21 Conversion Factors for Changing Recipe Yields

While proportions can be very helpful for adjusting a recipe, there is a shortcut that makes the process go faster, and that is using a conversion factor. A conversion factor is a ratio that is converted to a decimal number and then used to change the amount of each ingredient in proportion. Here is how you find the conversion factor:

new yield divided by old yield equals conversion factor  

If you have a recipe that yields four dozen, or 48, cookies, and you want to make six dozen, or 72, cookies, you would find the conversion factor like this: LaTeX: \frac{72}{48}\:=\:72\:\div\:48\:=\:1.5   Your conversion factor is 1.5, so you would simply take every ingredient amount and multiply it by 1.5  for your new recipe.

Let’s try this with a recipe that yields 4 dozen cookies:

1 cup butter

1 cup brown sugar

LaTeX: \frac{1}{4}  cup sugar

2 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon salt       

Your conversion factor is 1.5, although if you want to use a fraction calculator to make the adjustments, you will find it easier to use LaTeX: 1\frac{1}{2} .

Now we will multiply each ingredient amount by 1.5, or LaTeX: 1\frac{1}{2} :

1 cup butter LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=\:1\frac{1}{2} cups butter

1 cup brown sugar LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=\:1\frac{1}{2} cups brown sugar

LaTeX: \frac{1}{4}   cup sugar LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=\:\frac{3}{8} cup sugar

2 eggs LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=\:3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=\:3 teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=3    teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon baking soda LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}\:=\:1\frac{1}{2} teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt LaTeX: \times\:1\frac{1}{2}=\:1\frac{1}{2} teaspoons salt

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Bakery and Business Math Copyright © by Eunice Graham is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License, except where otherwise noted.

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