Recipe Scaler
Quick answer: Enter your original and target serving sizes, list each ingredient, and every amount is multiplied by target ÷ original. Scaling a 4-serving recipe to 6 servings (a factor of 1.5) turns 2 cups of flour into 3 cups, ½ cup of sugar into ¾ cup, and 2 eggs into 3 eggs. Amounts are rounded to 2 decimals and shown with kitchen-friendly quarter fractions.
This free recipe scaler resizes any recipe to a new serving count instantly. Add as many ingredient rows as you need; every change recalculates immediately, with both decimal and fraction amounts so measuring stays easy.
Enter your numbers
Ingredients
Scaled recipe
Guidance: leavening (baking soda, yeast) and strong spices do not always scale linearly — taste and adjust rather than trusting the math blindly.
How to use this calculator
Enter the recipe's original serving count and the serving count you want, then fill in each ingredient's name, amount, and unit. Use + Add ingredient for more rows, and the × button on any row to remove it. The scaled amounts table updates with every keystroke.
How this is calculated
Formula: scale factor = target servings ÷ original servings; scaled amount = original amount × scale factor. Each scaled amount is shown rounded to 2 decimals alongside its nearest-quarter fraction (¼, ½, ¾) for easy measuring.
Input definitions: servings are positive numbers (fractions like 2.5 allowed); ingredient amounts are non-negative numbers in the unit you pick. Assumptions: every ingredient scales by the same factor; cooking time, pan size, and seasoning intensity are not adjusted — see the guidance note below the results.
Worked example
A recipe serves 4 and you want 6: scale factor = 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5. Flour: 2 cups × 1.5 = 3 cups. Sugar: 0.5 cup × 1.5 = 0.75 cup (¾ cup). Eggs: 2 × 1.5 = 3 eggs.
Reference data
| Unit | Equals |
|---|---|
| 1 cup | 16 tbsp = 48 tsp ≈ 236.6 ml |
| 1 tbsp | 3 tsp ≈ 14.8 ml |
| 1 tsp | ≈ 4.9 ml |
| 1 oz (weight) | 28.35 g |
| 1 lb | 16 oz = 453.6 g |
Approximate values for converting between the units in the dropdown.
Source: US customary kitchen volume definitions (2026).
Method & sources
The scaler applies one proportional factor to every ingredient amount and renders the result both as a 2-decimal number and as the nearest quarter fraction. The leavening-and-spices guidance reflects standard culinary practice that these ingredients do not scale strictly linearly.
- US customary kitchen volume definitions (2026) — cup, tablespoon, teaspoon, ounce, pound equivalents
Scaled amounts are exact arithmetic; the seasoning guidance is labelled advice, not measurement.
Frequently asked questions
Can I halve a recipe with this tool?
Yes. Enter a target serving size smaller than the original and the scale factor drops below 1, so every ingredient shrinks proportionally. Scaling 8 servings down to 4, for example, multiplies each amount by 0.5.
Why do spices and leavening need extra care when scaling?
Strong spices, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and yeast do not always scale linearly — doubling them can overpower a dish or over-proof a dough, because surface area, evaporation, and cooking time change too. Use the scaled amount as a starting point, then taste and adjust.
Should I scale by weight or by volume?
By weight whenever the recipe gives grams or ounces: weight scales exactly, while cup measurements vary with how an ingredient is packed. This tool scales the numbers you enter either way, so weighing ingredients before scaling gives the most reliable result.