Recipe Halving Chart — Half of Any Measurement
Half of 3/4 cup is 6 tablespoons, but half of 1/3 cup is the genuinely awkward 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons. Type any amount to halve it (or take a third, or double it) — or scroll down for the full chart.
Halving chart: half and a third of every common measure
Everything on this chart follows from one fact: a US cup holds 16 tablespoons, and each tablespoon holds 3 teaspoons (48 teaspoons per cup). Any awkward half converts cleanly into spoons.
| Original amount | Half (1/2×) | One third (1/3×) |
|---|---|---|
| 2 cups | 1 cup | 2/3 cup |
| 1 3/4 cups | 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp | 1/2 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 1 1/2 cups | 3/4 cup | 1/2 cup |
| 1 1/3 cups | 2/3 cup | 1/4 cup + 3 tbsp + 1/3 tsp |
| 1 1/4 cups | 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp | 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 1 cup | 1/2 cup | 1/3 cup |
| 3/4 cup | 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp (= 6 tbsp) | 1/4 cup |
| 2/3 cup | 1/3 cup | 3 tbsp + 1 2/3 tsp |
| 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup | 2 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 1/3 cup | 2 tbsp + 2 tsp | 1 tbsp + 2 1/3 tsp |
| 1/4 cup | 2 tbsp | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 1/8 cup (2 tbsp) | 1 tbsp | 2 tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 1 1/2 tsp | 1 tsp |
| 1 tsp | 1/2 tsp | 1/3 tsp |
| 1/2 tsp | 1/4 tsp | 1/6 tsp (generous 1/8) |
| 1/4 tsp | 1/8 tsp | a pinch (1/12 tsp) |
| 1/8 tsp | 1/16 tsp (a pinch) | a small pinch |
US customary measures. Doubling is the easy direction: double 3/4 cup = 1 1/2 cups, double 2/3 cup = 1 1/3 cups, double 1/3 cup = 2/3 cup.
Halving a whole recipe?
This page halves one measurement at a time. To cut an entire ingredient list in half in one go, paste it into the recipe scaler and set the servings to half — it rescales every line at once.
The scale trick for awkward amounts
Halves of thirds and thirds of quarters are where volume measures fall apart — and where a kitchen scale shines. Convert the original amount to grams with the cups to grams converter, divide by two, and weigh it. 3/4 cup of flour is 90 g, so half is exactly 45 g — no spoon gymnastics.
Baking notes when you halve
Ingredients scale linearly, but pans and time do not. A half batch wants a pan with about half the area — the pan size converter matches pan sizes for you — and it will bake in less time at the same temperature, so start checking early. Eggs are the other snag; see the FAQ below for the clean way to halve one.
Need a different conversion?
For spoon-and-cup volume swaps (cups ↔ tbsp ↔ tsp ↔ mL) use the volume converter. Working in weights? The cups to grams and grams to cups converters cover 80+ ingredients.
Frequently asked questions
What is half of 3/4 cup?
Half of 3/4 cup is 6 tablespoons — easiest to measure as 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (about 89 ml). A US cup holds 16 tablespoons, so 3/4 cup is 12 tablespoons and half of that is 6.
What is half of 1/3 cup?
Half of 1/3 cup is 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (about 39 ml). 1/3 cup equals 5 1/3 tablespoons, so half is 2 2/3 tablespoons — that is 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons.
What is half of 1/4 cup?
Half of 1/4 cup is 2 tablespoons (about 30 ml), because 1/4 cup is exactly 4 tablespoons.
What is half of 2/3 cup?
Half of 2/3 cup is 1/3 cup (about 79 ml). Thirds halve neatly: half of 1 1/3 cups is 2/3 cup, and half of 2 2/3 cups is 1 1/3 cups.
What is half of 1 1/2 cups?
Half of 1 1/2 cups is 3/4 cup. In tablespoons: 1 1/2 cups is 24 tablespoons, and half of that is 12 tablespoons, which is 3/4 cup.
How do you halve an egg?
Crack the egg, beat it until the yolk and white are fully blended, then use half by weight or volume. A large egg is about 50 g out of the shell, so half is about 25 g — roughly 1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons of beaten egg. A kitchen scale makes this painless.
Does halving a recipe change the baking time?
Usually, yes. A half batch in a smaller pan bakes faster — start checking at around two-thirds of the original time. Keep the oven temperature the same. If you keep the original pan, the layer will be thinner and bake faster still.
What is the easiest way to halve an awkward measurement?
Switch to weight. Cup and spoon measures get clumsy in halves and thirds, but grams never do: convert the amount to grams, divide by two, and weigh it. It is both easier and more accurate than juggling spoon fractions.