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:

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:   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

  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 .

Now we will multiply each ingredient amount by 1.5, or :

1 cup butter cups butter

1 cup brown sugar cups brown sugar

  cup sugar cup sugar

2 eggs eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla teaspoons vanilla

2 cups flour    teaspoons flour

1 teaspoon baking soda teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon salt teaspoons salt