Serving Size Calculator
Enter how many people the recipe serves and how many you want to feed, then up to three ingredient amounts. The calculator gives the scaling factor and the new quantities.
- Any recipe
- Scale up or down
- Eggs rounded sensibly
Use any ingredient amounts. Leave one at 0 if you do not need it.
Scaling a recipe is mostly multiplication, with a few exceptions. Multiply every ingredient by new servings divided by old servings. Salt, spices and baking powder need a lighter hand when you scale up a lot, and cooking times change with the size of the pan, not the amount of food.
Recipe scaling chart
Factor for common changes. Search for a size.
| Recipe serves | Make for 2 | Make for 6 | Make for 8 | Make for 12 | Make for 20 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 10 |
| 4 | 0.5 | 1.5 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
| 6 | 0.33 | 1 | 1.33 | 2 | 3.33 |
| 8 | 0.25 | 0.75 | 1 | 1.5 | 2.5 |
| 10 | 0.2 | 0.6 | 0.8 | 1.2 | 2 |
| 12 | 0.17 | 0.5 | 0.67 | 1 | 1.67 |
Multiply each ingredient by the factor. For example, a recipe for 4 made for 10 uses 2.5 times everything.
Servings and quantity
A recipe for four. Slide the servings.
Doubling is easy. Going to ten times is where pans, ovens and seasoning need extra thought.
How to scale a recipe
One factor for everything. Step through it.
Find the factor
New servings ÷ old servings.
Weigh ingredients rather than using cups when you scale. Errors in cup measures multiply along with the recipe.
What scales and what does not
Not everything is linear. Compare them.
Flour, meat, vegetables, liquids, butter and sugar.
Salt, spices, chilli and strong flavours.
Cooking time and oven temperature depend on the pan.
Baking is less forgiving than cooking. For cakes, it is often better to bake two batches than one giant one.
Cooking for a crowd
Plan ahead. Tick each item.
Tick each item as you go.
Big pots take longer to come to the boil and to cool down. Allow extra time and cool leftovers quickly in shallow containers.
What you get
New amounts at a glance. Each tile explains one result.
How much bigger or smaller.
Old and new.
Scaled grams.
Scaled millilitres.
Rounded to whole eggs.
Eggs are rounded to whole numbers. If the exact figure is close to a half, beat an extra egg and use half of it.
Frequently Asked Questions
No question matches that search.
How do I scale a recipe?
Divide the servings you want by the recipe servings, then multiply every ingredient by that number.
How do I double a recipe?
Multiply everything by two, but season to taste and check the cooking time.
Do I double the baking powder?
Yes for a straight double. For bigger batches, use slightly less and bake in more tins.
How do I halve an egg?
Beat it and use about 25 g, half of a medium egg.
Does cooking time change when I scale?
It depends on pan depth more than quantity. A deeper dish takes longer.
How do I scale from 4 to 6 servings?
Multiply by 1.5.
Is it better to weigh or use cups?
Weigh. Measurement errors multiply when you scale.
Any recipe, any size
Find the factor, multiply each ingredient and round sensibly. Go easy on salt and spices, adjust your pans, and a recipe for four will feed twenty just as well.
More size calculators
Each one has its own calculator, worked examples and answers to common questions.