How many tablespoons are in a cup?
In US customary cooking measurements, 1 cup equals exactly 16 tablespoons. This is the standard cup-to-tablespoon ratio used in most US recipes.
Tablespoons = Cups × 16 Example: 0.75 cups (3/4 cup) × 16 = 12 tbsp Cups to tablespoons & butter reference chart
Use this conversion table to quickly measure baking fractions or stick butter without calculating by hand:
| Cup Fraction | Decimal Cups | Tablespoons (tbsp) | US Fluid Ounces / Butter Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 0.125 cups | 2 tbsp | 1 fl oz / 1/4 stick butter |
| 1/4 cup | 0.250 cups | 4 tbsp | 2 fl oz / 1/2 stick butter |
| 1/3 cup | 0.333 cups | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 2.67 fl oz |
| 3/8 cup | 0.375 cups | 6 tbsp | 3 fl oz / 3/4 stick butter |
| 1/2 cup | 0.500 cups | 8 tbsp | 4 fl oz / 1 stick butter |
| 2/3 cup | 0.667 cups | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 5.33 fl oz |
| 3/4 cup | 0.750 cups | 12 tbsp | 6 fl oz / 1.5 sticks butter |
| 1 cup | 1.000 cup | 16 tbsp | 8 fl oz / 2 sticks butter |
US, Imperial, and Australian cup measurements
Cup and tablespoon sizes can vary by measurement system, so recipes should be interpreted using the measurement system they specify.
- US customary: 1 cup = 236.59 mL and 1 US tablespoon is approximately 14.79 mL. Therefore, 1 US cup = 16 US tablespoons.
- Imperial: 1 cup = 284.13 mL and 1 Imperial tablespoon is approximately 17.76 mL. Therefore, 1 Imperial cup = 16 Imperial tablespoons.
- Australian metric: 1 cup = 250 mL and 1 Australian tablespoon = 20 mL. Therefore, 1 Australian cup = 12.5 Australian tablespoons.
Modern UK recipes generally use metric measurements, although older recipes may refer to Imperial units. If a recipe specifies a particular measurement system, follow that system rather than assuming all cups and tablespoons are interchangeable.
Working with other recipe measurements? Use our Cooking Converter for additional cooking conversions, or convert fluid ounces to milliliters with our Oz to mL Converter.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a cup?
There are exactly 16 tablespoons in 1 US customary cup. An Imperial cup also contains 16 Imperial tablespoons, but the tablespoon and cup are larger than their US customary equivalents.
How do I convert cups to tablespoons?
Multiply the number of cups by 16. For example, 0.5 cups × 16 = 8 tablespoons. For reverse calculations, use our Tablespoons to Cups Converter.
How many tablespoons is 1/2 cup of butter?
1/2 cup of butter equals 8 tablespoons, which corresponds to 1 standard US stick of butter.
Why do some sources say a cup is 16.23 tablespoons?
The difference comes from using a 240 mL nutrition-labeling reference cup instead of the 236.59 mL US customary cooking cup, combined with a particular tablespoon definition. For standard US cooking measurements, use 1 cup = 16 tablespoons.