Recipe Converter

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Scale any recipe to any number of servings instantly. Change servings and all ingredient amounts update automatically.

Ingredients

Scaled to 6 servings (1.5× recipe)

📐 Formula

New Ingredient Amount = Original Amount × (New Servings ÷ Original Servings)

How to Use the Recipe Converter

1

Enter the original serving size

Input how many servings the original recipe makes. This is usually stated at the top of the recipe: 'Makes 4 servings' or 'Serves 8.'

2

Enter your desired serving size

Input the number of servings you want to make. The calculator scales all ingredients proportionally by the ratio of desired to original servings.

3

Review scaled ingredient amounts

Each ingredient quantity is multiplied by the scaling factor. Fractional results are shown as decimals and common fractions — e.g. 0.75 cups = ¾ cup.

4

Adjust cooking times and temperatures separately

Note: cooking time and temperature do not scale linearly with ingredient quantity. A recipe doubled does not take twice as long. See the cooking guidance below.

What Scales and What Doesn't

Ingredient quantities scale proportionally — doubling a recipe doubles every ingredient. But cooking time and temperature do not scale the same way. Baking a double batch in one large pan versus two standard pans produces different results: a single large batch requires longer baking time (heat must penetrate a greater mass) and may need a slightly lower temperature to avoid over-browning the exterior before the centre is cooked. A general guide: cooking time increases approximately 25–35% when doubling, not 100%. Always test with a thermometer or toothpick rather than relying on scaled time alone.

Ingredients That Don't Scale Perfectly

Some ingredients behave non-linearly at different quantities. Salt and spices: scale cautiously — halve a recipe but don't halve the salt immediately; taste and adjust. A doubled recipe rarely needs exactly doubled seasoning because palate perception is not linear. Leavening agents (baking soda, baking powder): over-leavening a recipe produces a bitter, soapy flavour and can cause over-rising and collapse. Scale leavening by slightly less than the full multiplier for batches above 3×. Yeast: for large batches, use slightly less than proportional — excess yeast speeds fermentation unpredictably. Alcohol and vinegar: reduce slightly when scaling up to avoid overpowering acidity or alcohol flavour.

Volume to Weight: Converting Recipe Measurements

Many recipes mix volume and weight measurements. When scaling, volume measures (cups, tablespoons) work fine for most ingredients. For baking precision, convert key dry ingredients to weight. Use the Cups to Grams Converter for accurate weight equivalents across 50+ baking ingredients — then weigh rather than measure by volume for consistent results at any scale.

Sources & Methodology

Calculations are based on the most current publicly available data from authoritative government and industry sources:

Frequently Asked Questions

Divide new servings by original servings to get the scale factor. Multiply every ingredient amount by this factor. For example, doubling a 4-serving recipe to 8 uses a 2× scale factor — every ingredient doubles.
For most baked goods, cooking time changes very little when doubling — check for doneness earlier. For stovetop cooking, more volume may take longer to heat. Spices and seasonings often need less than the mathematical scale suggests — start conservatively.
Use 2/3 of an egg (beat the egg, weigh it, use the right proportion). For most recipes, you can round to the nearest practical measure — 1 egg instead of ⅔ is fine for most baked goods.
Multiply all ingredient quantities by the scaling factor: 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5. A recipe calling for 2 cups of flour becomes 3 cups. Season to taste rather than strictly scaling spices — they don't scale linearly. Baking times change less than you'd expect; check for doneness 5 minutes early when scaling up.
3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon. 16 tablespoons = 1 cup. 4 tablespoons = ¼ cup. These are US standard measurements. Note that UK tablespoons are 15ml vs the US 14.8ml — effectively the same. Australian tablespoons are 20ml — a meaningful difference when scaling baking recipes.