A US cup contains 16 tablespoons. That is 48 teaspoons and 8 fluid ounces, and it holds about 236.6 mL. To convert cups to tablespoons, multiply by 16: 1/2 cup is 8 tablespoons, 1/4 cup is 4 tablespoons, and 3/4 cup is 12.
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
NIST's table of common capacity units gives one cupful as 16 tablespoonfuls. In milliliters, NIST's conversion factors list the US cup as 236.5882 mL and the tablespoon as 14.78676 mL. Checking the ratio: 236.588 ÷ 14.78676 = 16.000.
The relationship also fits the label rule used in US nutrition facts, where 21 CFR 101.9(b)(5)(viii) rounds the cup to 240 mL and the tablespoon to 15 mL: 240 ÷ 15 = 16. Both systems agree on the count; they differ only in the rounding of the milliliters.
Tablespoons in a cup: conversion chart
| Cup | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Fluid ounces | Milliliters (NIST, approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 cup | 1 | 3 | 1/2 | 14.8 |
| 1/8 cup | 2 | 6 | 1 | 29.6 |
| 1/4 cup | 4 | 12 | 2 | 59.1 |
| 1/3 cup | 5 1/3 (5 tbsp + 1 tsp) | 16 | 2 2/3 | 78.9 |
| 3/8 cup | 6 | 18 | 3 | 88.7 |
| 1/2 cup | 8 | 24 | 4 | 118.3 |
| 2/3 cup | 10 2/3 (10 tbsp + 2 tsp) | 32 | 5 1/3 | 157.7 |
| 3/4 cup | 12 | 36 | 6 | 177.4 |
| 7/8 cup | 14 | 42 | 7 | 207.0 |
| 1 cup | 16 | 48 | 8 | 236.6 |
The converters cups to tablespoons and tablespoons to cups cover other amounts. For the teaspoon step, see how many teaspoons in a tablespoon.
Why is 1/3 cup not a whole number of tablespoons?
Thirds do not divide into 16. One third of 16 tablespoons is 5.33, and a third of a tablespoon is exactly 1 teaspoon (because a tablespoon is 3 teaspoons). So 1/3 cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon, and 2/3 cup is 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. Counted in teaspoons, the numbers come out whole: 1/3 cup is 16 teaspoons and 2/3 cup is 32.
Worked examples
Example 1: no measuring cup
A recipe calls for 3/4 cup of milk, and only a tablespoon is available. 16 × 3/4 = 12 tablespoons. A teaspoon would take 36 scoops, so the tablespoon is the better choice.
Example 2: halving a recipe
A cake uses 1/3 cup of oil. Half of it is 1/6 cup, which is 16 ÷ 6 = 2.67 tablespoons: 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. A quarter cup halved is simply 2 tablespoons.
Example 3: a cup minus a few spoons
A recipe needs 1 cup of sugar, and 3 tablespoons have already gone into a sauce. 16 − 3 = 13 tablespoons remain, which is 13/16 of a cup, or about 0.81 cup. In milliliters, 13 × 14.78676 = 192.2 mL.
Example 4: tablespoons to milliliters
Two cups of broth is 2 × 16 = 32 tablespoons. 32 × 14.78676 = 473.2 mL, equal to 2 × 236.588 = 473.18 mL. Using the rounded label values instead, 32 × 15 = 480 mL, about 1.4% more.
Example 5: tripling a recipe
A sauce uses 5 tablespoons of butter and is tripled. 5 × 3 = 15 tablespoons, which is one cup minus 1 tablespoon (16 − 1 = 15).
What is the difference between US cups and other cups?
The 16-tablespoon cup is the US customary cup. Recipes from other countries may use a metric cup or an older imperial measure, so the same word can mean a different volume. The metric vs imperial guide lists the common near-twin units, and how many ounces in a cup explains the fluid and weight ounce difference.
Quick ways to remember
- 16 tablespoons = 1 cup, so every doubling of the cup halves the count: 1/2 cup = 8, 1/4 cup = 4, 1/8 cup = 2, 1/16 cup = 1.
- 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon links the two small units, and 48 teaspoons fill a cup.
- A cup is a volume: flour or butter measured in a cup still needs a density to become grams, as shown in cups to grams.