How Many Tablespoons in a Cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup. A tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, so a cup is also 48 teaspoons. Use the converter for any amount, or the chart below for common fractions of a cup.
- Tablespoons
- 16 tbsp
- Cups
- 1 cup
- Teaspoons
- 48 tsp
- Milliliters
- 240 ml
- Fluid ounces
- 8 fl oz
Also on the web at my.recipenotes.app · Updated November 2026
Tablespoons in a cup at a glance
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons
- ½ cup = 8 tablespoons
- ⅓ cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
- ¼ cup = 4 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons = ½ fluid ounce
Cups to tablespoons chart
US cups, with the tablespoons and teaspoons to measure each amount. 1 cup is 240 ml.
| Cups | Tablespoons | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 16 tsp |
| ⅜ cup | 6 tbsp | 18 tsp |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp |
| ⅝ cup | 10 tbsp | 30 tsp |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 32 tsp |
| ¾ cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp |
| ⅞ cup | 14 tbsp | 42 tsp |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp |
| 1½ cups | 24 tbsp | 72 tsp |
| 2 cups | 32 tbsp | 96 tsp |
Tablespoons to cups chart
Recipes that list butter, oil or sauces in tablespoons are often quicker to measure with a cup. This chart shows which cups to use.
| Tbsp | Cups | Measure with | ml |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 0.06 cup | 1 tbsp | 15 ml |
| 2 tbsp | ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp | 30 ml |
| 3 tbsp | 0.19 cup | 3 tbsp | 45 ml |
| 4 tbsp | ¼ cup | ¼ cup | 60 ml |
| 5 tbsp | 0.31 cup | ¼ cup + 1 tbsp | 75 ml |
| 6 tbsp | ⅜ cup | ¼ cup + 2 tbsp | 90 ml |
| 8 tbsp | ½ cup | ½ cup | 120 ml |
| 10 tbsp | ⅝ cup | ½ cup + 2 tbsp | 150 ml |
| 12 tbsp | ¾ cup | ¾ cup | 180 ml |
| 16 tbsp | 1 cup | 1 cup | 240 ml |
Why ⅓ cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon
16 tablespoons divide evenly by 2, 4 and 8, but not by 3. ⅓ of 16 is 5⅓, and there is no ⅓ tablespoon measure. One tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, so the leftover ⅓ tablespoon is exactly 1 teaspoon: ⅓ cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp.
The same rule gives ⅔ cup = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp. The converter shows every amount this way, so you can measure with spoons when you do not have the right cup measure.
Tablespoons in a cup in Australia, New Zealand and the US
Cups and tablespoons are not the same size everywhere. Australian and New Zealand recipes use a 250 ml metric cup. Most countries use a 15 ml tablespoon, but Australia uses a 20 ml tablespoon, which is 4 teaspoons.
A US cup on nutrition labels is 240 ml. The traditional US cup is about 237 ml. The difference is under 2%, so you can use either one in a recipe.
| Where | Cup | Tbsp | In 1 cup |
|---|---|---|---|
| US | 240 ml | 15 ml | 16 tbsp |
| Metric (New Zealand and others) | 250 ml | 15 ml | 16⅔ tbsp |
| Australia | 250 ml | 20 ml | 12½ tbsp |
If an Australian recipe asks for 1 tablespoon and you use a 15 ml US spoon, use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon. For a full cup, choose Australia or Metric in the converter.
How to measure tablespoons accurately
- 1
Use measuring spoons
Use a marked measuring spoon, not a spoon from the cutlery drawer. Dinner spoons and soup spoons are not a standard size.
- 2
Level dry ingredients
Scoop flour, sugar or spices until the spoon is heaped, then scrape the top flat with the back of a knife.
- 3
Fill liquids to the rim
Hold the spoon level over a small bowl and fill it until the liquid reaches the edge.
- 4
Count teaspoons for odd amounts
For ⅓ cup without a ⅓ cup measure, use 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
Grams, butter and the rest of the recipe
Tablespoons measure volume, not weight. A tablespoon of all-purpose flour is about 7.5 g, but a tablespoon of honey is 21 g (King Arthur). For weights, use the cups to grams converter. For butter in sticks, use the butter conversion chart.
To double, halve or convert a whole ingredient list, paste it into the recipe converter. Recipe Notes saves recipes from websites, TikTok, Instagram and Pinterest, and can convert every recipe you import to metric or US units.
Sources
- NIST: cooking measurement equivalencies
- NIST Special Publication 430: household weights and measures
- FDA: guidelines for determining metric equivalents of household measures (21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(viii))
- The Australian Women's Weekly: measurement conversions
- Chelsea Sugar (New Zealand): baking measurements
- King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart
Checked on November 10, 2026.
Related guides
Cups to grams converter
Flour, sugar and 40 other ingredients, in cups and grams.
Butter conversion
Sticks, tablespoons, cups and grams of butter, with a chart.
Recipe converter
Double, halve or convert a whole ingredient list to metric or US units.
Cups, quarts and gallons
Cups in a quart, pint and gallon, with US and UK sizes.
Frequently asked questions
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup. Because 1 tablespoon is 3 teaspoons, 1 cup is also 48 teaspoons.
There are 4 tablespoons in ¼ cup.
There are 5⅓ tablespoons in ⅓ cup. To measure it with spoons, use 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
There are 8 tablespoons in ½ cup.
There are 10⅔ tablespoons in ⅔ cup, which is 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons.
There are 12 tablespoons in ¾ cup.
A US or metric tablespoon is 3 teaspoons. An Australian tablespoon is 20 ml, which is 4 teaspoons.
Yes. Cups and tablespoons measure volume, so a cup of flour and a cup of water both hold 16 tablespoons. They weigh different amounts, so use grams when a recipe needs to be exact.