across large batch sizes.
International and regional variations
| Standard | Cup size | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| US cup | 236.588 ml | United States |
| Metric cup | 250 ml | Australia, Canada, South Africa, New Zealand |
| UK | No standard cup | UK uses metric (ml/litres) in modern recipes |
If a recipe does not specify a country of origin, check the other measurements. A recipe using Fahrenheit for oven temperature is almost certainly US; a recipe using °C and grams is likely metric.
Quick reference: US cups to milliliters
| US Cups | Milliliters |
|---|---|
| ¼ | 59.15 |
| ⅓ | 78.86 |
| ½ | 118.29 |
| ⅔ | 157.73 |
| ¾ | 177.44 |
| 1 | 236.59 |
| 1¼ | 295.74 |
| 1½ | 354.88 |
| 2 | 473.18 |
| 3 | 709.76 |
| 4 (1 qt) | 946.35 |
When precision matters — and when it doesn't
Precision matters in baking, especially pastry and bread. Flour and liquid ratios affect gluten development, texture, and rise. A 13 ml difference (US cup vs metric cup) per cup of flour compounds across multiple cups and can shift a recipe noticeably.
Precision matters less in soups, stews, sauces, and salad dressings. A 5–10 ml variation in a cup of stock or olive oil will not affect the outcome.
Rule of thumb: If the recipe came from a bakery or pastry chef, use the exact conversion. If it came from a home cook's blog, rounding to the nearest 5 ml is fine.
For a single-page overview of all common cooking conversions — including oven temperatures, butter equivalents, and ingredient gram weights — see the Complete Cooking Conversion Chart →.