ML to Grams Calculator

By Mustafa Bilgic • Updated 20 February 2026

Converting millilitres (ml) to grams (g) is one of the most common tasks in cooking and baking — but the conversion is not as simple as a 1:1 ratio. Only water converts at exactly 1ml = 1g. Every other ingredient has its own density, which means the conversion factor changes. Our calculator uses the correct density for each ingredient to give you an accurate gram weight from your volume measurement.

Complete ML to Grams Conversion Table for Cooking Ingredients

The following table shows the weight in grams for common volumes of frequently used UK cooking and baking ingredients. All density values are based on published food science data at standard room temperature (20°C).

Why ML and Grams Are Different: Understanding Density

The core reason why millilitres and grams are not interchangeable for most ingredients comes down to density — the mass of a substance per unit of volume. The formula is straightforward:

The 1ml = 1g relationship works only for pure water at 4 degrees Celsius — the temperature at which water is at its maximum density of exactly 1 g/ml. At 20°C (room temperature), water's density is 0.998 g/ml, but for all practical cooking purposes, 1ml = 1g is accurate enough. For every other ingredient, the conversion depends entirely on how dense that substance is.

Why Honey Weighs So Much More Than Water

Honey has a density of approximately 1.42 g/ml — significantly higher than water. This is because honey is a highly concentrated solution of sugars (primarily fructose and glucose), which are denser than water molecules. 100ml of honey weighs 142 grams — 42 percent more than the same volume of water. This is why a 500ml jar of honey weighs around 710 grams rather than 500 grams.

Why Flour Weighs So Much Less Than Water

Plain flour has a density of only about 0.53 g/ml — barely half that of water. This is because flour is a particulate material: the grains of starch and protein are not packed together solidly. Air occupies the spaces between particles. When you scoop flour into a cup, you are capturing a mixture of flour and air, not a solid block of flour. This is also why the density of flour varies so much with how it is measured: sifted flour is much lighter (as low as 0.45 g/ml) because sifting introduces more air, while compacted or spooned flour can reach 0.60 g/ml. This variability is the primary reason professional bakers always weigh flour in grams rather than measuring by volume.

Oils and Fats: Why They Float on Water

All common culinary oils have a density below 1 g/ml — typically 0.91 to 0.93 g/ml. This is why oil floats on water: it is less dense. 100ml of olive oil weighs 91 grams, while 100ml of water weighs 100 grams. For butter, the density depends on temperature and state. Cold solid butter has a density of about 0.86 g/ml, while melted butter is around 0.91 to 0.96 g/ml depending on the exact fat content and water content.

Grams vs Millilitres in UK Baking: Which Should You Use?

The debate between measuring by weight (grams) versus volume (ml, cups, spoons) is particularly relevant in UK baking culture. UK recipe books almost universally use grams for dry ingredients and millilitres for liquids. American recipes use cups for everything, which causes persistent confusion when adapting recipes across the Atlantic.

When to Use Grams

Always use grams for flour, sugar, butter, nuts, chocolate, dried fruit and any other dry or solid ingredient. These ingredients have variable densities depending on how they are measured by volume, making gram weights far more reproducible. A Paul Hollywood bread recipe calling for 400g of strong flour means 400g regardless of how your flour settles in its bag, your altitude, or the humidity in your kitchen.

When Millilitres Are Fine

Millilitres are accurate enough for water, milk, cream, oils and other pure liquids whose density is known and consistent. If a recipe says 250ml of whole milk, you can confidently weigh out 257 grams or simply measure 250ml in a jug — both give virtually identical results in the finished dish. For small quantities of flavouring liquids (vanilla extract, lemon juice, vinegar), teaspoon and tablespoon measures are perfectly adequate.

The Cup Conversion Problem

One of the most common questions our UK readers ask is how to convert American cup measurements to grams. The critical point is that cups measure volume, not weight — so a cup of flour weighs very differently from a cup of sugar. One US cup (240ml) of plain flour weighs approximately 120 to 130 grams. One US cup of granulated sugar weighs approximately 200 to 210 grams. One US cup of butter weighs approximately 227 grams (2 US cups = 1 American pound of butter). Always look up the specific ingredient rather than assuming all cups weigh the same.

Common Baking Conversions: ML to Grams Cheat Sheet

Baking Tips: Getting Measurements Right Every Time

Frequently Asked Questions: ML to Grams Conversion

Reversing the Calculation: Grams to ML

Sometimes you need to go in the other direction — converting a weight in grams to a volume in millilitres. This is useful when you have a scale but not a measuring jug, or when adapting a recipe. The formula is simply the reverse:

Professional Baker Tips for Accurate Measurements

Professional bakers and pastry chefs in UK bakeries, hotels and restaurants rely almost exclusively on grams for recipe consistency. Here are the techniques they use:

• Baker's percentages: Professional recipes express all ingredients as a percentage of the flour weight. If the flour is 500g and the water percentage is 65%, you need 325g of water. This system scales effortlessly to any batch size.
• Tare repeatedly: Add ingredients one at a time to your mixing bowl, taring (zeroing) the scale between each addition. This eliminates the risk of adding too much of one ingredient and avoids the need for multiple bowls.
• Check your scale: Calibrate your kitchen scale periodically using a known weight (a 100g calibration weight or a freshly checked item). Even good scales can drift over time.
• Use a fine scale for small quantities: Standard kitchen scales accurate to 1g struggle with quantities under 5g. For spices, yeast or chemical leaveners measured in fractions of a gram, a jeweller's scale or dedicated precision scale provides better accuracy.
• Record your adjustments: When you adjust a recipe — adding more liquid or reducing sugar — note the exact gram weights you used. This allows exact replication of successful batches.

Understanding the relationship between millilitres and grams transforms your cooking from guesswork into a precise, repeatable craft. Whether you are converting a historical recipe, adapting an American cake recipe, or just wondering why that cup of flour never seems to weigh the same twice, the answer is always in the density. Use our calculator above and conversion table for quick reference every time you are at the hob or the mixing bowl.