Cups to Tablespoons
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup. That makes 1/2 cup 8 tablespoons, 1/3 cup about 5 1/3 tablespoons, and 1/4 cup exactly 4 tablespoons.
Enter any cup amount, including fractions like 1/3 or 1 1/2, and you get the tablespoon count. The chart underneath covers the measurements that come up most in recipes.
Cup to tablespoon chart
| Cups | Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp |
| 1/3 cup | 5 1/3 tbsp | 16 tsp |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp |
| 2/3 cup | 10 2/3 tbsp | 32 tsp |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tbsp | 72 tsp |
| 2 cups | 32 tbsp | 96 tsp |
Why 1/3 cup is the awkward one
Most cup measurements divide into tablespoons cleanly. A cup is 16 tablespoons, so halves, quarters and eighths all land on whole numbers. One third does not, because 16 divided by 3 is 5.333.
In practice that is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, since a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons and a third of a tablespoon is exactly 1 teaspoon. That is the measurement most recipes expect you to use, and it is exact rather than rounded.
The same logic covers 2/3 cup: 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.
US cups are not the only cups
This converter uses US customary measures, which is what American recipes and measuring cups use. A US cup is 236.6 ml.
A metric cup, used in Australia and often in New Zealand, is 250 ml. A UK recipe written before metrication may use an imperial cup of 284 ml. The difference between a US and metric cup is around 5 percent, which rarely matters for a stew and matters quite a lot for baking.
If your recipe is Australian and your measuring cup is American, you are under-measuring by about a tablespoon per cup.
Dry versus liquid measuring
The conversion itself does not change between dry and liquid ingredients. A cup is a unit of volume either way, so a cup of flour and a cup of milk both hold 16 tablespoons of space.
What changes is how accurately you can fill it. Liquid measuring cups are read at eye level to the line, while dry cups are meant to be filled and levelled off. Scooping flour straight from the bag compacts it and can add 20 percent or more, which is why baking recipes increasingly give weights instead.
If a recipe gives grams alongside cups, use the grams.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
16 tablespoons in one US cup. That is also 48 teaspoons or 8 fluid ounces.
How many tablespoons in 1/3 cup?
5 1/3 tablespoons, which is easier to measure as 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. That is exact, not a rounding.
How many tablespoons in 1/4 cup?
Exactly 4 tablespoons, or 12 teaspoons.
How many tablespoons in 1/2 cup?
Exactly 8 tablespoons, or 24 teaspoons.
Is a tablespoon the same everywhere?
Almost. A US tablespoon is 14.79 ml and a metric tablespoon is 15 ml, which is close enough to ignore. The Australian tablespoon is the exception at 20 ml, so Australian recipes need care.