Type in either field — conversion updates instantly in both directions.
To convert US cups to milliliters, multiply by 236.588. So 1 cup = 236.588 mL, 2 cups = 473.176 mL, and ½ cup = 118.294 mL. The US cup is defined as exactly 8 US fluid ounces (236.588 mL). Note: an Australian metric cup is 250 mL and a Japanese cup is 200 mL — different from the US standard.
American baking recipes are almost universally written in cups. A European baker following an American recipe for chocolate chip cookies needs to convert 2¼ cups of flour (533 mL ≈ 290 g, depending on density) to metric measures. Cups are practical for cooking but imprecise for baking — a packed vs. spooned cup can differ by 20 g.
Did you know? The cup as a cooking measure was popularized in the United States by Fannie Farmer in her 1896 "Boston Cooking-School Cook Book," which standardized recipes using level cup measurements. Before that, American recipes used vague terms like "a coffee cup" or "a teacup."
American recipes shared internationally need mL or gram equivalents for metric kitchens. Lab protocols and pharmacy compounding use mL exclusively; any cup-based measurements in procedural notes must be converted. Brewing beer from US homebrew recipes (often in cups or gallons) requires converting to liters and mL for metric equipment.