There are 35.27 oz in a kilogram. That is the answer: 1 kilogram equals 35.27396 ounces, usually rounded to 35.27 oz, and it is the conversion you will use when a European recipe gives a weight in kilograms and your scale reads ounces. If a recipe calls for 1 kilogram of flour, weigh 35.27 ounces. If it calls for half a kilogram, weigh 17.64 ounces. This page gives you the table, real cooking examples, and the tricks for converting between kilograms and pounds, because that is the conversion you will actually use in the kitchen.
The conversion table
| Kilograms | Ounces | Pounds | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 kg | 8.82 oz | 0.55 lb | 250 g |
| 1/2 kg | 17.64 oz | 1.10 lb | 500 g |
| 3/4 kg | 26.46 oz | 1.65 lb | 750 g |
| 1 kg | 35.27 oz | 2.20 lb | 1,000 g |
| 1 1/2 kg | 52.91 oz | 3.31 lb | 1,500 g |
| 2 kg | 70.55 oz | 4.41 lb | 2,000 g |
| 3 kg | 105.82 oz | 6.61 lb | 3,000 g |
| 5 kg | 176.37 oz | 11.02 lb | 5,000 g |
| 10 kg | 352.74 oz | 22.05 lb | 10,000 g |
The ounce and pound figures are rounded to two decimal places. The gram column is exact, because a kilogram is defined as 1,000 grams.
Worked example 1: a bag of flour and a recipe in ounces
You have a 1-kilogram bag of flour, and an American recipe calls for 16 ounces. Sixteen ounces is 453.6 grams, so you need just under half the bag — 454 grams out of 1,000. If the recipe calls for 35 ounces, that is almost exactly a kilogram, because 35.27 ounces is a kilogram, so you can use the whole bag and add a pinch more. The conversion matters most when you are buying in kilograms and cooking in ounces, or the other way round, and the anchor to remember is that a kilogram is about 35 ounces, which is about 2.2 pounds.
Worked example 2: a roast that needs weighing in ounces
An American recipe calls for a 2-pound roast, and you are buying meat in a shop that sells by the kilogram. Two pounds is 32 ounces, which is 907 grams, or 0.91 kilograms, so look for a joint labelled 0.9 kilograms. If the joint is 1 kilogram, that is 35.27 ounces, or 2.2 pounds, and you should add about 10 minutes to the cooking time. The weight matters because the cooking time is calculated from it, and the kilogram-to-ounce conversion is the bridge between the recipe and the shop label.
Worked example 3: a large batch, scaled in ounces
You are making jam and the recipe calls for 2 kilograms of fruit, but your scale reads ounces. Two kilograms is 70.55 ounces, which is 4.41 pounds, and you will need a pot that holds at least 4 litres. Working in ounces makes the maths awkward — 70.55 is not a round number — which is why it is better to switch your scale to grams for a metric recipe. If your scale only reads ounces, weigh the fruit in two batches of 35.27 ounces, which is a kilogram each, and the total will be right.
Method and source
A kilogram is defined as 1,000 grams, and an avoirdupois ounce is defined as exactly 28.349523125 grams, so 1,000 divided by 28.3495 is 35.27396, usually rounded to 35.27. The avoirdupois ounce is the one used for food: 16 ounces make a pound, and a pound is 453.6 grams. The troy ounce is different: it is 31.1035 grams, and a kilogram holds 32.15 troy ounces, but the troy system is used only for precious metals, so you will never meet it in a recipe. If a recipe says "ounce" without any other word, it means an avoirdupois ounce, and a kilogram holds 35.27 of them.
Practical guidance
Buy a kitchen scale that reads grams, and use it for every recipe that gives a weight. Weighing is more accurate than measuring by volume, because a cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120 to 142 grams depending on how you scoop it, while 1,000 grams is always 1,000 grams. When you convert kilograms to ounces, multiply by 35.27 and round the answer to the nearest ounce — do not round the conversion factor first. Remember the anchor numbers: a quarter kilogram is about 9 ounces, half a kilogram is about 18 ounces, three quarters is about 26 ounces, and a kilogram is about 35 ounces. And if your scale has a grams mode, use it for a metric recipe, because grams are the unit the recipe was written in.
Frequently asked questions
How many ounces are in 1 kilogram?
There are 35.27 oz in 1 kilogram. That is the standard conversion for food and cooking. A kilogram is also 2.2 pounds and 1,000 grams.
How many ounces are in half a kilogram?
There are 17.64 oz in half a kilogram. Half a kilogram is also 500 grams and 1.1 pounds. It is a common bag size for flour, sugar, and rice.
How many ounces are in 2 kilograms?
There are 70.55 oz in 2 kilograms. Two kilograms is also 2,000 grams and 4.41 pounds. It is a common amount for a large batch of jam or a roast.
How many kilograms are in 35.27 ounces?
There is 1 kilogram in 35.27 ounces. Thirty-five point two seven ounces is the definition of a kilogram in American terms, so if a recipe gives an amount in ounces that adds up to 35, you can weigh it as a kilogram instead.
How many ounces are in a pound?
There are 16 ounces in a pound. That is the definition of the avoirdupois pound, and it is the conversion that ties the American weight system together: 16 ounces make a pound, and a pound is 454 grams.
Is a kilogram the same everywhere?
Yes. A kilogram is 1,000 grams everywhere in the world, by the definition of the metric system. It is the one weight unit that does not vary between countries, which is why it is the safest unit to use in an international recipe.
When to use ounces and when to use grams
If your scale reads ounces and the recipe is written in kilograms, you have two choices: convert the kilograms to ounces and weigh in ounces, or switch the scale to grams and weigh in grams. The second choice is better whenever the recipe is metric, because the gram figure is exact and the ounce figure is rounded, and the rounding error grows with the amount. A kilogram is 35.27 ounces, and if you round that to 35 ounces, you are short by 0.27 ounces, which is about 8 grams — a small error for a kilogram of flour, but a real error for a precise bake. Most digital scales have a grams mode, so switch to it for a metric recipe, and save the ounces mode for recipes that were written in ounces in the first place.