6 Tablespoons in Cups

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If you’ve ever tried doubling or halving a recipe for tablespoons, you may have wondered, “How many cups are in 6 tablespoons (6 tablespoons to cups)?” 6 tablespoons equals 3/8 (three-eighths) of a cup. Converting between tablespoons and cups is a handy skill for any home cook.

Whether scaling recipes up or down, substituting ingredients, or working with an unfamiliar set of measuring cups, knowing how to convert tablespoons to cups (and vice versa) will make you more confident in the kitchen. Read on for a complete guide on converting 6 tablespoons to cups using conversions for US Customary, metric, and Imperial measurements.

With a standard US set of measuring spoons and cups, 6 tablespoons equals 3⁄8 cup. But tablespoons and cups can vary slightly between different systems of measurement.

In this article, you’ll learn about the differences and get a handy reference chart for converting 6 tablespoons to cups in various measurements. Knowing these conversions helps ensure your recipes turn out right every time!

Understanding Tablespoons and Cups 

First, let’s review the basic abbreviations and equivalencies:

• Tablespoon = tbsp
• Teaspoon = tsp
• 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
• 1 cup = 48 teaspoons

So, because 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons, we can use simple math to convert between them.

In the US Customary system:

• 1 US cup = 8 US fluid ounces = 237 ml
• 1 US tablespoon = 14.8 ml

Therefore, since there are 16 tablespoons per cup:

• 6 US tablespoons = 3⁄8 US cup

This is easy to remember because it divides neatly into even fractions.

In the metric system:

• 1 metric cup = 250 ml
• 1 metric tablespoon = 15 ml

So again, with 16 tablespoons per cup:

• 6 metric tablespoons = 90 ml = 0.36 metric cups

As you can see, metric and US Customary tablespoons and cups are very close in size. The differences are minor enough that you can use them interchangeably in most recipes.

How Many Cups Are in 6 Tablespoons? 

Now that we’ve reviewed tablespoons and cups let’s get to the original question – how many cups are in 6 tablespoons?

Using US Customary measurements:

• 6 US tablespoons = 3⁄8 US cup

This conversion works for any ingredient – 6 tbsp of butter, sugar, flour, etc., all equal 3⁄8 cup.

If you don’t have a measuring cup marked with 3⁄8 cup, here are a couple of options:

• Use a 1-cup liquid measuring cup that has fractional markings. The 3⁄8 line is about halfway between 1⁄4 and 1⁄2 cup.
• Measure 1⁄4 cup plus half of a 1⁄4 cup (2 tablespoons).

Just remember that 3⁄8 cup and 1⁄3 cup are NOT the same. Many conversion charts incorrectly state that 6 tbsp = 1⁄3 cup, but 3⁄8 cup is about 10% larger. This slight difference can throw your baking measurements off, so use the correct 3⁄8 cup conversion.

Let’s look at some other common tablespoon-to-cup conversions:

• 4 tbsp = 1⁄4 cup
• 5 tbsp = slightly less than 1⁄3 cup
• 8 tbsp = 1⁄2 cup
• 10 tbsp = slightly less than 2⁄3 cup
• 12 tbsp = 3⁄4 cup
• 16 tbsp = 1 cup

So whenever you need to convert tablespoons to cups, simply divide the number of tablespoons by 16 to get the fraction of a cup.

Converting Tablespoons and Cups in Recipes 

Being able to convert tablespoons and cups is especially useful when working with recipes. Here are some scenarios when these conversions can come in handy:

Scaling recipe yields up or down – If you need to adjust a recipe to feed more or fewer people, you’ll need to multiply or divide all the ingredients. Knowing the tablespoon-to-cup conversions allows you to scale the measurements easily.

Substituting ingredients – If you want to use oil instead of melted butter or cocoa powder instead of chocolate, you can use the conversions to substitute equal measurements.

Working with unfamiliar measuring tools – If you’re cooking in someone else’s kitchen, the measuring cups and spoons may be different sizes than what you’re used to. Knowing the conversions helps you adapt recipe measurements.

Let’s look at a couple of examples:

A recipe calls for 2⁄3 cup sugar. You want to double it to make more cookies. How much sugar do you need?

• Since 2⁄3 cup = 10 tablespoons, double that is 20 tablespoons.
• 20 tablespoons = 1 1⁄4 cup

So you’d measure out 1 1⁄4 cups sugar for the doubled recipe.

A cake recipe calls for 1⁄2 cup oil. You want to use melted butter instead. How much butter do you need?

• 1⁄2 cup = 8 tablespoons
• So you would melt 8 tablespoons (or 1 stick) of butter to replace the 1⁄2 cup oil.

The conversions allow you to seamlessly work with recipes in whatever quantities you need!

Tips for Accurate Measuring

To get reliable results from these tablespoon and cup conversions, it’s important to measure carefully and accurately:

Measure liquids at eye level – When measuring liquids like oil, honey, or milk with a liquid measuring cup, place the cup on a flat surface and bend down to read the measurement at eye level. This gives the most accurate reading to avoid over- or under-measuring.

Use proper tools for liquids vs. dry ingredients – Scooping and leveling dry ingredients like flour or sugar with measuring cups gives more consistent results than dipping into the ingredients with the measuring cup. Use clear measuring cups with spouts for easy pouring and reduced mess for liquids.

Level off dry ingredients – Scoop dry ingredients like flour, sugar, baking powder, etc., into a measuring cup, then level off the top using a knife or spatula. Packing dry ingredients down can compress them while heaping them gives you more than you need.

Measure over a bowl – When leveling off dry ingredients in a measuring cup, hold it over your mixing bowl. This way, any excess can easily fall into the bowl instead of making a mess on your counter.

Use proper measuring spoons – Sturdy, stainless steel is the best for accuracy. Dip them into dry ingredients and level with a knife.

For sticky ingredients like honey, peanut butter, or molasses, spray the spoons with nonstick spray first for easy portioning.

Weigh flour for baking – Flour volume measurements can vary greatly depending on factors like humidity, settling, and aeration. Always weigh flour in grams using a kitchen scale for consistent, reliable baking results.

Work in fractions – When scaling recipes up or down, convert the measurements to fractions to minimize compounding any measuring errors. For example, rather than trying to measure 1.5 cups of flour, measure 1 1⁄4 cup + 2 tablespoons instead.

Following these tips will help ensure your tablespoon and cup conversions lead to delicious, consistent results!

Is 6 Tablespoons 1 3 of A Cup?

Conclusion 

Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting out, knowing how to convert between tablespoons and cups is an indispensable kitchen skill. Understanding the relationship between these common volume measurements provides a solid foundation for following and adapting recipes with confidence.

To review, 6 tablespoons equals 3⁄8 cup in both US Customary and metric measurements. This conversion works for any ingredient – dry, liquid, small, or large quantities. You can use the conversion anytime you need to double an ingredient amount in cups or substitute in tablespoons.

Beyond 6 tablespoons, you now have a handy reference for converting any number of tablespoons to fractions of cups. And you know techniques for accurately measuring both dry and liquid ingredients.

So grab your measuring spoons and cups, try out these conversions, and take your culinary skills to the next level. Remembering that 1 cup = 16 tablespoons makes baking, cooking, and scaling recipes a breeze. Whether you’re feeding a big holiday crowd or making a weeknight dinner for two, you’ve got this!