What is Half of 2 ¼ Cups? Plus, How to Halve Other Measurements

PDF download Download Article
Simple tips for cutting a recipe in half & converting measurements
PDF download Download Article

You’re cutting a recipe in half when you notice it calls for 2 ¼ cups of an ingredient. Luckily, halving 2 ¼ cups is easy. Simply divide 2 ¼ cups by 2 to get 1 ⅛ cups, or 1 cup and 2 tablespoons. Keep reading to learn how to cut recipes in half, as well as common measurement conversions!

Halving 2 ¼ Cups

Half of 2 ¼ cups is 1 ⅛ cups. Because ⅛ cups aren’t that common, half of 2 ¼ cups is also equal to 1 cup and 2 tablespoons. To halve 2 ¼ cups, simply divide it by 2.

Section 1 of 5:

What is half of 2 ¼ cups?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Half of 2 ¼ cups is 1 cup and ⅛ cup. If you don’t have a ⅛ cup, 2 tablespoons is equal to ⅛ cup.
    • To halve 2 ¼ cups, divide the whole number and fraction by 2:
      • 2 ÷ 2 = 1.
      • ¼ ÷ 2 = ¼ × ½ = ⅛.
    • Another way to halve 2 ¼ cups is to convert it to a fraction, then divide by 2.
      • 2 = 8/4.
      • 8/4 + ¼ = 9/4.
      • 9/4 ÷ 2 = 9/4 × ½ = 9/8.
      • 9/8 as a mixed fraction is 8/8 + ⅛, or 1 ⅛.
    2. Advertisement
Section 2 of 5:

How to Cut Ingredients in Half

PDF download Download Article
  1. If you need to cut a recipe in half, simply divide each ingredient’s measurement by 2. Below are some common measurements cut in half: [1]
    • Half of 1 cup is ½ cup.
    • Half of ¾ cups is ⅜ cups or 6 tablespoons.
    • Half of ⅔ cups is ⅓ cup.
    • Half of ½ cup is ¼ cup.
    • Half of ⅓ cup is ⅙ cup or 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons.
    • Half of ¼ cup is ⅛ cup or 2 tablespoons.
    • Half of 1 tablespoon is ½ tablespoon or 1 ½ teaspoons.
    • Half of 1 teaspoon is ½ teaspoon.
    • Half of ½ teaspoon is ¼ teaspoon.
    • Half of ¼ teaspoon is ⅛ teaspoon.
    • Half of ⅛ teaspoon is a dash.
Section 3 of 5:

Converting Common Measurements

PDF download Download Article
  1. Cutting a measurement in half can be a breeze if you know how many tablespoons or teaspoons it’s equal to. Below are some common conversions: [2]
    • 1 cup is equal to 16 tablespoons.
    • ¾ cup is equal to 12 tablespoons.
    • ½ cup is equal to 8 tablespoons.
    • ⅓ cup is equal to 5 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon.
    • ¼ cup is equal to 4 tablespoons.
    • ⅛ cup is equal to 2 tablespoons.
    • 1 tablespoon is equal to 3 teaspoons.
    2. Advertisement
Section 4 of 5:

Advice for Halving a Recipe

PDF download Download Article
  1. Halving your recipe before you start cooking or baking makes the process smoother and easier. It also helps ensure that you add the correct amount of each ingredient. [3]
  2. Measure ingredients with a scale . Using a kitchen scale is the most accurate and precise way to measure ingredients. It also makes halving a recipe easier by cutting out the need to convert cup, tablespoon, and teaspoon measurements. [4]
    • For example, a recipe might call for 224 grams of sugar. It’s much easier to divide 224 grams by 2 to get 112 grams of sugar for your halved recipe.
  3. When you halve a recipe, you typically need to use smaller cookware and bakeware than you use for the normal recipe. This helps ensure that your dish comes out right. [5]
    • For example, if you bake a halved recipe of brownies in a pan that fits the whole amount, they might come out crunchy and flat.
  4. Dry and liquid ingredients have different properties, so ensure your halved measurements are as accurate as possible by using the proper tools. Measure dry ingredients (like flour and sugar) with dry measuring cups and liquid ingredients (like oil and milk) with liquid measuring cups . [6]
    • Dry ingredients can be loosely or tightly packed into measuring cups, which affects their volume. Follow the recipe’s instructions for how to measure the ingredients.
    • Liquid ingredients have the same volume no matter how you pour them or what you put them in. However, using liquid measuring cups with ounce and milliliter measurements makes your conversions more precise.
    • Using a kitchen scale can help make your dry and liquid ingredient measurements more precise and accurate.
  5. Make sure your dish is seasoned to your liking by regularly tasting it as you cook. This is especially important when halving the measurements for spices, as you might find that your recipe tastes bland when you cut the spices in half. [7]
    • After adding the halved amount of an herb or spice, try the dish to see if it’s well seasoned or if it needs the whole amount of spices.
  6. If you’re halving a recipe that calls for 1 egg, simply crack the egg into a liquid measuring cup or bowl. Mix the egg white and yolk together with a whisk or fork. Then, pour half of the whisked egg into your recipe. [8]
    • Most large eggs measure about ¼ cup (59 ml) when cracked and whisked. So, half an egg is usually about ⅛ cup or 2 tablespoons (30 ml).
    • Alternatively, weigh the whisked egg using a kitchen scale. Then, divide the weight in half to get a more precise measurement for half an egg.
  7. If you don’t have the proper measuring cups and spoons, or you’re on a time crunch, simply fill the cup or spoon in half with the ingredients. For instance, if a recipe calls for ¼ cup of flour, simply fill half of the ¼ cup with flour.
    • Using this method doesn’t give you the most accurate results, so try to use the proper measuring cups and spoons when you can. This is especially important when baking, as it requires more precise measurements than cooking.
    8. Advertisement
Section 5 of 5:

Do you need to halve the cooking temperature or time?

PDF download Download Article
  1. Halving a recipe can cause a dish to cook faster, so check on it halfway through the cooking time. Just keep the temperature the same to ensure the dish cooks all the way through. [9]
    • If your dish isn’t done at the halfway point, check on it every 5 to 10 minutes until it’s finished cooking or baking.

Expert Q&A

Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
      Advertisement

      Tips

      Submit a Tip
      All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
      Name
      Please provide your name and last initial
      Submit
      Thanks for submitting a tip for review!

      You Might Also Like

      How to
      Read a Ruler
      How to
      Read a Tape Measure in Inches or Centimeters
      How to
      Measure Centimeters
      How to
      Calibrate a Digital Scale With and Without Weights
      How to
      Use a Ruler to Measure in Millimeters (Plus Estimating Lengths)
      How to
      Calculate Angles
      How to
      Read a Vernier Caliper for Super Precise Measurements
      Easy Ways to Measure Liquids When You Don’t Have a Measuring Cup
      How to
      Read a Caliper
      How to
      Measure 2/3 Cup with a 1/4 Measuring Cup
      How Big Is an Inch? Here's How to Measure Accurately
      How to
      Measure Without a Ruler
      How to
      Use Calipers
      How to
      Read a Dial Indicator
      Advertisement

      References

      1. ↑ https://food.unl.edu/article/reducing-size-recipes
      2. ↑ http://fdsn-web.asp.radford.edu/forms/Equivalents.pdf
      3. ↑ https://www.bonappetit.com/story/how-to-cut-a-baking-recipe-in-half
      4. ↑ https://www.crazyforcrust.com/how-to-cut-recipes-in-half/
      5. ↑ https://food.unl.edu/article/reducing-size-recipes
      6. ↑ https://fearlessfresh.com/how-to-cut-a-recipe-in-half/
      7. ↑ ​​ https://www.crazyforcrust.com/how-to-cut-recipes-in-half/
      8. ↑ https://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-halve-an-egg-for-baking-232896
      9. ↑ https://food.unl.edu/article/reducing-size-recipes

      About This Article

      Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 5,884 times.
      If you buy through links on our site, we may earn a commission .

      Did this article help you?

      Advertisement