Grams to Tablespoons
Convert grams (g) to US tablespoons (tbsp) for any ingredient. Select from 20 common cooking and baking ingredients or enter a custom density. Accurate results based on ingredient-specific densities.
💡 How to Convert Grams to Tablespoons
Grams (g) measure weight. US tablespoons (tbsp) measure volume. Because every ingredient has a different density, the same weight of two ingredients fills a different number of tablespoons. For example, 10 grams of flour fills more than a full tablespoon, while 10 grams of honey barely fills two-thirds of one.
The easiest way to convert grams to tablespoons is to use the calculator above or one of the reference tables below. For manual calculation, the formula is:
Step 1: Find the ingredient's density in g/mL (see the density chart below).
Step 2: Multiply the density by 14.7868 (mL per US tablespoon) to get grams per tablespoon.
Step 3: Divide the weight in grams by that number to get tablespoons.
Example — 20 g brown sugar:
Brown sugar density = 0.930 g/mL
Grams per tbsp = 0.930 × 14.7868 = 13.75 g/tbsp
Tablespoons = 20 ÷ 13.75 = 1.45 tbsp ≈ 1½ tbsp
Example — 15 g all-purpose flour:
Flour density = 0.529 g/mL
Grams per tbsp = 0.529 × 14.7868 = 7.82 g/tbsp
Tablespoons = 15 ÷ 7.82 = 1.92 tbsp ≈ 2 tbsp
How Many Tablespoons Is 5 Grams?
| Ingredient | 5g in Tablespoons | Approximate |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 0.64 tbsp | ⅔ tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 0.40 tbsp | ~⅖ tbsp |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 0.36 tbsp | ~⅓ tbsp |
| Butter | 0.35 tbsp | ~⅓ tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 0.65 tbsp | ⅔ tbsp |
| Honey | 0.24 tbsp | ¼ tbsp |
| Milk (whole) | 0.33 tbsp | ⅓ tbsp |
| Water | 0.34 tbsp | ⅓ tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 0.36 tbsp | ⅓ tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 0.37 tbsp | ⅓ tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 10 Grams?
| Ingredient | 10g in Tablespoons | Approximate | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 1.28 tbsp | 1¼ tbsp | Spoon & level |
| Granulated Sugar | 0.80 tbsp | ¾ tbsp | Level scoop |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 0.73 tbsp | ¾ tbsp | Pack firmly |
| Butter | 0.70 tbsp | ¾ tbsp | ≈ 2 tsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 1.30 tbsp | 1⅓ tbsp | Sift first |
| Honey | 0.48 tbsp | ½ tbsp | Coat spoon w/ oil |
| Milk (whole) | 0.66 tbsp | ⅔ tbsp | Volume ≈ weight |
| Water | 0.68 tbsp | ⅔ tbsp | 1 g ≈ 1 mL |
| Baking Powder | 0.72 tbsp | ¾ tbsp | Level carefully |
| Olive Oil | 0.74 tbsp | ¾ tbsp | Light olive |
How Many Tablespoons Is 15 Grams?
| Ingredient | 15g in Tablespoons | Approximate |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 1.92 tbsp | ≈ 2 tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 1.20 tbsp | 1¼ tbsp |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 1.09 tbsp | 1 tbsp + 1 tsp |
| Butter | 1.06 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 1.95 tbsp | ≈ 2 tbsp |
| Honey | 0.71 tbsp | ¾ tbsp |
| Milk (whole) | 0.98 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp |
| Water | 1.01 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp exactly |
| Baking Powder | 1.08 tbsp | 1 tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 1.11 tbsp | 1 tbsp + ⅓ tsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 20 Grams?
| Ingredient | 20g in Tablespoons | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 2.56 tbsp | 2½ tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 1.60 tbsp | 1½ tbsp + ½ tsp |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 1.45 tbsp | 1½ tbsp |
| Butter | 1.41 tbsp | 1½ tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 2.60 tbsp | 2½ tbsp |
| Honey | 0.95 tbsp | ≈ 1 tbsp |
| Milk (whole) | 1.31 tbsp | 1⅓ tbsp |
| Water | 1.35 tbsp | 1⅓ tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 1.44 tbsp | 1½ tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 1.48 tbsp | 1½ tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 25 Grams?
| Ingredient | 25g in Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 3.20 tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 2.00 tbsp |
| Brown Sugar | 1.82 tbsp |
| Butter | 1.76 tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 3.25 tbsp |
| Honey | 1.19 tbsp |
| Milk | 1.64 tbsp |
| Water | 1.69 tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 1.80 tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 1.85 tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 30 Grams?
| Ingredient | 30g in Tablespoons | Approximate |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 3.84 tbsp | ≈ 4 tbsp (¼ cup) |
| Granulated Sugar | 2.40 tbsp | 2½ tbsp |
| Brown Sugar | 2.18 tbsp | 2¼ tbsp |
| Butter | 2.11 tbsp | 2 tbsp (1 oz) |
| Cocoa Powder | 3.90 tbsp | ≈ 4 tbsp (¼ cup) |
| Honey | 1.43 tbsp | 1½ tbsp |
| Milk | 1.97 tbsp | ≈ 2 tbsp |
| Water | 2.03 tbsp | ≈ 2 tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 2.16 tbsp | 2¼ tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 2.22 tbsp | 2¼ tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 40 Grams?
| Ingredient | 40g in Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 5.12 tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 3.20 tbsp |
| Brown Sugar | 2.91 tbsp |
| Butter | 2.82 tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 5.21 tbsp |
| Honey | 1.91 tbsp |
| Milk | 2.63 tbsp |
| Water | 2.70 tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 2.88 tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 2.96 tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 50 Grams?
| Ingredient | 50g in Tablespoons | Approximate |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 6.39 tbsp | 6⅓ tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 4.00 tbsp | 4 tbsp (¼ cup) |
| Brown Sugar | 3.64 tbsp | 3⅔ tbsp |
| Butter | 3.52 tbsp | 3½ tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 6.51 tbsp | 6½ tbsp |
| Honey | 2.38 tbsp | 2⅓ tbsp |
| Milk | 3.28 tbsp | 3¼ tbsp |
| Water | 3.38 tbsp | 3⅓ tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 3.60 tbsp | 3½ tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 3.69 tbsp | 3⅔ tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 75 Grams?
| Ingredient | 75g in Tablespoons |
|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 9.59 tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 6.00 tbsp |
| Brown Sugar | 5.45 tbsp |
| Butter | 5.29 tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 9.76 tbsp |
| Honey | 3.57 tbsp |
| Milk | 4.93 tbsp |
| Water | 5.07 tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 5.39 tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 5.54 tbsp |
How Many Tablespoons Is 100 Grams?
| Ingredient | 100g in Tablespoons | Approximate |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 12.79 tbsp | ¾ cup + 1 tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 8.00 tbsp | ½ cup exactly |
| Brown Sugar | 7.27 tbsp | 7¼ tbsp |
| Butter | 7.05 tbsp | 7 tbsp (≈ 1 US stick) |
| Cocoa Powder | 13.02 tbsp | ¾ cup + 1 tbsp |
| Honey | 4.76 tbsp | 4¾ tbsp |
| Milk | 6.57 tbsp | 6½ tbsp |
| Water | 6.76 tbsp | 6¾ tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 7.19 tbsp | 7¼ tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 7.39 tbsp | 7⅓ tbsp |
Ingredient Density Chart — Grams per Tablespoon
Use this master reference table to manually convert grams to tablespoons for any ingredient. Density values are sourced from the FAO/INFOODS Density Database and King Arthur Baking.[1][4]
| Ingredient | Density (g/mL) | Grams per Tbsp | 10g = ? tbsp |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 0.529 | 7.82 g | 1.28 tbsp |
| Bread Flour | 0.550 | 8.13 g | 1.23 tbsp |
| Cake Flour | 0.487 | 7.20 g | 1.39 tbsp |
| Granulated Sugar | 0.845 | 12.49 g | 0.80 tbsp |
| Powdered Sugar | 0.560 | 8.28 g | 1.21 tbsp |
| Brown Sugar (packed) | 0.930 | 13.75 g | 0.73 tbsp |
| Butter | 0.959 | 14.18 g | 0.70 tbsp |
| Honey | 1.420 | 21.00 g | 0.48 tbsp |
| Cocoa Powder | 0.520 | 7.69 g | 1.30 tbsp |
| Milk (whole) | 1.030 | 15.23 g | 0.66 tbsp |
| Water | 1.000 | 14.79 g | 0.68 tbsp |
| Olive Oil | 0.918 | 13.57 g | 0.74 tbsp |
| Baking Powder | 0.940 | 13.90 g | 0.72 tbsp |
| Cornstarch | 0.538 | 7.96 g | 1.26 tbsp |
| Salt (table) | 1.217 | 17.99 g | 0.56 tbsp |
Tablespoon Equivalents — Quick Reference
US recipes frequently use tablespoon fractions. This chart shows how tablespoons relate to other common kitchen measurements — useful when you need to convert teaspoons to tablespoons or tablespoons to cups:
| Measurement | Tablespoons | Teaspoons | Cups | Milliliters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tablespoon | 1 | 3 | 1/16 cup | 14.79 mL |
| 2 tablespoons | 2 | 6 | ⅛ cup | 29.57 mL |
| 3 tablespoons | 3 | 9 | 3/16 cup | 44.36 mL |
| 4 tablespoons | 4 | 12 | ¼ cup | 59.15 mL |
| 8 tablespoons | 8 | 24 | ½ cup | 118.29 mL |
| 16 tablespoons | 16 | 48 | 1 cup | 236.59 mL |
When to Convert Grams to Tablespoons
Grams and tablespoons are both commonly used to measure cooking ingredients. For cooking applications, most chefs suggest measuring dry ingredients by weight rather than volume to improve accuracy in the measurements.[2] The density of dry ingredients can vary for a variety of reasons, such as compaction and clumping.
- Measuring small quantities: Tablespoons are ideal for ingredients used in small amounts — spices, leaveners (baking powder, baking soda), extracts, and oils. When a European recipe calls for "5 grams of baking powder," converting to tablespoons is more practical than trying to weigh such a small amount.
- Following metric recipes with US measuring spoons: International baking recipes specify ingredients in grams. If you don't own a digital scale, you need to convert grams to tablespoons using the ingredient's density.
- Scaling baking recipes: When halving or doubling a recipe, calculating in grams first (then converting back to tablespoons) prevents rounding errors. Use our recipe scale calculator for automatic scaling.
- Comparing nutritional information: US nutrition labels specify serving sizes in grams, but your mental reference might be tablespoons. Knowing that a 14g serving of butter = 1 tablespoon helps you visualize portion sizes.[5]
- Converting between measurement systems: If you need to convert grams to cups or grams to milliliters, the same density-based formula applies — only the volume factor changes (14.7868 mL/tbsp vs. 236.588 mL/cup).
Common Mistakes When Converting Grams to Tablespoons
- "1 tablespoon = 15g for everything" — This only works for water. 1 tablespoon of flour is about 7.8g, and 1 tablespoon of honey is about 21g. The weight per tablespoon varies wildly by ingredient.
- Confusing tablespoon and teaspoon — A tablespoon (tbsp) is 3× a teaspoon (tsp). Mixing them up means your recipe is off by 200%. "1 Tbsp" and "1 tsp" look similar in handwritten recipes — always double-check.[4]
- Level vs. heaped tablespoons — A "tablespoon" in recipes means a level tablespoon unless specifically stated as "heaped" or "rounded." A heaped tablespoon of flour can weigh 50% more than a level one. Professional recipes in grams eliminate this ambiguity entirely.
- Using the wrong tablespoon standard — A US tablespoon = 14.7868 mL. An Australian tablespoon = 20 mL (35% larger). UK tablespoons = 17.76 mL. If you're following an Australian recipe, their "1 tablespoon" is not the same as yours. Our ounces to grams converter can help with other unit confusion.
What Is a Gram?
A gram (g) is a metric unit of mass equal to 1/1,000 of a kilogram, or 0.035274 ounces. It is equivalent to the mass of one cubic centimeter (one milliliter) of water at 4°C. The gram is an SI unit of mass in the metric system and can be abbreviated as g — for example, 1 gram can be written as 1 g.
While technically a gram measures mass (not weight), the two are equivalent for everyday calculations performed on Earth. A gram is frequently referred to as a unit of weight in cooking contexts — when a recipe says "15 grams of baking powder," it means the powder should weigh 15g on your kitchen scale.
What Is a Tablespoon?
A tablespoon (tbsp) is a US customary unit of volume equal to 3 teaspoons, ½ fluid ounce, or 14.7868 milliliters. For nutrition labeling purposes, the FDA rounds one tablespoon to 15 milliliters.[3] Tablespoons can be abbreviated as tbsp, and are also sometimes written as T, Tbls, or Tb — for example, 1 tablespoon can be written as 1 tbsp.
A US tablespoon (14.79 mL) is smaller than an Australian tablespoon (20 mL) and a British tablespoon (17.76 mL). There are exactly 16 tablespoons in a US cup, and 48 teaspoons in a cup. The tablespoon should not be confused with the dessert spoon (10 mL), which is used in some British and Commonwealth recipes.
References
- U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO/INFOODS Databases — Density Database Version 2.0, fao.org
- National Institute of Standards & Technology, Culinary Measurement Tips, nist.gov
- U.S. Food & Drug Administration, Guidance for Industry: Guidelines for Determining Metric Equivalents of Household Measures, fda.gov
- King Arthur Baking Company, Ingredient Weight Chart, kingarthurbaking.com
- U.S. Department of Agriculture, FoodData Central, fdc.nal.usda.gov