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How Many 2/3 Are In A Cup? The Best Answer

How Many 2/3 Are In A Cup? The Best Answer

Knowing some useful measurement equivalents is a very useful tool in the kitchen. For instance, we know that ½ cup equals two ¼ cups and that two ½ cups equals 1 cup. 

But what if the figures are a little more difficult to imagine, for example, 1/3 cup or 2/3 cup?

What is the simplest way of figuring out let’s say, how many 2/3 cups are there in one cup?

How Many 2/3 Are in A Cup?

There is one and a half of 2/3 cups in one cup. Because 2/3 cup is equivalent to two 1/3 cups, and you need three 1/3 cups to make one full cup, you need 1 full 2/3 cup and half of it, or 1/3 cup, to make up one cup.  1/3 cup is the same as half of 2/3 cup.  

How Many 2/3 Are in A Cup?
How Many 2/3 Are in A Cup?

How Many 2/3 Are In A Cup?

To figure out how many 2/3 cups are in one cup, we must figure out how much we still need to make up one cup. To do this and make it easier to visualize, we must bring in the fraction form of 1 cup, in this case, 3/3.

Imagine a pie that is evenly divided into 3 parts. If someone with a big appetite took 2/3 of the pie, we know the following to be true:

  • Only 1/3, or 1 of 3 pieces of the pie is left.
  •  The piece that was just taken is made up of two pie blocks measuring 1/3 each.
  • Combining those two parts that were taken would make up 2/3 of the pie.
  • There is only one 2/3 in that whole pie (which was already taken)
  • The remaining 1/3 is exactly half of the piece that was taken.

To apply this to our cup measures, the whole pie can be thought of as our 1 cup, or 3/3 in fraction form. 

Only one 2/3 can fit into 3/3, or one cup. Should we want to fill it up to make up exactly one cup, we need to add another 1/3 cup.

2/3 + 1/3 = 3/3 or 1 cup

So 2/3 is actually the equivalent of two 1/3 cups. Stated in a different way, if you put two 1/3 cups together, you get 2/3 cups. So given this, 1/3 cup is actually considered half of 2/3 cups.

This leads us to our final answer:  In one cup, there is one 2/3 cup and one-half of 2/3 cup (which is actually equivalent to 1/3 cup).

Repeating our equation above:

2/3 cup + 1/3 cup (half of 2/3 cups) = 3/3 or 1 cup

Phew! I hope that didn’t make you dizzy!

Working with fractions in cooking can be a bit complicated sometimes but once you get the hang of it and you are able to visualize exactly how much you need, it should be easy to measure the next time you need to do it for your recipe.

There are three 1/3 cups in one cup, or one 2/3 and a half.
There are three 1/3 cups in one cup, or one 2/3 and a half.

How Many 1/3 Cups Make 2/3 Cups?

There are two 1/3 cups in 2/3 cups. 1/3 cups can also be thought of as half of 2/3 cups.

How Many 1/3 Cups Are in 1 Cup?

Three 1/3 cups make up one cup. An easy way to think of this is to think of 1 cup in its fraction form, 3/3.  There are three 1/3 cups in 3/3 or 1 cup.

How Many Tablespoons Are in 2/3 Cups?

The USDA states that in 2/3 cup, there are 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons.  If you find that you are missing your 2/3 cup or 1/3 cup measure, you can turn to your measuring spoons to measure 2/3 cup.

USEFUL MEASUREMENT EQUIVALENTS

1 Tablespoon 3 Teaspoons
1/8 Cup 2 Tablespoons
1/4 Cup 4 Tablespoons
1/3 Cup 5 Tablespoons + 1 Teaspoon
2/3 Cup 10 Tablespoons + 2 Teaspoons
3/4 Cup 12 Tablespoons
1 Cup 16 Tablespoons
1 Cup 8 Fluid Ounces
Agricultural Research Service, USDA

How Do I Measure 2/3 Cup?

To measure 2/3 cups, you have several options you can use.

1. Use a 2/3 Measuring Cup

Some measuring cup sets specifically include a 2/3 cup measure. This makes it easier to accurately measure 2/3 cup.

2. Fill a 1/3 Cup Measure – Twice

Since we know that 2/3 cup is made up of two 1/3 cups, you can simply use your 1/3 cup measure and fill it up twice.

3. Use Your Measuring Spoons

2/3 cup is equal to 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons. If you have your measuring spoons nearby, you can easily use this to measure 2/3 cups.

In the absence of cups, measuring spoons may be used. There are 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons in 2/3 cup.
In the absence of measuring cups, measuring spoons may also be used. There are 10 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons in 2/3 cup.

How Can I Measure 1 Cup?

If for some reason you lost your one-cup measuring cup, you can use the other measuring cups and measuring spoons in the mix to measure one cup.

  • Use 2/3 measuring cup + 1/3 measuring cup
  • Use 1/3 measuring cup and fill it up three times
  • Use 1/2 cup measuring cup and fill it up twice
  • Use 1/4 measuring cup and fill it up 4 times
  • This is for the very patient but you can use 16 tablespoons to equal one cup.
There are four 1/4 cups in 1 cup.
There are four 1/4 cups in 1 cup.

Can I Use A Liquid Measuring Cup to Measure 2/3 cup or 1 cup?

Liquid measuring cups are extremely useful to have along with the usual dry measuring cups.  Especially if you’re measuring liquid ingredients, they provide the convenience of having the equivalent amount in fluid ounces indicated on the line markings, which is especially handy if the liquids in your recipe is written in fluid ounces.

While not ideal, you may use a liquid measuring cup to measure your dry ingredients. Simply fill up your dry ingredients to the line measure that you need, whether it is 2/3 cup or 1 cup. For things like flour though, you can’t level this off when using a liquid cup measure, so it may affect your recipe a little bit.

Why Should We Measure Ingredients?

Measuring ingredients may seem like a chore sometimes but it is actually really important in cooking and baking, especially when you’re making things like bread or cake. 

1. Measuring ensures that recipes will have the right appearance, form, texture and taste

Measuring ingredients allows us to put in the right proportions of the ingredients to ensure that the recipe will turn out the way that it is supposed to.

In making things like bread or cake, an extra tablespoon of flour makes a huge difference and can spell the difference between a successfully delicious recipe and one that you will never make again.

2. Measuring allows us to duplicate the recipe in the future

Measurements also allow us to accurately account for the ingredients we use in our recipes so that we will be able to replicate the recipe without problems later on, in case we want to make it again. There’s nothing more disappointing than being a one-hit wonder in the kitchen.

3. Measuring allows us to keep track of our ingredient usage

When we measure ingredients, we keep track of how much of a particular ingredient we use, which can help us monitor our usage and ensure savings. 

Keeping track of how much we use can help us determine whether we need to buy more or less of a specific ingredient, and allows us to pick the most cost-effective packages to use for our cooking adventures.

Measuring ingredients helps recipes turn out properly, and helps us to manage our ingredient usage.
Measuring ingredients helps recipes turn out properly, and helps us to manage our ingredient usage.

How Do I Easily Reduce a Recipe In Half or In Thirds?

Sometimes, recipes are written to make big batches, and especially if you are only cooking for one or two people, the option to make a smaller batch should always be available.

This is where an understanding of kitchen measurement equivalents comes in handy. Knowing how to properly scale down (or scale up) your recipes is a skill that is extremely useful even for the average home cook.

Below is a simple, easy-to-refer-to cheat sheet that you can use in case you need help in scaling a recipe down in half, or in thirds.

HOW TO REDUCE A RECIPE IN HALF AND IN THIRDS

RECIPE SAYS: 1/2 of the Amount 1/3 of the Amount
1 cup 1/2 cup 1/3 cup
3/4 cup 6 Tbsp 1/4 cup
2/3 cup 1/3 cup 3 Tbsp + 1 1/2 tsp
1/2 cup 1/4 cup 2 Tbsp + 2 tsp
1/3 cup 2 tbsp + 2 tsp 1 Tbsp + 2 1/4 tsp
1/4 cup 2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp + 1 tsp
1 Tablespoon 1 1/2 tsp 1 tsp
1 teaspoon 1/2 tsp heaping 1/4 teaspoon
1/2 teaspoon 1/4 teaspoon 1/8 tsp
1/4 teaspoon 1/8 teaspoon scant 1/8 tsp or a dash
Source: University of Nebraska-Lincoln Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources

Frequently Asked Questions to How Many 2/3 Are In A Cup?

How Many 1/3 cups are in 1 Cup?

Three 1/3 cups make up one cup.

How Many 1/3 Cups are in 2/3 Cup?

There are two 1/3 cups in 2/3 cups. 1/3 cup is half of 2/3 cups.

How Many 3/4 Cups are in 1 Cup?

There are 1 and 1/3 of the ¾ cup measure in one cup.  ¾ cup is made up of three ¼ cups.  To make up one cup, you need one ¾ cup and ¼ cup, which is 1/3 of ¾ cup.

Conclusion to How Many 2/3 Are In A Cup?

Fractions as a unit of measure in cooking and baking can seem confusing at first, but knowing how to visualize them and work with them can make it easier for you to navigate your recipes.

Whether you are missing measuring cups or whether you just want to reduce a recipe in half or in thirds, knowing some basic measurement equivalents is an extremely useful tool that can help ensure that you achieve your intended results in the kitchen.