This recipe scaler adjusts ingredient quantities up or down for a different number of servings, keeping the proportions correct. It is the quick fix for cooking for a crowd, halving a recipe, or converting between cups, grams, and millilitres.
Scaling by servings
The scale factor is the servings you want divided by the servings the recipe makes. Multiply every ingredient by that factor and the dish stays balanced — double for twice the people, multiply by 0.5 to halve it. The calculator applies the factor across the whole ingredient list and can convert awkward results into sensible measures, so '1.5 eggs' or '0.75 cups' becomes something you can actually measure.
Most ingredients scale linearly, which is what makes this reliable for everyday cooking. Working in weight (grams) rather than volume (cups) gives the most accurate results, especially for baking, where small proportional errors show up in the finished texture.
What doesn't scale cleanly
Some things need judgement. Seasoning, strong spices, and raising agents often scale less than linearly — double the salt can be too much, and baking times change with pan size rather than quantity. Treat the scaled figures as an accurate starting point for the bulk ingredients, and taste and adjust the seasonings as you go.
A recipe serves 4 but you are cooking for 6.
- Scale factor = wanted ÷ original = 6 ÷ 4 = 1.5.
- Multiply each ingredient by 1.5 (200 g flour becomes 300 g).
- Round to practical amounts and adjust seasoning to taste.
Multiply every ingredient by 1.5 to take the recipe from 4 to 6 servings.
