Tablespoons to Cups Converter
Convert tablespoons to cups, or cups to tablespoons, instantly.
Kitchen Conversion Formula
Cups = tablespoons ÷ 16. Tablespoons = cups × 16.
Both cups and tablespoons are volume measurements, which is standard for US recipes. Many international and professional baking recipes measure by weight (grams) instead, since a cup of tightly packed flour and a cup of loosely scooped flour can weigh quite differently even though they fill the same cup.
Worked example
Convert 24 tablespoons to cups.
24 ÷ 16 = 1.5
24 tablespoons = 1.5 cups
Worked example (cups to tablespoons)
Convert 10 tablespoons to cups.
10 ÷ 16 = 0.625
10 tablespoons = 0.625 cups (5/8 cup)
Quick reference: cups to tablespoons
| Cups | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4 |
| 1/3 cup | 5.33 |
| 1/2 cup | 8 |
| 1 cup | 16 |
| 2 cups | 32 |
Keep going
- Recipe measurements often mix cups with fluid ounces; the ml to oz calculator converts the metric side of that same kind of liquid measurement. ML ↔ OZ Calculator
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
1 US cup = 16 tablespoons.
How many cups are in a tablespoon?
1 tablespoon = 1/16 (0.0625) of a US cup.
Why 16 tablespoons in a cup specifically?
A US cup is defined as 8 fluid ounces, and a tablespoon as 1/2 a fluid ounce — 8 ÷ 0.5 = 16 tablespoons per cup.
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons. Combined with the 16-tablespoon cup, that means 1 cup = 48 teaspoons (16 × 3).
How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?
A standard US stick of butter is 1/2 cup, which is 8 tablespoons (0.5 × 16 = 8). Most wrappers print tablespoon markings along the stick for exactly this reason.
How many tablespoons are in a pint or a quart?
A pint is 2 cups, so 2 × 16 = 32 tablespoons. A quart is 4 cups, so 4 × 16 = 64 tablespoons. Once you know a cup is 16 tablespoons, just multiply by however many cups you have.
What's a common mistake when converting tablespoons to cups?
Assuming every country's tablespoon is the same size. A US tablespoon is about 14.79 ml, but an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml (4 teaspoons instead of 3). Using an Australian recipe's tablespoon measurements with US cup ratios will throw off the result.
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