How to Measure Ingredients | Allrecipes

Get tips for accurately measuring all kinds of dry and liquid ingredients.

When it comes to baking, accuracy is everything. Getting your measurements just right will affect how your recipes turn out. In this video, you'll learn how to accurately measure all kinds of dry and liquid ingredients so you can bake and cook with confidence and precision.
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[caylenunderwood]

Anybody else have to watch this for class but already knew all of this 😂

[megferrell]

This is wonderful. So many people don't have a clue about the difference in liquid and dry measuring cups. There is a difference folks!

[allrecipes]

Thank you for your question, Angelos.  We'd recommend measuring 3/4 teaspoon of salt.  This would be 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon.  Hope this helps!

[Vaneshiko]

I need to watch this for our online class.
Hope my friends find my comment😚

[allrecipes]

You are welcome. Usually, a recipe will specify if you need to firmly pack brown sugar. For example, it would call for "1 cup packed brown sugar". Otherwise, you can measure the sugar without tightly packing it. Happy baking.

[dannytran]

Outline the tips provided for measuring liquid and dry ingredients:

Both:
- Liquid and dry measuring cups.
- To read cup measurement, place it down so you can see the measurement at eye level. Bending over is required.
- Measuring spoons that come in graduating sizes. ⅛ - ¼ - ½ - 1tsp - 1 tbsp

Liquid:
- Hold the spoon level and pour until the spoon is completely full.
- For sticky liquids, apply oil or butter inside the measuring cup. Helps it pour out again when you need to.
- For shortening, press it into the cup or spoon.
- For butter, there’s already measurements on the packaging so slice where it tells you to.
- Don’t pour liquids into the measuring spoon over the top of your measuring bowl. This is to prevent accidental spills which can cause you to have an excess of wanted ingredients.

Dry:
- Dip in the spoon and level it off with the back of a knife.
- Measurement cups come in ¼-⅓-½-1 cup.
- Use the dip and sweep method. Dip the cup or spoon into the dry product, then sweep the excess product with the back of the knife.
- Flour and should be stirred up before put into the measuring cup or spoon because it gets easily compacted, then level off with the back of a knife.
- Powdered sugar should be sifted to avoid lumps. Brown sugar has more moisture, so pack it tightly into the spoon before levelling off.

[allrecipes]

Hi, Angela Mesta - If you're measuring lard when it's a solid ingredient, there are a couple of ways to measure it. 1) Use a spatula and pack the lard into a dry measuring cup so the lard is even with the top of the cup and there are no air holes, 2) use a kitchen scale and measure by weight (8 ounces = 1 cup), or try this trick: If you need 1 cup of lard, fill a 2 cup measuring with 1 cup of water and add scoops of lard until the waterline reaches 2 cups. They you have 1 cup of lard. Drain off the water and the lard is ready to use.

[allrecipes]

Hi Adam - 1 pint is 2 cups or 16 ounces. For metric conversion, you can click through on the recipe link in the video description. Every recipe includes a metric converter tool. One pint is equal to about 450 grams. Hope this helps!

[carmelagopio]

Asking permission to use this video for my class. Thank you very much.❤

[allrecipes]

Thanks for your question. You can try ordering them online :)

[allrecipes]

Hello, yasmine djeribi - We're happy to answer your questions. You can measure 1/8 teaspoon by using half the amount of 1/4 teaspoon. There are 227 grams in 1 cup of dry ingredients.

[allrecipes]

Is the butter used in the recipe as a solid or melted, Betina Aronda? Use the dry measurement if it's a solid, and the liquid measuring cup if it's melted.

[boredcat]

I had to watch this video as an online assignment in 2020

[synthguy]

According to America's Test Kitchen, measuring by volume even precisely produces a 20% difference in variation. "In baking, that's the difference between a flat cookie and one that will rise." Cooks in the olden days have been using scales way before measuring cups. Measuring cups and spoons are a fairly new invention. The reason we still use them is because American cookbooks prefer them *for some reason.* For general cooking, they're ok but for precise cooking and baking, I go with the scale.

[fusionfitness]

As a slef proclaimed chef learning to measure ingredients is a must 😋

[georgeb]

As a little experiment, the last time I made bread I measured out a cup of flour three times. Each time the weight was different. The first was 130 grams, the second 120 grams and the third 144 grams! Not surprising really as it depends on how compacted the flour is. The level of relative moisture will impact on the amount too. It baffles us in Ireland why the States uses such an inaccurate method in baking where, as the video states, precision is vital. Moreover, have a good set of scales and that is all you need: all those cups can go, freeing up space in your kitchen and reducing your washing up!

[tamaravandenbosch]

POV: YOUR TEACHER MADE YOU WATCH WITH FOR BAKING CLASS.

[GlenAndFriendsCooking]

Worldwide - so if the recipe is in 'cups' make sure you know what size cup.

[gngrove]

One more thing to add is how to measure less than 1/4 tsp. You can use a pinch, dash or drop.  

[Ali-uzqg]

Don't know which is easier, algebra or culinary measurements. 😋
But I will buy a set of all the spoons and cups.