Conversion formula
tbsp = cup × 16
cup = tbsp ÷ 16
cup = tbsp ÷ 16
A cup holds 16 tablespoons. That's the exact ratio for US measures, and the one recipes use. With Canadian metric measures (250 mL and 15 mL), a cup actually holds 16.7 tablespoons, but it's rounded to 16. For small amounts, measuring with a spoon is often faster: ¼ cup = 4 tbsp.
Cups to tablespoons chart
| Cups | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp |
| ⅓ cup | 5 ⅓ tbsp |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp |
| ⅔ cup | 10 ⅔ tbsp |
| ¾ cup | 12 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp |
| 2 cups | 32 tbsp |
To convert every measure at once, use the cooking measurement converter. For an ingredient in grams, see cups to grams.