The Basics of Weighing Ingredients

January 8, 2014  //  64 Comments »

The Importance of Weighing Ingredients

One of the most important things that I learned when I first started to gain my footing in the kitchen was the value of a kitchen scale. The ability to weigh ingredients and get precise measurements is incredibly valuable when baking, which comes down to a lot of science and chemical reactions. It was well over four years ago now when I first got on my soapbox about why I prefer weighing ingredients. Since then, I’ve included weight conversions in a number of recipes, but given the sheer volume of comments and emails I’ve received about ingredient weights, I thought it would be a good idea to revisit the topic here.

The Problem

The most common misconception that I hear in emails and comments with regards to weighing is the overarching belief that 8 ounces = 1 cup… forever and ever, amen. No matter what. For all ingredients. Always.

This is simply not true.

For liquid ingredients like water and milk, yes, this is true. Butter is an anomaly of solid ingredients and it, too, weighs 8 ounces per cup. This is about where that line of thinking ends.

MY OTHER RECIPES

All other solid ingredients (and even ones you can pour like honey and molasses), have vastly different weights per 1 cup of volume.

Common Weight Measurements

These are the ounce measurements for 1 cup of some of the most common ingredients in your pantry:

All-Purpose Flour: 4.25 ounces

Bread Flour: 4.25 ounces

Butter: 8 ounces

Cheese: 4 ounces

Chocolate Chips: 6 ounces

Honey: 12 ounces

Maple Syrup: 11 ounces

Molasses: 12 ounces

Peanut Butter: 9.5 ounces

Sugar (Granulated): 7 ounces

Sugar (Light or Dark Brown): 7.5 ounces

Sugar (Powdered): 4 ounces

Vegetable Oil: 7 ounces

Whole Wheat Flour: 4 ounces

As you can see, if you tried to use the conversion of 8 ounces per 1 cup for every single ingredient, you would likely end up with some disasters in your kitchen. For a complete, comprehensive list, check out (and bookmark!) this Master Weight Chart by King Arthur Flour. This is my go-to source for converting ingredients to weight measurements. With the ounce measurements in hand, you can easily do a conversion to grams if that is your preferred unit of measurement.

My Scale Recommendation

I currently use the OXO Food Scale with Pull-Out Display, which has a 22-pound capacity. It measures in ounces and grams, as well as milliliters and cups for water. I previously used the Escali Pana Volume Measuring Scale for years; this is a great scale if you’re new to weighing ingredients. It comes with a chart of ingredients and accompanying codes, so you enter the code and it automatically adjusts the measuring to a volume readout, i.e. in cups and tablespoons. I replaced it because I was often maxing out the weight capacity on it; I have not yet had that issue with the OXO scale.

Bottom Line

I know that some people feel very strongly one way or the other about weighing your ingredients or using the traditional measuring cups. Sure, weighing seems more like science class when you could be using pretty measuring cups shaped like birds, but the truth is… it’s just more accurate. If you crave consistent results with your baked goods, and especially if you venture into pastries or breads, you’ll want to get in the habit of weighing ingredients.

I try to include weight measurements where possible, and will be striving to do so even more going forward, so keep an eye out!

Now, grab a scale, your favorite ingredients, and bake up something wonderful! :)

posted in Baking Basics
64 Comments »