How Many Tablespoons in 1/3 Cup? Easy Conversion Guide

Standing in the kitchen with a recipe that calls for 1/3 cup and only finding your tablespoon measure can be frustrating. The good news is that the conversion is simple: 1/3 cup equals 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.

1/3 cup in tablespoons: 5 tbsp + 1 tsp · 1/3 cup in teaspoons: 16 tsp · 1/3 cup in milliliters: 79 ml · 1/3 cup in fluid ounces: 2.7 fl oz · 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp equals: 1/3 cup

Five key conversions, one pattern: every fraction of a cup can be expressed in tablespoons and teaspoons with simple math.

The catch: while the ratios are fixed, actual ingredient weight changes — flour and sugar have different densities, so volume alone doesn’t guarantee the same mass.

How many tablespoons are in 1/3 cup?

The direct answer: 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon. This is based on the US customary system where 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons. One third of 16 is 5.33, so you get 5 full tablespoons and one of the three teaspoons that make up the remaining 0.33 tablespoon.

Tablespoon conversion for 1/3 cup

• 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon (Recipes and Places (cooking resource))
• 1/3 cup = 5.33 tablespoons (decimal form) (Erren’s Kitchen (cooking blog))
• 1 cup = 16 tablespoons (base ratio) (My Heavenly Recipes (food blog))

Teaspoon conversion for 1/3 cup

• 1/3 cup = 16 teaspoons (My Heavenly Recipes (food blog))
• 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons (My Heavenly Recipes (food blog))
• So 5 tbsp × 3 = 15 tsp + 1 tsp = 16 tsp total

How do I make 1/3 cup?

You don’t need a dedicated 1/3 measuring cup. Two easy methods using standard spoons and a 1/4 cup work just as well.

Using 1/4 cup and 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon

• Fill a 1/4 cup measure (4 tablespoons) — My Heavenly Recipes (food blog) confirms 1/4 cup = 4 tbsp.
• Add 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon to reach exactly 1/3 cup (The Harvest Kitchen (food blog)).
• Total = 4 tbsp + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp = 5 tbsp + 1 tsp.

Using 5 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon

• Scoop 5 level tablespoons of your ingredient.
• Add 1 level teaspoon (Recipes and Places (cooking resource)).
• This method works for both dry and liquid ingredients.

The implication: no need to own every cup size. With tablespoons and teaspoons, you can reliably construct any fraction of a cup.

How many 1/4 cups make 1/3?

This is a common point of confusion in the kitchen. One 1/4 cup is 4 tablespoons; 1/3 cup is 5.33 tablespoons. So one 1/4 cup is not enough, and two 1/4 cups is too much.

Fractional relationship between 1/4 and 1/3 cup

• 1/4 cup = 4 tablespoons (My Heavenly Recipes (food blog))
• 1/3 cup = 5.33 tablespoons
• The difference = 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon
• To make 1/3 cup from a 1/4 cup, add 1 tbsp + 1 tsp.

How to Measure 1/3 Cup Without a Measuring Cup

When your 1/3 cup is missing or dirty, these step-by-step methods use tools you already have.

1. Using tablespoons: Scoop 5 level tablespoons of your ingredient. Then add 1 level teaspoon. (The Harvest Kitchen (food blog))
2. Using 1/4 cup + tablespoon + teaspoon: Fill a 1/4 cup, then add 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon. (Recipes and Places (cooking resource))
3. Using only 1/4 cup: Not possible alone — you’ll be 1 tbsp + 1 tsp short. Use the combination above.
4. Digital scale method: For dry ingredients, look up the weight of 1/3 cup of that ingredient and weigh it. E.g., 1/3 cup all-purpose flour weighs about 42 g.

Clarity check

Confirmed facts

• 1/3 cup = 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon in US customary measurement (Recipes and Places (cooking resource))
• 1/3 cup = 16 teaspoons (My Heavenly Recipes (food blog))
• 1/3 cup ≈ 79 ml / 2.7 fl oz (Erren’s Kitchen (cooking blog))
• 1/4 cup + 1 tbsp + 1 tsp equals 1/3 cup (Recipes and Places (cooking resource))

What’s unclear

• The exact weight of 1/3 cup depends on ingredient density — not all 1/3 cups weigh the same.
• Tablespoon volume can vary by country (e.g., Australian tablespoon is 20 ml vs US 15 ml) (Erren’s Kitchen (cooking blog)).

Expert perspectives

In US cooking measurements, 1 cup equals 16 tablespoons. One-third of a cup is therefore 5 1/3 tablespoons — exactly 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.

— Recipes and Places (cooking resource)

A practical no-measuring-cup method is to use 5 tablespoons and 1 teaspoon to approximate 1/3 cup. This works for butter, flour, sugar, and oil.

— The Harvest Kitchen (food blog)

1/3 cup equals about 78.86 milliliters and about 2.67 fluid ounces. Keep in mind that tablespoon volume can vary slightly by country.

— Erren’s Kitchen (cooking blog)

Summary

Knowing how many tablespoons are in 1/3 cup saves time and eliminates guessing. For any home cook in the US, the 5-tablespoon-plus-1-teaspoon rule is your reliable shortcut. For bakers who weigh ingredients, the same volume applies — but always check the specific weight for flour, sugar, or butter. Memorize this conversion once, and you’ll never second-guess a 1/3 cup measurement again.

Frequently asked questions

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