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Weights and Measurements in Vintage Recipes

Book style conversion chart downloadGreen gingham style conversion chart download

I use a lot of different measurements when cooking from vintage recipes. Getting these right is especially important when baking and can mean the different between a light, fluffy cake and a doorstop.

Below are the weights and measurements that I use. Print this page and keep it handy (the ads and extra stuff won’t print) or you can download pretty versions in pdf format by clicking the images above. Choose from the “books” or “pretty gingham” versions.

Volume

  • 1 US gallon = 4/5 UK (imperial) gallon or 3.78 litres
  • 1 UK gallon (imperial) = 1 and 1/5 US gallons or 4.54 litres
  • 1 US pint = 4/5 UK (imperial) pints = 473ml
  • 1 UK (imperial) pint = 1 and 1/5 US pints = 568ml
  • 1 metric pint = 600ml
  • 1 US quart = 4/5 UK (imperial) quart = 946 ml
  • 1 UK (imperial) quart = 1 and 1/5 US quarts = 1137ml
  • 1 US fluid oz = 1 UK (imperial) fluid oz (near enough) = 30ml
  • 1 US tablespoon = 4/5 UK (imperial) tablespoon = 15ml
  • 1 UK (imperial) tablespoon = 1 and 1/5 US tablespoons = 18ml
  • 1 Australian metric tablespoon = 3/5 oz = 20ml
  • 1 US teaspoon = 4/5 UK (imperial) teaspoon = 1 metric teaspoon = 5ml
  • 1 UK (imperial) teaspoon = 1 1/5th US teaspoons = 6ml
  • 1 salt spoon = 1/2 teaspoon
  • 1 dessert spoon = 2 teaspoons
  • 1 US coffee spoon = 1/2 teaspoon = 2.5ml
  • 1 kitchen spoon = 1 teaspoon
  • a pinch = 1/8 teaspoon
  • a vintage dash = 12 drops, although use your own judgment
  • a modern dash = 3 drops
  • a dram = 1/8 oz = 3.5ml
  • 1 UK (imperial) gill or jill = 1/4 of a UK (imperial) pint or 142ml
  • 1 US gill or jill = 1/4 of a US pint or 118ml
  • 1 cup (tumbler or glassful) US = 1 cup UK (imperial) = 240ml
  • 1 metric cup = 8 1/2oz = 250ml
  • 1 scant cup = 1 US cup minus 2 US tablespoons = (240ml-30ml) 210ml
  • 1 heaping cup = 1 US or UK imperial cup plus 2 teaspoons (approx) = 1 metric cup or 250ml
  • 1 UK teacup = 6 1/2 oz = 190ml
  • 1 UK breakfast cup = 9 1/2 oz = 285ml
  • 1 wineglass = 1/4 US or imperial cup = 60ml
  • 1 jigger = 1.5 oz = 44ml
  • 1 coffee cup = a scant US/imperial cup = 210ml
  • 1 peck = 2 gallons (dry). Use the gallon measurement for whichever country in which your recipe was published/
    US 7.6 litres
    UK 9 litres
  • 1 saucer = 1 heaping US/imperial cup = 1 metric cup = 250ml
  • butter the size of an egg = 1/4 US/imperial cup or 2 ounces = 56gm
  • butter the size of a walnut = 1 US tablespoon = 3/4 Australian/UK tablespoon or 3 teaspoons = 15ml
  • butter the size of a hazelnut = 1 teaspoon = 5ml

Weight

  • 1 US oz weight = 1 UK (imperial) oz weight = 28gm
  • 1 lb = 454gm
  • 1 stone = 6.35kg
  • 1 pennyweight = 1/20 oz = 1.5gm

Temperatures

  • Very slow oven = below 300 degrees F = below 150 degrees C
  • Slow oven = 300 degrees F = 150 degrees C
  • Moderately slow oven = 325 degrees F = 160 degrees C
  • Moderate oven = 350 degrees F = 180 degrees C
  • Moderately hot oven = 375 degrees F = 190 degrees C
  • Quick oven = 375 – 400 degrees F = 190 – 205 degrees C
  • Hot oven = 400 – 425 degrees F = 205 – 220 degrees C
  • Very hot oven = 450 – 475 degrees F = 230 – 250 degrees C
  • Extremely hot oven = 500 degrees F or more = 260 degrees C or more

Packet Sizes

Cans (US)

  • #1 = 1-1/3 US/imperial cups = 320 ml
  • #1 tall = 2 US/imperial cups = 480 ml
  • #1 square = 2 US/imperial cups = 480 ml
  • #2 = 2-1/2 US/imperial cups = 600 ml
  • #2-1/2 = 3-1/2 US/imperial cups = 840 ml
  • #2-1/2 square = scant 4 US/imperial cups = 960 ml
  • #3 = 4 US/imperial cups = 960 ml
  • #3 squat= 2-3/4 US/imperial cups = 660 ml
  • #5 = 7-1/3 US/imperial cups = 1776 ml
  • #10 = 12 US/imperial cups = 2880 ml
  • #300 = 1-3/4 US/imperial cups = 420 ml
  • #303 = 2 US/imperial cups = 480 ml

Chocolate

  • 1 square = 1oz US = 28gm

Gelatine

  • Envelope = 3 teaspoons or 1 US tablespoon

Yeast

  • Package of dried yeast = 3/5 oz = 17gm
  • Cake of compressed yeast = 3/5 oz = 17gm

Copyright Sarah Bradberry, January 23rd 2013. All rights reserved.