Liters to cups converter

Liters to cups is the conversion for following a metric recipe with US measuring cups. The tool above converts liters, cups, milliliters, fluid ounces, pints, and quarts. A liter is a metric unit; the cup it converts to here is the US customary cup.

Pick units or type in either box.

Common liter and cup conversions

Liter to US customary cup:

  • 1 liter = 4.23 cups
  • 3/4 liter = 3.17 cups
  • 1/2 liter = 2.11 cups
  • 1/4 liter = 1.06 cups
  • 1 liter = 1000 milliliters
  • 1 liter = 33.8 fluid ounces
  • 1 liter = about 1.06 US quarts
  • 1 cup = 0.237 liters
  • 2 liters = 8.45 cups

How the tool works

A liter is exactly 1000 milliliters. A US customary cup is 236.59 milliliters. The tool divides one by the other, so 1 liter comes out to about 4.23 US cups.

Milliliters and liters are the same everywhere. The cup is the unit that changes between countries. This tool uses the US cup; with a 250 ml metric cup, a liter is exactly 4 cups.

Liter vs quart, and cup size

A liter is 1000 ml and a US quart is 946 ml, so a liter is about 5 percent larger than a quart. For most cooking they are interchangeable; for careful baking, keep the gap in mind.

With a US cup, a liter is 4.23 cups, an awkward number. With a 250 ml metric cup, a liter is exactly 4 cups. If a recipe says a liter equals 4 cups, it was written for the metric cup.

When a recipe gives both liters and cups, follow the liters. They are exact and do not depend on which cup you own.

Reading metric recipes

Recipes from outside the US list liters and milliliters for volume. A metric measuring jug marked in milliliters lets you follow them directly with no conversion. For dry ingredients, a metric recipe lists grams, and a scale is the matching tool.

Common liter and cup mistakes

  • Assuming 1 liter is exactly 4 cups. That is true for a 250 ml metric cup, but a US cup gives 4.23 per liter.
  • Treating a liter and a quart as identical. A liter is about 5 percent larger than a US quart.
  • Converting liters when a metric jug would let you measure them directly.
  • Mixing the US cup with the metric cup mid-recipe. Pick one cup and stay with it.

FAQ

How many cups are in a liter?
1 liter is about 4.23 US cups. With a 250 ml metric cup, a liter is exactly 4 cups.
How many cups are in 2 liters?
2 liters is about 8.45 US cups.
Is a liter the same as a quart?
Close. A liter is 1000 ml and a US quart is 946 ml, so a liter is about 5 percent larger.
How many milliliters are in a liter?
1 liter is exactly 1000 milliliters.
How many liters is 4 cups?
4 US cups is about 0.95 liters, just under a liter. 4 metric cups is exactly 1 liter.

Related tools and guides

¿Necesitas esta herramienta en español? Ver litros a tazas.

Where these numbers come from

The liter is a metric unit defined as 1000 cubic centimeters, exactly 1000 milliliters. The US customary cup is 236.5882365 milliliters. Dividing gives 4.2268 cups per liter.

Sources

Our numbers and methodology cross-reference these authorities:

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