Recipe Scaling Calculator

Scale a recipe up or down to the right number of servings, and find the new amount for each ingredient.

New amount
300.00
1.5× the recipe
Scaling factor
1.50×
Original amount
200.00

How to use the calculator

  1. Enter how many servings the recipe is originally written for.
  2. Enter how many servings you actually want to make.
  3. Enter the amount of one ingredient (e.g. "200" for 200 g flour), and get the new amount.

How the scaling is calculated

The calculator first finds a scaling factor based on the ratio between the desired and original number of servings:

Scaling factor = Desired servings ÷ Original servings
New amount = Recipe amount × Scaling factor

You can repeat the calculation for every ingredient in the recipe using the same scaling factor — just swap in the number for that particular ingredient. Things like spices, salt and acid (e.g. lemon juice or vinegar) should often be scaled a bit more cautiously than purely proportionally, since flavor doesn't always scale linearly. Taste as you go and adjust as needed, especially for large changes in serving count.

Note: Baking time and temperature don't change proportionally with the amount. A double batch of cake doesn't need double the baking time — adjust pan size and baking time separately, and use a food thermometer or toothpick test to check doneness.

Frequently asked questions

Does baking time scale proportionally with the amount?

No. Baking time relates to heat conduction and the size of the pan, not just the amount of ingredients. A double batch usually only needs slightly longer baking time, not double — check with a toothpick test or food thermometer instead.

Should I scale spices and salt the same as other ingredients?

Not necessarily. Strong flavors like spices, salt, chili and acid (lemon, vinegar) often taste stronger than purely proportional at large amounts, so it can be worth scaling these a bit more cautiously and tasting as you go.

How do I use this to scale the whole recipe?

Calculate the scaling factor once using the original and desired number of servings. Then apply the same factor to the amount of each individual ingredient in the recipe, one by one.