Recipe Scaler
Paste your ingredient list, set the original and target servings, and every quantity scales instantly, written in the fractions cooks actually use. It is free and needs no account. Use it to cook for two from a recipe written for six, double a bake for a crowd, or switch between metric and imperial.
Original servings
Target servings
Scaled for 2
- 1 cup flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1 1/2 eggs
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 100 g butter
- 1/2 tbsp sugar
- salt to taste
How the recipe scaler works
- 01
Paste your ingredients, one per line, copied from any recipe.
- 02
Set the original servings and the servings you want, using the plus and minus stepper.
- 03
Read or copy the scaled list, with quantities shown as cook-friendly fractions, and toggle metric or imperial if the recipe uses different units than your kitchen.
Scaling a recipe up or down
Doubling and halving are just a multiplier: target servings divided by original servings. The scaler applies it to every line and does the fraction math for you, so 3/4 cup halved reads 1/3 cup rather than 0.375.
Cooking for one or two? Our guide to how to halve a recipe covers the egg, leavening, and pan-size rules,
Most ingredients scale in a straight line, but a few need a cook's judgement. Salt and strong spices are better added to taste when a recipe is multiplied a lot. Leavening such as baking powder in big bakes may not need a full multiple.
Cooking times change with the size and depth of the dish, not the serving count, so check doneness the usual way. For the full method, read the guide on how to scale a recipe for any number of servings.
A worked example
| Ingredient | 4 servings | 2 servings | 8 servings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Flour | 2 cups | 1 cup | 4 cups |
| Butter | 1/2 cup | 1/4 cup | 1 cup |
| Eggs | 3 | 2 (rounded from 1 1/2) | 6 |
Eggs and other countable items may need practical rounding: the scaler shows 1 1/2 eggs, and you choose whether to use 1 or 2.
FAQ
What is a recipe scaler?
A recipe scaler adjusts every ingredient quantity in a recipe when you change the number of servings. Cook a dish written for 4 as a dish for 2 or for 10, without doing the fractions yourself.
How do I scale a recipe with Cook The List?
Paste the recipe link, create your free account, then use the servings stepper (plus and minus buttons) on the recipe. Every ingredient quantity updates to match the new serving count, and the shopping list you generate uses the scaled amounts.
Can I scale a recipe up as well as down?
Yes. The stepper works both ways, so a recipe for 2 can become a recipe for 8 for a dinner party, and a recipe for 6 can become a recipe for 3 on a quiet weeknight.
Does baking scale exactly?
The quantities scale exactly; a few ingredients still deserve judgement. Salt, spices, and chilli are usually best at slightly less than the straight multiple, and baking soda in large, acidic recipes can be rounded down a touch. Our guide to halving a recipe explains the rules.
Does the scaler handle metric and imperial?
Yes. Recipes can be switched between metric and imperial units, so a recipe written in grams can be cooked in cups and ounces, and the shopping list follows the units you shop in.
Turn it into a shopping list.
Cook The List turns your scaled recipe into a shopping list grouped by store category. A free account saves your recipes and lists.
Planning the whole week? See how to combine several recipes into one shopping list,
See how it works