Guides /International Conversions
Convert a UK recipe
to US measurements.
UK and US recipes share a language but not their units. Here's everything that differs — volumes, weights, temperatures, and ingredient names.
Volume: UK pints and cups
A UK imperial pint is 568 ml — 20% larger than a US pint (473 ml). This matters for soups, custards, and any recipe that says "1 pint milk." A UK recipe calling for "1 pint" means 568 ml; a US recipe means 473 ml.
UK recipes rarely use cups, but when they do they typically mean a 250 ml metric cup (vs 240 ml US). The difference is small (4%) but stacks up over multiple cups.
Tablespoons and teaspoons
UK tablespoon = 15 ml. US tablespoon = 14.79 ml ≈ 15 ml. For practical purposes, they're identical — 1 tbsp UK = 1 tbsp US. The UK dessertspoon (10 ml) has no direct US equivalent; use 2 teaspoons instead.
Weight: grams and ounces
Modern UK recipes (post-1970s) almost exclusively use grams. Older UK recipes may use ounces — these are the same size as US ounces (28.35 g). UK recipes never use cups for flour and sugar as a primary measure; they use grams. This actually makes them more accurate than US cup-based recipes.
Temperature: Celsius, Fan, Gas Mark
UK recipes give oven temperatures in Celsius and often include a fan oven temperature and a gas mark. The fan (convection) setting runs about 20°C / 35°F hotter than the standard setting — if you have a convection oven, use the fan temperature. For US ovens (Fahrenheit, no fan), use the standard Celsius column:
| °C (standard) | °C (fan) | Gas mark | °F |
|---|---|---|---|
| 140°C | 120°C | 1 | 275°F |
| 150°C | 130°C | 2 | 300°F |
| 160°C | 140°C | 3 | 325°F |
| 180°C | 160°C | 4 | 350°F |
| 190°C | 170°C | 5 | 375°F |
| 200°C | 180°C | 6 | 400°F |
| 220°C | 200°C | 7 | 425°F |
| 230°C | 210°C | 8 | 450°F |
UK to US ingredient name glossary
Many ingredients have different names on each side of the Atlantic.
| UK name | US name / substitute |
|---|---|
| Plain flour | All-purpose flour |
| Self-raising flour | Self-rising flour |
| Caster sugar | Superfine / baker's sugar (or process granulated in blender) |
| Icing sugar | Powdered / confectioners' sugar |
| Muscovado sugar | Dark brown sugar (packed) |
| Demerara sugar | Raw / turbinado sugar |
| Single cream | Light cream (18–20% fat) |
| Double cream | Heavy whipping cream (36%+ fat) |
| Clotted cream | No direct substitute — crème fraîche + mascarpone closest |
| Biscuits | Cookies (sweet) / crackers (savoury) |
| Courgette | Zucchini |
| Aubergine | Eggplant |
| Coriander (fresh) | Cilantro |
| Cornflour | Cornstarch |
| Bicarbonate of soda | Baking soda |
| Vanilla essence | Vanilla extract (use same amount) |
| Digestive biscuits | Graham crackers (closest substitute) |
| Golden syrup | Light corn syrup + molasses (equal parts), or use as-is |
| Treacle | Dark molasses |
Self-raising flour: no US equivalent
Self-raising flour (UK) = self-rising flour (US) — but it's less commonly stocked in US supermarkets. To make your own: add 1½ teaspoons of baking powder and ¼ teaspoon of salt per cup (120 g) of all-purpose flour. Many UK baking recipes — scones, Victoria sponge, some muffins — rely heavily on self-raising flour for their lift, so the substitution is important to get right. Don't substitute bread flour or cake flour; use all-purpose and add the leavening.
Caster sugar substitution in US kitchens
Caster sugar (superfine sugar) has finer crystals than US granulated sugar and dissolves more quickly — which matters in mousses, meringues, and delicate sponge cakes where undissolved granules would leave a gritty texture. US superfine sugar is available in many supermarkets, but if you can't find it, process regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 30–60 seconds to get close. Don't substitute powdered (confectioners') sugar, which contains cornstarch and will change the texture of the finished recipe.
Frequently asked questions
- How big is a UK pint vs a US pint?
- A UK imperial pint is 568 ml — about 20% larger than a US pint (473 ml). A UK recipe calling for "1 pint milk" means 568 ml; a US recipe calling for the same means 473 ml.
- What is plain flour called in the US?
- Plain flour (UK) = all-purpose flour (US). Self-raising flour (UK) = self-rising flour (US), though it's less commonly stocked in US stores. To substitute: add 1½ tsp baking powder + ¼ tsp salt per cup of all-purpose flour.
- What is caster sugar in the US?
- Caster sugar (UK) = superfine sugar (US). It has finer crystals than US granulated sugar and dissolves more quickly. Process regular granulated sugar in a food processor for 30–60 seconds as a substitute. Do not use powdered sugar.
- What is double cream in the US?
- Double cream (UK) = heavy whipping cream (US), 36%+ fat. Single cream (UK) = light cream (US), 18–20% fat.
- Are UK and US tablespoons the same size?
- Yes — a UK tablespoon is 15 ml, the same as a US tablespoon. The difference appears with fluid ounces (UK fl oz = 28.41 ml vs US fl oz = 29.57 ml) and pints.
Convert a UK recipe's quantities
Paste the ingredient list from a UK recipe, switch to Imperial, and grams convert to ounces and pounds — or leave it in metric for accuracy.