Cups to Milliliters (cups to mL) Converter
Use this cups to milliliters converter to instantly convert cups to mL with accurate results. Enter a volume in cups, adjust decimal precision, and get the equivalent milliliters value immediately.
This converter uses the formula mL = cups × 236.588 for US customary cups. One cup equals just under 237 mL — the single most useful conversion for any home cook adapting American recipes for metric kitchens or scaling recipes with metric equipment.
Formula used: mL = cups × 236.588
Need to convert milliliters to cups? Try our Milliliters to Cups Converter.
Cups to Milliliters Formula
To convert cups to milliliters, multiply by 236.588.
Formula: mL = cups × 236.588
For example, 2.5 cups × 236.588 = 591.47 mL.
The US customary cup is defined as exactly 8 US fluid ounces = 16 tablespoons = 236.5882365 mL. This is distinct from the "US legal cup" used on nutrition labels, which is exactly 240 mL. For recipe cooking, the difference of about 3.4 mL per cup is negligible. For large-batch production or precision baking where consistency matters across multiple units, use the exact value of 236.588 mL.
Understanding Different Cup Sizes
One of the most common sources of recipe failure is using the wrong cup size. The US customary cup (236.6 mL) is smaller than the Australian metric cup (250 mL), the Canadian legal cup (227 mL), and the UK metric cup (284 mL, sometimes 250 mL). A recipe calling for "1 cup" means different things in different countries. If you're following a US recipe outside the US, or a foreign recipe in the US, confirming which cup standard is being used — and converting to mL for a neutral reference — eliminates this ambiguity entirely. This converter uses the US customary cup of 236.588 mL.
Baking Fractions in mL
- ⅛ cup = 29.57 mL (same as 1 fl oz)
- ¼ cup = 59.15 mL
- ⅓ cup = 78.86 mL
- ½ cup = 118.29 mL
- ⅔ cup = 157.73 mL
- ¾ cup = 177.44 mL
- 1 cup = 236.59 mL
Cups to Milliliters Conversion Table
| Cups | Milliliters (mL) |
|---|---|
| ¼ cup | 59.15 mL |
| ⅓ cup | 78.86 mL |
| ½ cup | 118.29 mL |
| ⅔ cup | 157.73 mL |
| ¾ cup | 177.44 mL |
| 1 cup | 236.59 mL |
| 2 cups | 473.18 mL |
| 3 cups | 709.76 mL |
| 4 cups | 946.35 mL |
| 8 cups | 1892.71 mL |
When to Convert Cups to Milliliters
Cooking from US recipes abroad: American recipes are overwhelmingly written in cups, tablespoons, and teaspoons rather than metric weights or volumes. A US recipe asking for "2 cups of flour" can be ambiguous for a cook using a 250 mL Australian cup measure — they'd be adding 500 mL instead of 473 mL, which could be enough to affect the texture of baked goods. Converting to mL first and measuring with a graduated jug removes the ambiguity completely.
Scaling recipes: When doubling or tripling a recipe, it's often easier to calculate in mL than to work with fractions of cups. "3 times 1.5 cups = 4.5 cups" is harder to measure than "3 × 355 mL = 1065 mL" using a graduated pitcher. Conversely, when halving a recipe, "half of ¾ cup" is less intuitive than "half of 177 mL = 88.5 mL."
Nutrition labeling and food production: US nutrition facts panels express serving sizes in cups (and mL in parentheses). Food manufacturers operating in both the US and international markets need to convert cup-based serving sizes to mL for labeling compliance in metric-standard countries. The FDA requires that serving sizes expressed in cups also show the mL equivalent.
Scientific and laboratory contexts: Laboratory protocols from US sources often express reagent volumes in cups or fluid ounces when they originated in industrial or culinary chemistry contexts. Converting to mL brings these volumes into the standard metric units used in scientific measurement worldwide.
FAQ
How many mL is 1 cup?
1 US customary cup = 236.588 mL. The US legal cup (used on nutrition labels) = 240 mL. The difference is 3.4 mL — negligible for cooking, potentially meaningful for precision work.
How many mL is half a cup?
½ cup = 118.294 mL — rounded to 118 mL for measuring purposes. This is also 4 US fluid ounces.
How many mL is a quarter cup?
¼ cup = 59.147 mL — approximately 59 mL. This is also 2 US fluid ounces or 4 tablespoons.
US cup vs Australian cup?
US cup = 236.6 mL. Australian metric cup = 250 mL. If you use an Australian cup to measure a US recipe, you'll add about 13.4 mL extra per cup — roughly 1 extra tablespoon. In bread and cake recipes this can make a real difference.
How many cups is 1 liter?
1000 mL ÷ 236.588 = approximately 4.227 US cups. A liter is just over 4 cups and 3.5 tablespoons.
Why doesn't my cup measure show mL?
Most US measuring cups are calibrated only in cups, tablespoons, and fluid ounces. Canadian and Australian measures often show both cups and mL. If yours doesn't show mL, this converter gives you the exact equivalent to use with a separate metric measuring jug.