How to double a recipe
Multiply every amount by two, then measure it the easy way. The amounts are simple; the pan, the bowl and the baking time need more thought.
2 × ¾ cup is 1 ½ cups, and 2 × 2 tsp is 4 tsp. 2 × ⅓ cup: ⅔ cup 2 × 3 tbsp: ¼ cup + 2 tbsp 2 × ½ tsp: 1 tsp
Double a recipe in three steps
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Paste the ingredients into the recipe scaler and choose 2×. Spoons add up into cups for you: 12 tablespoons show as ¾ cup.
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Check that the batch fits: a pan about twice the area, and a bowl or mixer with room to spare.
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Bake or cook by the recipe's sign of doneness, not the clock. A deeper pan or pot takes longer.
Doubling chart
| Recipe says | Doubled | Measure it with |
|---|---|---|
| 2 ¼ cups | 4 ½ cups | 4 ½ cups |
| 1 ¾ cups | 3 ½ cups | 3 ½ cups |
| 1 ½ cups | 3 cups | 3 cups |
| 1 cup | 2 cups | 2 cups |
| ¾ cup | 1 ½ cups | 1 ½ cups |
| ⅔ cup | 1 ⅓ cups | 1 ⅓ cups |
| ½ cup | 1 cup | 1 cup |
| ⅓ cup | ⅔ cup | ⅔ cup |
| ¼ cup | ½ cup | ½ cup |
| 3 tbsp | 6 tbsp | ¼ cup + 2 tbsp |
| 2 tbsp | 4 tbsp | ¼ cup |
| 1 tbsp | 2 tbsp | 2 tbsp |
| 2 tsp | 4 tsp | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| 1 tsp | 2 tsp | 2 tsp |
| ½ tsp | 1 tsp | 1 tsp |
| ¼ tsp | ½ tsp | ½ tsp |
“Measure it with” uses a standard set of US measuring cups (1, ½, ⅓ and ¼ cup) and spoons.
Example: chocolate chip cookies, doubled
The scaler's example recipe, doubled. Cookies are the easy case: each one bakes for the same time, so only the number of trays changes.
| Recipe | Doubled |
|---|---|
| 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour | 4 ½ cups all-purpose flour |
| 1 tsp baking soda | 2 tsp baking soda |
| 1/2 tsp salt | 1 tsp salt |
| 1 cup butter, softened | 2 cups butter, softened |
| 3/4 cup sugar | 1 ½ cups sugar |
| 3/4 cup brown sugar | 1 ½ cups brown sugar |
| 2 eggs | 4 eggs |
| 2 tsp vanilla extract | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp vanilla extract |
| 2 cups chocolate chips | 4 cups chocolate chips |
In a big batch, weighing saves the most work: 4 ½ cups of all-purpose flour is 563 g, one pour onto a scale instead of nine scoops. See all-purpose flour in grams and the guide to measuring flour.
What changes besides the amounts
The pan
Use a pan with about twice the area. An 8-inch square (64 sq in) doubles to 128 sq in, close to a 9 × 13 (117 sq in), where the batter sits a little deeper.
Baking time
Cookies, cupcakes and biscuits keep their time. Deeper cakes, breads and casseroles take longer, but not twice as long: go by the doneness test.
The mixer
An overfull stand mixer or food processor mixes unevenly and can overwork dough. If the bowl looks crowded, mix in two batches.
Rice and grains
Rice cooked until the water is absorbed does not need double the water. For a big batch, boil it in plenty of water and drain it like pasta.
Soups and stews
A bigger pot has less surface for its volume, so liquid reduces more slowly. Add the last of the salt at the end, to taste.
Two batches
For a cake or bread you have not made before, making the recipe twice is the safest way to get the result it describes.
Questions
What is ⅓ cup doubled?
⅔ cup.
What is ¾ cup doubled?
1 ½ cups.
Do I double the baking time?
No. Cookies and cupcakes bake for the same time. A deeper cake or casserole takes longer, but not twice as long; check it from the recipe's original time on.
Can I triple a recipe the same way?
Yes: choose 3× in the scaler. The same points about pans, mixers and time apply, more so.
Sources
- America’s Test Kitchen, “No, You Can’t Always Just Double a Recipe” (2024) — baking time for individual portions and for pans, mixer capacity, rice and evaporation, two batches
- USDA FoodData Central, food 168894 — “Wheat flour, white, all-purpose, enriched, bleached”: 1 cup = 125 g
Amounts use US cups and spoons (1 cup = 16 tablespoons = 48 teaspoons). Checked against these sources on October 23, 2026.