Quickly double, halve, triple or third any ingredient amount.
Usage Tip
Keep a note of the original recipe so you can scale back next time.
Standing in the kitchen with a recipe and need it bigger or smaller? Tap a button above – Half, Double, Triple or Quadruple – paste your ingredients, and get every amount rescaled in cook-friendly fractions. For anything in between (odd factors, serving-based scaling, big production runs) the Recipe Scaler and Batch Size Calculator have you covered.
How to Double a Recipe
Doubling means multiplying every ingredient by two. It is the most common kitchen scale-up, and for most dishes it just works:
| Step | What to do |
|---|---|
| 1. Multiply | Double every ingredient – flour, liquid, fat, sugar, eggs. |
| 2. Season lighter | Salt, spices and strong flavours: start at about 1.5–1.75× (not the full 2×) and adjust to taste. |
| 3. Use a bigger vessel | A doubled batch needs a larger pan or pot, or split across two – do not just pile it deeper. |
| 4. Keep the temperature | Oven and stove stay the same. Only the cook time may stretch a little. |
| 5. Check doneness, not the clock | A doubled bake or braise often needs a few extra minutes – test, do not assume. |
How to Halve a Recipe
Halving multiplies everything by 0.5. The math is easy; the only tricky parts are small amounts and eggs:
| Item | How to halve it |
|---|---|
| Standard ingredients | Use half – 1 cup becomes ½ cup, 2 tbsp becomes 1 tbsp. |
| Awkward fractions | ¼ cup halves to 2 tbsp; ½ cup halves to ¼ cup – the chart below has the common ones. |
| One egg | Beat a whole egg, measure it (about 3 tbsp), and use half (about 1.5 tbsp). Save the rest. |
| Pan size | Step down a pan size or use a smaller dish so depth stays similar. |
| Cook time | Usually a little shorter – start checking earlier. |
Doubling & Halving Charts
Quick reference (the common ones)
| Original | Double (2×) | Half (½×) |
|---|---|---|
| ¼ cup | ½ cup | 2 tbsp |
| ⅓ cup | ⅔ cup | 2 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| ½ cup | 1 cup | ¼ cup |
| ¾ cup | 1½ cups | 6 tbsp |
| 1 cup | 2 cups | ½ cup |
| 1 tsp | 2 tsp | ½ tsp |
| 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 1½ tsp |
| 1 egg | 2 eggs | ½ beaten egg (~1.5 tbsp) |
Kitchen & Fraction Conversion Charts
Kitchen conversions
| This | Equals |
|---|---|
| 3 tsp | 1 tbsp |
| 4 tbsp | ¼ cup |
| 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | ⅓ cup |
| 8 tbsp | ½ cup |
| 16 tbsp | 1 cup |
| 1 cup | 8 fl oz / 240 ml |
| 2 cups | 1 pint |
Fractions of a cup
| Fraction | Tablespoons | Decimal cup |
|---|---|---|
| ⅛ cup | 2 tbsp | 0.125 |
| ¼ cup | 4 tbsp | 0.25 |
| ⅓ cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 0.33 |
| ½ cup | 8 tbsp | 0.5 |
| ⅔ cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 0.67 |
| ¾ cup | 12 tbsp | 0.75 |
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp | 1.0 |
Baking, Seasoning & Timing Tips
Baking ingredient notes
Baking is chemistry, so accuracy matters more than in cooking. Flour, sugar, liquid, butter and eggs all scale linearly – weigh them if you can. Eggs are the catch: they do not divide neatly, so for a half recipe beat one and measure. Baking powder and baking soda scale linearly, but mix them in thoroughly so the rise stays even.
Cooking time
Time does not scale with the recipe. Keep the same oven or burner temperature; a doubled volume may need a little longer and a halved one a little less, but the difference is modest. Always judge by doneness – internal temperature, colour, a clean tester – rather than multiplying the minutes.
Pan size
This is the step people forget. A doubled cake batter will overflow its original tin – use two pans or one larger pan and keep the batter depth similar so it bakes evenly. Halving a recipe? Step down to a smaller dish so it does not bake into a thin, dry layer. For tin maths, the Cake Pan Converter does the area calculation for you.
Common Recipe Scaling Mistakes
| Mistake | Fix |
|---|---|
| Doubling the cooking time too | Keep temperature; check doneness instead. |
| Trying to halve a single egg exactly | Beat one and measure half (~1.5 tbsp). |
| Forgetting the pan size | Resize the pan to keep depth similar. |
| Doubling salt and spice in full | Start at ~1.5× and taste up. |
| Scaling from an already-scaled version | Always start from the original recipe. |
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I double a recipe?
Multiply every ingredient by two. Tap the 2× button above and paste your list, or just remember: twice as much of everything – with a slightly lighter hand on the salt and spices.
Can I just double everything?
Mostly yes. The exceptions are seasoning (scale to about 1.5× and taste), eggs and small amounts in baking, cooking time (keep it close to the original), and pan size (you will need more room).
How do I halve one egg?
Crack and beat a whole egg, then measure it – a large egg is about 3 tbsp. Use half (about 1.5 tbsp) and refrigerate the rest for a day or two.
Does the cooking time double when I double a recipe?
No. Keep the same temperature. A larger batch may need a few extra minutes, but check for doneness rather than multiplying the time.
How is this different from the Recipe Scaler?
This page is the quick answer for the everyday half/double/triple/quadruple questions. The Recipe Scaler handles any scaling factor, serving-based scaling and longer recipes.
Printable Conversion Chart
The charts above print cleanly – use your browser print command. Navigation and related-link buttons are hidden automatically.