Convert Butter from Cup to Tablespoon

How many tablespoons is 1 cup of butter?

1 cup of butter (unsalted butter) is 16.67 tablespoons. 2 cups of butter is 33.33 tablespoons. 1/2 cup of butter is 8.33 tablespoons. 1/4 cup (0.25 cup) of butter is 4.17 tablespoons. Use the converter below for any amount.

  • These figures use the metric cup (250 ml). A US cup is slightly smaller at 240 ml, so it holds a little less. Use the US cup converter →
  • Cup sizes are not standard worldwide, so the same cup of an ingredient can weigh more or less depending on the country. What is a cup measurement →
  • A tablespoon here is the 15 ml metric standard, about 16.67 to a metric cup, the same size as a UK tablespoon. A US tablespoon is smaller at 14.79 ml, so US cooks measuring with US spoons need slightly more. An Australian tablespoon is larger at 20 ml, so it holds about a third more. When tablespoon size matters →
  • A little over or under won't ruin the bake, though it can nudge the final taste or colour.

Butter is a staple baking fat made by churning cream, used in everything from shortcrust pastry and cakes to sauces and frostings. One metric cup (250 ml) of butter weighs around 227 grams or 8 ounces, which is also 2 standard sticks. Recipes from different countries measure it in cups, sticks, grams, or ounces, so a quick conversion saves the guesswork.

Butter is sold in sticks in the US and in blocks by weight elsewhere, so a recipe written for one system needs converting for the other. Measuring by weight is the most reliable way to get pastry and cake textures right.

Also known as

  • unsalted butter
  • salted butter
  • sweet cream butter

Butter Calculator

Need to swap butter for oil? Our butter to oil converter gives you the exact amount.

Butter to Oil Converter

Vegetable oil is a pourable liquid fat that keeps bakes moist for longer than butter, though it skips butter's flavour and the air you beat in when creaming. Use roughly 7/8 cup of oil per cup of butter, and our butter to oil converter works out the exact amount. See our Vegetable Oil converter.

Olive oil swaps in for melted butter in many cakes and breads, adding moisture and a savoury depth. It is lighter by cup than butter (216 g vs 227 g), so weigh when substituting and reduce the quantity slightly to avoid a greasy crumb. See our Olive Oil converter.

Peanut butter swaps in for butter in cookies and no-bake bars, adding a nutty flavour and dense texture. It is heavier than butter (268 g vs 227 g per cup), so weigh when substituting and expect a richer, less flaky result. See our Peanut Butter converter.

Margarine is a plant-oil spread designed to behave like butter, with a similar fat-to-water ratio and a near-identical weight (235 g vs 227 g per cup). Swap 1:1 by volume in cakes, cookies, and pastry; expect a slightly softer crumb and a less buttery flavour. See our Margarine converter.

Shortening is 100% fat, so it is richer than butter (which is around 80% fat) and lighter per cup at 205 g vs 227 g. Swap by weight in cookies and pie crust for a flakier, sturdier result; expect to lose butter's flavour and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of water per cup to compensate for the missing moisture. See our Shortening converter.

Ghee is butter with the water and milk solids cooked off, close in weight (218 g vs 227 g per cup) with a nuttier flavour and a higher smoke point. Swap 1:1 by volume; ghee browns faster. See our Ghee converter.

Out of butter? See butter substitutes →

No measuring cups? The tool below gets you close, and a measuring cup set keeps every batch the same.

Butter Measurement Converter

Enter a value and pick your units.

Result

0 Tablespoon

Common Butter Conversions

Here are the most common butter conversions from cups to tablespoons.

CupsTablespoons
0.25 cups4.17 tbsp
0.5 cups8.33 tbsp
0.75 cups12.5 tbsp
1 cup16.67 tbsp
1.25 cups20.83 tbsp
1.5 cups25 tbsp
2 cups33.33 tbsp
2.5 cups41.67 tbsp
3 cups50 tbsp

Butter Conversion Chart

The conversion chart below gives a quick reference for converting butter from Cup to Tablespoon and other measurements.

cuptbspgramsouncescup(US)tspstick
0.25 cup4.17 tbsp56.75 g2 oz0.26 cup (US)12.5 tsp0.5 stick
0.5 cup8.33 tbsp113.5 g4 oz0.52 cup (US)25 tsp1 stick
1 cup16.67 tbsp227 g8 oz1.04 cup (US)50 tsp2 stick
2 cup33.33 tbsp454 g16 oz2.08 cup (US)100 tsp4 stick

Frequently Asked Questions

How many tablespoons is 1 cup of butter?
1 cup of butter is 16.67 tablespoons. The ratio is fixed, so 2 cups of butter is 33.33 tablespoons and 0.5 cups is 8.33 tablespoons. Use the converter above for any quantity, or check the conversion chart on this page for the most common amounts at a glance. Open the butter converter
How many tablespoons is 1.5 cups of butter?
1.5 cups of butter is 25 tablespoons. The ratio is fixed, so 1 cup of butter is 16.67 tablespoons and 2 cups is 33.33 tablespoons. Type any other amount into the converter above for the exact figure, or use the chart below for the common ones.
How many tablespoons is 2 cups of butter?
2 cups of butter is 33.33 tablespoons. Conversions scale in a straight line, so halving or doubling a recipe keeps the same ratio. 1 cup of butter is 16.67 tablespoons, and you can multiply or divide that figure to match whatever your recipe needs. Enter any amount in the converter above for an exact tablespoons reading.
How many cups of butter is 16.67 tablespoons?
16.67 tablespoons of butter is 1 cup. The conversion works the same in reverse, so you can switch between tablespoons and cups without changing the result. This helps when a recipe lists cups but you would rather weigh or measure in tablespoons. The converter above and the chart below cover both directions for any amount.
How many tablespoons is 1 cup of unsalted butter?
Unsalted butter is another name for butter, so 1 cup of unsalted butter is 16.67 tablespoons, exactly the same as butter. The figure does not change with the name: 2 cups is 33.33 tablespoons and 0.5 cups is 8.33 tablespoons. Use the converter above for any quantity, or read the conversion chart on this page for the most common amounts.
Are butter and unsalted butter the same thing?
Yes. Unsalted butter is another name for butter, so they are the same ingredient and convert identically. 1 cup of butter is 16.67 tablespoons under either name, and 2 cups is 33.33 tablespoons. Recipes use the two names interchangeably, so you can follow either one without changing quantities or weighing any differently.
What is 1/2 cup butter in tablespoons?
1/2 cup of butter is 8.33 tablespoons. The ratio is fixed, so 1 cup of butter is 16.67 tablespoons and 2 cups is 33.33 tablespoons. Half measures come up often when scaling a recipe down, and the figure divides cleanly. Use the converter above for any other amount, or the chart below for the common ones.
What is 1/4 cup butter in tablespoons?
1/4 cup (0.25 cup) of butter is 4.17 tablespoons. The ratio is fixed, so 1 cup of butter is 16.67 tablespoons and 2 cups is 33.33 tablespoons. Quarter amounts often come up when scaling a recipe down step by step, and the figure divides cleanly. Use the converter above for any other quantity, or the chart below for the most common amounts.

Other Ingredients

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