QUICK ANSWER
1 cup = 16 tablespoons (48 teaspoons, about 237 ml). ½ cup = 8 tbsp, ¼ cup = 4 tbsp, ⅓ cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp, ⅔ cup = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp and ¾ cup = 12 tbsp. One tablespoon is 3 teaspoons.
Convert cups, tablespoons and teaspoons.
How many tablespoons in a cup: chart.
| Cups | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Millilitres (US) | Fluid ounces |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp | 237 ml | 8 fl oz |
| ¾ cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp | 177 ml | 6 fl oz |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 32 tsp | 158 ml | 5.33 fl oz |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp | 118 ml | 4 fl oz |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 16 tsp | 79 ml | 2.67 fl oz |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp | 59 ml | 2 fl oz |
| ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp | 30 ml | 1 fl oz |
| 1/16 cup | 1 tbsp | 3 tsp | 15 ml | 0.5 fl oz |
Tablespoons to cups chart.
| Tablespoons | Cups | Teaspoons | Millilitres (US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 1/16 cup | 3 tsp | 15 ml |
| 2 tbsp | ⅛ cup | 6 tsp | 30 ml |
| 3 tbsp | ⅛ cup + 1 tbsp | 9 tsp | 44 ml |
| 4 tbsp | ¼ cup | 12 tsp | 59 ml |
| 5 tbsp | ⅓ cup − 1 tsp | 15 tsp | 74 ml |
| 6 tbsp | ⅓ cup + 2 tsp | 18 tsp | 89 ml |
| 8 tbsp | ½ cup | 24 tsp | 118 ml |
| 10 tbsp | ⅔ cup − 2 tsp | 30 tsp | 148 ml |
| 12 tbsp | ¾ cup | 36 tsp | 177 ml |
| 16 tbsp | 1 cup | 48 tsp | 237 ml |
Measuring without the right cup.
- No ⅓ cup? Use 5 level tablespoons and 1 teaspoon.
- No ¼ cup? Use 4 level tablespoons.
- No tablespoon? Use 3 level teaspoons.
- Butter sticks are marked in tablespoons: one US stick is 8 tbsp, or ½ cup. See the butter conversion chart.
Level the spoon with a knife for dry ingredients like flour, sugar and baking powder; small differences matter most in baking.
US, UK and Australian spoons and cups.
A US cup is 236.6 ml and a US tablespoon is 14.8 ml, so 16 tablespoons fill one cup. The metric cup used in the UK, Australia and New Zealand is 250 ml. A UK tablespoon is 15 ml, the same in practice as a US one, but an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml (4 teaspoons), so Australian recipes use a little more per spoon.
Common questions.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
16 tablespoons in 1 US cup. That is 48 teaspoons, or about 237 ml.
How many tablespoons are in ½ cup?
8 tablespoons, or 24 teaspoons (about 118 ml).
How many tablespoons are in ¼ cup?
4 tablespoons, or 12 teaspoons (about 59 ml).
How many tablespoons are in ⅓ cup?
5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (5⅓ tablespoons), or 16 teaspoons (about 79 ml).
How many tablespoons are in ⅔ cup?
10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (10⅔ tablespoons), or 32 teaspoons (about 158 ml).
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. An Australian tablespoon is 4 teaspoons (20 ml).
Is 2 tablespoons ⅛ of a cup?
Yes. 2 tablespoons is ⅛ cup, 1 fluid ounce or about 30 ml.
Recipes that do the maths for you.
MealPot scales every recipe to your household and writes the grocery list in your units.
Conversions use the US customary definitions: 1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons = 8 fluid ounces, 1 fluid ounce = 29.57 ml. Millilitres are rounded to the nearest whole number.
More kitchen references: tablespoons to cups · ounces in a cup · cups to grams · oven temperatures · gas marks · fan oven · butter · ingredient substitutes · kitchen essentials