One cup of milk weighs 244 g, poured, according to the USDA. Milk is slightly heavier than water — 244 g per cup against water's 237 g — because of its dissolved solids: lactose, protein and minerals, plus the fat in whole milk. The cup weight of 244 g is the number you need when a recipe is written in grams, when you are scaling a batch, or when you are converting a recipe between volume and weight. All weights on this page are approximate; the USDA lists whole milk at 244 g per cup, while the King Arthur chart rounds milk to 227 g, so verify with a scale when precision matters. This guide uses the USDA value, which is the more accurate figure.
Milk: weight and measurement table
The table below gives the weight of milk in every measure you will use, from a teaspoon up to 2 cups, all derived from the USDA figure of 244 g per cup, poured. Every figure is approximate — poured is a technique, not a machine setting — so when the recipe matters, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale instead.
| Amount | Weight (approx.) |
| --- | --- |
| 1 teaspoon | 5.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 15.2 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) | 61 g |
| 1/3 cup | 81.3 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) | 122 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tbsp) | 183 g |
| 1 cup (16 tbsp) | 244 g |
| 2 cups | 488 g |
| 100 g | 0.4 cups |
There are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon and 16 tablespoons in a cup, so you can move between any of these measures by multiplying or dividing. If a recipe calls for 100 g and you only have measuring cups, that is about 0.4 cups. Keep the cups to grams converter open while you cook and you will never need to do the arithmetic in your head.
What is Milk?
Milk is whole cow's milk, about 3.25 percent fat. It is mostly water — about 87 percent — with lactose, protein, fat and minerals making up the rest. That composition is what makes milk so versatile in cooking: the water hydrates flour, the lactose browns through the Maillard reaction, the protein builds structure, and the fat adds richness. It is used for drinking, baking, sauces, custards and cereals, and it is the liquid that most baking recipes are written around. Skimmed milk weighs slightly less per cup, about 243 g, and semi-skimmed about 244 g — the difference is too small to matter in most recipes. Milk should be refrigerated and used within 5 days of opening, and it should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
How to measure Milk correctly
Milk is measured poured, and the method matters more than most cooks realise. For dry ingredients, spoon the ingredient into the measure with a smaller spoon, letting it fall loosely, then sweep a knife across the top to level it — never dip the measuring cup into the bag, because dipping compresses the ingredient and adds up to 20 percent. For liquids, pour into a liquid measuring jug and read the level at eye height, or weigh directly into the bowl, which is the most accurate method of all. The USDA figure used on this page is 244 g per cup, and it is the figure the site's converters use, so the numbers here and the numbers in the tool always agree. Confidence in this figure is high.
A note on the published figures
USDA lists whole milk at 244 g per cup; the King Arthur chart rounds milk to 227 g (8 oz by weight). We use the USDA value.
Worked examples
A white sauce for lasagne
A bechamel for a lasagne uses 2 cups of milk — 488 g — whisked with 50 g of butter and 50 g of flour. The weight matters because the sauce is a ratio: 50 g of flour thickens 488 g of milk to a coating consistency, and the ratio is what stops the sauce from turning into wallpaper paste or staying thin as water. Weighing the milk is more reliable than measuring it in a jug, because milk clings to the sides of the jug and you lose a few grams. The milk is heated before it is added to the roux, which stops lumps forming, and the sauce is simmered for 5 minutes until it thickens and the flour taste cooks out.
A pancake batter for a weekend
A pancake batter for four uses 2 cups of milk — 488 g — with 2 cups of flour, 2 eggs and a tablespoon of sugar. The weight is useful because the batter's thickness depends on the milk-to-flour ratio: 488 g of milk against 240 g of flour gives a batter that pours in a ribbon and makes thin, tender pancakes. A batter made with too little milk is thick and makes heavy pancakes, while too much milk makes the pancakes thin and rubbery. The batter is rested for 10 minutes, which lets the flour hydrate and the gluten relax, giving a more tender pancake.
A custard for a trifle
A custard for a trifle uses 3 cups of milk — 732 g — heated with vanilla and whisked with 6 egg yolks and 100 g of sugar. The weight matters because custard is a ratio of milk to egg: 732 g of milk to 6 yolks gives a custard that sets softly and coats the back of a spoon, while too much milk gives a thin sauce that never sets. The milk is heated to just below boiling, then poured over the yolks in a thin stream while whisking — tempering, which stops the eggs scrambling. The custard is cooked gently until it reaches 80 C, then cooled and poured over the trifle.
Milk in baking: protein, sugar and browning
Milk does three things in baking that water cannot, and all three come from its dissolved solids. Its lactose — milk sugar — browns through the Maillard reaction, giving bread and cakes a golden crust that a water-based dough cannot match. Its protein builds structure: the casein and whey proteins set as the bake cooks, adding firmness to the crumb and helping it hold its shape. And its fat adds richness and tenderness, coating the flour and limiting gluten development so the crumb stays soft. That is why a bread made with milk is softer, browner and longer-lasting than a bread made with water — the milk is doing structural work, not just adding liquid. The practical consequence is that you cannot swap milk for water 1:1 and expect the same result: the bread will be paler, drier and staler sooner. If you must swap, add a tablespoon of butter per cup of water to replace the fat, and a tablespoon of sugar to replace the lactose. And when a recipe calls for milk in grams, use the USDA figure of 244 g per cup — the King Arthur figure of 227 g is a rounding that under-measures the milk by 7 percent, which is enough to make a dough noticeably drier.
What to use instead
If you run out of milk, these are the tested substitutes from our substitution data, with the ratio and the case where each one does not work. Use the ratio by weight where it is given, and check the warning before you commit the batter.
Milk to Almond milk: 1:1. Do not use sweetened or flavoured plant milk in savoury sauces, and do not expect the same browning in baking. — see the full guide: Milk to almond milk
Milk to Oat milk: 1:1. Do not use sweetened or flavoured plant milk in savoury sauces, and do not expect the same browning in baking. — see the full guide: Milk to oat milk
Milk to Soy milk: 1:1. Do not use sweetened or flavoured plant milk in savoury sauces, and do not expect the same browning in baking. — see the full guide: Milk to soy milk
Milk to Coconut milk: 1:1. Do not use sweetened or flavoured plant milk in savoury sauces, and do not expect the same browning in baking. — see the full guide: Milk to coconut milk
The golden rule for any substitution is to match the job, not just the ingredient: a substitute that works in a sauce may fail in a cake, because the two recipes ask different things of the ingredient. When in doubt, use a recipe written for the substitute rather than adapting one written for the original.
Storage
Refrigerate; use within 5 days of opening. That is the headline, but the details matter. Store milk in an airtight container, away from heat, light and strong smells — dry ingredients absorb odours readily, and a bag of flour stored next to the spices will taste of them within a week. Label the container with the date you opened it, so you know how long it has been there, and check it before you bake: if it smells off, tastes bitter, or shows any sign of moisture or insects, discard it. Buying in smaller quantities and using it promptly is better than buying in bulk and storing it for a year, because every ingredient loses flavour with time, even the ones that never truly go bad.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 cup of milk?
One cup of whole milk weighs 244 g, poured, according to the USDA. The King Arthur chart rounds milk to 227 g, but the USDA value is more accurate. One tablespoon weighs 15.3 g.
How many cups of milk are in 1 litre?
There are about 4.1 cups in 1 litre of milk (1,000 divided by 244 is 4.1 cups). A standard 1 litre carton holds just over 4 cups, and a 500 ml carton holds about 2 cups.
Can I use water instead of milk in baking?
Yes, 1:1 by weight, but the result will be paler, drier and less rich. Milk's lactose browns the crust, its protein builds structure, and its fat tenderises the crumb. If you swap, add 1 tablespoon of butter and 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of water to compensate.
Can I use plant milk instead of dairy milk?
Yes, 1:1 by weight in most recipes. Oat milk is the closest to dairy in baking, because it browns well. Almond and soy milk also work. Do not use sweetened or flavoured plant milk in savoury sauces, and do not expect the same browning.
How long does milk last once opened?
About 5 days in the fridge, sealed tightly. Discard it if it smells sour, tastes off, or has curdled. Do not leave milk at room temperature for more than 2 hours, and do not return unused milk to the carton.
Related pages
If you cook with this ingredient regularly, these pages will help: the cups to grams converter for any amount, the ingredient density lookup for the full table of 120 ingredients, the Milk cups to grams page for cup conversions, the Milk grams to cups page for working backwards from grams, and the Milk tablespoons to grams page for spoon measures. You may also want Heavy Cream, Buttermilk.