Milliliter

The milliliter (abbreviated as mL or ml) is the standard metric unit of volume measurement, representing exactly one-thousandth of a liter. It is equivalent to one cubic centimeter of water at its maximum density. The milliliter is highly valued in culinary arts and baking for its precision and simplicity: because it is based on a decimal scale, scaling recipes up or down is as simple as moving a decimal point. This eliminates the complex fractional math required when using US customary units like teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups.

For liquid water at standard temperature, one milliliter weighs exactly one gram, which provides a seamless bridge between volume and weight measurements. When measuring milliliters in the kitchen, bakers use graduated cylinders, beakers, or metric liquid measuring cups. Reading the measurement at the bottom of the meniscus at eye level ensures accuracy. In professional baking, liquid ingredients like water, milk, and eggs are weighed in grams rather than measured in milliliters, as weighing on a digital scale is faster and less prone to user error.