How to Measure a Cup of Flour and Why You Shouldn't

One of the oldest cooking clichés in the book is how much chefs hate to measure things. For the most part this is true. When it comes to savory preparations (think soup), exact measurements are not crucial, as the final seasoning/texture is adjusted at the end of procedure anyway.

The closest I've ever come to throwing the remote through the TV screen was the time I saw a well-know Food Network cooking personality (she has dark hair) measure a tablespoon of chopped parsley to sprinkle over the top of some casserole. Really? Come on!

However, when it comes to baking, exact measurements are critical. A perfectly moist cookie recipe made with 2 cups of flour for one cook can be a dry, disappointing experience for another. Why?

As you'll see in this short, but hopefully illuminating video, the amount of flour that will fit in a cup can vary greatly. If at all possible, when baking, use recipes that call for flour by weight and use a small digital scale to portion.

This is not a sponsored post, but I will disclose that the EatSmart scale you see in the clip was sent to me to test out. I've only used it a few times, so I can't comment on its lifespan or durability, but so far, so good, and I really love the simple design. Here's a link to the Amazon page where it's sold, and received many excellent reviews.

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