How Many Tablespoons Are in 1/4 Cup
on Dec 19, 2022
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How many tablespoons are in 1/4 cup? In this post, you’ll learn how to convert and calculate cups to tablespoons for recipes. Most volume measurements in the United States can break down into teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups. While it’s tempting to skip measuring, the correct amount of ingredients is important to make any dish, especially for baking.
Knowing how many tablespoons are in 1/4 cup makes it easy to convert back and forth.
How Many Tablespoons Are in 1/4 Cup?
If you’re working on a recipe and need to know how many tablespoons are in 1/4 cup for a quick conversion, you can use 4 tablespoons for 1/4 cup. For more conversions, keep reading to find all the answers.
What Does “Tablespoon” Mean?
Tablespoon refers to a large spoon, like a soup spoon but with a specific volume measurement equivalent to 1/2 fluid ounce, 15 ml, or 3 teaspoons.
You may see tablespoons listed as T, Tb, Tbs, and tbsp in recipes. In contrast, teaspoons will appear in lowercase as tsp or t.
How to Convert Tbsp to Cups
There are 16 tablespoons in one cup, so the conversion formula is Tablespoons = Cups x 16. For reference, here is a tbsp to to cup converter chart:
| Tablespoons | Cups |
| 2 tablespoons | ⅛ cup |
| 4 tablespoons | ¼ cup |
| 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon | ⅓ cup |
| 8 tablespoons | ½ cup |
| 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons | ⅔ cup |
| 12 tablespoons | ¾ cup |
| 16 tablespoons | 1 cup |
Note that this is for US measurements and recipes. If you are using a UK recipe, refer to the international section below.
How to Convert Tbsp To tsp?
Tablespoons and teaspoons are used for different purposes. Typically you’ll see tablespoons used for larger quantities like cooking oil or soy sauce, while teaspoons are for smaller quantities like spices and seasonings.
When you don’t have a tablespoon handy, you can use an equivalent number of teaspoons. Here is a converter chart:
| Cups | Tablespoons | teaspoons | mL | oz |
| 1/16 | 1 | 3 | 15 | 1/2 |
| 1/8 | 2 | 6 | 30 | 1 |
| 1/4 | 4 | 12 | 60 | 2 |
| 1/2 | 8 | 16 | 120 | 4 |
| 3/4 | 12 | 24 | 180 | 6 |
| 1 | 16 | 32 | 237 | 8 |
There are 3 teaspoons in one tablespoon, so the conversion formula is Tablespoon = 3 x teaspoons.
Measuring Tips
A few simple tips will help to make measuring a breeze:
- Always level your tablespoons or cups using a knife. Heaping amounts are incorrect unless specifically called for in the recipe.
- Sift dry ingredients before measuring for the most accurate amounts. This is especially important when doubling or tripling recipes.
- Use pyrex liquid measuring cups to measure liquid amounts. Do not use coffee mugs or spoons without measurement indicators.
Metric vs Imperial Measurements
Recipes from different countries or regions may use metric or older imperial standards that are slightly different. Usually, you do not need to make adjustments unless you are doubling or tripling a recipe, where the differences may start to add up. Nonetheless, here are the differences for the sake of completeness:
| Definition by Region | US (Customary) | Europe, UK, Canada, Australia (Metric) | UK Imperial (old recipes only) |
| 1 cup | 237 mL | 250 mL | 284 mL |
| 1 Tablespoon | 14.8 mL or ½ fl oz | 15.6 mL or0.51 fl oz | 17.8 mL or 0.6 fl oz |
Frequently Asked Questions
How Many Tablespoons are in a Cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in a cup.
How Many Dry Tablespoons are in a Cup?
One cup is converted to 16 tablespoons for dry goods such as sugar, flour, and cocoa.
How Can I Convert Tablespoons to Teaspoons?
One tablespoon contains 3 teaspoons.
How Many Teaspoons are There in a Cup?
There are 48 teaspoons in one cup.
How Many Oz Are in 1 Cup?
There are 8 fluid ounces in one cup.
How to Convert tbsp To ml
One tablespoon is equivalent to 15 ml.
How many Tbs are in 2/3 cup of butter?
There are about 11 Tbs in 2/3 cup of butter.
What do T, Tb, Tbs, and tbsp stand for?
These are all standard abbreviations for “tablespoon”.
