There are 8 tablespoons in a stick of butter. That is the answer, and it is printed on the wrapper of every stick of American butter: 1 stick equals 8 tablespoons, which equals half a cup, which equals 4 ounces, which equals 113 grams. If a recipe calls for 4 tablespoons of butter, use half a stick. If it calls for 12 tablespoons, use a stick and a half. This page gives you the table, the cutting examples, and the reason the tablespoon marks exist — so you can measure butter without a scale or a cup.
The conversion table
| Sticks of butter | Tablespoons | Cups | Ounces | Grams |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1/4 stick | 2 tbsp | 1/8 cup | 1 oz | 28.4 g |
| 1/2 stick | 4 tbsp | 1/4 cup | 2 oz | 56.7 g |
| 3/4 stick | 6 tbsp | 3/8 cup | 3 oz | 85.0 g |
| 1 stick | 8 tbsp | 1/2 cup | 4 oz | 113.4 g |
| 1 1/4 sticks | 10 tbsp | 5/8 cup | 5 oz | 141.7 g |
| 1 1/2 sticks | 12 tbsp | 3/4 cup | 6 oz | 170.1 g |
| 2 sticks | 16 tbsp | 1 cup | 8 oz | 226.8 g |
| 3 sticks | 24 tbsp | 1 1/2 cups | 12 oz | 340.2 g |
| 4 sticks | 32 tbsp | 2 cups | 16 oz | 453.6 g |
The gram figures are rounded to one decimal place. A stick is a quarter of a pound, and a pound is 16 ounces, so a stick is 4 ounces, and an ounce of butter is 2 tablespoons.
Worked example 1: a cookie recipe that needs 6 tablespoons
A cookie recipe calls for 6 tablespoons of butter, and you have a stick in the fridge. Six tablespoons is three quarters of a stick, so cut the stick at the 6-tablespoon mark on the wrapper. The marks are printed on the wrapper precisely for this: each mark is a tablespoon, and you cut where the recipe tells you to. If the recipe calls for 5 tablespoons, cut at the 5-tablespoon mark, which is 5/8 of a stick, and save the remaining 3 tablespoons for another recipe.
Worked example 2: a sauce that needs 2 tablespoons
A pan sauce recipe calls for 2 tablespoons of butter to finish it, and you have a stick. Two tablespoons is a quarter of a stick, so cut off a quarter and drop it into the pan. The butter will melt in seconds, and the sauce will turn glossy. This is the smallest amount you will usually cut from a stick, and it is the reason the tablespoon marks are useful: a quarter stick is easy to cut by eye, but the marks make it exact, and in a sauce, the difference between 2 tablespoons and 3 can change the richness.
Worked example 3: a recipe written in tablespoons only
An old recipe calls for 10 tablespoons of butter, and you want to know how many sticks that is. Ten tablespoons divided by 8 is 1 1/4 sticks, which is 1 stick plus 2 tablespoons. Unwrap a stick, cut it at the end, and cut 2 tablespoons from a second stick. The remaining 6 tablespoons of the second stick can be wrapped and saved. The practical rule is to convert tablespoons to sticks by dividing by 8, and to express the answer as sticks plus tablespoons, because that is how you will actually measure it.
Method and source
A US stick of butter is defined as a quarter of a pound, which is 4 ounces, and an ounce of butter is 2 tablespoons, because a tablespoon of butter weighs about 14.2 grams and an ounce is 28.35 grams. That gives 8 tablespoons per stick, and the figure is printed on the wrapper of every stick sold in the United States. A European block of butter is usually 250 grams, which is about 17.6 tablespoons, and it is not marked in tablespoons, so a European baker weighs butter rather than cutting it. The figure 8 tablespoons is exact for an American stick, and it is the most reliable butter conversion you will use, because the wrapper does the measuring for you.
Practical guidance
Use the tablespoon marks on the wrapper when you have American butter: cut at the marks, and you have an exact measure without washing a cup or a scale. When you have European butter, weigh it instead: a tablespoon of butter weighs about 14 grams, so 8 tablespoons is 113 grams. Soften butter at room temperature for 30 minutes before you cream it, and do not melt it unless the recipe says to, because melted butter gives a different texture. Store butter in the fridge, and freeze it if you will not use it within a few weeks. And remember the anchor: a stick is 8 tablespoons, half a cup, 4 ounces, and 113 grams.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons are in a stick of butter?
There are 8 tablespoons in a stick of butter. That is the standard American conversion, and it is printed on the wrapper. A stick is also half a cup, 4 ounces, and 113 grams.
How many tablespoons are in half a stick of butter?
There are 4 tablespoons in half a stick of butter. Half a stick is also a quarter cup, 2 ounces, and 57 grams.
How many tablespoons are in 2 sticks of butter?
There are 16 tablespoons in 2 sticks of butter. Two sticks is also 1 cup, 8 ounces, half a pound, and 227 grams.
How many sticks of butter are in 12 tablespoons?
There are 1 1/2 sticks in 12 tablespoons. Twelve divided by 8 is 1.5, so you need a stick and a half, which is 3/4 cup, 6 ounces, and 170 grams.
How many grams are in a tablespoon of butter?
There are about 14.2 g in a tablespoon of butter. A stick is 113.4 grams and 8 tablespoons, so 113.4 divided by 8 is 14.2 grams per tablespoon.
Does the wrapper really mark tablespoons?
Yes, on American butter. The wrapper is printed with marks for each tablespoon, so you can cut the stick at the mark you need without a measuring spoon. European butter is not marked this way, so weigh it instead.
Why the wrapper marks matter
The tablespoon marks on a butter wrapper are the most useful piece of packaging in the kitchen, and they exist because butter is the one ingredient that is routinely measured in tablespoons, in cups, and in grams, all in the same recipe. A cookie recipe might call for 6 tablespoons, a cake recipe for half a cup, and a European recipe for 113 grams, and the stick is the unit that serves all three, because it is marked in tablespoons and it weighs 113 grams and it is half a cup. The marks save you from washing a measuring cup, and they save you from guessing: cut at the mark, and you have the amount the recipe wants. If your butter has no marks, weigh it instead, because a tablespoon of butter is 14 grams and a stick is 113 grams, and a scale is more accurate than a knife.