How do you measure flour if you are using cups? Dip & Sweep or Spoon & Sweep? You can learn how to convert cups to grams. Baking conversion chart and Fahrenheit to Celsius conversion chart are also included!
I love working with grams which I believe gives accurate results. Digital scale is my everything in the kitchen. In pastry, scaling is extremely important. If we use too much or less flour than needed, the taste and the texture of the cookies, cakes, etc. will be different.
I use a digital scale. However, in my recipes, you can also find cup conversions as many people use them. For those who use cups, in order to have the same results, it is a must to know which method I use while measuring the flour.
For some people 1 cup flour= 120 grams, for others 1 cup=140 grams. It is because of the different methods people are using. If I can’t use my digital scale for some reason which is very very rare (let’s say I need to replace my scale’s battery and I don’t have it at that moment!), I use dip&sweep method.
Dip & Sweep Method
If you use cup measurements, you should keep your flour in a big jar, so you can easily dip your cup into the flour.
First I stir the flour to aerate it. Then I dip my cup into the flour, without shaking the cup I overfill it. Aerating the flour and not shaking the cup are the keys to the right measurement.
If we shake the cup or forget to aerate the flour while we are filling, more than needed will be packed and measured and this is what we don’t want.
After I overfill it, I sweep the excess flour off the top with my spatula. You can use the back of a knife too.
That’s all! I come up with 140 grams.
Dip & Sweep or Spoon & Sweep?
Some people are comfortable with the spoon&sweep method where you spoon the flour into your cup instead of dipping your cup into the flour.
I’ve realized that most people who use this method accept 1 cup flour somewhere between 115 grams and 125 grams. I tried that method but I am not close to those numbers.
Shortly, I tried both methods, dip and sweep method is more accurate(at least for me). You can’t go wrong with this method if you do the steps carefully. This is a safe method. I would like to repeat the steps:
- stir the flour to aerate it,
- dip your cup into the flour,
- without shaking your cup, overfill it,
- sweep the excess off the top with a spatula or the back of a knife.
That’s it!
You come up with 140 grams.
If you still insist on using the spoon&sweep method,
to reach my 1 cup flour measurement, you should add 2 tablespoons of flour into your 1 cup flour. (I assume spoon&sweep method as 120 grams as it is mostly accepted that way, so the difference is 20 grams=2 tablespoons)
Equipment
- Measuring cup
Ingredients
- All-Purpose Flour
Instructions
- Stir the flour to aerate it. Dip your measuring cup(1 cup) into the flour, without shaking the cup overfill it. Aerating the flour and not shaking the cup are the keys to the right measurement.
- Sweep the excess flour off the top with a spatula or with the back of a knife.
- That's all! When you use a scale it should show 140 grams.
Notes
Cup to Grams Conversions
Below you can find my cup to grams conversions. (I rounded some ingredients. For example, ½ cup brown sugar= 110 grams instead of 112,5 grams.)
I’ll update the list during my blog journey. You may realize that I write powdered sugar only in tablespoons because my powdered sugar cup conversion is very different than people who use cup conversions for powdered sugar.
I write my recipes in grams and cups even for liquids (I include the ml option for those who may want to use it). If other recipes call for milliliters (and if I can’t convert into grams easily), I use a glass liquid measuring cup.
I never look at the measuring cup below or above the eye level but just the eye level. So if you need, you should bend down to be at the eye level to make the correct measurement.
I will give you a little ratio that I think you may like if you prefer using grams even for the liquids.
When a recipe calls ml for water, you can use the exact amount in grams for water. But this is not the case for milk:
240 ml whole milk= 247 g (updated on March 21,2021)
If you multiply the ml milk amount by 1.03, you can find its gram equivalent. You don’t need to use your liquid measuring cup, what you need is a little math (1000 ml whole milk*1.03=1030 grams) 😉
Conversion Chart For Baking
Note: I updated the baking powder amount in 2019. 1 teaspoon weighs 4-5 grams. I accept 1 teaspoon=4 grams.
If you need to convert Fahrenheit to Celsius, you can use the chart below:
Conversion Chart For Temperature
I hope you find all the information helpful.
Happy baking 🙂
Kathy
In your recipe , you forgot to use the cups conversion of 80 grams. Is it 1/3 cup plus 1 teaspoon ? Also, if I use powdered sugar in crust instead of granulated sugar, will the crust be lighter and better.
Meymi
Hi Kathy, I assume you are asking 80 grams for lemon juice(to make my lemon bars). 80 grams/ ml lemon juice is 1/3 cup. You can see it on my conversion chart-now I am adding cup conversion to my recipe card. I love my crust with granulated sugar. I have read before that powdered sugar is used for a tender crust. I hope you enjoy my lemon bars 🙂
Luv
Thank you for sharing your thought process and method for measuring flour. I have used the spoon and sweep for the longest time after being told it was more accurate. I do have a scale although I rarely use it. I tried my own to test your method and yes, the key is to aerate the flour first regardless of which method used. After using the spoon and sweep method so long, I can get accurate either way. Thank you again. I plan to make your carrot cake loaf. I am looking for baked goods with less carbs without using artificial sweeteners. I don’t know if your carrot cake loaf can fit but we love carrot cake so I will try and hope to find a way that my husband can enjoy without spiking his blood sugar.
Meymi
Hi Luv, Thank you for your comment. I use scale all the time but when I need to convert I definitely feel comfortable with the dip and sweep method. If you try my carrot cake, I would love to hear your feedback!
Kathy
Ty so appreciate the conversion charts. I run into recipes that sound so good but they are in grams an ml am I’m stumped. I’ve been using my phone to take pics like of your chart an I always have them. Kinda like my phone is smart enough to be my recipie box to. I’ve been seeing the theory on how to accurately measure flower as you do. I didn’t know about aeration but knew lots of people not using like dip an sweep are measuring their flower incorrectly. An yes it does make a difference in the outcome. The apple pie bars are the 1st of your recipes I’m trying. Been on a mission to make my own apple an pumpkin pies. Store bought of all most all brands act like we have a shortage of spices. They are so bland. Lol an I’m not talkin sugar. Nutmeg, cinnamon, allspice, ginger an pumpkin pie spice is greatly needed. So ty soon I will search out your lemon bars.
Meymi
Hi Kathy, I’m so happy to hear that you find the conversion chart helpful. I hope you enjoy my apple pie bars and other recipes. Thank you so much for your comment!