How Many Tablespoons in a Cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in 1 US cup, and 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon (so 48 teaspoons in a cup). Lost a measuring cup? Type any amount below to convert between cups, tablespoons and teaspoons.
US customary measures. The metric tablespoon (15 mL) is close enough to swap; the Australian 20 mL tablespoon is not — see the FAQ.
Tablespoons & teaspoons in every cup fraction
The two awkward ones are a third and two-thirds of a cup — they don't divide into whole tablespoons, so the chart spells out the extra teaspoons.
| Cup amount | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Fluid oz |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/16 cup | 1 tbsp | 3 tsp | 0.5 fl oz |
| 1/8 cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp | 1 fl oz |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp | 2 fl oz |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 16 tsp | 2.67 fl oz |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp | 4 fl oz |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 32 tsp | 5.33 fl oz |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp | 6 fl oz |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 48 tsp | 8 fl oz |
Full US volume equivalents
From a teaspoon all the way up to a gallon — how the common US kitchen measures nest inside each other:
| Measure | Equals | Fluid oz | Millilitres |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon (tsp) | ⅓ tbsp | — | 4.93 mL |
| 1 tablespoon (tbsp) | 3 tsp | ½ fl oz | 14.79 mL |
| 1 fluid ounce (fl oz) | 2 tbsp | 1 fl oz | 29.57 mL |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp | 2 fl oz | 59 mL |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 2⅔ fl oz | 79 mL |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp | 4 fl oz | 118 mL |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 8 fl oz | 237 mL |
| 1 pint | 2 cups | 16 fl oz | 473 mL |
| 1 quart | 4 cups | 32 fl oz | 946 mL |
| 1 gallon | 16 cups | 128 fl oz | 3785 mL |
1 US cup = 8 fl oz = 236.588 mL. mL values are rounded. A US "cup" differs from a metric or imperial cup — see the cups to mL converter for those sizes.
Quick reference
- 1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp = 8 fl oz
- ¾ cup = 12 tbsp = 36 tsp
- ⅔ cup = 10 tbsp + 2 tsp
- ½ cup = 8 tbsp = 24 tsp = 1 stick of butter
- ⅓ cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp
- ¼ cup = 4 tbsp = 12 tsp
- 1 tbsp = 3 tsp = ½ fl oz
Need a different conversion?
This page counts spoons; it doesn't weigh them. Zoomed in on just the spoons — half a tablespoon, dessertspoons, dashes and pinches? See how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon. Because a tablespoon of flour and a tablespoon of honey weigh very different amounts, use the tablespoons to grams converter for weight, or the cups to grams converter for a full cup. Working with metric volumes? The volume converter adds millilitres, fluid ounces and litres, and the cups to mL page covers US, metric and imperial cup sizes. Recipe in fluid ounces? See how many ounces are in a cup — including why dry ounces are a different thing. Halving a recipe? The recipe halving chart shows half of every measure in spoons you can actually use.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup. So half a cup is 8 tablespoons, a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons, and three-quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons. (This is the US customary cup; see the note below on Australian and metric tablespoons.)
How many teaspoons are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon. That also means 48 teaspoons in a cup (16 tablespoons × 3), and 6 teaspoons in a fluid ounce.
How many tablespoons are in 1/4 cup?
A quarter cup is 4 tablespoons, or 12 teaspoons. If you're missing a 1/4-cup measure, just count out 4 level tablespoons.
How many tablespoons are in 1/3 cup?
A third of a cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon (16 teaspoons total). It's the one cup fraction that doesn't divide into a whole number of tablespoons, which is why it trips people up — measure 5 tablespoons and then add a single teaspoon.
How many tablespoons are in 1/2 cup?
Half a cup is 8 tablespoons, or 24 teaspoons — also 4 fluid ounces. A single stick of butter is exactly this: 8 tablespoons or 1/2 cup.
How many tablespoons are in 2/3 cup?
Two-thirds of a cup is 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons (32 teaspoons total) — another fraction that doesn't land on a whole tablespoon. Measure 10 tablespoons, then add 2 teaspoons.
How many tablespoons are in 3/4 cup?
Three-quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons, or 36 teaspoons — 6 fluid ounces.
How many teaspoons are in a cup?
There are 48 teaspoons in a US cup (16 tablespoons × 3 teaspoons each).
Is an Australian or metric tablespoon the same as a US tablespoon?
No. A US tablespoon is 14.79 mL (3 US teaspoons), and the UK/European metric tablespoon is 15 mL — close enough to treat as the same. But the Australian tablespoon is 20 mL, equal to 4 teaspoons, so an Australian recipe's cup holds about 12.5 of its own tablespoons. If you're following an Australian recipe with US spoons, use 4 US teaspoons per listed tablespoon.
How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?
One US stick of butter is 8 tablespoons — that's 1/2 cup or 4 ounces (about 113 g). Two sticks make a full cup. For sticks, grams and ounces in every direction, see the butter converter.