What is half of ⅓ cup in cooking and baking measurements?
Learn how to halve ⅓ cup and other tricky ingredient conversions for accurate cooking and baking.
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| Illustration by Febrina Tiara |
By Adila Ghina and Widya Putri
If you’ve ever found a new recipe that made more food than you needed, you’ve probably wondered how to reduce the ingredient amounts accurately. It’s easy enough to halve a full cup or even ½ cup. But what is half of ⅓ cup? This is where precise kitchen conversions become essential. Understanding how to scale down a recipe without compromising the outcome is a useful skill for home cooks and bakers, especially when preparing smaller portions.
When you divide ⅓ cup in half, it equals 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. This breakdown allows for exact measuring even when your recipe isn’t built for smaller yields. Since most measuring cup sets don’t include a ⅙ cup measurement, converting to tablespoons and teaspoons ensures more accurate results in the kitchen.
Let’s explore how to measure half of ⅓ cup step by step, and look at how to halve other common ingredients, convert between imperial and metric, and measure ingredients more accurately every time.
How to calculate half of ⅓ cup
When reducing a recipe, precision matters—especially in baking. Here's how to divide ⅓ cup accurately:
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons (tbsp)
- Therefore, ⅓ cup = approximately 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
- Half of this = 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
By breaking the measurement down into tablespoons and teaspoons, you make it easier to measure the correct quantity without relying on fractional cups.
Quick math behind the measurement
- Start with ⅓ cup.
- Convert to tablespoons: 1 cup = 16 tbsp → 16 ÷ 3 ≈ 5⅓ tbsp.
- Convert to teaspoons: 5 tbsp = 15 tsp, plus ⅓ tbsp = 1 tsp → total = 16 tsp.
- Divide that by 2: 16 ÷ 2 = 8 teaspoons.
- Convert back: 8 tsp = 2 tbsp + 2 tsp.
This kind of precision is especially helpful when preparing smaller batches of sauces, dressings, or baked goods.
Halving common measurements
Scaling down a recipe doesn’t stop at figuring out what half of ⅓ cup is. Here’s a quick reference guide to halving other common kitchen measurements:
- Half of 1 cup = ½ cup
- Half of ¾ cup = 6 tbsp
- Half of ⅔ cup = ⅓ cup
- Half of ½ cup = ¼ cup
- Half of ¼ cup = 2 tbsp
- Half of 1 tbsp = 1½ tsp
- Half of 1 tsp = ½ tsp
- Half of ½ tsp = ¼ tsp
- Half of ¼ tsp = ⅛ tsp
These conversions can make scaling down any recipe easier without reaching for complicated tools.
Dividing recipes into thirds
In some cases, you may want to make just one-third of a recipe rather than half. Here are standard conversions for that purpose:
- ⅓ of 1 cup = ⅓ cup
- ⅓ of ¾ cup = ¼ cup
- ⅓ of ⅔ cup = 3 tbsp + 1½ tsp
- ⅓ of ½ cup = 2 tbsp + 2 tsp
- ⅓ of ⅓ cup = 1 tbsp + 1¼ tsp
- ⅓ of ¼ cup = 1 tbsp + 1 tsp
- ⅓ of 1 tbsp = 1 tsp
- ⅓ of 1 tsp = ⅓ tsp
- ⅓ of ½ tsp = ⅛ tsp
- ⅓ of ¼ tsp = a dash
Tablespoon and teaspoon conversions
To simplify measurement divisions, it’s often helpful to convert from cups to tablespoons or teaspoons:
- 1 tbsp = 3 tsp
- ⅛ cup = 2 tbsp
- ¼ cup = 4 tbsp
- ⅓ cup = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp
- ½ cup = 8 tbsp
- 1 cup = 16 tbsp
These conversions give you the flexibility to reduce recipes with better accuracy and avoid waste.
Converting imperial to metric
Liquids
Liquid measurements in cups can be easily converted to milliliters (mL):
- ¼ cup = 60 mL
- ⅓ cup = 70 mL
- ½ cup = 125 mL
- ⅔ cup = 150 mL
- ¾ cup = 175 mL
- 1 cup = 250 mL
- 1½ cups = 375 mL
- 2 cups = 500 mL
- 4 cups = 1 liter
Dry ingredients by weight
Dry ingredients vary in weight depending on their density. Here's a guide to convert by grams:
- 1 cup of all-purpose flour = 125g
- 1 cup of bread flour = 136g
- 1 cup of cocoa powder = 85g
- 1 cup of powdered sugar = 120g
- 1 cup of granulated sugar = 200g
- 1 cup of packed brown sugar = 220g
Using a digital scale can make these conversions more precise, especially in baking.
Understanding small measurements
Some recipes, particularly vintage ones, use small, less-standard measurements:
- Tad = ¼ tsp
- Dash = ⅛ tsp
- Pinch = 1/16 tsp
- Smidgen or shake = 1/32 tsp
- Drop or nip = 1/64 tsp
While not essential for every dish, these can come in handy when following older cookbooks or family recipes.
Tips for accurate ingredient measurements
Dry ingredients
Use dry measuring cups or spoons and follow these steps:
- Spoon, don’t scoop: Always spoon dry ingredients into the measuring cup rather than scooping directly, which compacts them.
- Level off: Use a knife or spatula to level the surface for an accurate amount.
- Pack brown sugar: Unlike flour or cocoa, brown sugar should be packed into the cup before leveling off.
Liquids
- Flat surface at eye level: Pour the liquid into a measuring cup placed on a flat surface, then bend to eye level to verify.
- Use appropriate cups: Always use clear liquid measuring cups rather than dry measuring cups for fluids.
Sticky ingredients
Sticky ingredients like honey or syrup tend to cling to measuring tools. Lightly coat the spoon or cup with oil or cooking spray before measuring to make transfer easier.
Measuring eggs
To halve a whole egg:
- Crack the egg and whisk the yolk and white together.
- Eyeball half the mixture or weigh the total and divide by two.
- Alternatively, separate the yolk or white and use only the needed portion.
This approach is useful for precision in baking or when following a strict diet.
Visual estimations
While not recommended for baking, you can estimate ingredient amounts visually in cooking. However, for reliable results, always default to tools for anything requiring precision.
Understanding what is half of ⅓ cup is just one step toward mastering recipe adjustments. With the right tools and conversion knowledge, you can confidently halve recipes, divide them into thirds, or scale them to suit any portion size. Whether you're baking cookies for two or converting grandma's handwritten recipe into metric, these tips and measurements will help you get the job done with consistency and accuracy.
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