How Many Ounces Are in a Pint?
16
US fluid ounces
20
UK / imperial
The US and imperial systems give different answers to this question. Go by where the recipe is from: American recipes mean 16, British and older Commonwealth recipes mean 20.
This is the conversion most likely to ruin a recipe. A US pint is 16 fluid ounces; an imperial pint is 20. Same word, 25% apart — it is why a British pint of beer is visibly larger than an American one, and why a UK recipe calling for "a pint of cream" needs a quarter more than an American cook would pour.
1 pint in fluid ounces, by region
| United States | 16 fluid ounces |
| UK / imperial (250 ml cup) | 20 fluid ounces |
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Frequently asked questions
How many ounces are in a pint?
There are 16 fluid ounces in a US pint, and 20 in the UK/imperial equivalent. American recipes mean the US figure.
Is a pint 16 oz or 20 oz?
Both, depending on where the recipe is from. A US pint is 16 US fluid ounces (473 ml). An imperial pint — UK, Ireland, and older Commonwealth recipes — is 20 imperial fluid ounces (568 ml).
How do I tell which pint a recipe means?
Go by origin. American recipes mean 16 fl oz. British, Irish and older Australian, Canadian or New Zealand recipes mean the imperial 20 fl oz pint. If a recipe gives millilitres alongside, that settles it.
How many cups in a pint?
Two US cups make a US pint. An imperial pint is closer to 2.3 metric cups, which is why UK cream cartons do not divide neatly into cup measures.