Cups to Tablespoons Chart
= 16 Tablespoons
= 48 Teaspoons
= 8 fluid ounces = 240ml
Complete Cups to Tablespoons Chart
| Cups | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Fluid Ounces | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp | 1 fl oz | 30ml |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp | 2 fl oz | 60ml |
| 1/3 cup | 5⅓ tbsp | 16 tsp | 2.7 fl oz | 80ml |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp | 4 fl oz | 120ml |
| 2/3 cup | 10⅔ tbsp | 32 tsp | 5.3 fl oz | 160ml |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp | 6 fl oz | 180ml |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp | 8 fl oz | 240ml |
| 1¼ cups | 20 tbsp | 60 tsp | 10 fl oz | 300ml |
| 1½ cups | 24 tbsp | 72 tsp | 12 fl oz | 360ml |
| 2 cups | 32 tbsp | 96 tsp | 16 fl oz | 480ml |
| 3 cups | 48 tbsp | 144 tsp | 24 fl oz | 720ml |
| 4 cups (1 quart) | 64 tbsp | 192 tsp | 32 fl oz | 960ml |
Most Common Conversions
= 12 teaspoons
= 24 teaspoons
= 36 teaspoons
Quick Conversion Formulas
Cups to Tablespoons
Cups × 16 = Tablespoons
Example: 0.5 cups × 16 = 8 tbsp
Tablespoons to Cups
Tablespoons ÷ 16 = Cups
Example: 12 tbsp ÷ 16 = 0.75 cups (3/4 cup)
Cups to Teaspoons
Cups × 48 = Teaspoons
Example: 0.25 cups × 48 = 12 tsp
Tricky Fractions Made Easy
1/3 Cup = 5⅓ Tablespoons
How to measure: 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (since 1/3 tbsp = 1 tsp)
Calculation: 16 ÷ 3 = 5.333... tbsp
2/3 Cup = 10⅔ Tablespoons
How to measure: 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
Calculation: (16 ÷ 3) × 2 = 10.666... tbsp
5/8 Cup = 10 Tablespoons
Shortcut: Halfway between 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) and 3/4 cup (12 tbsp)
Calculation: 16 × (5÷8) = 10 tbsp
When to Use Cups vs Tablespoons
✅ Use Cups For:
- • Large quantities: 1 cup or more
- • Dry ingredients: Flour, sugar, oats
- • Liquids: Milk, water, oil (1 cup+)
- • Recipe scaling: Easier to double/halve
✅ Use Tablespoons For:
- • Small quantities: Less than 1/2 cup
- • Fats: Butter, oil (2-6 tbsp)
- • Liquids: Vanilla extract, lemon juice
- • Precision: More accurate for small amounts
Common Recipe Examples
Baking Recipes:
- • 1/4 cup butter → 4 tbsp (half a stick)
- • 1/2 cup milk → 8 tbsp
- • 2 tbsp vanilla → 1/8 cup
- • 12 tbsp flour → 3/4 cup
Cooking Recipes:
- • 1/3 cup oil → 5⅓ tbsp (5 tbsp + 1 tsp)
- • 1/2 cup broth → 8 tbsp
- • 3 tbsp soy sauce → 3/16 cup (under 1/4 cup)
- • 16 tbsp honey → 1 cup
Measurement Tips
📏 Level Off Dry Ingredients
When measuring tablespoons of flour or sugar, scoop and level off with a knife. Don't pack or shake down.
🥄 Use Proper Measuring Spoons
Standard measuring tablespoons (not eating spoons!). 1 tbsp = 15ml. A "heaping" tablespoon is NOT accurate.
💧 Fill to Rim for Liquids
Liquid tablespoons should be filled to the rim (surface tension holds it). For thick liquids like honey, level with knife.
Printable Conversion Reference
Quick Reference Card
Bonus: 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons