Food Cooking Tips & Techniques Recipe Prep How To Use Measuring Cups With Dry Ingredients Using just the right amount of an ingredient―salt, baking soda, flour―can make or break a dish. This is especially true of baking, which requires precision. By Real Simple Editors Real Simple Editors Facebook Instagram Twitter An article attributed to "Real Simple Editors" indicates a collaborative effort from our in-house team. Sometimes, several writers and editors have contributed to an article over the years. These collaborations allow us to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date, and comprehensive information available.The REAL SIMPLE team strives to make life easier for you. They are experts in their fields who research, test and clearly explain the best recipes, strategies, trends and products. They have worked for some of the most prestigious brands in lifestyle journalism, including Apartment Therapy, Better Homes & Gardens, Food & Wine, the Food Network, Good Housekeeping, InStyle, Martha Stewart Living, O: The Oprah Magazine, Parents, POPSUGAR, Rachel Ray Every Day, and Vogue. Real Simple's Editorial Guidelines Updated on March 11, 2023 Fact checked by Isaac Winter Fact checked by Isaac Winter Isaac Winter is a fact-checker and writer for Real Simple, ensuring the accuracy of content published by rigorously researching content before publication and periodically when content needs to be updated. Highlights: Helped establish a food pantry in West Garfield Park as an AmeriCorps employee at Above and Beyond Family Recovery Center. Interviewed Heartland Alliance employees for oral history project conducted by the Lake Forest College History Department. Editorial Head of Lake Forest College's literary magazine, Tusitala, for two years. Our Fact-Checking Process Share Tweet Pin Email Using just the right amount of an ingredient―salt, baking soda, flour―can make or break a dish. This is especially true of baking, which requires precision. This video shows how to measure your dry ingredients every time. What You Need Dry ingredients (such as flour or salt)Spoon Measuring cup and spoonKnife Follow These Steps Fill measuring cup until it overflows.Spoon flour or other light, powdery dry ingredient into your measuring cup until it domes over the top. (Don't scoop with the cup and shake off the excess, as this will cause the ingredient to become slightly packed, and you'll end up with more than the recipe calls for.) Tip: To measure heavier ingredients, such as granulated sugar, go ahead and scoop.Level it with the back of a knife.Run the flat edge of a knife over the top of the measuring cup to level it off. This will ensure you've measured the exact amount the recipe calls for.Fill the measuring spoon.To measure light and fluffy ingredients, put the ingredient into the measuring spoon with another spoon or scoop until it domes over the top of the measuring spoon.Tip: For salt, granulated sugar, or other heavy ingredients, it's okay to dip your measuring spoon, scooping out enough so that the spoon is overflowing.Level it off with the back of a knife.Run the flat edge of a knife over the top of the measuring spoon to level it off. Was this page helpful? Thanks for your feedback! Tell us why! Other Submit