You're standing in the kitchen, flour on your jeans, and the recipe calls for exactly one-third of a cup of oil. You reach into the drawer. The 1/3 measuring cup is missing. Probably at the bottom of the dishwasher or buried in a sandbox somewhere. Now you're staring at a lonely tablespoon, wondering if you can actually make this work without ruining the cake.
It happens to everyone. Honestly, kitchen math is the worst kind of math because the stakes involve dessert. So, let's get the math out of the way immediately so you can get back to the oven. To answer the big question: how much is 1/3 cup in tbsp, it is exactly 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
That’s the "magic" number. If you want to be incredibly precise, it is technically 5.333 tablespoons. Since most of us don't own a 0.33 tablespoon measure, we break it down into teaspoons to keep things accurate.
The Math Behind How Much Is 1/3 Cup In Tbsp
Why is it such a weird number? Most kitchen measurements in the US Customary System follow a pretty logical path until they hit the thirds. We know that 16 tablespoons make a full cup. That’s the gold standard. When you divide 16 by 2, you get 8 tablespoons for a half-cup. Easy. Divide that by 2 again, and you get 4 tablespoons for a quarter-cup. Still simple.
But then 1/3 cup enters the chat and ruins the symmetry.
When you divide 16 by 3, you get 5.33. In the world of baking, "close enough" usually results in a flat cookie or a rubbery bread. This is where the conversion to teaspoons saves your life. Since there are 3 teaspoons in a single tablespoon, that 0.33 leftover from our division equals exactly one teaspoon.
Breaking it down for easy memory
If you’re trying to memorize this so you never have to Google it again, think of it as the "5 and 1" rule. 5 tablespoons. 1 teaspoon.
If you happen to be using a scale—which, frankly, is what the pros do—you’re looking at about 75 to 80 grams for liquids like water or milk. But stick to the volume for now if that’s what your recipe demands.
Why Accuracy Actually Matters (And When It Doesn't)
If you are making a soup or a hearty beef stew, and the recipe asks for 1/3 cup of red wine, do you really need to sweat the 0.33 difference? No. Just glug it in. Cooking is an art; it's about vibes and tasting as you go.
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Baking is different. Baking is chemistry.
If you are measuring out 1/3 cup of melted butter for a delicate financier or a sponge cake, being off by a few teaspoons can change the fat-to-flour ratio. This affects how the proteins in the flour bond. It affects the "crumb."
I’ve seen people try to just use 5 tablespoons and call it a day. Usually, the world doesn't end. But if you’re making something like French macarons or a high-hydration sourdough, that missing teaspoon might be the difference between a win and a Pinterest fail.
Liquids vs. Dry Goods: The Great Debate
One of the most common mistakes people make when looking up how much is 1/3 cup in tbsp is using the same tool for milk and flour.
Stop doing that.
Tablespoons are volume measures, yes. But the way you fill them matters immensely. If you scoop a tablespoon of flour directly from the bag, you are packing it down. You’re likely getting way more than 1/3 of a cup’s worth of weight. Professional bakers like King Arthur Baking or Stella Parks always recommend the "spoon and level" method.
- Fluff the flour.
- Spoon it into the tablespoon.
- Level it off with a knife.
- Repeat 5 times.
- Add your teaspoon.
For liquids, it’s a bit more straightforward, but surface tension is a thing. A "domed" tablespoon of honey is significantly more than a flat tablespoon of water.
Metric vs. US Customary: The 15ml Trap
Here is where it gets kind of annoying. Not all tablespoons are created equal.
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In the United States, a legal tablespoon is defined as 15 milliliters. However, if you are looking at an old British recipe or perhaps something from Australia, their tablespoon might be 20ml. If you are using a 20ml tablespoon to measure out your 1/3 cup, your math is going to be wildly off.
Always check where your recipe originated. If it's a modern American blog or cookbook, the 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon rule is your best friend.
Common Conversion Quick-Reference
Sometimes you just need a list to look at while the mixer is running. No fluff, just numbers.
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
- 3/4 cup = 12 tablespoons
- 2/3 cup = 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
- 1/2 cup = 8 tablespoons
- 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon
- 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons
- 1/8 cup = 2 tablespoons
It’s interesting to note that 2/3 cup is just the 1/3 cup measurement doubled. So, 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons. It sounds like a lot of clicking and counting, but it’s better than guessing.
What If You Only Have A Teaspoon?
If you've lost your tablespoons too—maybe it was a really rough week—you can do the whole thing in teaspoons. Since there are 3 teaspoons in a tablespoon, and we need 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon...
3 times 5 is 15. Plus 1.
That’s 16 teaspoons.
Is it tedious? Yes. Is it accurate? Absolutely.
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Equipment Matters: Don't Use The "Soup Spoon"
We have all done it. You can't find the measuring spoons, so you grab a big spoon from the silverware drawer.
Don't.
An actual measuring tablespoon is a standardized unit of volume. A "tablespoon" from your silverware set is a piece of cutlery designed to fit comfortably in your mouth. They are rarely 15ml. Usually, they are much smaller, sometimes only 10ml or 12ml. Using a dinner spoon to measure your 1/3 cup will almost guarantee your recipe comes out dry or under-leavened.
Tips For Better Measuring
If you find yourself frequently wondering how much is 1/3 cup in tbsp, you might want to consider a few workflow changes in the kitchen.
Buy a set that includes the "odd" sizes. Some measuring cup sets now come with a 1/3 cup and even a 2/3 cup and 3/4 cup. It eliminates the math entirely.
Use a liquid measuring cup with milliliters. If your liquid measuring cup has a metric side, just pour to the 80ml mark. It’s a tiny bit more than the 78.8ml that technically makes up a 1/3 cup, but for 99% of recipes, it’s close enough to be perfect.
Get a digital scale. Honestly, this is the final boss of kitchen precision. When a recipe says 1/3 cup, look up the weight for that specific ingredient. 1/3 cup of flour is roughly 42 grams. 1/3 cup of sugar is roughly 67 grams. Weight doesn't lie, and it doesn't care about "heaping" or "packed" measurements.
Actionable Next Steps
Now that you know the answer is 5 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon, here is how to handle your bake:
- Verify your scale: if you have one, use it instead of volume for dry ingredients.
- Check the recipe origin: ensure you aren't using UK Imperial measures by mistake.
- Level your spoons: use the back of a butter knife to ensure your 5 tablespoons aren't "heaping."
- Mise en place: measure everything out into small bowls before you start mixing to avoid losing count at tablespoon number four.
Once you’ve mastered this specific conversion, you’ll find that your baking becomes significantly more consistent. No more "sunken" centers or "tough" crusts just because a measuring cup went missing.