Convert between grams and tablespoons for sugar, butter, flour and a multitude of other common baking ingredients. Note that tablespoon figures quoted are level tablespoons, not roundedor heaped.
On this page:
How many grams are in a tablespoon?
A level tablespoon of sugar measures around 12.5 grams and a level tablespoon of butter measures around 14.2 grams. The conversion of one tablespoon tograms depends on the density of the ingredient being measured.
How to convert grams to tablespoons
To convert grams to tablespoons, you need to divide it by the ingredient density ratio, as follows:
- To convert 1 gram of granulated sugar to tablespoons, divide your figure by 12.5.
- To convert 1 gram of butter to tablespoons, divide your figure by 14.2.
- To convert 1 gram of salt to tablespoons, divide your figure by 17.8.
The gram is a unit of weight and the tablespoon is a unit of volume, just like the cup and teaspoon. So, you can't directlyconvert between these different units without factoring in the density of the ingredient. As an example, a tablespoon of sugar weighs less than a tablespoon of milk.
Ask any food writer who's worth their salt (pun intended) and they'll tell you to measure your dry ingredients by weight, rather than volume, using a set of kitchen scales. This is the best way to ensure accuracy with yourmeasurements. With that said, we recognise it's not always possible to do this, particularly if you're given an old recipe quoting dry ingredients in tablespoons. You might also reach for your super-high-tech electronic kitchen scales and discoverthey've run out of batteries. 1
To help you out with converting between grams and tablespoons, we have created both the calculator at the top of the page and the following conversion chartsfor sugar, butter and other baking ingredients.
Sugar measurements
Let's start by taking a look at gram and tablespoon conversions for granulated and powdered sugar.
How many grams are in 1 tablespoon of sugar?
There are approximately 12.5 grams in a level tablespoon of granulated sugar. If you are using powdered sugar, you'll find a tablespoon holds around 7.5 grams.
grams of sugar = tbsp × 12.5
| Grams | Tablespoons (granulated) | Tablespoons (powdered) |
|---|---|---|
| 5 grams | 2/5 tbsp | 2/3 tbsp |
| 10 grams | 4/5 tbsp | 1 1/3 tbsp |
| 20 grams | 1 3/5 tbsp | 2 2/3 tbsp |
| 30 grams | 2 2/5 tbsp | 4 tbsp |
| 40 grams | 3 1/5 tbsp | 5 1/3 tbsp |
| 50 grams | 4 tbsp | 6 2/3 tbsp |
| 60 grams | 4 4/5 tbsp | 8 tbsp |
| 70 grams | 5 3/5 tbsp | 9 1/3 tbsp |
| 80 grams | 6 2/5 tbsp | 10 2/3 tbsp |
| 90 grams | 7 1/5 tbsp | 12 tbsp |
| 100 grams | 8 tbsp | 13 1/3 tbsp |
| Figures are rounded. US tablespoon (level, not heaped). | ||
| Tablespoons | Grams (granulated) | Grams (powdered) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 12.5 g | 7.5 g |
| 2 tbsp | 25 g | 15 g |
| 3 tbsp | 37.5 g | 22.5 g |
| 4 tbsp | 50 g | 30 g |
| 5 tbsp | 62.5 g | 37.5 g |
| 6 tbsp | 75 g | 45 g |
| 7 tbsp | 87.5 g | 52.5 g |
| 8 tbsp | 100 g | 60 g |
| 9 tbsp | 112.5 g | 67.5 g |
| 10 tbsp | 125 g | 75 g |
| Figures are rounded. US tablespoon (level, not heaped). | ||
Butter measurements
Let's now take a look at gram and tablespoon conversions for butter.
How many grams are in 1 tablespoon of butter?
One tablespoon of butter holds approximately 14.2 grams of butter, as a level tablespoon. This figure can vary slightly depending upon the butter brand.
| Grams | Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| 10 grams | 0.7 tbsp |
| 20 grams | 1.4 tbsp |
| 30 grams | 2.1 tbsp |
| 40 grams | 2.8 tbsp |
| 50 grams | 3.5 tbsp |
| 60 grams | 4.2 tbsp |
| 70 grams | 4.9 tbsp |
| 80 grams | 5.6 tbsp |
| 90 grams | 6.3 tbsp |
| 100 grams | 7 tbsp |
| Figures are rounded. US tablespoon (level, not heaped). | |
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 14.2 grams |
| 2 tbsp | 28.4 grams |
| 3 tbsp | 42.6 grams |
| 4 tbsp | 56.8 grams |
| 5 tbsp | 71 grams |
| 6 tbsp | 85.2 grams |
| 7 tbsp | 99.4 grams |
| 8 tbsp | 113.6 grams |
| 9 tbsp | 127.8 grams |
| 10 tbsp | 142 grams |
| Figures are rounded. US tablespoon (level, not heaped). | |
Other baking ingredients
We've also included a reference list of gram and tablespoon conversions for other common baking ingredients.Note that figures given reference level tablespoons and not heaped tablespoons.
| Ingredient | Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 1 tbsp | 14.8 grams |
| Sugar (brown) | 1 tbsp | 12.2 grams |
| Sugar (powdered) | 1 tbsp | 7.5 grams |
| Flour (all purpose) | 1 tbsp | 7.8 grams |
| Salt | 1 tbsp | 17.8 grams |
| Peanut butter | 1 tbsp | 17.7 grams |
| Honey | 1 tbsp | 21 grams |
| Olive Oil | 1 tbsp | 13.6 grams |
How many grams are in 1 tablespoon of coffee?
One tablespoon can hold around 5 grams of level ground coffee. If you're using a standard coffee scoop, you'll find itholds around 2 level tablespoons of ground coffee.
Which tablespoon should I use?
There are 3 main tablespoon sizes in use around the world. These are:
- The US Tablespoon is commonly referenced in recipes in the US. It measures 14.7868 mL.
- The Metric Tablespoon is commonly used in the UK, Australia and the Commonwealth. It measures 15mL.
- The Imperial Tablespoon is an old, imperial tablespoon measurement previously used in the UK (now replaced by the metric tablespoon). It measures17.7582 mL.
If you find yourself needing to convert any other units for your recipe, give our cooking converter a try.
Calculator created by Alastair HazellReferences
