How to Cut Recipes in Half

This post will teach you how to cut recipes in half: simple measurements and tips for halving almost any ingredient! With a FREE printable and easy chart, these tips and tricks will help you in the kitchen.

How to Divide Measurements

It’s all about fractions! But really, it is. Unless you know the secrets to measurement equivalency:

If you’re not great at fractions, you can work in tablespoons.

1 cup = 16 tablespoons

1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons

That makes things much easier to cut in half. For example:

½ cup = 8 tablespoons, so half of that would be 4 tablespoons!

Common Measurements Cut in Half

I did all the hard math for you! If you’re simply cutting a recipe in half, just refer to this chart for simple measurements.

• What is half of ½ teaspoon? ¼ teaspoon
• What is half of 1 teaspoon? ½ teaspoon
• What is half of 1 ½ teaspoons? ¾ teaspoon
• What is half of 2 teaspoons? 1 teaspoon
• What is half of 1 tablespoon? 1 ½ teaspoons
• What is half of ¼ cup? ⅛ cup (or 2 tablespoons)
• What is half of ⅓ cup? 2 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons
• What is half of ½ cup? ¼ cup
• What is half of 2/3 cup? ⅓ cup
• What is half of ¾ cup? ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons
• What is half of 1 cup? ½ cup

You can refer to the chart below – or get the FREE printable download!

What about ⅛ teaspoon?

Half of ⅛ teaspoon is what we call a dash.

Cutting an Egg in Half

The biggest issue when cutting a recipe in half is the egg. I typically only cut recipes in half when they have 2 eggs, so it’s easy to divide in half. However, if you’re cutting a recipe in half that only calls for 1 egg (or an odd number) you have a few choices:

1. Crack the egg into a measuring cup, whisk it, and see how much it is (usually about 3 tablespoons) and you can then eyeball it to cut in half.
2. Use egg substitute. 1 large egg = 4 tablespoons egg substitute. That makes it easier to cut in half.
3. To cut an egg in half for cookies: use just the yolk. This won’t work for every recipe, but often using just the yolk and discarding the white will work.

Use a Scale for Measuring

The easiest way to cut any recipe in half is by using a scale. If a recipe calls for 124 grams of flour, it’s easy to cut that in half and measure only 62 grams. A scale is not only more precise but it’s much easier to cut in half.

Other Tips for Halving Recipes

• Spices: you can half spices but chances are you’ll want a little more than half. Be prepared to taste and add more.
• Liquids: halving liquid measures are so much easier if you’re using a measuring cup that has ounces and mL on it.
• Bake/Cook Time: just because you’re cutting a recipe in half doesn’t mean the cook time will be half. Cookies, for example, will take the same time to bake, you’ll just have less of them.
• Pan Sizes: be sure to refer to my pan size equivalent chart to see comparable size pans (by volume) if you’re cutting a recipe in half.

Now that you know how to half a recipe you can easily cut down anything you’re cooking or baking!

All text and images © DOROTHY KERN for Crazy for Crust. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to republish this recipe, please re-write the recipe in your own words, or link back to this post for the recipe. Disclaimer: Nutrition information shown is not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Published on: March 9, 2021