How many tablespoons in a cup?

There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup.

This is the figure people reach for mid-recipe when the tablespoon is the only clean measure to hand — a stick of butter to portion, or a cup called for with no cup measure in the drawer. Because 16 divides evenly by 2 and 4, halving and quartering a cup stays exact: half a cup is 8 tablespoons, a quarter is 4, with no rounding.

Cups
Tablespoons

How many tablespoons in a cup? conversion table

Cups (cups)Tablespoons (tbsp)
0.125 cups2 tbsp
0.25 cups4 tbsp
0.33 cups5.28 tbsp
0.5 cups8 tbsp
0.75 cups12 tbsp
1 cups16 tbsp
2 cups32 tbsp

Frequently asked questions

How many tablespoons are in 1 cup?

There are 16 tbsp in 1 cup. The table on this page lists the everyday amounts, and the calculator converts any value the moment you type it. Both cups and tablespoons measure volume, so the ratio is fixed and holds whatever you are measuring.

How do you convert cups to tablespoons?

To convert cups to tablespoons, enter the amount in the cups box and the tablespoons result appears instantly; type in either box to convert both ways. The conversion table above covers 0.125 to 2 cups if you would rather read a value off than type one. Nothing is rounded until the result is displayed, so part-amounts convert as exactly as whole ones.

Is this cups to tablespoons converter free?

Yes — this cups to tablespoons converter is completely free, with no sign-up and no limit on how many conversions you run. Every calculation runs locally in your browser, so nothing you type is uploaded. For every unit and ingredient in one place, use the full cooking and baking converter.

Are the cups and tablespoons here US measures?

Yes — the cups and tablespoons on this page are US customary measures, which in millilitres means 1 cup is 236.59 ml and 1 tbsp is 14.79 ml. A metric cup, used in Australia and in many British recipe books, holds 250 ml rather than the US 236.59 ml, and an Australian tablespoon holds 20 ml rather than 14.79 ml. If your recipe was written to those, convert through millilitres rather than assuming the cups and spoons match.

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