How many tablespoons are in a quarter cup?
The conversion you actually need, plus the next two up and two down so you stop reaching for your phone mid-recipe.
Lila Park
March 1, 2026
The answer
1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons (US). 12 teaspoons. 60 millilitres if you're working in metric.
If a recipe says 4 Tbsp, just use the 1/4 cup measure. One scoop is faster and cleaner than four spoons.
The chain above and below
1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons. 2 Tbsp = 1/8 cup. 4 Tbsp = 1/4 cup. 8 Tbsp = 1/2 cup. 16 Tbsp = 1 cup.
Memorize 'doubles double' — every step doubles the previous one until you hit a cup. That's the whole system.
Where US, UK, and metric disagree
A US tablespoon is 14.79 ml; a UK tablespoon is 15 ml; an Australian tablespoon is 20 ml. Close enough for most recipes, except baking — where you want metric.
If you bake by weight, none of this matters. A kitchen scale ends measurement debates forever.
People also ask
Is liquid and dry tablespoon the same?+
Yes, by volume. A tablespoon is a tablespoon. Dry-measure cups are flat-topped for leveling; liquid cups have spouts. Volume is identical.
How do I measure a half-tablespoon?+
Use 1.5 teaspoons. Most spoon sets include a 1/2 Tbsp anyway.
What's a 'heaped' tablespoon vs level?+
Level = scrape flat. Heaped = mounded. They differ by ~30%, which matters for spices and salt.