How many tablespoons in 1/4 cup? The answer is four tablespoons. I’ve put together all the measurement conversions in this post to make things easier for you. Sound good?
Maths and calculating are not favorite things for most people. But when you know the exact measurement units, things get easier. All you have to do is remember, write them down in your notebook, or visit my blog.
First, I will cover some basic calculations, so you’ll know how many tablespoons are in a quarter cup and how that works. You will find all the conversion rules and tips you need when cooking.
So, how many tablespoons in 1 4 cup? Well, a cup contains 16 tablespoons. Where did I get that?
Find out how many tablespoons in a 1/4 cup along with all the information in the following paragraphs. Let’s start with the theory.
How Many Tablespoons in 1/4 cup?
How many tablespoons in a quarter cup? 1/4 cup is equivalent to 4 tablespoons. How did I know?
If 1 cup is 16 tablespoons, divide 16 tablespoons by 4, and you’ll get 4.
- 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
- 1/4 cup = 12 teaspoons
A tablespoon is ideal for measuring small amounts of ingredients. If the recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of liquid ingredients, you may use 1/4 cup instead. You can use kitchen scales for precise results. Choose what is convenient for you.
We’ll dig deeper now. I’ll explain everything in detail.
What is a Tablespoon?
A tablespoon is a large spoon used for serving. It is also used as a cooking measure of volume, abbreviated Tbsp.
The United States and United Kingdom tablespoon in nutrition labeling equals 15 ml and an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml.
US and UK
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
1 tablespoon = 1/16 cup
1 tablespoon = 15 milliliters
1 tablespoon = 0.5 fl oz
1 tablespoon = 15 g
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
AU
1 tablespoon = 20 ml
1 tablespoon = 2/3 fl oz
1 tablespoon = 4 teaspoons
1 teaspoon = 5 ml
How Many Tablespoons are in a cup?
1 cup contains 16 tablespoons.
1 cup = 16 tablespoons.
What Is ¼ Cup?
The cup is used to measure food volume when cooking. It describes cooking and serving sizes and is abbreviated as c.
In the US, the cup used for customary fluid measuring is equal to one-half US pint 236.6 ml.
The cup currently used in the United States for nutrition labeling is defined by US regulations as 240 ml.
- 1/4 cup = 60 ml
- 1/4 cup = 2 fl oz
- 1/4 cup = 60 g.
How to measure 1/4 cup?
1 cup contains 16 tablespoons. To measure 1/4 cup, divide 16 by 4 – you’ll get 4 tablespoons.
1/4 cup to ml
1 cup is 240 ml. To measure 1/4 cup, divide 240 ml by 4. The result is 60 ml.
1/4 cup in grams
To measure 1/4 cup, divide 240 by 4, and you’ll get 60 g.
1 cup = 240 g
240/4 = 60 g
1/4 cup = 60 g.
1/4 cup to oz
1 cup equals 8 ounces. To measure 1/4 cup, divide 8 oz by 4, and you’ll get 2 ounces.
1 cup = 8 oz
1/4 cup = 2 oz.
The next question is how to fill a cup for baking. I’ll cover this topic below.
How to Use Measuring Cups and Spoons
Measuring cup types
Dry ingredients cups are made from plastic, metal, or porcelain and sold in sets.
The standard 4 measuring cup sizes are 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup.
The liquid measuring cup (pitcher) is usually made from glass or plastic.
Measuring cups: dry vs liquid
There are two main types of measuring cups: dry measuring cups and liquid measuring cups. It matters which one you use.
Dry measuring cups are designed to measure dry ingredients like flour, nuts, and sugar, while liquid measuring cups are designed to measure liquids like water, juice, and oil.
When measuring dry ingredients, the best option is to use dry measuring cups or weigh them with a scale. For liquids, stick to a liquid measuring cup.
How to measure dry ingredients
Measuring liquid ingredients is a simple task. While using cups and spoons when working with dry ingredients can be complicated. Soon, you’ll understand why.
Different publishers claim that one cup of flour is:
- King Arthur: 120 grams
- Washington Post: 126 grams
- The New York Times: 128 grams
- All Recipes: 136 grams
- The L.A. Times: 142 grams
The truth is that when sifted and filled loosely with a spoon, 1 cup of flour contains 120 grams. I don’t know about you, but I prefer to sift flour after measuring, not before. My cup of flour weighs 40 % more because of how I filled it.
I asked my friends and colleagues how they fill cups. The most common answer was that they take ingredients such as flour or sugar out of the package and level the top.
When you fill a cup with flour, you can fill it loosely sifting and using a spoon or pack it as tightly as possible. The one packed tightly can weigh over 50% more than the one filled loosely. Is this an accurate measurement? Of course not.
And there is no rule on how you have to make it. Every cook makes this his way. Here is the solution to this.
Cups and spoons VS Kitchen scale
How you fill a cup affects the weight and how much you can fit in. Besides, some ingredients can be tricky to get into the cup.
If you’ve got a recipe that calls for a cup of butter, flour, maple syrup, and Nutella. To get an accurate measurement, you’ll need to either own lots of cups or wash the cup up between each ingredient before measuring the next one.
Can you imagine measuring nuts? If you put them whole, they’ll fit in less than finely chopped.
I suggest you use recipes that use gram or ounce measurements for baking and use a kitchen scale.
A cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 4 ounces/120 grams to 6 ounces/180 grams. Can you imagine that? There is a 60 g difference! This will affect the food and the recipe you are making. In baking, making improper measurements can completely throw off a recipe.
Weighing all dry ingredients is the right way to go.
Accuracy is the most important thing when baking, so I always recommend weighing all dry ingredients.
Using a digital kitchen scale is the best way to measure dry ingredients accurately.
If your recipe calls for flour, chocolate chips, or nuts, you need a digital kitchen scale to get the exact weight of the ingredients. To measure weight, place a measuring cup or mixing bowl on your digital scale and hit the “zero” or “tare” button.
Tips For Using Measuring Cups And Spoons
- The standard US customary fluid cup is 236 ml. The official food cup is 240 ml. Some cup manufacturers sell 250ml cups. If you plan to use your measuring cup for food, purchase 240 ml.
- Choose only high-quality cups. The problem is that not all cups sold are accurate. One of my measuring cups 1/4 – holds 65 ml, which should be 60 ml. And the whole cup holds 225 ml, which should be 240 ml.
- Use only dry and clean measuring cups and spoons. Are you going to wash up the cups and spoons in the middle of baking? I recommend using scales for dry ingredients.
- Level cups and spoons with a knife’s straight edge for the most precise measurements.
Cups to Tablespoons Conversions
| Cups (c) | Tablespoons (Tbsp) |
| ⅛ c | 2 Tbsp |
| ¼ c | 4 Tbsp |
| ½ c | 8 Tbsp |
| ¾ c | 12 Tbsp |
| 1 c | 16 Tbsp |
Food conversion table
| 1 Cup | Tablespoons (Tbsp) | Grams (g) |
| Water | 16 tbsp | 240 g |
| Caster sugar | 15 tbsp | 200 g |
| Granulated sugar | 16 tbsp | 215 g |
| Powdered sugar | 16 tbsp | 146 g |
| Brown sugar | 15 tbsp | 200 g |
| White flour | 16 tbsp | 161 g |
| Brown flour | 15 tbsp | 155 g |
| Cornflour/Cornstarch | 15 tbsp | 122 g |
| Butter | 16 tbsp | 222 g |
| Vegetable oil | 16 tbsp | 214 g |
| Milk/cream | 16 tbsp | 255 g |
| Cocoa powder | 16 tbsp | 111 g |
Frequently Asked Questions:
Are 4 tablespoons equal to 1 4 cup?
One cup consists of 16 tablespoons. 16 tablespoons divided by 4, equals 4. So yes, there are 4 tablespoons in ¼ cup.
How many tablespoons does it take to make 1 4 cup?
4 tablespoons make 1 4 cup.
Are 2 tablespoons equal to 1 4 cup?
No, 2 tablespoons equal to 1/8 cup. 14 cups equal 4 tablespoons.
What is 1 4 cup in tablespoons UK?
In the UK 1/4 cup is equivalent to 4 tablespoons.
How many tablespoons is 1/4 cup of butter?
1 cup of butter equals 16 tablespoons. 1/4 cup of butter is 4 tablespoons.
Conclusion: How Many tablespoons in a 1/4 cup
Many people are lost between UK & USA measurement units. That’s because different countries use different volume and mass measurements. Converting between them when all you care about is tasting food can be a challenging task.
I hope you find this post helpful and that you gained a better understanding of tablespoons in 1/4 cup. Now you know how many tablespoons in 1/4 cup.