Dry vs wet measuring cups: What’s the difference?
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When it comes to cooking and baking, knowing the difference between liquid measuring cups and dry measuring cups is important to the success of your recipes. Learn about these two types of measuring cups and why they exist!
Whether you’re baking or cooking, using the proper measuring cup is one key to success. This is especially true in baking, which can be very finicky and requires exact measurements. Too much flour can result in dense baked goods while not enough can cause wet results.
What’s the difference between a dry measuring cup and a wet or liquid measuring cup?
Dry measuring cups are the ones you buy in matching sets with round tops like a glass or bowl. They are meant to be filled to the top and levelled. Dry measuring cups measure dry ingredients like flour, cocoa powder, or oats.
Wet measuring cups have measurement marks up the sides and spouts for pouring. They are not meant to be filled to the top, instead the liquid settles at the correct measuring line. Wet measuring cups measure a lot of wet ingredients like water, milk, or honey.
But guess what?
Dry measuring cups and wet measuring cups have the exact same cup measurements. It’s harder to fill a wet measuring cup with dry ingredients because you can’t fill it to the top and level it which is the proper method for measuring dry ingredients.
1 cup on a dry measuring cup will vary for the weight in ounces because the ingredients weigh different amounts.
For example, 1 cup of chocolate chips weigh 6 ounces but 1 cup of cocoa powder weighs 3 ounces.
Can you use a dry cup for wet measurements?
Not really. Especially not in baking. But also, yes, it’s possible if you really want to, but the measurements may not be as accurate.
For the most accurate measurement use a scale. This is what I do when baking, but not necessarily when cooking.
Why use a scale for baking?
Because, depending on how you measure a cup of flour, whether it’s spooned in or scooped up into it and leveled, a ‘cup’ of flour can vary in measurement by as much as 100 grams, almost a cup!
Therefore the most accurate way to measure flour (and other ingredients) is using a scale.
When measuring flour, I use the ratio of 120 grams = 1 cup of flour.
To measure flour without a scale, fluff the flour with a fork and then drop it by the spoonful into the measuring cup, making sure not to pack it in. Level it with a knife and hope it’s accurate!
Weight conversions of 43 Common Ingredients
Learn more about weights in different units of measurement with this chart below. Learn more about metric vs imperial systems of measurement next!
| Ingredient | Volume | Onuces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|
| Agave Syrup | 1/4 cup | 3 | 84 |
| All purpose flour | 1 cup | 4 1/4 | 120 |
| Baking Powder | 1 teaspoon | 4 | |
| Baking Soda | 1 teaspoon | 6 | |
| Breadcrumbs (Panko) | 1 cup | 1 3/4 | 50 |
| Brown Sugar | 1 cup | 7 1/2 | 213 |
| Bulgur | 1 cup | 5 3/8 | 152 |
| Butter | 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) | 4 | 113 |
| Cashews (whole) | 1 | 4 | 113 |
| Cheddar (grated) | 1 cup | 4 | 113 |
| Chia seeds | 1/4 cup | 1 1/3 | 37 |
| Chickpea Flour | 1 cup | 3 | 85 |
| Chocolate chips | 1 cup | 6 | 170 |
| Cocoa Powder | 1 cup | 3 | 80 |
| Coconut (shredded) | 1 cup | 3 | 85 |
| Coconut Milk (can) | 1 cup | 8 1/2 | 240 |
| Coconut Oil | 1/2 cup | 4 | 113 |
| Coconut Sugar | 1/2 cup | 2 3/4 | 77 |
| Confectioners Sugar | 2 cups | 8 | 227 |
| Cornstarch | 1/4 cup | 1 | 28 |
| Dates (chopped) | 1 cup | 5 1/4 | 149 |
| Egg | 1 large | 1 3/4 | 50 |
| Feta Cheese | 1/2 cup | 2 | 57 |
| Flax Meal | 1/2 cup | 1 3/4 | 50 |
| Flaxseed | 1/4 cup | 1 1/4 | 35 |
| Honey | 1 tablespoon | 3/4 | 21 |
| Lemon Juice | 1 tablespoon | 1/2 | 14 |
| Maple Syrup | 1/2 cup | 5 1/2 | 156 |
| Masa Harina | 1 cup | 3 1/4 | 93 |
| Mashed Potatoes | 1 cup | 7 1/2 | 213 |
| Mashed Sweet Potatoes | 1 cup | 8 1/2 | 240 |
| Mayonnaise | 1/2 cup | 4 | 113 |
| Oats (rolled) | 1 cup | 4 | 113 |
| Oats (quick) | 1 cup | 3 1/8 | 89 |
| Olive Oil | 1/4 cup | 1 3/4 | 50 |
| Onion (diced) | 1 cup | 5 | 142 |
| Parmesan (grated) | 1/2 cup | 1 3/4 | 50 |
| Peanut Butter | 1/2 cup | 4 3/4 | 135 |
| Rice (long, dry) | 1/2 cup | 3 1/2 | 99 |
| Sugar (white) | 1 cup | 7 | 198 |
| Vanilla Extract | 1 tablespoon | 1/2 | 14 |
| Yeast (instant) | 2 1/4 teaspoons | 1/4 | 7 |
| Yeast (instant) | 1 tablespoon | 1/3 | 9 |
Download the printable ingredient conversion chart.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here are some commonly asked questions about weights and ingredients.
2 cups of butter is equal to 1 pound, or 454 grams.
1 stick of butter is equal to 1/2 a cup (8 tablespoons), or 113 grams.
One pound of white sugar contains approximately 2.2 cups.
Using the standard ratio of 1 cup=120 grams, there are approximately 3.8 cups (456 grams) per pound of flour. 1 pound is equal to 454 grams.
Depending on the variety of rice, there are 2.2 – 2.5 cups of rice in a pound.
A 1 lb block of cheese yields about 4 cups of shredded cheese.
There are 454 grams in 1 pound.
1 kilogram (1000 grams) is equal to 2.2 pounds.
1 lemon has about 2 tablespoons of lemon juice, which about 1 ounce.
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