Recipe scaler: change the servings, keep the measurements sane
Paste the ingredient list, enter how many servings the recipe makes and how many you want. Every amount is resized and rounded to something you can actually measure.
How the scaler rounds
A straight multiplication gives you numbers like 0.375 cups. The scaler uses these rules so the result reads like a recipe:
- Cups, tablespoons, teaspoons are added up in teaspoons (1 tbsp = 3 tsp, 1 cup = 16 tbsp), then shown in the largest clean unit. Cups round to the nearest ⅛, tablespoons to the nearest ½, teaspoons to the nearest ⅛.
- Grams, millilitres, ounces, pounds stay in the same unit: one decimal under 10, whole numbers under 100, then the nearest 5.
- Counted items (eggs, onions, cloves) round to the nearest ¼ and never go below ¼.
- Ranges such as “2–3 cloves” scale both ends.
- Lines without a leading amount (“salt to taste”) are left as they are. Words are not re-pluralized, so “1 onion” tripled reads “3 onion”.
Worked example: halving a pancake batter
The default list above is a 4-serving batter. Halving it to 2 servings gives:
| Original (4 servings) | Scaled (2 servings) | Why |
|---|---|---|
| 2 cups flour | 1 cup flour | Half of 2 cups. |
| 1/2 cup sugar | 1/4 cup sugar | 12 tsp is exactly ¼ cup. |
| 8 tbsp butter | 1/4 cup butter | 4 tbsp is ¼ cup. |
| 3 eggs | 1 1/2 eggs | Beat 2 eggs, use ¾ of the mix. |
| 1 tsp baking powder | 1/2 tsp baking powder | Half of 1 tsp. |
What does not scale in a straight line
- Pan size and baking time. A doubled batter in the same pan is deeper and needs longer at a lower temperature. Two pans of the original size are safer.
- Salt and strong spices. When you triple a recipe or more, start with about two thirds of the scaled amount and taste.
- Cooking time for stews and roasts. It depends on the size of each piece, not on how many pieces are in the pot.
Scaling recipes you saved from TikTok or Instagram
Recipes in videos rarely list servings, so you have to guess before you can scale. In the Buttter app, a saved recipe has a servings number you can change, and every quantity recalculates instantly. That includes recipes it wrote out from a TikTok or Instagram video. Buttter is our app; this scaler works without it.
Questions
How do I scale a recipe down to half?
Set the new servings to half the original (or tap ×½). Every amount is halved and shown in the most readable unit, so ½ cup becomes ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon becomes 1½ teaspoons.
Does it convert between cups, tablespoons and teaspoons?
Yes, for US volume measures. Results move to the largest clean unit: 12 teaspoons or more becomes cups, 3 teaspoons or more becomes tablespoons. Grams, millilitres, ounces and pounds stay in their own unit.
What happens to eggs and other whole items?
Counted items are rounded to the nearest quarter, never below ¼. If you get 1½ eggs, beat 2 eggs and use three quarters of the mix.
Can I scale baking recipes?
You can scale the ingredients, but pan size, baking time and leavening do not scale in a straight line. Doubling a cake usually works best as two pans, not one deep one.
Is my recipe sent anywhere?
No. The calculation runs in your browser and the text you paste is never uploaded.
