Recipe Converter

Most recipes are written for 4 or 6 servings. When you need to cook for 2 or feed a dinner party of 12, the ingredient amounts need to change proportionally. The scale factor is the single number that governs every adjustment: divide desired servings by original servings. Once you have the scale factor, multiply every ingredient quantity by it. Two cups of flour becomes 3 cups when scaling from 4 to 6 servings (scale factor 1.5). Half a teaspoon of salt becomes 0.375 teaspoons, which is just under 3/8 tsp, or close enough to a heaping 1/4 tsp in practice. Cooking conversions are separate from the scaling math. The reference values below cover the most common unit conversions you will need when the scaled amount falls between standard measuring cup or spoon sizes.

• Scaling for a dinner party: A recipe for 4 guests needs to serve 12. Scale factor is 3. Every ingredient triples. Baking times may need slight adjustment for larger batches; check for doneness rather than relying on exact times.
• Halving a recipe for one or two: Enter 4 original and 2 desired to get a 0.5 scale factor. Half of most ingredient amounts is straightforward. For eggs, a scale factor that lands on 0.5 eggs usually means you use 1 egg and reduce liquid slightly.
• Meal prep batch cooking: If a recipe makes 6 servings and your weekly meal prep goal is 18 portions, scale by 3. Scale factor 3 applied across all ingredients gives you the shopping list quantities.
• Adapting a restaurant portion for home: Professional recipes are sometimes written for 20 or 50 servings. Divide your target home serving count by 20 or 50 to get the scale factor, then work through each ingredient.

• Not scaling everything, including spices: It is easy to forget to scale salt, spices, and leavening agents when adjusting quantities. Run through every ingredient in the recipe, including small amounts, to avoid an overseasoned or underseasoned result.
• Assuming cooking time scales with quantity: Doubling a batch does not double cooking time. A larger roast or thicker cake layer takes longer, but a doubled batch of cookies on two sheets bakes in roughly the same time. Check temperature and doneness directly.
• Rounding aggressively for tiny amounts: When a scale factor produces 0.375 tsp of a spice, rounding to 0.5 tsp is a 33% increase. For strongly flavored ingredients like cayenne or cloves, closer approximations matter. Use a measuring spoon one step down and add a little.
• Forgetting pan size adjustments: A doubled cake batter does not fit in a doubled pan. Think in terms of volume: two 9-inch round pans instead of one, or a 9x13 instead of an 8x8. Pan size affects baking time and texture.

1. 1Enter the number of servings the original recipe makes.
2. 2Enter the number of servings you want to prepare.
3. 3The calculator divides desired by original to get the scale factor.
4. 4Multiply every ingredient in your recipe by this factor.
5. 5Use the example ingredient section to see how specific common amounts change.
6. 6For conversions between cups and milliliters, use the reference table in the notes below.

• Switch to weight measurements for precision: Volume cups pack differently based on how tightly you fill them. Grams are exact and scale perfectly. If a recipe gives both volume and weight, use the weight figures when scaling more than 2x.
• Write the scale factor on the recipe before you start: Print the recipe and write the scale factor at the top. Mark each ingredient with the scaled amount before prepping. Losing track mid-recipe leads to missed adjustments.
• Keep a conversion cheat sheet on your fridge: Standard cooking conversions (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 240ml, 1 lb = 454g, 1 oz = 28.35g) come up constantly when scaling. A small printed card prevents you from stopping to look them up each time.
• Test scaled baked goods in a smaller batch first: Baking involves more chemistry than stovetop cooking. If you are scaling a baked recipe significantly, cook a single test portion before committing to a full batch.