OTHER · RECIPE SCALING
Recipe Scaling Calculator
Scale any recipe up or down instantly. Enter original and desired servings, then add ingredients with quantities to see original and scaled amounts side-by-side.
| Ingredient | Original | Scaled |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 1 | 2 |
| Salt | 0.5 | 1 |
| Sugar | 2 | 4 |
About This Calculator
Enter your original serving count, your desired serving count, and each ingredient's quantity to instantly see how much of every ingredient you need. The calculator computes a scale factor (desired ÷ original) and applies it to every ingredient, showing the original and scaled amounts side-by-side.
How It Works
The scale factor is simply desiredServings ÷ originalServings. Every ingredient quantity is multiplied by that factor. For example, a recipe for 4 servings scaled to 12 gives a factor of 3 — a recipe calling for 2 cups of flour becomes 6 cups. The calculator handles any decimal serving count, so you can scale from 1.5 servings to 5 with equal precision.
The Formula
scaledQty = originalQty × (desiredServings ÷ originalServings)
- scaledQty
- scaled ingredient quantity
- originalQty
- original ingredient quantity
- desiredServings
- the number of servings you want to make
- originalServings
- the number of servings the original recipe makes
Frequently Asked Questions
- How do I scale a recipe from 4 servings to 10?
- Divide 10 by 4 to get a scale factor of 2.5. Multiply every ingredient quantity by 2.5. So 1 cup of flour becomes 2.5 cups, and 2 eggs becomes 5 eggs. This calculator does the math for you — just enter 4 in Original servings, 10 in Desired servings, and fill in each ingredient quantity.
- Does scaling work for baked goods?
- Scaling ingredient amounts by ratio works reliably for most baked goods, but be aware that baking times and temperatures may not scale linearly. A doubled cake recipe may need the same baking time as the original if baked in the same number of pans at the same size. Leavening agents (baking powder, baking soda, yeast) sometimes need slightly less than a straight multiplication when scaling very large batches — start with the calculated amount and adjust to taste.
- Can I enter fractional serving counts?
- Yes. The calculator accepts any positive number for original and desired servings, including decimals. For example, you can scale from 1.5 servings to 4.5 with a factor of exactly 3.
- What about ingredient units?
- The calculator works with any unit — cups, grams, ounces, tablespoons. Just be consistent within each ingredient. If a recipe calls for 200 grams of butter, enter 200 in the quantity field. The result will also be in grams.
- Why does the scale factor say "×1 (no change)"?
- When the original and desired serving counts are equal, the scale factor is exactly 1 and no ingredient quantity changes. Check that your desired servings differ from the original to see a scaled result.