1 Cup Milk in Millilitres
1 cup of milk is 236.6 ml and weighs 244 g (poured, USDA). Whole cow's milk, about 3.25% fat. All the figures on this page are approximate conversions based on the USDA value, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Dairy ingredients sit in a narrow weight range — most land within a few grams of water — but the differences still matter in baking, where a few grams of liquid change a batter. One cup is always 236.6 ml, while the weight depends on fat content and whether the dairy is poured or spooned. This page gives you both numbers for every amount you are likely to need.
Why millilitres and grams are two different answers
Millilitres measure space and grams measure mass. A cup of dairy is always 236.6 ml, but the weight depends on water content, fat content and — for grated cheese — how much air sits between the shreds. A cup of grated parmesan weighs less than half as much as a cup of ricotta, even though both fill the same cup. The method matters too: liquids are poured and read at eye level, while soft cheeses are spooned and levelled. That is why this page gives both numbers, with the method stated. Use millilitres for a jug, grams for a scale, and grams whenever a bake depends on the amount.
Milk cups to millilitres conversion table
| Cups | Millilitres | Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 59.1 ml | 61 g | 4 tbsp |
| 1/3 cup | 78.9 ml | 81.3 g | 5.3 tbsp |
| 1/2 cup | 118.3 ml | 122 g | 8 tbsp |
| 2/3 cup | 157.7 ml | 162.7 g | 10.7 tbsp |
| 3/4 cup | 177.4 ml | 183 g | 12 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 236.6 ml | 244 g | 16 tbsp |
| 2 cups | 473.2 ml | 488 g | 32 tbsp |
| 3 cups | 709.8 ml | 732 g | 48 tbsp |
| 4 cups | 946.4 ml | 976 g | 64 tbsp |
The table covers the amounts recipes actually ask for, from a quarter cup up to four cups. One tablespoon of milk is about 15.2 g and 14.8 ml, which is handy when a recipe calls for a spoonful rather than a cup: divide the cup weight by 16 and you have the tablespoon weight. Remember that the millilitre column never changes — 1 cup is always 236.6 ml — while the gram column depends on the USDA density of 244 g per cup, measured poured. If your recipe was written in grams, read the gram column; if it was written in cups or millilitres, read the millilitre column.
How much is 100 ml, 250 ml and 500 ml of milk?
| Millilitres | Cups | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| 100 ml | 0.4 cups | 103.1 g |
| 250 ml | 1.1 cups | 257.8 g |
| 500 ml | 2.1 cups | 515.6 g |
Recipes written in metric units often call for round millilitre amounts rather than cups, so this table bridges the two. 250 ml of milk is just over a cup — 1.1 cups — and weighs 257.8 g, while 500 ml is 2.1 cups and 515.6 g. A standard measuring jug usually has both millilitre and cup markings, so you can pour to either scale, but the gram column is the one to use on a scale. Note that 100 ml is 0.4 of a cup, which is why metric recipes rarely line up neatly with cup measures.
Worked examples
Drinking calling for 2 cups of milk
A drinking recipe that calls for 2 cups of milk needs 473.2 ml, which weighs 488 g. That is the figure to measure: pour 473.2 ml into a liquid jug, or weigh 488 g straight into the bowl. Because milk is used for drinking, baking, sauces, custards and cereals. the amount matters — too little and the result is flat or bland, too much and the balance of the dish tips. Weighing 488 g removes the guesswork entirely, and it is the only way to repeat the recipe exactly next time.
Baking calling for half a cup of milk
A baking recipe that calls for half a cup of milk needs 118.3 ml, which weighs 122 g. That is the figure to measure: pour 118.3 ml into a liquid jug, or weigh 122 g straight into the bowl. Because milk is used for drinking, baking, sauces, custards and cereals. the amount matters — too little and the result is flat or bland, too much and the balance of the dish tips. Weighing 122 g removes the guesswork entirely, and it is the only way to repeat the recipe exactly next time.
Sauces calling for 3 cups of milk
A sauces recipe that calls for 3 cups of milk needs 709.8 ml, which weighs 732 g. That is the figure to measure: pour 709.8 ml into a liquid jug, or weigh 732 g straight into the bowl. Because milk is used for drinking, baking, sauces, custards and cereals. the amount matters — too little and the result is flat or bland, too much and the balance of the dish tips. Weighing 732 g removes the guesswork entirely, and it is the only way to repeat the recipe exactly next time.
Scaling works the same way in both directions. Double the recipe and 3 cups becomes 1419.6 ml, or 1464 g. Halve it and you need 354.9 ml, or 366 g. When you scale, always scale by weight if the original recipe was written in grams, and by volume if it was written in cups — mixing the two mid-recipe is how scaling errors creep in. And remember that a US cup is 236.6 ml, while a metric cup is 250 ml: if you are following a recipe from Australia, New Zealand or South Africa, one cup means 250 ml, which is 257.8 g of milk, not 244 g. Check which cup your recipe uses before you convert.
How the weight was measured
Poured means the ingredient is poured into a liquid measuring jug and read at eye level at the meniscus, or weighed straight into the bowl on a scale. Liquids settle flat, so a poured cup is far more repeatable than a cup of any dry ingredient.
The source for the 244 g figure is USDA, and the confidence in the value is high. USDA publishes a standard ingredient weight chart that recipe developers use as a reference, and this page follows it exactly rather than averaging across sources, because an average of two different measuring methods is a number that matches nobody's cup.
There is a dispute worth knowing about. 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. This page follows the USDA value of 244 g per cup, measured poured, rather than averaging across sources, because an average of two different measuring methods is a number that matches nobody's cup.
Common mistakes with milk
- Measuring a thick dairy in a liquid jug. Thick cultured dairy clings to a jug and the reading is unreliable. Spoon it into a dry cup and level it, or weigh it straight into the bowl.
- Packing grated cheese down. Grated cheese should be spooned lightly and levelled. Pressing it down packs far more cheese into the cup than the recipe expects.
- Reading a liquid jug from above. A jug read from above looks fuller than it is. Read the meniscus at eye level on a flat surface.
- Using a cup for a small amount. A tablespoon or two of dairy is better weighed than measured in a cup: a small error in a cup is a large error in a spoonful.
Storage and handling
Refrigerate; use within 5 days of opening. Whole cow's milk, about 3.25% fat. Keeping milk stored properly also keeps its weight per cup stable: an ingredient that has absorbed moisture from the air weighs more per cup than a dry one, so a sealed container is not just about freshness, it is about measurement accuracy too. If a container has been open for months in a humid kitchen, the first thing to do before a precise bake is to weigh the ingredient rather than trusting the cup. milk is used for drinking, baking, sauces, custards and cereals. and it is worth keeping a note of the 244 g per cup figure on the container, so the conversion is always to hand.
Frequently asked questions
How many millilitres is 1 cup of milk?
1 cup of milk is 236.6 ml. That is the fixed volume of one US customary cup, and it is the same for every ingredient on this site: the cup does not change, only the weight inside it does. If your recipe is from a metric country, note that a metric cup is 250 ml, which is a different measure — check which cup the recipe means before converting.
How many grams is 1 cup of milk?
1 cup of milk weighs 244 g, measured poured according to USDA. That is the figure the conversion table on this page is built on, and it is the value to use when a recipe gives weights. All the gram figures here are approximate, so when a bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Is 1 cup of milk always 236.6 ml?
Yes, as long as the recipe means a US customary cup. One US cup is 236.6 ml by definition, whatever is in it. The confusion comes from the metric cup, which is 250 ml, and from the old imperial cup. If a recipe does not say which cup it uses, a US recipe almost always means the 236.6 ml cup, while a recipe from Australia or New Zealand usually means the 250 ml metric cup.
How do I measure milk without a scale?
Poured means the ingredient is poured into a liquid measuring jug and read at eye level at the meniscus, or weighed straight into the bowl on a scale. Liquids settle flat, so a poured cup is far more repeatable than a cup of any dry ingredient. That gives the closest result to 244 g per cup, but it is still an estimate: the honest answer is that a scale is the only way to know the exact weight, and a basic digital kitchen scale costs less than a bag of good flour.
Does milk weigh the same as water?
No. One cup of milk weighs 244 g, which is heavier than water, which weighs 237 g per cup — 7 g heavier, to be exact. That is why you cannot convert milk by assuming a millilitre weighs a gram: for water the shortcut works, but for milk it would be off by 7 g per cup, and the error grows with the size of the recipe.
Related conversions
Use the cups to millilitres converter or the millilitres to cups converter for instant answers, or the liquid volume converter for other units. For the weight of the same ingredient, see Milk in grams, 244 g of milk in cups, and milk by the tablespoon. Browse the units hub or the cups to grams hub for the full ingredient list. Other pages in this series: Buttermilk in millilitres, Heavy Cream in millilitres. More tools: cups to grams converter and weight converter. See also our disclaimer about approximate conversions.