There are 4 tablespoons in ¼ cup. Whether you’re scaling a recipe up or down, this is one of the most useful kitchen conversions to have memorized.
Cups to Tablespoons Conversion Chart
Here is the full cups to tablespoons conversion chart, including fluid ounces, milliliters, and teaspoons for every standard cup measurement.
| Cups | Tablespoons | Fluid Ounces | Milliliters | Teaspoons |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 8 fl oz | 240 ml | 48 tsp |
| ¾ cup | 12 tbsp | 6 fl oz | 180 ml | 36 tsp |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 5.3 fl oz | 160 ml | 32 tsp |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp | 4 fl oz | 120 ml | 24 tsp |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 2.7 fl oz | 80 ml | 16 tsp |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp | 2 fl oz | 60 ml | 12 tsp |
| ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp | 1 fl oz | 30 ml | 6 tsp |
The abbreviation tbsp stands for tablespoon, tsp stands for teaspoon, fl oz stands for fluid ounce, and ml stands for milliliter.
Tablespoons to Cups Conversion Chart
Need to go the other direction? Here is the tablespoons to cups conversion for the most common amounts you will encounter while cooking and baking.
| Tablespoons | Cups |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 1/16 cup |
| 2 tbsp | ⅛ cup |
| 3 tbsp | 3/16 cup |
| 4 tbsp | ¼ cup |
| 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | ⅓ cup |
| 6 tbsp | ⅜ cup |
| 8 tbsp | ½ cup |
| 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | ⅔ cup |
| 12 tbsp | ¾ cup |
| 16 tbsp | 1 cup |
What are the Best Types of Measuring Spoons?
After decades of cooking and baking, I have developed some strong opinions on measuring spoons. Here is what I always look for when buying a new set.
- Use measuring spoons with one side rounded and the other side oblong. These are important for fitting the measuring spoon inside small jars of spices!
- Use measuring spoons that can be detached from each other. Most often when you buy measuring spoons, they’re sold in sets, with all 5-6 grouped together. I have a few sets like that! But most often, I find myself reaching for the ones I’ve separated. So much so that those are the only ones I buy now!
- Use metal measuring spoons. Don’t even bother with plastic. They can warp & break much more easily than metal.
- Forego the fancy measuring spoons. I know, they’re so cute. But often they’re thicker, heavier and have more edges and ridges, which just makes the cooking process more cumbersome. Buy them and put them on display somewhere in your kitchen, but don’t actually use them to cook.
How to You Measure Dry Ingredients?
The key to measuring dry ingredients accurately is to use a separate tool to scoop the ingredient into the measuring cup, rather than scooping directly with the measuring cup itself. Here is the method I use for flour, and it works for most dry ingredients.
Scoop the flour into the measuring cup using a spoon or small scoop, filling it just above the rim. Give the cup a gentle side-to-side shake to settle the flour a little, then use the flat edge of a clean butter knife to level off the excess. That is it. Scoop, shake, level.
For tablespoon amounts, the process is the same. Scoop up the ingredient with the measuring spoon and level with a knife.
How to Measure Wet Ingredients
Wet ingredients are best measured in a glass liquid measuring cup with a pour spout and handle. Fill the cup to approximately the amount you need, then set it on a flat surface and stoop down to eye level. Water and liquids can look like they measure more than they actually do when you are looking down at the cup from above. Checking at eye level gives you an accurate read. Add or pour out liquid as needed until you hit the exact amount.
Do you have to level ingredients when you measure them?
It depends on what you are making. For baking, especially anything that requires precision like macarons or layer cakes, leveling your dry ingredients matters. A little too much flour can make the difference between a tender crumb and a dense one.
For savory cooking, the bar is much lower. If you are making a chicken marinade or seasoning a pot of soup, close enough is usually fine.
When in doubt, level it. It takes two extra seconds and removes one variable from the equation.
How do you Measure Wet Ingredients?
Wet ingredients are generally measured out using glass measuring cups. Despite having the same name as dry ingredient measuring cups, wet ingredient cups have a handle and pour spout. To measure water, you’ll fill the measuring cup, first estimating the amount you’ll need. Then, stoop down to eye level so that you can accurately gauge how much water is in the cup. Pour out or add water as needed, waiting for the water to settle, then check at eye level the amount in the cup until you have the exact amount needed.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tablespoons are in ¼ cup? There are 4 tablespoons in ¼ cup.
How many tablespoons are in ½ cup? There are 8 tablespoons in ½ cup.
How many tablespoons are in ¾ cup? There are 12 tablespoons in ¾ cup.
How many tablespoons are in 1 cup? There are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup.
How many tablespoons are in ⅓ cup? There are 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon in ⅓ cup.
How many teaspoons are in ¼ cup? There are 12 teaspoons in ¼ cup.
Is 4 tablespoons the same as ¼ cup? Yes. 4 tablespoons equals exactly ¼ cup, so you can use either measurement interchangeably.
How do I measure ¼ cup without a measuring cup? Use 4 level tablespoons. If you do not have a tablespoon measure either, 12 teaspoons equals ¼ cup.
How many tablespoons are in ⅔ cup? There are 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons in ⅔ cup.
How many tablespoons are in 3 tablespoons? 3 tablespoons is 3/16 of a cup, or just slightly less than ¼ cup.
Why doesn’t the United States use the metric system? Tradition and cost are the two main reasons. The US adopted the British Imperial System early on, and switching to metric would require significant retraining and infrastructure costs. Only three countries in the world still use the Imperial system, and the US is one of them.
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