Scaling a recipe up (or down) multiplies every ingredient by a scale factor — the target yield over the recipe yield. It keeps ratios exact whether you’re prepping 4 or 400 servings.
The example
Recipe makes 8, need 60.
| A | B | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Item | Value |
| 2 | Scale 60/8 | 7.5× |
| 3 | 2 cups → | → 15 cups |
The formula
The formula:
How it works
How it works:
- Scale factor = target yield ÷ recipe yield.
- Multiply each ingredient by it — ratios stay exact.
- Round sensibly for countable items (eggs, buns) but keep weights precise.
- Scale cost too: ingredient cost × scaled amount for the batch cost.
One scale factor, applied to a costed ingredient list, is your prep and purchasing sheet. Multiply every amount by target÷recipe yield and you get the batch recipe; multiply the scaled amounts by unit costs and you get the batch food cost and the shopping list. Build the recipe once with quantities and costs, then any event size is a single input. Watch seasoning and leavening — a few ingredients don’t scale perfectly linearly.
Try it: interactive demo
Ingredient amount, recipe yield, target yield.
Variations
Scale factor
Target ÷ recipe:
Batch cost
Scaled × unit cost:
Cost per serving
Batch ÷ servings:
Pitfalls & errors
One scale factor. Apply the same factor to every ingredient.
Non-linear items. Seasoning/leavening may need a tweak, not a straight scale.
Zero recipe yield. No base yield gives #DIV/0!.
Practice workbook
Frequently asked questions
How do I scale a recipe in Excel?
How do I get the batch cost?
Do all ingredients scale linearly?
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