Cups to Tablespoons Converter
Convert cups to tablespoons instantly. 1 cup = 16 tablespoons.
Cups to Tablespoons Converter
Convert between cups and tablespoons
Quick conversions:
Cups to Tablespoons Chart
The formula is simple: tablespoons = cups × 16. The only fraction that gets messy is thirds:
| Cups | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 2 tablespoons |
| ¼ cup | 4 tablespoons |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| ½ cup | 8 tablespoons |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| ¾ cup | 12 tablespoons |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons |
| 1½ cups | 24 tablespoons |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons |
US vs Australian Tablespoons
A US tablespoon holds 14.79ml and a metric tablespoon (used in the UK and Canada) holds 15ml — the difference is negligible. Australia is the outlier: an Australian tablespoon is 20ml (4 teaspoons instead of 3). If you're cooking from an Australian recipe, use 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon for each tablespoon called for.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup. This makes mental math easy: ½ cup = 8 tablespoons, ¼ cup = 4 tablespoons.
How many tablespoons is ¼ cup?
A quarter cup equals 4 tablespoons. This is one of the most useful conversions to memorize for scaling recipes down.
How many tablespoons is ⅓ cup?
One-third cup equals 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (5⅓ tablespoons). It is the one common cup fraction that does not convert to a whole number of tablespoons.
Is 4 tablespoons a quarter cup?
Yes. 4 tablespoons equals exactly ¼ cup. Similarly, 8 tablespoons is ½ cup and 12 tablespoons is ¾ cup.
Are tablespoons the same size everywhere?
No. A US tablespoon is 14.79ml, a metric tablespoon (UK, Canada) is 15ml — close enough to ignore. But an Australian tablespoon is 20ml, a third larger, which matters in recipes with many tablespoons.