Fluid Ounces (Volume)
A fluid ounce (fl oz) measures how much space a liquid takes up. 1 US cup = exactly 8 fluid ounces, always, regardless of what liquid you're measuring. Water, milk, juice, oil. The volume relationship is constant.
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Cooking & Baking
Cups to Ounces Conversion: Fluid & Dry
Converting cups to ounces sounds simple until you realize there are two kinds of ounces. Fluid ounces measure volume (like water or milk). Dry ounces measure weight (like flour or sugar). They are not the same. This page covers both: use the converter for fluid ounces, scroll to the ingredient chart for dry ounce conversions on common baking and cooking staples.
Cups to Fluid Ounces Converter
For liquids only (water, milk, juice, etc). For dry ingredients, see the chart below.
Fluid ounces (volume). 1 US cup = exactly 8 US fluid ounces. This conversion is fixed regardless of liquid. For dry ingredients like flour or sugar, scroll to the ingredient chart below.
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Fluid Ounces vs. Dry Ounces: The Distinction That Matters
This is the most misunderstood part of cups-to-ounces conversion. Getting it wrong can ruin a recipe. Short version: fluid ounces measure volume; dry ounces measure weight.
Dry Ounces (Weight)
A dry ounce (oz) measures how heavy something is. When a recipe calls for 4 ounces of flour, it means 4 ounces by weight, not by volume. The problem: 1 cup of flour does NOT weigh 8 ounces. It weighs about 4.25 ounces, because flour is much lighter than water. Every ingredient has a different weight per cup.
When Are They Equal?
Water is the one common ingredient where fluid ounces and weight ounces are very close. 1 cup of water weighs approximately 8.35 ounces. For practical cooking, water is often treated as 1 cup = 8 oz in both volume and weight. For everything else (flour, sugar, butter, rice, oats), always use the ingredient-specific weight.
Quick rule: Liquids? Use the converter above. Dry goods? Use the ingredient chart below.
Cups to Fluid Ounces Chart
1 US cup = 8 US fluid ounces. Exact and fixed.
| Cups | Fluid Ounces | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 1 fl oz | 29.6 mL |
| 1/4 cup | 2 fl oz | 59.1 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 2.67 fl oz | 78.9 mL |
| 3/8 cup | 3 fl oz | 88.7 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 4 fl oz | 118.3 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 5.33 fl oz | 157.7 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 6 fl oz | 177.4 mL |
| 7/8 cup | 7 fl oz | 207.0 mL |
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 236.6 mL |
| 1 1/4 cups | 10 fl oz | 295.7 mL |
| 1 1/2 cups | 12 fl oz | 354.9 mL |
| 1 3/4 cups | 14 fl oz | 414.0 mL |
| 2 cups | 16 fl oz | 473.2 mL |
| 2 1/2 cups | 20 fl oz | 591.5 mL |
| 3 cups | 24 fl oz | 709.8 mL |
| 4 cups | 32 fl oz | 946.4 mL |
| 8 cups | 64 fl oz | 1,892.7 mL |
| 16 cups | 128 fl oz | 3,785.4 mL (1 gal) |
Cups to Dry Ounces by Ingredient
Dry ounces measure weight, not volume, so every ingredient converts differently. The table below shows how many ounces (by weight) are in one cup of common ingredients.
| Ingredient | 1 cup = | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-purpose flour (unsifted) | 4.25 oz / 120 g | Spoon into cup, level off |
| All-purpose flour (sifted) | 3.5 oz / 99 g | Sift before measuring |
| Bread flour | 4.25 oz / 120 g | |
| Cake flour | 3.5 oz / 100 g | |
| Whole wheat flour | 4.0 oz / 113 g | |
| Almond flour | 3.4 oz / 96 g | |
| Cocoa powder | 3.5 oz / 100 g | |
| Cornstarch | 4.5 oz / 128 g | |
| Granulated sugar | 7.0 oz / 200 g | |
| Powdered sugar | 4.0 oz / 113 g | Sifted |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 7.5 oz / 213 g | Firmly packed |
| Honey | 12.0 oz / 340 g | |
| Maple syrup | 11.0 oz / 312 g | |
| Butter (softened) | 8.0 oz / 227 g | 2 sticks |
| Vegetable oil | 7.7 oz / 218 g | |
| Olive oil | 7.6 oz / 216 g | |
| Whole milk | 8.6 oz / 244 g | |
| Heavy cream | 8.4 oz / 238 g | |
| Water | 8.35 oz / 237 g | ~8 oz for practical purposes |
| Table salt | 10.4 oz / 292 g | |
| Kosher salt (Diamond) | 4.8 oz / 136 g | Coarser grain = lighter |
| Rolled oats | 3.0 oz / 90 g | |
| White rice (uncooked) | 6.7 oz / 190 g | |
| Chocolate chips | 6.0 oz / 170 g | |
| Chopped nuts | 4.0 oz / 113 g | Roughly chopped |
| Peanut butter | 9.0 oz / 258 g | |
| Cream cheese | 8.0 oz / 227 g |
For the most accurate baking results, use a kitchen scale. Volume-to-weight conversions vary based on how ingredients are measured (sifted, packed, spooned).
Cup Fractions: Quick Reference
The most frequently searched cup fraction conversions. Bookmark for cooking and baking.
| Cups | Fluid Oz | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 1 fl oz | 2 tbsp |
| 1/4 cup | 2 fl oz | 4 tbsp |
| 1/3 cup | 2⅔ fl oz | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 3/8 cup | 3 fl oz | 6 tbsp |
| 1/2 cup | 4 fl oz | 8 tbsp |
| 2/3 cup | 5⅓ fl oz | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 3/4 cup | 6 fl oz | 12 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz | 16 tbsp |
| 2 cups | 16 fl oz | 32 tbsp (1 pint) |
| 4 cups | 32 fl oz | 64 tbsp (1 quart) |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many ounces are in a cup?
There are 8 fluid ounces in 1 US cup. This is a fixed, exact conversion for liquid measurements.
For dry ingredients measured by weight, the answer depends on the ingredient. 1 cup of flour weighs about 4.25 oz, while 1 cup of sugar weighs about 7 oz.
How many ounces is 1/2 cup?
One half cup equals 4 fluid ounces, or 8 tablespoons. For dry weight, half a cup of flour weighs about 2.1 oz, while half a cup of sugar weighs about 3.5 oz.
How many ounces is 1/4 cup?
One quarter cup equals 2 fluid ounces, or 4 tablespoons. For dry weight, 1/4 cup of flour is approximately 1.06 oz, and 1/4 cup of granulated sugar is approximately 1.75 oz.
How many ounces is 1/3 cup?
One third cup equals approximately 2.67 fluid ounces, or 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. It's one of the trickier fractions because it doesn't divide evenly into tablespoons or ounces.
How many ounces is 2 cups?
Two cups equals 16 fluid ounces, which is also equal to 1 pint. In milliliters, 2 cups is approximately 473 mL.
Is 8 oz the same as 1 cup?
For liquids, yes. 8 US fluid ounces equals exactly 1 US cup. For dry ingredients, no. The weight of 1 cup varies by ingredient.
1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs about 4.25 oz, not 8 oz. The confusion arises because "ounce" refers to two different measurements: volume (fluid ounces) and weight (dry ounces).
How many cups is 16 oz?
16 fluid ounces equals exactly 2 cups, or 1 pint. If measuring a dry ingredient by weight, 16 oz equals 1 pound. Converting that to cups depends on the ingredient's density.
How many cups is 32 oz?
32 fluid ounces equals exactly 4 cups, or 1 quart. Common size for many liquid containers. 32 oz of broth, juice, or stock equals 4 cups.
How do I convert cups of flour to ounces?
Multiply the number of cups by 4.25 for unsifted all-purpose flour. For example, 2 cups of flour × 4.25 oz/cup = 8.5 oz.
Sifted flour is lighter. Use 3.5 oz per cup if your recipe specifies sifted.
What is the difference between fluid ounces and dry ounces?
Fluid ounces measure volume. The amount of space something takes up. Dry ounces measure weight. How heavy something is.
A fluid ounce of water and a fluid ounce of honey take up the same space, but they weigh very different amounts. When a recipe says "8 oz of water," it almost certainly means fluid ounces. When it says "8 oz of flour," it means weight.
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We built this because the fluid-ounce vs. dry-ounce distinction confuses everyone (including us, until we started baking seriously). One page, both kinds, ingredient-specific weights for the things you actually cook with. This site is a part of the ads4good Network.
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