How to scale a recipe up or down
A dinner recipe for four that needs to feed six, a test batch of twelve cookies that should become three — scaling a recipe is one multiplication per ingredient, and doing it by hand is where mistakes creep in. Enter the servings, paste the list, and get the adjusted quantities.
Step by step
Open the recipe scaler
Start the free scaler — the math runs in your browser.
Enter the original servings
Type the serving count the recipe was written for, such as 4.
Enter the target servings
Type how many you actually want to serve, such as 6.
Paste the ingredient list
One ingredient per line, with quantities as decimals (2), simple fractions (3/4), or mixed numbers (1 1/2).
Read the scaled list
Every recognized quantity is multiplied by the factor — 4 to 6 servings is 1.5×, so 2 cups of flour becomes 3 cups — with units and names unchanged.
Tips that save a second try
The parser does not understand Unicode fraction symbols, ranges like 2–3, or amounts like “to taste” — unrecognized rows show a question mark, so scan for those.
Scaling changes quantities only: pan size, oven temperature, proofing time, and cooking time all still need a cook's judgment.
Results display up to three decimal places; round awkward values like 2.25 cups to a measurable amount when precision does not matter.
Common questions
How is the scale factor calculated?
It is target servings divided by original servings. Going from 4 to 6 servings gives 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5, so each recognized quantity is multiplied by 1.5.
Can I enter mixed fractions?
Yes. Enter a whole number, a space, and a fraction, such as “1 1/2.” Plain fractions such as “3/4” also work.