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Learn 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.
The easiest recipes to divide in half are cookie recipes, but you can divide anything in half easily: quick breads, muffins, cakes, brownies, scones, biscuits – really anything!
How to Divide Measurements
Converting recipes smaller is all about math and fractions, unless you know the secrets to measurement equivalency and if you know how to do conversions.
If you’re not great at fractions, you can work in tablespoons.
1 cup = 16 tablespoons
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
For example: 1/2 cup = 8 tbsp, so half of that would be 4 tablespoons!
What is half of 3/4 cup?
3/4 cup has 12 tablespoons, so 6 tablespoons (or 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) is half of 3/4 cup.
What is half of 1/3 cup?
1/3 cup is trickier because 1/3 cup = 5 1/3 tablespoons or 2.7 ounces or 78.9 ml. Remember that 1 tablespoon = 3 tsp, so half of 1/3 cup would be 2.5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon or 1.4 ounces or 39.5 ml.
It is easiest to use a scale to cut these in half, so use a scale and simply cut the grams in half!
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You can refer to the handy chart below – or get the FREE printable download!
What is half of 1/8 teaspoon?
Half of 1/8 teaspoon is what we call a dash.
How to cut an Egg in Half
What if you have an odd number of eggs? I typically only cut recipes in half when they have 2 eggs, so it’s easy to divide in half. However, if your original recipe only calls for 1 whole egg you have a few choices:
- 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.
- Use egg substitute. 1 large egg = 4 tablespoons egg substitute. That makes it easier to cut in half.
- 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.
Baking and Cook Times
Just because you’re cutting a recipe in half doesn’t mean the original cooking time will be cut in half. If you’re making cookies or muffins or even a one layer cake instead of two layers, you’ll just get less of them but the original amount of baking time will be the same.
The only time baking time will be less time or more time would be if the pan size you use causes the recipe to be thicker or thinner (i.e. you half a recipe for a 9×13-inch pan and put it in a 9-inch square pan, it will be thicker, and take more time).
How to half meat measuresments?
It depends on the recipe but a scale is very helpful for meat – because it’s hard to measure otherwise.
Thank you so very much! I enjoyed your post!
thanks for the 1/2 measurements, the 3/4 has been my question. I have just filled the 3/4 c half way and hope it is close!
Love, love all of your posts. Made your country French bread and placed them into large muffin tins last night and filled them with cheese potato soup, big hit here!
Keep us happy with all your goodies!
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