SpicesKitchen conversions
US and UK ingredient names, with Dutch
Heavy cream is double cream in the UK, cilantro is coriander and powdered sugar is icing sugar. These are the US and UK names that catch people out most, with the Dutch names alongside for cooks in the Netherlands and Belgium.
Same ingredient
- heavy cream
- double cream
- cilantro
- coriander
- powdered sugar
- icing sugar
- ground beef
- beef mince
Flour and baking
| United States | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| all-purpose flour | plain flour | bloem |
| self-rising flour | self-raising flour | zelfrijzend bakmeel |
| bread flour | strong white flour | broodmeel |
| whole wheat flour | wholemeal flour | volkorenmeel |
| cornstarch | cornflour | maizena |
| superfine sugar | caster sugar | fijne kristalsuiker |
| powdered or confectioners’ sugar | icing sugar | poedersuiker |
| light brown sugar | light soft brown sugar | lichte basterdsuiker |
| baking soda | bicarbonate of soda | zuiveringszout |
| semisweet chocolate | plain or dark chocolate | pure chocolade |
| graham crackers | digestive biscuits | digestive biscuits |
| cookie | biscuit | koekje |
Dairy
| United States | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| heavy cream | double cream | slagroom |
| half-and-half | single cream (closest match) | koffieroom |
| sour cream | soured cream | zure room |
| whole milk | whole milk | volle melk |
| buttermilk | buttermilk | karnemelk |
Vegetables and herbs
| United States | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| cilantro | coriander | koriander |
| scallions or green onions | spring onions | lente-uitjes |
| eggplant | aubergine | aubergine |
| zucchini | courgette | courgette |
| bell pepper | pepper | paprika |
| arugula | rocket | rucola |
| garbanzo beans | chickpeas | kikkererwten |
Meat and fish
| United States | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| ground beef | beef mince | rundergehakt |
| ground pork | pork mince | varkensgehakt |
| bacon | streaky bacon | ontbijtspek |
| shrimp | prawns | garnalen |
Pantry
| United States | United Kingdom | Netherlands |
|---|---|---|
| canola oil | rapeseed oil | raapzaadolie |
| tomato paste | tomato purée | tomatenpuree |
| tomato puree | passata | passata |
| red pepper flakes | chilli flakes | chilivlokken |
| rolled oats | porridge oats | havermout |
| beef broth | beef stock | runderbouillon |
Close, but not identical
- Double cream is richer than heavy cream. It whips faster, so watch it.
- Half-and-half has no exact UK match. Mix equal parts whole milk and single cream.
- Graham crackers and digestives both make a good cheesecake base, but digestives are less sweet.
- Kosher salt is coarser than table salt, so a spoonful holds less salt. Brands differ a lot, so if you swap in table salt, start with less and taste.
In Spices, recipes use the names you shop by
Choose US, UK or Dutch ingredient names, and Spices swaps them in every saved recipe: “heavy cream” reads “double cream”, and the shopping list follows. You can switch back to the recipe as written at any time.
More kitchen conversions
- Cups to gramsFlour, sugar, butter, oats, nuts and 29 more, from a whole cup down to a teaspoon.
- Butter: sticks, cups and tablespoons to grams1 stick is 113 g. Every common butter amount, both ways.
- Oven temperatures: °F, °C, fan and gas mark350 °F is 175 °C, or 155 °C in a fan oven, with gas marks too.
- US, UK and Australian cups and spoonsAn Australian tablespoon is 20 ml and a UK pint is 568 ml. Cups, spoons and pints by country.
Questions
What is heavy cream called in the UK?
Heavy cream is double cream in the UK, though double cream is slightly richer at about 48% fat against 36% or more. For whipping, UK whipping cream is the closest match. In the Netherlands, use slagroom.
What is cilantro in the UK?
Cilantro is called coriander in the UK and Australia, for both the leaves and the plant. In the US, coriander usually means the dried seeds.
What is caster sugar in the US?
Caster sugar is superfine sugar in the US. Regular granulated sugar works in most recipes, though it dissolves more slowly in meringues and cocktails.
Is cornflour the same as cornstarch?
In the UK and Australia, cornflour is the fine white powder Americans call cornstarch. In the US, corn flour means finely ground cornmeal, which is a different ingredient.
Let your recipes convert themselves
Spices shows every saved recipe in the units, oven setting and ingredient names you use, and you can switch back to the original at any time. In testing for iPhone and iPad.