Cooking Unit Converter
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Convert common US kitchen volumes — teaspoons, tablespoons, cups, and fluid ounces — to milliliters and back.
Amount & units
Converted amount
16 tbsp
1 cup = 16 tbsp
- In tbsp
- 16
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Kitchen volume conversions
US recipe measurements share a fixed relationship: 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon, 16 tablespoons make 1 cup, and 1 cup equals about 236.6 milliliters. This calculator converts through a shared milliliter base so any two units line up correctly.
These are US customary volumes, which differ slightly from UK/Australian tablespoon and cup sizes (a UK tablespoon is 15 mL vs about 14.8 mL in the US, and an Australian tablespoon is 20 mL) — if a recipe is from outside the US, check which standard it uses before converting.
Example: 1 cup of liquid equals 16 tablespoons or 48 teaspoons, and about 236.6 mL. If a recipe calls for 3/4 cup and you only have a tablespoon, that is 12 tablespoons (0.75 × 16).
Common questions
Are US and UK tablespoons the same size?
No. A US tablespoon is about 14.8 mL, a UK tablespoon is 15 mL, and an Australian tablespoon is 20 mL. This converter uses US customary volumes throughout.
Does this convert dry and liquid measurements the same way?
Volume conversions (tsp, tbsp, cup, mL) work the same for both, but the weight of a dry ingredient per cup varies — use the cups-to-grams converter for ingredient-specific weight conversions.