TidyToolsHow to scale a recipe up or down
Scaling a recipe is just multiplication. Divide the number of servings you want by the number the recipe makes to get a scaling factor, then multiply every ingredient by it. Doubling a recipe? That's a factor of 2. Making half? A factor of 0.5. This tool gives you the factor and, if you type in one ingredient amount, the new quantity too — so you can check the awkward ones without doing the maths in your head.
Enter what the recipe serves, how many you want, and optionally an ingredient amount to convert.
A worked example
A recipe serves 4 but you're feeding 6. The factor is 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5. So 200 g of flour becomes 300 g, 2 eggs becomes 3, and so on — multiply everything by 1.5.
Tips
- Round sensibly — you can't use 1.5 eggs, so round to whole units where it matters.
- Go easy on strong flavours — salt, spices, and leavening don't always scale perfectly; taste as you go.
- Cooking time changes less than quantity — a bigger batch may need a little longer, but not proportionally.
- Pan size matters when scaling bakes — use a bigger tin or the depth will be off.
Frequently asked questions
How do I scale a recipe?
Divide the servings you want by the servings the recipe makes to get a multiplier, then multiply every ingredient by it.
Does cooking time scale too?
Not directly. A larger batch may need a little more time, but nowhere near proportional — check for doneness rather than trusting a scaled time.
Do spices and salt scale the same?
Not always. Strong seasonings and leavening agents can overpower when scaled up, so add a little less and taste as you go.