Cups to Tablespoons Converter
Standard kitchen conversion: 1 US cup contains exactly 16 tablespoons.
Interactive Cups to Tablespoons Calculator
1 US Customary cup contains exactly 16 tablespoons. Adjust amounts or choose different cup standards below.
Equivalent Across All 5 Cup Standards
Cup volumes vary worldwide by regionUnderstanding Cups to Tablespoons Conversion
In American culinary recipes, 1 US Customary Cup equals exactly 16 US tablespoons. Because tablespoons are smaller units, they provide precision when measuring liquid or dry ingredients without pulling out a full measuring cup set.
Quick kitchen rule of thumb: each quarter cup (1/4 cup) equals exactly 4 tablespoons. Therefore:
- 1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons (1 fluid ounce)
- 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons (2 fluid ounces)
- 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (5.33 tbsp)
- 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons (1 stick of butter / 4 fluid ounces)
- 2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons (10.67 tbsp)
- 3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons (6 fluid ounces)
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons (8 fluid ounces / 1/2 pint)
How to Convert Cups to Tablespoons: Formula & Math
Tablespoons = Cups × 16 - Identify the cup amount: Note down the decimal or fractional cup measurement requested in your recipe.
- Multiply by 16: Multiply the number of cups by 16 to determine total tablespoons.
- Handle fractional tablespoons: If the result has decimals (such as 0.33 or 0.67), multiply the fractional remainder by 3 to convert into level teaspoons (since 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons).
Worked Culinary Examples
Example 1: Measuring Butter for Cookies
A cookie recipe requires 3/4 cup of softened unsalted butter.
- Formula: 0.75 cups × 16 tablespoons/cup.
- Calculation: 0.75 × 16 = 12 tablespoons.
- Culinary context: 1 stick of butter = 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup). So 3/4 cup = 1 1/2 sticks of butter.
Example 2: Dressing with Olive Oil
A vinaigrette calls for 1/3 cup of extra virgin olive oil.
- Formula: 0.333 cups × 16 tablespoons/cup = 5.333 tablespoons.
- Remainder: 0.333 tbsp × 3 teaspoons/tbsp = 1 level teaspoon.
Quick Reference Conversion Table: Cups to Tablespoons
| Cups (US) | Tablespoons (tbsp) | Teaspoons (tsp) | Fluid Ounces (fl oz) | Milliliters (mL) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp | 1 fl oz | 29.6 mL |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp | 2 fl oz | 59.1 mL |
| 1/3 cup | 5.33 tbsp | 16 tsp | 2.7 fl oz | 78.9 mL |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp | 4 fl oz | 118.3 mL |
| 2/3 cup | 10.7 tbsp | 32 tsp | 5.3 fl oz | 157.7 mL |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp | 6 fl oz | 177.4 mL |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp | 8 fl oz | 236.6 mL |
| 1 1/4 cup | 20 tbsp | 60 tsp | 10 fl oz | 295.7 mL |
| 1 1/2 cup | 24 tbsp | 72 tsp | 12 fl oz | 354.9 mL |
| 2 cup | 32 tbsp | 96 tsp | 16 fl oz | 473.2 mL |
| 3 cup | 48 tbsp | 144 tsp | 24 fl oz | 709.8 mL |
| 4 cup | 64 tbsp | 192 tsp | 32 fl oz | 946.4 mL |
Common Measuring Mistakes & Regional Differences
US Tablespoons vs. Australian Tablespoons
In the US, Canada, UK, and New Zealand, 1 tablespoon is 15 mL (16 tbsp per US cup). In Australia, an official tablespoon is 20 mL (4 teaspoons), which means an Australian metric cup has only 12.5 Australian tablespoons.
Using Liquid vs Dry Measuring Cups
While the volume is mathematically identical (16 tablespoons), liquid measuring cups have a pour spout and headspace to prevent spills, whereas dry cups allow leveling across the top rim.
Heaping vs Level Tablespoons
All culinary tablespoon formulas assume level measuring spoons. A heaping tablespoon of flour or sugar can add 50% to 100% extra volume, throwing off baking ratios.
Metric Cups (250 mL) and Japanese Cups (200 mL)
A Metric cup (250 mL) contains 16.9 US tablespoons. A Japanese cup (200 mL) contains 13.5 US tablespoons. Check your recipe's country of origin.
Related Kitchen Volume Converters
Calculation Formula & Standards
1 US Cup = 16 US Tablespoons. 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp. 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp. 1/8 cup = 2 tbsp.