Recipes have a habit of asking for the measure that is missing from the drawer. The good news is that awkward fractions are usually easier to build than they look. This guide shows the quickest method for 2/3 cup, a full conversion chart from 1/8 to 7/8 cup, practical gram references for flour, sugar, and butter, and the measuring habits that matter most.
The fastest fix / 01
How to measure 2/3 cup with a 1-cup measure
Fill a 1-cup dry measure and level it. Then remove one level 1/3-cup measure. What remains is 2/3 cup because 1 cup minus 1/3 cup equals 2/3 cup. This is convenient when both measures are clean and the ingredient is forgiving.
If the 1/3-cup measure is unavailable, build the amount with 10 level tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. For a precision bake, use the scale method instead: the practical flour reference used here is about 80g for 2/3 cup when flour is spooned and leveled.
Method A
Subtract from one cup
Fill, level, and remove 1/3 cup. It is the quickest approach, but two measurements mean two chances for a packing or leveling error.
Fastest for everyday cookingMethod B
Build with spoons
Measure 10 level tablespoons and add 2 teaspoons. It takes longer, but small spoonfuls can be easier to control than removing a portion from a full cup.
Useful when a cup is missingMethod C
Weigh the ingredient
Place the bowl on a scale, tare it, and add the ingredient’s gram weight. The mass stays the same even when the ingredient’s texture or packing changes.
Most repeatable for bakingBookmark this / 02
Master chart for odd cup amounts
US customary measures use 16 tablespoons or 48 teaspoons per cup. The “build it” column translates each fraction into familiar measures without asking you to estimate a line on the side of a cup.
| Cup amount | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Fluid ounces | Build it with common measures |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 2 tbsp | 6 tsp | 1 fl oz | 2 tbsp |
| 1/4 cup | 4 tbsp | 12 tsp | 2 fl oz | 1/4 cup |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tbsp + 1 tsp | 16 tsp | 2 2/3 fl oz | 1/3 cup |
| 3/8 cup | 6 tbsp | 18 tsp | 3 fl oz | 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tbsp | 24 tsp | 4 fl oz | 1/2 cup |
| 5/8 cup | 10 tbsp | 30 tsp | 5 fl oz | 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tbsp + 2 tsp | 32 tsp | 5 1/3 fl oz | 1/3 cup twice or 1 cup − 1/3 cup |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tbsp | 36 tsp | 6 fl oz | 1/2 cup + 1/4 cup |
| 7/8 cup | 14 tbsp | 42 tsp | 7 fl oz | 3/4 cup + 2 tbsp |
A useful memory pattern: eighths make whole tablespoons because 1/8 cup is 2 tablespoons. Thirds land between tablespoons, so teaspoons finish the measurement.
The ingredient changes everything / 03
Practical gram weights for flour, sugar, and butter
The same volume does not have the same mass for every ingredient. These are kitchen estimates calculated from 120g per cup for spooned-and-leveled all-purpose flour, 200g per cup for granulated sugar, and 227g per cup for butter. Treat them as useful references, not laboratory constants.
| Cup amount | Flour | Granulated sugar | Butter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1/8 cup | 15g | 25g | 28g |
| 1/3 cup | 40g | 67g | 76g |
| 1/2 cup | 60g | 100g | 113g |
| 2/3 cup | 80g | 133g | 151g |
| 3/4 cup | 90g | 150g | 170g |
Butter is especially convenient because many wrappers include tablespoon markings. For flour, weighing is usually simpler than trying to keep a partial cup perfectly aerated and level.
Quick math / 04
Answers for common 2/3-cup questions
How many 2/3 cups fill 1 cup?
One and a half. The calculation is 1 ÷ 2/3 = 1.5.
What is 2/3 cup doubled?
1 1/3 cups. Use 1 cup plus 1/3 cup.
What is half of 2/3 cup?
1/3 cup, or 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
What is 2/3 cup tripled?
Exactly 2 cups, which is useful when scaling a recipe by three.
Is 2/3 the same as 3/4 cup?
No. 3/4 cup is 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon more.
Can I swap the two?
Do not swap them in precision baking; the extra volume changes the ingredient ratio.
Avoid the drift / 05
Four measuring mistakes that change a bake
Scooping flour straight from the bag
Dipping the cup can compact flour and put noticeably more mass into the same labeled volume. Spoon it in and level it, or weigh it.
Using a liquid jug for dry ingredients
Dry measures are filled to the rim and leveled; liquid jugs leave room for carrying and pouring. Use the right type for the job.
Pressing or tapping to pack
Settling flour or pressing ingredients down adds mass without changing the written cup amount. Pack only when the recipe says packed, as with many brown sugar recipes.
Leaving the surface heaped
A heaped 2/3 cup is not 2/3 cup. Sweep a straight edge across the rim so the amount is level and repeatable.
The useful shortcut / 06
When the fraction gets annoying, weigh it
Volume is practical, but grams remove the ambiguity. Enter the ingredient and amount in the PantryGauge converter to apply the ingredient’s density and keep the calculation visible.
Open the converterReference note: PantryGauge uses ingredient-specific practical estimates and states the measuring method instead of presenting one universal number. See the King Arthur Baking ingredient chart as a comparative baking reference and Google’s people-first content guidance for the editorial approach.
Common questions / 07
Odd-cup measurement FAQ
How do I measure 2/3 cup with a 1-cup measure?
Fill and level the 1-cup measure, then remove one level 1/3-cup measure. The remaining volume is 2/3 cup. For a more repeatable result with flour, weigh 80g using the 120g-per-cup reference.
How do I measure 2/3 cup without a 1/3-cup measure?
Use 10 level tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons. It is slower than subtracting from a full cup, but it avoids relying on a missing 1/3-cup measure.
How many 2/3 cups are in 1 cup?
One and a half. Dividing 1 by 2/3 gives 1.5.
Is 2/3 cup the same as 3/4 cup?
No. 3/4 cup is 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon more than 2/3 cup.
What is half of 2/3 cup?
1/3 cup, or 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon.
How many grams is 2/3 cup of flour?
Using a 120g-per-cup spoon-and-level reference, 2/3 cup is about 80g. Brand, aeration, and packing can change the practical result.
Is it better to measure by weight or volume?
Weight is usually more repeatable because grams measure mass directly. Volume can still work when the recipe states the ingredient and method clearly.