Recipe Scaler Calculator
Scale your recipes up or down with our recipe converter. Enter your original recipe servings and desired servings to automatically calculate new ingredient amounts with easy-to-read fraction conversions.
Scaling Factor = Desired Servings ÷ Original Servings
Scaled Ingredient Amount:
New Amount = Original Amount × Scaling Factor
Examples:
• Doubling: 4 servings → 8 servings = ×2
• Halving: 4 servings → 2 servings = ×0.5
• Triple: 4 servings → 12 servings = ×3
• Quarter: 8 servings → 2 servings = ×0.25
Original Recipe (24 cookies):
• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
Scaling to 48 cookies:
Scaling Factor: 48 ÷ 24 = ×2
Scaled Recipe:
• Flour: 2 × 2 = 4 cups
• Sugar: 1.5 × 2 = 3 cups
• Butter: 3 × 2 = 6 tbsp
• Vanilla: 1 × 2 = 2 tsp
Tip: When scaling down by more than half, reduce leavening agents (baking powder/soda) by only 75% to maintain proper rise.
How do I scale a recipe up or down?
Divide desired servings by original servings to get the scaling factor. Multiply each ingredient by this factor. Example: recipe serves 4, you need 6 → factor is 6÷4 = 1.5. If original calls for 2 cups flour, use 2 × 1.5 = 3 cups. Always double-check measurements for accuracy.
What ingredients don't scale well in recipes?
Spices and seasonings: Don't double automatically - increase by 1.5× and taste. Salt: Increase by 75% when doubling. Leavening agents (baking powder/soda): When halving, use 75% of the amount. Eggs: Can't easily split - adjust recipe to whole eggs. Cooking time: Usually doesn't double - check earlier than expected.
Can I halve or double any recipe?
Most recipes scale well between 0.5× and 2× the original. Baking recipes are sensitive - stick to ×0.5, ×1, ×1.5, ×2. Soups, stews, casseroles scale easily from ×0.25 to ×4. Pan size matters: doubled recipe needs bigger pan or multiple pans. Very small or very large batches may need cooking time/temp adjustments.
How do I convert fractions when scaling recipes?
Common conversions: 1/4 = 0.25, 1/3 = 0.33, 1/2 = 0.5, 2/3 = 0.67, 3/4 = 0.75. When scaling creates odd amounts (like 2.67 cups), round to nearest 1/4 cup for dry ingredients. For liquid ingredients, use measuring cups with smaller increments. Kitchen scale is most accurate for scaled baking recipes.
🔗 Related Calculators
📐 Formula
Scaling Factor = Desired Servings ÷ Original Servings
Scaled Ingredient Amount:
New Amount = Original Amount × Scaling Factor
Examples:
• Doubling: 4 servings → 8 servings = ×2
• Halving: 4 servings → 2 servings = ×0.5
• Triple: 4 servings → 12 servings = ×3
• Quarter: 8 servings → 2 servings = ×0.25
📝 Example Calculation
Original Recipe (24 cookies):
• 2 cups flour
• 1.5 cups sugar
• 3 tbsp butter
• 1 tsp vanilla
Scaling to 48 cookies:
Scaling Factor: 48 ÷ 24 = ×2
Scaled Recipe:
• Flour: 2 × 2 = 4 cups
• Sugar: 1.5 × 2 = 3 cups
• Butter: 3 × 2 = 6 tbsp
• Vanilla: 1 × 2 = 2 tsp
Tip: When scaling down by more than half, reduce leavening agents (baking powder/soda) by only 75% to maintain proper rise.