Enter the amount
Type how many cups or spoons you have.
Cups to tablespoons converter
Enter the number of cups and get tablespoons. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so half a cup is 8 and a quarter cup is 4.
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How it works
Pick the ingredient
For weight, choose the ingredient: flour, sugar and butter weigh differently.
Read the result
The result is shown in grams, millilitres or the unit you choose.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are 16 US tablespoons in one US cup. So half a cup is 8 tablespoons, a third of a cup is 5 1/3 tablespoons and a quarter of a cup is 4 tablespoons. In teaspoons, one cup is 48. The converter above works with any amount; choose cups as the starting unit and tablespoons as the result.
Cups to tablespoons table
| Cups | Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 2 | 6 |
| 1/4 cup | 4 | 12 |
| 1/3 cup | 5 1/3 | 16 |
| 1/2 cup | 8 | 24 |
| 2/3 cup | 10 2/3 | 32 |
| 3/4 cup | 12 | 36 |
| 1 cup | 16 | 48 |
Why the numbers are so neat
The US customary system builds each unit from the last: 3 teaspoons make a tablespoon, 2 tablespoons make a fluid ounce, 8 fluid ounces make a cup. That is why a cup is exactly 16 tablespoons, and it makes it easy to scale a recipe up or down without a cup.
When you need it
- No measuring cup at hand: count tablespoons instead.
- Scaling a recipe: half of 1/4 cup is 2 tablespoons.
- Butter and oil: a stick of butter is 8 tablespoons and half a cup.
- Small liquid amounts, where a spoon is more accurate than a cup.
Cups and spoons around the world
| Measure | US | Metric (UK, Canada, Australia, NZ) | Old UK imperial |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cup | 236.6 ml | 250 ml | 284 ml |
| Tablespoon | 14.8 ml | 15 ml (Australia: 20 ml) | 17.7 ml |
| Teaspoon | 4.9 ml | 5 ml | 5.9 ml |
Metric cups and spoons
A metric cup is 250 ml and a metric tablespoon is 15 ml, so a metric cup holds 16 2/3 tablespoons. If a recipe uses metric measures, work in millilitres to avoid the small difference.
Private by design
Everything is calculated in your browser as you type; nothing is sent to a server.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in half a cup?
8 US tablespoons.
How many tablespoons are in a third of a cup?
5 1/3 tablespoons, which is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
How many tablespoons are in a quarter cup?
4 tablespoons, or 12 teaspoons.
Is this converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no limit, and it runs in your browser, so nothing you type is sent to a server.
Does it work on a phone?
Yes. It works in any modern mobile browser, and the result updates as you type.
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