Tablespoons to cups and cups to tablespoons converter
Tablespoons to cups: a US cup holds 16 tablespoons, so 4 tbsp = 0.25 cups and 12 tbsp = 0.75 cups. Pick the spoon system (US, metric or Australian), type tablespoons and the cups follow with the nearest measuring-cup fraction; cups to tablespoons works in the same box. Also known as tbsp to cups.
Example: Amount 4 · Direction: Tablespoons to cups (tbsp → cups) · Kitchen measures: US (cup 237 mL, tbsp 14.8 mL) → Answer: 4 tbsp = 0.25 cups. Source: NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8 – US fluid ounce = 29.5735295625 mL, US liquid quart = 0.946352946 L, gallon = 3.785411784 L (exact). Updated: .
How it is calculated
The US rule
cups = tablespoons ÷ 16 and tablespoons = cups × 16. A US cup is exactly 16 tablespoons or 8 fluid ounces. So 2 tbsp = 0.125 cups, 8 tbsp = 0.5 cups (one stick of butter is 8 tbsp = half a cup) and, back again, 0.75 cups = 12 tbsp.
The awkward fractions
A third of a cup is not a whole number of tablespoons: 1/3 cup = 5⅓ tbsp = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp (a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons). Two thirds of a cup is 10⅔ tbsp = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp. The quarter-cup steps are clean: 1/8 cup = 2 tbsp, 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp, 3/4 cup = 12 tbsp. The marks table gives the figures for the chosen spoon system, and the line under the answer rounds to the nearest measuring cup: 5 tbsp comes out as 1/3 cup, 7 tbsp as 1/2 cup, 3 tbsp as 1/4 cup.
Three tablespoons
A US tablespoon is 14.787 mL. A metric tablespoon (UK, Canada, New Zealand) is 15 mL, and with the 250 mL metric cup the ratio becomes 16.67 tablespoons per cup: 4 tbsp = 0.24 cups. Australia uses a 20 mL tablespoon, so a cup holds only 12.5: 4 tbsp = 0.32 cups. A recipe from Sydney with “4 tablespoons” therefore means 80 mL, about a third more than four US tablespoons (59 mL). Switch the selector to match the source of the recipe.
Scaling a recipe
Halving 1/4 cup gives 2 tbsp; doubling 3 tbsp gives 6 tbsp, which is 0.375 cups, i.e. 3/8 cup. Because 3/8 cup is not on a measuring set, use 6 tablespoons or 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons. For the weight in grams see the cups to grams converter; for ounces see oz to cups.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
16 in the US system: 1 cup = 16 tbsp. With the metric 250 mL cup and 15 mL spoon it is 16.667, in Australia 12.5.
How many tablespoons make 1/4 cup?
Four: 4 tbsp = 0.25 cups. A third of a cup is 5 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon.
How do I convert tablespoons to cups?
Divide by 16. For 6 tablespoons: 6 tbsp = 0.375 cups, or 3/8 cup.
How many cups is 8 tablespoons?
8 tbsp = 0.5 cups, which is one stick of butter.
Is an Australian tablespoon bigger?
Yes: 20 mL against 14.8 mL (US) or 15 mL. Four Australian tablespoons are 0.32 cups, four US ones 0.25.
Sources and legal basis
- NIST SP 811, Appendix B.8 – US fluid ounce = 29.5735295625 mL, US liquid quart = 0.946352946 L, gallon = 3.785411784 L (exact)
- 21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(viii) – US nutrition labeling: 1 cup = 240 mL, 1 tbsp = 15 mL, 1 tsp = 5 mL
As of: · Editorial policy
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