Convert US cups to liters like a kitchen pro
Ever found yourself halfway through a recipe only to realize it uses liters instead of cups? You're not alone. This conversion bridges the gap between American home cooking and international recipes. Let's make sense of those liquid measurements together.
1 c x 0.236588 = 0.236588 L
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Unit definitions
What is a US cup (c)?
The US cup is that trusty measuring cup hiding in your kitchen drawer. Part of the US customary system, it's exactly 8 fluid ounces or about 236.588 milliliters. Bakers love it for its convenience in measuring both flour and milk. You will find three main types in stores:
- Liquid measuring cups (transparent with spouts)
- Dry measuring cups (nested cups for scooping)
- Adjustable measuring cups (sliding mechanisms)
What is a liter (L)?
The liter is the metric system's answer to liquid volume. Defined as 1 cubic decimeter (10cm × 10cm × 10cm), it's used worldwide except in... well, you know where. One liter equals 1,000 milliliters or about 4.22675 US cups. Look for it on beverage bottles and laboratory equipment.
Conversion formula
The magic number here is 0.236588. To convert:
- Cups to liters: Multiply cups by 0.236588
- Liters to cups: Divide liters by 0.236588
Example 1: Your recipe needs 3 cups of broth
3 × 0.236588 = 0.709764 liters → rounds to 0.7098 L
Example 2: The European recipe lists 1.2 L milk
1.2 ÷ 0.236588 ≈ 5.0721 cups → about 5 cups + 1 tablespoon
Conversion tables
US cups to liters
| Cups | Liters |
|---|---|
| 1 | 0.2366 |
| 2 | 0.4732 |
| 3 | 0.7098 |
| 4 | 0.9464 |
| 5 | 1.1829 |
| 6 | 1.4195 |
| 7 | 1.6561 |
| 8 | 1.8927 |
| 9 | 2.1293 |
| 10 | 2.3659 |
Liters to US cups
| Liters | Cups |
|---|---|
| 0.5 | 2.1134 |
| 1 | 4.2268 |
| 1.5 | 6.3401 |
| 2 | 8.4535 |
| 2.5 | 10.5669 |
| 3 | 12.6803 |
| 3.5 | 14.7936 |
| 4 | 16.9070 |
| 4.5 | 19.0204 |
| 5 | 21.1338 |
Historical background
The US cup has its roots in colonial-era measurements, standardized in 1896 by Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking-School Cook Book. Liters came from the French Revolution's metric system in 1795 – talk about measurement rebellion! Today's exact conversion (1 c = 236.588 mL) was set in 1964 when the US redefined its gallon as exactly 3.785411784 liters.
Interesting facts
- The US and Liberia are the only countries not using metric as official system
- A US legal cup (240 mL) exists for nutrition labels – 1.4% larger than standard
- Ancient Romans used "cyathus" (about 45 mL) as drinking cups
- 1 liter water weighs exactly 1 kilogram at 4°C temperature
- Australia uses 250 mL metric cups in recipes
FAQ
Yes! A US cup measures 236.588 mL, while a metric cup is 250 mL. That's why specific conversions matter.
Absolutely. The US cup measurement works for both liquids and dry goods like flour or sugar.
Our tool uses 6 decimal places internally, but displays 4 for practicality. Enough for most home baking needs.
Historical reasons mostly. The US customary system remains popular in cooking and everyday life despite metric adoption in science.
Canada and Australia officially use metric but still reference cups in recipes – though sometimes metric cups (250 mL).