Here’s the Right Way to Measure Wet and Dry Ingredients
Updated: Jan. 06, 2022
Your baking is about to "rise" to a new level!
If you think a cup holds eight ounces—you’re right. But only partially! It really depends on what you’re measuring. To bake the best cookies of all time, you don’t want to be short on flour or overdo the sugar. That’s why wet ingredients are measured by volume, and dry ingredients are measured by weight.
Measure Wet Ingredients by Volume
Volume is the measure of how much space your ingredient occupies. The most accurate measurement of a liquid ingredient like milk, water or oil is in terms of its volume, which is measured in fluid ounces. The volume of any liquid will take up an equal amount of space as the volume of any other liquid. The markings on liquid measuring cups (like this classic Pyrex glass set) allow you to accurately see how much space any liquid takes up.
How to use a measuring cup for wet ingredients
Pour a liquid (like milk) into your measuring cup. Take a closer look at eye level to make sure that the lowest point of the gentle curve at the top of the milk reaches the appropriate fluid ounce marking. Since all liquids take up the same amount of space, all your wet ingredients can be measured in exactly the same way. By the way, here’s how to measure without measuring cups.
Measure Dry Ingredients by Weight
Weight is the measure of how heavy your ingredient is. The most accurate way to measure a dry ingredient like flour, sugar or chocolate chips is in terms of its weight, which is measured in regular ounces. Not all dry ingredients weigh the same, though! For example, flour weighs considerably less than an equal volume of cocoa. For that reason, the most accurate way to measure dry ingredients is with a digital scale. (Here’s a guide that will help you find the weight of common baking ingredients.)
But dry measuring cups (like this stainless steel set) are the next best thing because they’re designed to approximate the weight of dry ingredients—provided you know how to use them!
How to use a measuring cup for dry ingredients
This handy guide for how to measure ingredients demonstrates how to most accurately measure various dry ingredients using a dry measuring cup. For example, flour should be spooned lightly into a measuring cup and then gently leveled off, whereas brown sugar should be packed into the measuring cup before leveling it off.
If you were to measure flour by packing it into a measuring cup or brown sugar without packing it, your baked goods would not turn out the way you expect. (For more tips, check out our guide to how to measure flour the right way.)
Test out your measuring skills using Grandma’s best baking recipes!
Always having to ask yourself how many tablespoons are in 1/3 cup? We have the answer, and more! Bookmark our guide for the easiest way to downsize your favorite recipe.
Baking Recipes We Stole from Grandma
Grandma's Yeast RollsMy grandmother use to make these rolls for family get-togethers and holidays. The applesauce adds so much flavor. —Nancy Spoth, Festus, Missouri
Contest-Winning Chocolate Potato CakeI won grand champion honors in a potato festival baking contest with this moist chocolate cake. The icing recipe can be doubled for real sweet tooths. A great-grandma, I've spent over 85 years on the farm.
Skillet Herb BreadWe had a lot of family get-togethers when I was growing up. My grandmother, aunts and mom were all good cooks, and each had her own specialty when it came to bread. But Mom's was my favorite—she started making it 40 years ago. The flavors call to mind the taste of cornbread stuffing! —Shirley Smith, Yorba Linda, California
Wild Rice Bread with Sunflower SeedsI loved skipping the boring school cafeteria meals and going to my grandma’s house for lunch. She spent most of her life in northeastern Minnesota, which is reflected in this bread's ingredients. Now my family uses this for our holiday stuffing. —Crystal Schlueter, Northglenn, Colorado
Blueberries and Cream Coffee CakeThis blueberry coffee cake is my go-to recipe for all of our holiday get-togethers because it's perfect for breakfast or dessert. It's easy to make, and it's the most delicious coffee cake I've ever had. —Susan Ober, Franconia, New Hampshire
Grandma's Pecan Rum BarsMy grandmother handed down the recipe for these gooey bars that we all love. The candied cherries are a must. —Deborah Pennington, Falkville, Alabama
Grandma’s Onion SquaresMy grandma brought this recipe with her when she emigrated from Italy as a young wife and mother. It is still a family favorite. —Janet Eddy, Stockton, California
Banana-Zucchini BreadMy grandmother made this zucchini banana bread for as long as I can remember, and I've been making it ever since I learned how to bake. Children love it for a snack, and it's good to serve at any meal. It's another delicious way to use zucchini, which is so abundant in late summer. —Eva Mae Hebert, Lafayette, LA
Cast-Iron Chocolate Chip Banana BreadI love this cast-iron banana bread because it cooks evenly every time. The end result is so moist and delicious! —Ashley Hudd, Holton, Michigan
Pecan Shortbread Tea CakesMy Grandma Ellis made her shortbread cookies only at Christmas because the ingredients were so indulgent. The results are too! —Trisha Kruse, Eagle, Idaho
Grandma's Molasses FruitcakeThis dense, dark, moist fruitcake was my grandmother's recipe. The flavor just gets better and better as it sits in the fridge, so be sure to make it ahead! —Debbie Harmon, Lavina, Montana
Flaky Butterhorn RollsThe recipe for these dinner rolls, slightly sweet and so very flaky, was my mother’s. They are simple to prepare because kneading skills are not required and the dough is easy to handle. My grandchildren have renamed them "Grandma’s croissants"! —Bernice Smith, Sturgeon Lake, Minnesota
Spiced Upside-Down Apple PieMy grandma taught me to make this pie when I was 4. Over the years, I've kept it about the same with just a few changes. Flip it out the second it stops bubbling. The glaze makes it look especially delicious. —Francine Bryson, Pickens, South Carolina
Old-Fashioned Peanut Butter CookiesMy mother insisted that my grandmother write down one recipe for her when Mom got married in 1942: the how to make peanut butter cookies from scratch recipe. That was a real effort because Grandma was a traditional pioneer-type cook who used a little of this or that until it felt right. This treasured recipe is the only one she ever wrote down! —Janet Hall, Clinton, Wisconsin
Apple PieI remember coming home sullen one day because we'd lost a softball game. Grandma, in her wisdom, suggested that maybe a slice of hot apple pie would make me feel better. She was right. —Maggie Greene, Granite Falls, Washington
Date Swirl CookiesMy granddaughter nicknamed my mother Cookie Grandma because she made wonderful cookie—including these crisp and chewy treats. —Donna Grace, Clancy, Montana
Gran's Apple CakeMy grandmother occasionally brought over this wonderful cake warm from the oven. The spicy apple flavor combined with the sweet cream cheese frosting made this recipe one that we treasured. Even though I've lightened it up, it's still a family favorite. —Lauris Conrad, Turlock, California
Bohemian KolachesThis kolache recipe was given to me by my mother-in-law, who received it from her mother! It was a standard treat in their family, made nearly every week. Now I make these kolaches for my own family for special occasions. —Maxine Hron, Quincy, Illinois
Grandma's Honey MuffinsI can remember my Grandma Wheeler making these delicious muffins—we'd eat them nice and warm, fresh from the oven! She was a "pinch of this and handful of that" kind of cook, so getting the ingredient amounts correct for the recipe was a challenge. Now it's a family treasure! —Darlis A. Wilfer, West Bend, Wisconsin
Rhubarb Sour Cream Coffee CakeWith a tart kick from fresh spring rhubarb, this coffee cake is an irresistible way to start the day—or end it! —Roberta Schauer, Williamsport, Pennsylvania
Grandma Nardi's Italian Easter BreadMy Grandma Nardi’s bread with dyed Easter eggs represents family and tradition. I fondly remember how she taught me the recipe when I was a little girl. —Pat Merkovich, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Cookie Jar GingersnapsMy grandma kept two cookie jars in her pantry. One of the jars, which I now have, always had these crisp and chewy gingersnaps in it. They're still my favorite cookies. My daughter used this recipe for a 4-H fair and won a blue ribbon. —Deb Handy, Pomona, Kansas
Hungarian Nut RollsIt isn't officially the holidays until I've made this treasured nut roll recipe from my husband's grandmother. The apple-walnut filling is moist, subtly sweet and flavorful. —Donna Bardocz, Howell, Michigan
Raspberry Custard KuchenBack where I grew up in Wisconsin, people have been baking this German treat for generations. We love it for breakfast or as a special dessert. It's no fuss to fix and impressive to serve. —Virginia Arndt, Sequim, Washington
Wholesome Wheat BreadMy sister and I were in 4-H, and Mom was our breads project leader for years. Because of that early training, fresh homemade bread like this is a staple in my own kitchen.
-Karen Wingate, Coldwater, Kansas
Crisp Sugar CookiesMy grandmother always had sugar cookies in her pantry, and we grandchildren would empty that big jar quickly because they were the best! I now regularly bake these wonderful cookies to share with friends. —Evelyn Poteet, Hancock, Maryland
Lemon Raspberry BuckleI've given a fresh summery twist to the classic blueberry buckle everyone loves by swapping out the blueberries for raspberries (my favorite) and adding sweet and tart lemon curd. This berry buckle cake recipe tastes great with vanilla ice cream! —Jenna Fleming, Lowville, New York
Zucchini CupcakesI asked my grandmother for this recipe after trying these irresistible spice cupcakes at her home. I love their creamy caramel frosting. They're such a scrumptious dessert, you actually forget you're eating your vegetables, too! —Virginia Lapierre, Greensboro Bend, Vermont
Black Forest Upside-Down CakeThe divine flavors of this simple Black Forest cake will impress your guests and leave you with many requests for the recipe! —Kimberly Campbell, Wheeling, West Virginia
Best Red Velvet CakeIt's just not Christmas at our house until this festive cake appears. This is different from other red velvet cake recipes I’ve had; the icing is as light as snow. —Kathryn Davison, Charlotte, North Carolina
Fudge Nut BrowniesThere's no brownie recipe or mix I've ever tried that's better than this! And it's so easy—you can mix it in one bowl in just a few minutes. My husband's grandmother passed the recipe on; now our son makes these brownies for after-school snacks. —Becky Albright, Norwalk, Ohio
Double Cranberry Banana BreadWe love quick breads, and I've found that they freeze nicely if properly wrapped. This is a scrumptious recipe to make before the holidays and freeze for last-minute guests or gifts. —Joan Hallford, North Richland Hills, Texas
Icebox CookiesThis cookie recipe from my 91-year-old grandmother was my grandfather's favorite. She still makes them and sends us home with the dough so that we can make more whenever we want, I love to make a fresh batch when company drops in. —Chris Paulsen, Glendale, Arizona
Carrot CakeMy family's best carrot cake recipe dates back to my great-grandmother! We bake up a few of these carrot cakes for special occasions to make sure there's enough to go around. You'll love the texture this pretty, moist treat gets from pineapple, coconut and, of course, carrots! —Debbie Terenzini-Wilkerson, Lusby, Maryland
Double Butterscotch CookiesThis is a very old recipe that's been in the family for generations. Sometimes I'll omit the toffee bits and add miniature chocolate chips or coconut instead. —Beverly Duncan, Lakeville, Ohio
7UP Pound CakeMy grandmother gave me this 7UP pound cake recipe. On top of being delicious, this 7UP cake represents family tradition, connection and love. —Marsha Davis, Desert Hot Springs, California
SufganiyotSufganiyot are believed to have first come from Spain, adapted from a similar treat, the sopaipilla. Others say the sopaipilla was borrowed from the Jews. Either way, as a tradition, doughnuts are an easy one to adopt, especially with this easy sufganiyot recipe. —David Feder, Buffalo Grove, Illinois
Grandma Russell's BreadI remember as a child always smelling fresh homemade bread and rolls whenever I walked into Grandma's house. The warm slices were delicious and melted in my mouth! —Janet Polito, Nampa, Idaho
Rich Fruit KuchensThis German classic is such a part of our reunions, we designate a special place to serve it. Five generations flock to the "Kuchen Room" for this coffee cake. —Stephanie Schentzel, Northville, South Dakota
Chocolate Pear Hazelnut TartAs a teenage foreign exchange student in the south of France, I was horribly homesick. Then my host family's Grandmother Miette arrived and asked if I'd like to help her bake this nutty tart from scratch. It turned my trip around and inspired my lifelong passion for baking. Weighing ingredients, roasting nuts, kneading dough—the art of baking transcends language. —Lexi McKeown, Los Angeles, California
Glazed Strawberry CookiesI learned to bake with my grandmother and mother. I knew I was giving them a sweet new family tradition when I shared this recipe with them. —Andrea Zulauf, Livonia, New York
Mexican Chocolate Sugar CrispsMy grandma loved these so much, she would hide them from my grandpa! I think of her every time I make a batch. Like Mexican spice? Try stirring in a little chili powder. —Michele Lovio, Thousand Oaks, California
Cinnamon Coffee CakeI love the excellent texture of this easy cinnamon coffee cake recipe. Always a crowd-pleaser, its pleasing vanilla flavor enriched by sour cream may remind you of breakfast at Grandma's! Make it the night before a holiday to save time in the morning. —Eleanor Harris, Cape Coral, Florida
