Recipe scaler
Scale a recipe up or down to a different number of servings, or — if you already have a fixed amount of one ingredient — work out how many servings you can actually make.
Result
Scaled amount
Scale factor
Result
Servings you can make
How to use this tool
- Enter how many servings the recipe originally makes, and how many you want.
- Enter the amount of one ingredient the original recipe calls for.
- Read the scaled amount for your target servings, and use the same scale factor for every other ingredient.
Assumptions
- Assumes a linear scale-up works for every ingredient — in practice, things like spices, leavening agents (baking powder/yeast) and cooking time don't always scale perfectly linearly, especially for large changes.
Technical details: what the fields mean
- Original servings
originalServings - How many servings the recipe as written makes.
- Servings you want
newServings - How many servings you actually want to make.
- Ingredient amount
ingredientAmount - The amount of one ingredient in the original recipe — apply the same scale factor to every other ingredient.
Methodology
Scale factor = target servings ÷ original servings. Scaled amount = ingredient amount × scale factor.
Worked example
Scale a 4-serving recipe to 6 servings
Inputs: Original servings: 4, Servings you want: 6, Ingredient amount: 200g flour
Result: Scale factor = 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5; use 300g flour (200g × 1.5). Apply the same factor to other ingredients, but adjust seasoning, leavening and cooking time as needed.
Reverse: a 4-serving recipe needs 200g flour but you only have 150g
Inputs: Original servings: 4, Amount the recipe calls for: 200, Amount you actually have: 150
Result: 3.0 servings — scale every other ingredient by 150 ÷ 200 = 0.75.
Awkward count ingredients: scaling 3 eggs by 0.5
Inputs: Original servings: 4, Servings you want: 2, Ingredient amount: 3
Result: 1.5 eggs. Beat 2 eggs together and use roughly three-quarters of the mix by weight, or round to 1 or 2 and adjust the liquid slightly — count items can't be split exactly.
Practical guidance
- Use the scale factor shown here to scale every other ingredient in the recipe by the same multiplier.
- For large scale-ups, taste and adjust strong flavourings (salt, spice, chilli) rather than scaling them perfectly linearly.
Common mistakes
- Scaling leavening agents (baking powder, yeast, bicarbonate of soda) perfectly linearly for a large batch — these often need proportionally less as quantities increase.
FAQs
How do I scale a recipe for more servings?
Divide your target servings by the original servings to get a scale factor, then multiply every ingredient by that factor — this calculator does the multiplication for you.
I have a fixed amount of an ingredient — how many servings can I make?
Use reverse mode below: enter the original recipe's servings and ingredient amount, plus what you actually have.
Should I change the tin size or cooking time when I scale a bake?
Usually yes. A bigger batch in the same tin is deeper and needs longer at a similar or slightly lower temperature; a bigger tin at the same depth cooks in roughly the original time. Use the cake tin & baking pan size converter to match tin sizes, and check doneness rather than relying on the clock.
How precise should scaled amounts be?
Weigh rather than use cups once you scale, and round sensibly — 2 decimal places of a gram is more precision than a kitchen scale offers. Small-quantity ingredients like salt and raising agents are where rounding matters most.
Last reviewed: 2026-10-11
Assumes perfectly linear scaling — cooking/baking time, leavening and strong flavourings often need manual adjustment for large scale changes.
This tool provides an indicative estimate, based on the assumptions stated above.
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