Disclaimer

Cups & Grams is a free reference (the website at https://cupsandgrams.com and the Cups & Grams Android app, collectively "the Service") for home cooks. The information here — ingredient conversions, substitution suggestions, recipe scaling, and editorial guides — is provided in good faith as a general cooking aid. This page sets out the limits of what we cover and where your own judgment has to take over. Last updated 2026-05-26.

Conversions are typical values, not exact

Every ingredient on this site has a single density figure we use to convert between cups, grams, ounces, tablespoons, and millilitres. Real ingredients vary — flour packs differently depending on how it was scooped, brown sugar is denser the harder it is pressed, brand to brand differs by a few percent. We cross-reference reputable sources (see our methodology) and we believe our figures are reasonable for home cooking, but they are not laboratory measurements. If your application demands precision — pharmaceutical, scientific, commercial, competitive baking — use a calibrated scale and a verified data source. For everything else, weigh when you can; the scale wins every disagreement between a cup measure and a recipe.

Substitutions are general guidance

The substitutions page lists swaps drawn from established baking and cooking references (King Arthur Baking, America's Test Kitchen, and others — each entry is attributed). The suggestions are typical 1:1 or scaled swaps that work in common applications. They are not guaranteed to behave identically in every recipe, and they will often change texture, flavour, browning, or structure compared to the original ingredient. We flag ingredients where we could not find reliable information with a "Substitution Info Unverified" badge — for those, do not assume any particular swap is safe or successful. When a recipe matters (showing up at a dinner, baking for someone's birthday, building a business), test the substitution before you commit.

Food safety is your responsibility

We flag specific food-safety implications where we know of them — for example, honey is unsafe for infants under one year (botulism spores survive baking), fresh pineapple contains bromelain that prevents gelatin from setting and breaks down dairy proteins, wild mushrooms must be identified by a qualified expert before any substitution. These callouts are not exhaustive. You are responsible for safe food handling, cooking temperatures, allergen awareness, and confirming any ingredient is safe for the person who will eat it. If you are unsure about an interaction between an ingredient and a medical condition, allergy, or pregnancy, consult a qualified professional before substituting.

Allergens and dietary restrictions

Some substitutions introduce or remove common allergens — swapping peanut butter for almond butter changes a peanut allergen to a tree-nut allergen; substituting flax or chia for eggs introduces a seed; sunflower seed butter is a nut-free alternative to peanut butter. Where we know of such shifts, we note them on the entry. We cannot predict every reader's sensitivities or dietary requirements. Always check ingredient labels and confirm with anyone affected by allergies, intolerances, religious or ethical dietary rules, or medical restrictions.

Not medical, dietary, or professional advice

Nothing on this site is medical advice, dietary advice, or professional advice of any kind. We do not publish nutritional data, calorie counts, or macronutrient figures. If you need that information, calculate it from the actual ingredients you use, using a reputable nutrition tool, and consult a registered dietitian or doctor for decisions that affect your health.

Sources are cited as references, not endorsements

Where a substitution entry credits an outside source (King Arthur Baking, America's Test Kitchen, Food52, and others), we link the source so you can read the original. Those links are attribution, not a business relationship or endorsement either way. We are not affiliated with the cited sources, and they have not reviewed our pages.

Use of the Service is at your own risk

To the fullest extent permitted by law, Cups & Grams disclaims liability for any loss, damage, allergic reaction, dietary outcome, ruined bake, or other consequence arising from use of the Service or reliance on its information. You use the Service at your own discretion. See our terms of use for the related general limitation of liability.

Corrections

If you find an error in a conversion, a substitution, a safety note, or a source attribution, we want to know. Email hello@cupsandgrams.com with the page URL and what you saw. We update content on the site when we find or are sent a correction.