You're standing in the kitchen, flour on your hands, and the recipe calls for two-thirds of a cup of sugar. You reach into the drawer. The 2/3 measuring cup is missing. Or maybe it’s dirty in the dishwasher, caked with dried oatmeal from breakfast. Now what? You need to know exactly how 2 3 of a cup in tablespoons translates so you don't end up with a cake that tastes like a brick or a sauce that's way too thin.
It’s one of those kitchen math problems that feels like it should be simpler than it is. We all know there are 16 tablespoons in a full cup. That’s the golden rule of American volume measurements. But when you start dealing with thirds, the math gets messy. It’s not a clean, round number.
The Quick Math for 2 3 of a Cup in Tablespoons
Let's get right to it. 2 3 of a cup in tablespoons is 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. Math is annoying. If you want the raw decimal, it’s 10.666 tablespoons. Since nobody has a 0.666 measuring spoon, you have to break it down into units you actually own.
Here is how that breaks apart:
One-third of a cup is 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
So, you just double that.
5 + 5 = 10 tablespoons.
1 + 1 = 2 teaspoons.
Done.
If you are a professional baker, you probably care about the weight more than the volume, but for the home cook just trying to get dinner on the table, 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons is your magic number. Honestly, if you’re just making a casual marinara or a dry rub, you can usually get away with a "scant" 11 tablespoons, but for baking, those two teaspoons really do matter. Precision is the difference between a chewy cookie and a crumbly mess.
Why 2 3 of a Cup in Tablespoons Is Such a Headache
The reason this specific measurement causes so much grief is that the US Customary System isn't decimal-based. It’s based on weird historical fractions. If we used the metric system like the rest of the world, you’d just measure out roughly 158 milliliters and call it a day. But here we are, counting out individual spoons like it’s 1850.
Most standard measuring cup sets come with four sizes: 1 cup, 1/2 cup, 1/3 cup, and 1/4 cup. Some fancy sets include the 2/3 and 3/4 cups, but they are the first ones to get lost. When you lose that 2/3 cup, you're forced into a game of mental gymnastics.
Understanding the Ratio
To understand the volume, you have to look at the hierarchy of the American kitchen.
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- 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon
- 4 tablespoons = 1/4 cup
- 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1/3 cup
- 8 tablespoons = 1/2 cup
- 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2/3 cup
- 12 tablespoons = 3/4 cup
- 16 tablespoons = 1 cup
If you look at that list, the "thirds" are the only ones that require you to pull out the teaspoons. It’s an outlier. It’s the black sheep of the measuring drawer.
Practical Ways to Measure 2/3 Cup Without a Cup
Sometimes you don't want to stand there counting out ten individual tablespoons. It's tedious. You lose track. Was that six or seven? You get distracted by a text or the dog barking, and suddenly you're staring at a bowl of butter wondering if you've ruined the batch.
The Half-Cup Hack
If you have a 1/2 cup and a 1/4 cup, you might think you can combine them. Stop. That equals 3/4 cup, which is too much. Instead, use your 1/2 cup and then add 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons. It’s still a bit of a juggle, but it’s faster than counting to ten.
The 1/3 Cup Method
This is the most obvious one. If you have a 1/3 cup measure, just use it twice. Just make sure you are leveling it off with a flat edge, like the back of a butter knife. "Heaping" scoops are the enemy of consistency.
Liquid vs. Dry Measurements
This is where people get tripped up.
A tablespoon of milk and a tablespoon of flour occupy the same volume, but they behave differently. When you’re measuring 2 3 of a cup in tablespoons for liquids, you should be using a clear glass measuring jug with a pour spout. Surface tension is a real thing. If you try to measure 10 tablespoons of oil individually, you’re going to lose a little bit to the sides of the spoon every single time. It adds up.
For dry ingredients, like cocoa powder or flour, the "scoop and level" method is king. Don't pack the flour into the tablespoon unless the recipe specifically says "packed." If you pack it, you’re actually getting more than 2/3 of a cup because you're increasing the density.
The Science of Scaling: Why This Matters
Why do we care so much about 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons?
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In cooking, ratios are everything. If you are making a roux for a gumbo, the ratio of fat to flour needs to be almost exactly 1:1. If you’re off by a tablespoon because you couldn't figure out the 2/3 cup conversion, your roux might break or become a thick paste that won't brown properly.
According to culinary educators at the Culinary Institute of America, volume measurements are notoriously unreliable compared to weight, but they acknowledge that most home kitchens aren't equipped with high-precision digital scales. Therefore, understanding the conversion between cups and tablespoons is the best defense against failure.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Eyeballing it: Don't just fill a 1-cup measure "most of the way." You will almost always overestimate. Human brains are bad at visualizing 66% of a 3D cylinder.
- Using the wrong spoon: Make sure you are using a measuring tablespoon, not the spoon you use to eat soup. A "tablespoon" in your silverware drawer can vary significantly in size.
- Forgetting the teaspoons: Many people think "Oh, 10 tablespoons is close enough." It's not. Those 2 teaspoons represent about 6% of the total volume. In a delicate soufflé or a specific bread dough, 6% is huge.
A Cheat Sheet for Your Kitchen
You might want to write this down on a sticky note and put it inside your pantry door.
If a recipe calls for 2/3 cup, use:
- 10 Tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons
- OR 32 Teaspoons (if you’re feeling particularly masochistic)
- OR Two 1/3 cup measures
- OR 157.7 Milliliters (if you have a metric jug)
It’s also helpful to remember that 2/3 cup is slightly more than 1/2 cup (8 tbsp) and slightly less than 3/4 cup (12 tbsp). If your mixture looks wildly different than that, something went wrong with your counting.
Does Temperature Matter?
Kinda. For fats like butter, 2/3 cup is much easier to measure when it’s solid. One stick of butter is 8 tablespoons (1/2 cup). So, to get 2/3 cup of butter, you need one full stick plus another 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons from a second stick.
Most sticks of butter have markings on the wrapper. Use them. They are surprisingly accurate.
If the butter is melted, the volume stays roughly the same, but it’s much harder to handle. Always measure your solids before melting them if the recipe allows for it.
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The International Dilemma
If you are using a recipe from the UK or Australia, be careful. A "cup" isn't always a "cup."
In the US, a legal cup is 240ml. In the UK, a metric cup is 250ml. An Australian tablespoon is actually 20ml, whereas a US tablespoon is 14.7ml. If you’re following an Aussie recipe and need 2 3 of a cup in tablespoons, their math will be totally different because their spoons are bigger.
Always check the origin of your recipe. If it's a "New York Times" recipe, stick to the 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons rule. If it's from a British site like "BBC Good Food," you’re better off using a scale and measuring in grams.
Final Practical Advice
When you're in the middle of a complex bake, don't rely on your memory. Clear a space on the counter. Lay out your 10 tablespoons. It sounds crazy, but it works.
If you have a 1/3 cup measure, use it. If you don't, and you're stuck with tablespoons, take your time. Kitchen mistakes usually happen because of rush and bad math. Now that you know the exact conversion, you can stop guessing and start cooking with confidence.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Check your tools: See if your measuring set actually includes a 2/3 cup. If not, consider buying a "odd-size" measuring set that includes 2/3, 3/4, and 1-1/2 cup sizes.
- Standardize your spoons: Ensure you have a dedicated set of leveling measuring spoons, not just decorative ones.
- Print a conversion chart: Keep a small magnet on the fridge with the "Thirds" conversions (1/3 and 2/3) since those are the hardest to do on the fly.
- Practice Weight: Next time you measure 2/3 cup of flour (which is about 85-90 grams depending on the brand), weigh it on a scale just to see how much your "scoop" varies from the actual weight.
By mastering these small units of measure, you move from being a follower of recipes to a master of the kitchen. Precision isn't about being pedantic; it's about ensuring that the effort you put into your food actually results in something delicious.