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. 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. 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.