Quick Answer
To make 4 fluid ounces you need 8 tablespoons. One tablespoon is equal to 0.5 fluid ounces. Since there are 16 tablespoons in 1 cup and 4 ounces is half a cup, there are 8 tablespoons in 4 ounces.
Measuring Equivalents for Volume
When measuring volume, there are several different units used, including:
- Cups
- Ounces
- Tablespoons
- Teaspoons
- Milliliters
It’s important to understand the equivalents between these units in order to accurately measure out ingredients for recipes.
Here are some key volume equivalents:
Cups to Ounces
- 1 cup = 8 fluid ounces
- 2 cups = 16 fluid ounces
Ounces to Tablespoons
- 1 fluid ounce = 2 tablespoons
- 2 fluid ounces = 4 tablespoons
- 4 fluid ounces = 8 tablespoons
Tablespoons to Teaspoons
- 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons
- 2 tablespoons = 6 teaspoons
Milliliters to Ounces
- 30 ml = 1 fluid ounce
- 60 ml = 2 fluid ounces
- 120 ml = 4 fluid ounces
Knowing these equivalents allows you to convert between units easily. For example, if a recipe calls for 2 cups of milk and you only have a measuring cup that measures in ounces, you would know that 2 cups is equivalent to 16 fluid ounces.
Converting Between Volume Measurements
Being able to convert between different units of volume is very useful for cooking and baking. Here are some examples of converting between cups, ounces, tablespoons, and teaspoons:
Cups to Tablespoons
To convert from cups to tablespoons:
- 1 cup = 16 tablespoons
- 1⁄2 cup = 8 tablespoons
- 1⁄4 cup = 4 tablespoons
For example, if a recipe calls for 1⁄2 cup of honey, you would use 8 tablespoons of honey.
Ounces to Teaspoons
To convert from fluid ounces to teaspoons:
- 1 fluid ounce = 6 teaspoons
- 2 fluid ounces = 12 teaspoons
- 4 fluid ounces = 24 teaspoons
So if you needed to measure out 4 ounces of vanilla extract, you would use 24 teaspoons.
Tablespoons to Cups
To convert from tablespoons back to cups:
- 3 tablespoons = 1⁄8 cup
- 4 tablespoons = 1⁄4 cup
- 5 tablespoons + 1 teaspoon = 1⁄3 cup
- 8 tablespoons = 1⁄2 cup
- 10 tablespoons + 2 teaspoons = 2⁄3 cup
- 12 tablespoons = 3⁄4 cup
- 16 tablespoons = 1 cup
For example, if you needed to convert 11 tablespoons to cups, you would divide by 16 tablespoons per cup, equaling 0.6875 cups.
How Many Ounces in Common Cooking Measurements
It’s helpful to know how many fluid ounces are in some common cooking measurements:
| Measurement | Fluid Ounces |
|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 0.5 oz |
| 1 jigger (bartending measure) | 1.5 oz |
| 1 shot (bartending measure) | 1-1.5 oz |
| 1⁄4 cup | 2 oz |
| 1⁄3 cup | 2.6 oz |
| 1⁄2 cup | 4 oz |
| 2⁄3 cup | 5.3 oz |
| 3⁄4 cup | 6 oz |
This allows you to quickly estimate the number of fluid ounces if you know the measuring cup amount. For example, if a cocktail recipe calls for 1 jigger of liquor, you would know that equals 1.5 fluid ounces.
Converting Between Grams and Ounces
In cooking, recipes may call for ingredient amounts by weight in either grams or ounces. It’s useful to know conversions between the two units:
- 1 ounce = 28.35 grams
- To convert ounces to grams, multiply ounces by 28.35
- 1 gram = 0.035 ounces
- To convert grams to ounces, multiply grams by 0.035
Some common conversions include:
- 4 ounces = 113 grams
- 8 ounces = 227 grams
- 16 ounces (1 pound) = 454 grams
- 100 grams = 3.5 ounces
- 454 grams = 16 ounces (1 pound)
So if a recipe calls for 8 ounces of cheese, you would measure out 227 grams on a kitchen scale. Going from grams to ounces or ounces to grams allows you to accurately measure ingredients.
Metric Conversions
The metric system is based on the gram for weight and the liter for volume. Here are some key conversions to the metric system:
- 1 kilogram = 1000 grams
- 1 liter = 1000 milliliters
- 1 milliliter = 0.0338 fluid ounces
- 100 milliliters = 3.38 fluid ounces
Some handy conversions include:
- 500 milliliters = 16.9 fluid ounces (about 1 pint)
- 1 liter = 33.8 fluid ounces (about 1 quart)
- 1 kilogram = 35.2 ounces
So if an international recipe calls for 250 ml of milk, you would convert that to 8.45 fluid ounces to measure it out. The metric system provides standardized measurements used around the world except in the United States.
Using Volume Conversions in Baking
Accurately measuring ingredients by their proper volumes is especially important in baking. Since baking relies on chemical reactions, the right proportions of ingredients must be used.
Some examples of utilizing volume conversions for baking:
- If a recipe calls for 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract, use 1/3 tablespoon instead since 1 tablespoon = 3 teaspoons.
- When measuring 1 cup of flour, make sure not to scoop the flour directly from the bag. Instead, spoon it into a measuring cup for an accurate 1 cup measure.
- If you only have a gram scale, you can still measure out tablespoons or cups of ingredients. For example, 46 grams = 1/4 cup of sugar.
- To convert fluid ounces to cups: 1/8 cup = 1 fluid ounce, 1/4 cup = 2 fluid ounces, 1/2 cup = 4 fluid ounces.
- When portioning out cookie dough, use tablespoons to accurately measure the same amount for each cookie.
Having an understanding of volume measurements allows you to precisely measure ingredients for baked goods. This prevents over or under-measuring components which could lead to baking failures.
Tips for Accurately Measuring Volume
To get the most accurate measurements of volume in cooking:
- Use measuring spoons or cups made for dry or liquid ingredients rather than general household spoons or cups.
- Measure liquids at eye level with the markings on the measuring cup for an exact readout.
- When measuring cups or tablespoons of dry goods like flour, spoon it into the cup and level off the top using a knife.
- For sticky ingredients like honey or molasses, spray the measuring cup or spoon with nonstick spray first to help it slide right out.
- When doubling recipe ingredient amounts, carefully measure out each ingredient separately rather than trying to multiply while measuring.
- Use a scale for the most precise measurement of dry ingredients like spices, baking powder, or coffee.
- Use the “spoon and sweep” method when measuring out spoonfuls of dry goods, using a finger to sweep off any excess.
Accurately following recipe instructions for measuring volume provides the best chance of food and baked goods turning out as intended.
Conclusions
Knowing the equivalent measurements between cups, fluid ounces, tablespoons, teaspoons, and grams/kilograms allows you to properly convert volume amounts for recipes. To specifically answer the original question, 4 fluid ounces converts to 8 tablespoons. This equivalency is important for measuring out ingredients precisely so that recipes work out correctly. Proper volume measurement techniques also ensure accuracy, especially for baking recipes which rely on the right proportions. With the helpful volume conversions and tips provided above, you’ll be able to correctly convert and measure ingredients for all kinds of recipes.
