How Many Ounces in 1 Dry Pint? US Dry Pint Explained

How many ounces in 1 dry pint? A US dry pint holds about 551 millilitres, which is roughly 18.6 US fluid ounces. That is more than a US liquid pint, which is exactly 16 fluid ounces (about 473 ml). The dry pint is the measure behind the little baskets of blueberries, cherry tomatoes and strawberries at the market, and it describes volume, not weight.

Dry pint versus liquid pint

The United States uses two separate pint systems. The liquid pint measures milk, juice, beer and other fluids. The dry pint measures things sold loose in baskets and cartons, such as berries. A dry pint is defined as one-eighth of a dry gallon and works out to 33.6 cubic inches, while a liquid pint is one-eighth of a US liquid gallon, which is 28.875 cubic inches. That difference in definition, rather than any quirk of the produce, is why the two numbers do not match. Wikipedia’s article on the pint sets out the full history of the different pints.

Three pints compared

Measure	US fluid ounces	Millilitres (approx.)
US liquid pint	16	473
US dry pint	18.6	551
UK (imperial) pint	19.2 US fl oz (20 imperial fl oz)	568

The dry pint therefore lands between the US liquid pint and the imperial pint used in UK pubs. If you cook from recipes written in different countries, that middle position is exactly where mix-ups start. Our page on a pint of beer in millilitres covers the pub measures in more detail.

Ounces of what? Volume versus weight

People who ask about ounces in a dry pint often mix up two different units. A fluid ounce measures volume. An ounce on a kitchen scale measures weight. A dry pint of blueberries takes up about 18.6 fluid ounces of space, but what the berries weigh depends on their size, how tightly they are packed and how much air sits between them. As a loose guide, a pint of blueberries often weighs somewhere around ten to twelve ounces, but this varies, and a scale is the only reliable answer if a recipe is written by weight.

Cherry tomatoes, strawberries and mushrooms all have different densities, so a pint of one is not the same weight as a pint of another. A pint of leafy herbs, which are mostly air, would weigh far less than a pint of cherry tomatoes.

Where the dry pint turns up

• Grocery shopping. Berries and cherry tomatoes are sold by the dry pint basket. The container tells you volume, while the label shows the net weight, so check the label when comparing prices.
• Recipes. “1 pint of strawberries” generally means a dry pint basket. Check whether the recipe wants them whole or sliced, since slicing changes how much fits.
• Liquid recipes. If the instructions say a pint of cream or stock, use 16 fluid ounces, not 18.6.
• Farmers’ markets. Stallholders often sell by the pint or quart, and a quart is two pints.

How to convert quickly

1. Take the number of dry pints.
2. Multiply by 18.6 to get US fluid ounces, or by 551 to get millilitres.
3. For litres, divide the millilitres by 1,000.

Worked example: two dry pints is about 37 US fluid ounces, or around 1.1 litres. A dry quart, which is two dry pints, is also about 1.1 litres, and an ordinary measuring jug marked in millilitres is accurate enough for most cooking. Going the other way, a litre of loosely packed produce is a little under two dry pints.

No dry measure? Use cups and spoons

If you do not own a dry pint measure, a standard liquid measuring cup works. Two cups make 16 fluid ounces, so a dry pint is two cups plus a few tablespoons, around two and a third cups in total. For berries, many cooks treat a dry pint as two cups, and for casual recipes such as pancakes or smoothies the small difference rarely changes the result. For baking, where proportions matter more, weigh the fruit instead.

Dry pint, dry quart and the rest of the family

Dry measure	In dry pints	Approx. litres
1 dry pint	1	0.55
1 dry quart	2	1.10
1 dry gallon	8	4.40
1 peck	16	8.81

The peck and the bushel are mostly historical to non-farmers, though you may still see them on apples and other orchard produce. If you ever need alternative explanations of the standard liquid pint, our article on how many ounces make a pint goes through the liquid side, and a separate page answers what 1 pint is equal to across cups, quarts and litres.

Why labels can be confusing

US packaging law requires a net weight statement on most produce containers, which is why a basket marked “1 dry pint” will also carry a weight in ounces or grams. When comparing two brands, use the weight to work out the cost per ounce, because baskets of the same volume can contain different amounts. Berries that are large, soft or irregular leave more air gaps and so weigh less per pint than small, firm ones. In the UK and much of Europe, punnets are labelled by weight only, so if you are converting a British recipe that lists 150 g of raspberries, a dry pint basket is more than you need, not less. Treat the pint as a guide to size rather than a promise about quantity.

Frequently asked questions

Conclusion

One dry pint equals about 18.6 US fluid ounces, or 551 ml. Keep in mind that it is a measure of space, not weight, and use a scale whenever a recipe asks for ounces of fruit or vegetables by weight.