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Author: CRAYTON
PubID: EFNEP-0113 		Title: HOW TO MEASURE INGREDIENTS FOR RECIPES (FORMERLY HE-0233) Pages: 2     Balance: 0
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How to Measure Ingredients for Recipes

EFNEP-0113, Revised January 2006. Evelyn F. Crayton, Extension Nutrition Specialist, Assistant Director for Family and Community Programs, Professor, Nutrition and Food Science, Auburn University, Originally prepared by Virginia C. White, Specialist, Foods and Nutrition, and Virginia H. Goebel, former EFNEP Program Analyst.

Standard Measuring Cups and Spoons

Standard Measuring Cups and Spoons

Tips for measuring

  • Measure ingredients the correct way.

  • Use standard measuring cups and spoons if you have them.

  • Check your recipe for ingredients you need.

 

Standard dry measuring cup set

1 cup

1/2 cup

1/3 cup

1/4 cup

 Measuring Cup Set

 

Standard liquid measuring cups

1 cup

2/3 cup

1/2 cup

1/3 cup

1/4 cup

 Liquid Measuring Cups

 

Standard measuring spoon set

1/4 teaspoon

1/2 teaspoon

1 teaspoon

1 tablespoon

 Measuring Spoon Set

Using Measuring Cups

How to Measure Solid Fats

1.  Take fat out of the refrigerator.
       Let it get almost soft. Spoon fat into cup of right size.
       Press fat to bottom of cup using the back of a spoon.

2.  Press each time you add fat.
       Fill cup heaping full.

3.  Level the cup using a spatula or knife.

 Measuring Solid Fats

Solid fats measured this way

  • butter

  • margarine

  • shortening
Butter, Margarine, Shortening

How to Measure Sifted Flour

1.  Sift flour onto a plate or waxed paper.

Sifting flour onto plate

2.  Spoon sifted flour into cup of right size.
       Fill cup heaping full. Do not shake the cup.
       This will pack the flour.

Spooning sifted flour into a cup

3.  Level the cup using a spatula or knife.

Leveling the cup using a knife

Tips for measuring

  • Some flour you buy is pre-sifted. Do not sift it.

  • Measure pre-sifted flour the same way you measure sifted flour.

How to Measure Unsifted Flour

1.  Spoon flour into cup of right size.
       Fill cup heaping full. Do not shake the cup.
       It will pack the flour.

Spooning Flour into a bowl

2.  Level the cup using a spatula or knife.

Leveling a cup using a knife

3.  Take out some of the flour.
       This will make it like measured sifted flour.

Tips for measuring

  • Take out 2 level tablespoons from 1 cup.

  • Take out 1 level tablespoon from 1/2 cup.

  • Take out 11/2 level teaspoons from 1/4 cup.

How to Measure White Sugar

1.  Spoon sugar into cup of right size.
        Fill cup heaping full.

Spooning sugar into a cup

2.  Level the cup using a spatula or knife.

Leveling a cup using a knife

 

Other dry ingredients measured this way

  • corn meal
  • rolled oats
  • nonfat dry milk
  • rice
  • grits
  • macaroni
 Other ingredients

How to Measure Brown Sugar

1.  Spoon brown sugar into cup of right size.

Spooning brown sugar into a cup

2.  Press sugar to bottom of cup using the back of a spoon.
       Press each time you add sugar.
       Fill cup heaping full.

Pressing sugar to bottom of cup with a spoon

3.  Level the cup using a spatula or knife.

4.  Take sugar out of cup.
       It should be firm.

Sugar dumped out of cup

How to Measure Thin Liquids

1.  Put cup on table or flat surface.
       Add liquid to the right mark on cup.

Adding Liquid to the right mark on a cup

2.  Read measurement at eye level.

Measuring at eye level

 

Thin liquids measured this way

  • fruit juices

  • water

  • cooking oil

  • milk
Thin liquids

How to Measure Thick Liquids

1.  Add liquid to cup of right size.

Adding thick liquid to a cup

2.  Fill cup full.

Filling cup full

3.  Level the cup using a spatula or knife.

Leveling a cup with a knife

Thick liquids measured this way

  • molasses
  • syrup
  • honey

Using Measuring Spoons

How to Measure Solid Fats

1.  Take fat out of the refrigerator.
       Let it get almost soft.
       Use a knife to fill spoon of right size.

2.  Press fat to bottom of spoon.
       Press each time you add fat.
       Fill spoon heaping full.

3.  Level the spoon using the knife.
             Solid fats measured this way

    • butter
    • shortening
    • margarine

How to Measure Flour

1.  Fill spoon of right size heaping full with flour.

Filling spoon with flour

2.  Level the spoon using a spatula or knife.

Other dry ingredients measured this way

  • baking powder
  • salt
  • cocoa
  • pepper
  • nutmeg
  • sugar
  • cinnamon
  • baking soda

How to Measure Thin Liquids

1.  Fill spoon of right size with liquid.

2.  Fill it even with top of spoon.

Filling spoon with liquid

Thin liquids measured this way

  • milk
  • cooking oil
  • fruit juices
  • vanilla
  • water
  • other flavorings

How to Measure Thick Liquids

1.  Fill spoon of right size full of liquid.

2.  Level the spoon using a spatula or knife.

Leveling spoon with a knife

Thick liquids measured this way

  • molasses
  • syrup
  • honey

By measuring ingredients the right way,
you can cook better food and make your family
healthy and happy.
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