Dairy & Eggs
Whole Milk Conversion
Whole Milk weighs 240g per US cup.
| Amount | Grams | Ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 240.0 g | 8.47 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 120.0 g | 4.23 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 60.0 g | 2.12 oz |
| 1 tbsp | 15.0 g | 0.53 oz |
| 1 tsp | 5.0 g | 0.18 oz |
| 100 g | 100.0 g | 3.53 oz |
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Whole milk weighs 240 grams per cup, close enough to plain water's own weight (about 236g per cup) that it's a genuinely useful anchor point for this site's other dairy conversions — cream, half-and-half, and buttermilk all sit in a similar range, since milk is still predominantly water even at full fat content.
Fat content doesn't shift milk's weight per cup as dramatically as it might seem — whole, 2%, and skim milk are all close enough in density to share this same conversion figure for practical kitchen purposes, since even whole milk's roughly 3.25% fat is a small fraction of its overall composition next to water and milk solids.
Milk's role in a recipe often goes beyond simple liquid volume — in baking, it also contributes to browning (via its lactose sugars and proteins) and tenderness, which is part of why a straight water substitution for milk, while technically possible for volume, produces a noticeably paler, less rich result even when the recipe's total liquid stays mathematically correct.
Whole milk's cup weight (245g) sits close to water's (236.6g), since milk is over 87% water by volume — the small difference comes from milk's dissolved fat, protein, and lactose content, which is also why lower-fat milk (skim, 1%) weighs marginally closer to pure water than whole milk does.
Milk's fat percentage affects more than just calories — in baking, whole milk contributes noticeably more richness and tenderness to a batter than skim milk, which is part of why professional recipes rarely specify skim milk even when a lower-fat option might otherwise seem like an easy substitution.
Plant-based milk alternatives vary widely in density and fat content by brand, so they don't automatically convert at this same figure.
Ultra-pasteurized milk, treated at a higher temperature than standard pasteurization, lasts longer unopened but some tasters notice a faint cooked-milk flavor.
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Frequently asked questions
Does this figure apply to whole milk, 2%, or skim milk equally?
Yes, closely enough for practical kitchen purposes — fat content is a small enough fraction of milk's overall composition (which is mostly water) that whole, 2%, and skim milk all share essentially the same weight per cup.
Why is milk's weight so close to plain water's?
Milk is predominantly water by composition even at full fat content, with milk solids and fat making up a relatively small percentage of the total volume — that's why its weight per cup lands so close to water's roughly 236g.
Can I substitute water for milk in a recipe using the same measured amount?
Volume-wise yes, but expect a noticeably paler, less rich result — milk's lactose sugars and proteins contribute to browning and tenderness in baking that plain water simply doesn't provide, even at an identical liquid quantity.
Does plant-based milk use this same conversion figure?
No — oat, almond, soy, and other plant-based milks have different compositions and aren't covered by this site's bounded, dairy-specific density dataset; treat this figure as specific to dairy milk.
How long does milk actually last after opening?
About 5-7 days in the fridge, though checking for the real spoilage signs (sour smell, curdling, yellowing) as it approaches that window is more reliable than treating the number as a hard cutoff.