A simple guide for a not-so-simple task. Here is my step-by-step guide to converting recipes from the Imperial system (cups and measuring spoons) to Metric (measuring by weight). Here, I lay it all out so you don’t have to make the same mistakes I did.

If you’re interested in reading more about my process to developing these steps, I have that story linked here.

1. First and foremost, it is important to understand how your recipes have been weighed previously. You must establish a baseline of what your measuring cups and spoons have been measuring at.
   • 1. Using your kitchen scale, measure out 1 Cup of flour from your standard measuring set into a bowl on the scale.
     • Note- The scale should already be set to grams and zeroed with the bowl on it.
   • 2. Record your weight in grams.
   • 3. Empty the bowl, tare (zero) the scale with the bowl on it again. Repeat the previous steps twice more for a total of 3 readings. Record the weight after each measurement.
   • 4. From there you can take the average of how much YOUR cup’s measurement weighs.
     • The recommended conversion for a Cup of flour to grams is 120g. How does your cup compare? I would love to hear in the comments! Mine measures out an average of 150g. A whole extra 1/4 of a Cup! That’s significant, and why directly converting my recipes didn’t work.
   • 5. Repeat that entire process for sugar. This is time consuming, but ideally you will repeat the process for each of your measuring implements, or at least for your most commonly used measuring cups, with your most commonly used ingredients.
     • Don’t worry about weighing out the baking soda, powder, salt etc. I find many recipes written in metric still use measuring spoons for those types of ingredients.
2. Now that you know how much your average measurements weigh, you can begin converting your recipes. Record your recipe, now in metric. I like to do this in a recipe development binder. Perhaps you will prefer an online tool.
3. Bake/Cook your recipe from the metric version. Record any differences and if there are changes you want to make next time.
   • Remember, it’s best to only change one thing at a time.
4. Again, this is a process, but in the end you will have a much more consistent product…and less dishes!

Whatever questions, clarifications, or stories you may have along the way, I am happy to listen, help, answer, and bounce ideas off of! Just post them in the comments section below. I greatly appreciate any feedback you have for if this guide was helpful, and how it could be improved.