Measuring Dry vs Liquid Ingredients

So why do we need different measuring cups for dry ingredients and liquids? We’ve all heard that 1 cup equals 8 ounces, so it shouldn’t matter, right? Not exactly…

In actuality, 1 liquid cup is equal to 8 liquid ounces. But what about the dry ingredients? We can’t say that one cup of one ingredient will actually be 8 ounces, or that a cup of two different ingredients will weigh the same. Think about this: one cup of powdered sugar is going to weigh much less than one cup of chocolate chips. This is the root of why we have different measuring cups for liquids vs dry ingredients.

Liquid measuring cups allow you to fill the cup up to a specified line in order to get the exact amount needed. They also typically include a spout to allow you to pour your measured ingredient without spilling. When measuring liquids, it is important to get down to eye level with the line you're filling to, so that you can make sure you have measured correctly. Standing above the measuring cup, looking down will cause you to under-measure.

Dry measuring cups are meant to be filled to overflowing. Then, use a flat edge, like a knife, to scrape off the excess amount. This way, you can fill the cup exactly to make sure you have the right amount.

All of my recipes call for cup or spoon measurements of dry ingredients (i.e. 1 cup, ½ cup, 1 tsp, ½ tsp), instead of ounces. But, what do you do when a recipe calls for a certain number of ounces of a dry ingredient? This is the case where you need to weigh your ingredient using a food scale.