βοΈ Recipe Scaler
Scale any recipe up or down while keeping ingredient ratios perfect.
How to Use This Calculator
This recipe scaler lets you enter a recipe with any number of servings and scale it up or down to a new serving count. Every ingredient amount is recalculated automatically. You can enter ingredients with units (cups, tbsp, grams, oz) and the tool preserves them in the output.
Enter the original number of servings the recipe makes (e.g., 12 cookies, 4 portions).
Enter each ingredient with its amount and unit. Click "Add Ingredient" for each new line.
Set the target servings you want and click Scale.
Review the scaled list. For baking recipes, read the tips below about leavening agents before adjusting.
The Scaling Formula
Most ingredients scale directly using this ratio. If a recipe for 4 people calls for 2 cups of flour and you want to make it for 10, your scale factor is 10/4 = 2.5, so you need 5 cups. The same logic applies to every ingredient except a few that need manual adjustment.
Scaling Examples
What Not to Scale Directly
Most recipe ingredients scale in a straight line, but a few do not. Leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda, yeast) are the biggest exception. If you triple a cake recipe, using three times the baking powder often makes the cake taste bitter and rise unevenly. A safe rule is to use about 75-80% of the calculated amount for leavening when scaling up by 3x or more. Salt and strong spices like cayenne follow a similar pattern: scale them to taste rather than by the exact ratio.
Cooking time does not scale with servings. A triple batch of cookies still bakes at the same temperature for the same time as a single batch, because each individual cookie is the same thickness. What changes with large batches is the pan setup: you may need more pans and more oven cycles. For large cuts of meat, use a meat thermometer rather than relying on scaled cooking times.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I halve a recipe exactly?
For most savory recipes, yes. Baking is more precise β leavening agents (baking powder, yeast) don't always scale linearly. Our calculator shows the math; adjust leavening slightly for best results.
How do I scale baking powder?
For large-scale increases, use slightly less baking powder than the ratio suggests. More than 1 tsp per cup of flour can make baked goods taste bitter and fall.
What doesn't scale well?
Spices and salt (start with 3/4 of the scaled amount and adjust), eggs (hard to divide), pan size (affects baking time), and cooking time (doesn't scale linearly).
How do I deal with odd egg fractions?
Half an egg = beat a whole egg and use half. Quarter egg = use 1 tablespoon of beaten egg. Egg substitutes work better for small quantities.
Does baking time change when scaling?
Usually not when scaling servings (same pan size). If using a larger/smaller pan, baking time changes. Smaller pans need less time; larger need more.