What this calculator does
How many grams in a tablespoon depends entirely on what is being measured, since a tablespoon is a fixed volume but different ingredients pack into that volume at very different densities. A tablespoon of honey weighs much more than a tablespoon of flour.
This calculator converts tablespoon to grams for eleven common kitchen ingredients, including 1 tablespoon butter in grams, using the same US tablespoon (14.79 ml) and per-cup density figures used throughout the site's baking conversions.
The formula
Grams per tablespoon is the grams-per-cup figure for that ingredient divided by 16, since there are 16 US tablespoons in a US cup. Multiplying that by the number of tablespoons entered gives the total weight.
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Tablespoon | A US volume measure of 14.79 ml, equal to 1/16 of a US cup. |
| Density | How much a given volume of an ingredient weighs; denser ingredients like honey weigh more per tablespoon than lighter ones like flour. |
| Grams per cup | The reference weight for one US cup of the chosen ingredient, from which the per-tablespoon figure is derived. |
The inputs explained
| Field | What to enter |
|---|---|
| Tablespoons | The number of tablespoons to convert. |
| Ingredient | The ingredient being measured, which sets the density used in the conversion. |
When to use it
Converting a recipe measured in tablespoons to grams
A recipe that specifies "2 tablespoons butter" converts to a specific gram weight for anyone measuring by kitchen scale instead of by spoon.
Checking 1 tablespoon butter in grams for baking
Butter is one of the most commonly searched conversions here, since many recipes give it in tablespoons while packaging is usually marked in grams or ounces.
Scaling a recipe that lists an ingredient in grams
Working backwards, entering the number of tablespoons a recipe calls for and checking it against a gram figure keeps a scaled-up or scaled-down recipe in the right proportions.
Worked examples
Every figure in the tables below is produced by this page’s own calculator at build time, so the numbers and the tool always agree. Select any row to load that scenario.
How many grams is a tablespoon, for a spread of common ingredients?
One tablespoon, weighed for each of the ingredients this calculator supports.
| Ingredient | Weight | In ounces |
|---|---|---|
| Flour | 7.5 g | 0.26 oz |
| Sugar | 12.5 g | 0.44 oz |
| Butter | 14.2 g | 0.50 oz |
| Honey | 21.3 g | 0.75 oz |
| Water | 14.8 g | 0.52 oz |
| Cocoa powder | 5.3 g | 0.19 oz |
Tablespoon to grams for butter, at common recipe quantities
A range of tablespoon quantities of butter, each converted to grams.
| Tablespoons | Weight | In ounces |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 14.2 g | 0.50 oz |
| 2 | 28.4 g | 1.00 oz |
| 4 | 56.8 g | 2.00 oz |
| 8 | 113.5 g | 4.00 oz |
| 12 | 170.3 g | 6.01 oz |
| 16 | 227.0 g | 8.01 oz |
Questions
How many grams in a tablespoon of butter?
About 14.2 g for a level US tablespoon, based on 227 g per US cup of butter and 16 tablespoons per cup.
How many grams is a tablespoon of sugar?
About 12.5 g for granulated sugar, based on 200 g per US cup divided across 16 tablespoons.
Is a tablespoon the same size everywhere?
No. This calculator uses the US tablespoon, 14.79 ml. An Australian tablespoon is larger, 20 ml, so the same ingredient weighs about a third more per Australian tablespoon than per US tablespoon.
Why do different ingredients give different gram weights for the same tablespoon?
A tablespoon measures volume, not weight, and different ingredients have different densities. A dense liquid like honey packs more mass into the same 14.79 ml than a light, airy ingredient like flour or cocoa powder.
To convert the other way, from a weight in grams to cups, see the grams to cups calculator, or from cups to grams directly, see the cups to grams calculator.