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