Tablespoon to Grams Converter
UK Spoon Sizes Explained
The United Kingdom uses a straightforward metric system for spoon measurements in cooking:
- 1 teaspoon (tsp) = 5ml — the small spoon used for stirring tea or measuring small amounts of spices, baking powder, or vanilla extract
- 1 dessertspoon (dsp) = 10ml — a measurement unique to UK cooking, falling between a teaspoon and tablespoon. Less common in modern recipes but still appears in older British cookbooks
- 1 tablespoon (tbsp) = 15ml — the large serving spoon used for measuring larger quantities of flour, sugar, butter, or liquids
All UK spoon measures are for level spoonfuls unless otherwise stated. "A heaped tablespoon" means filled generously above the rim; "a rounded tablespoon" means a slight dome above the rim. In recipes, assume level unless specified. A level tablespoon is important for accuracy, particularly with leavening agents like baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
UK vs US Tablespoon: Is There a Difference?
The UK tablespoon is 15ml, while the US tablespoon is 14.79ml. The difference is just 0.21ml — less than 1.5%. For home baking purposes, this is entirely negligible. You do not need to adjust measurements when using a US recipe with UK spoons. The difference only becomes relevant if you are converting very large quantities (dozens of tablespoons) or working in a professional kitchen requiring extreme precision.
Australian tablespoons are 20ml — significantly larger than both UK and US versions. If following an Australian recipe, note that their tablespoon calls for more of the ingredient. Our calculator defaults to UK/US (15ml) but you can adjust by using 1.33 tablespoons for each Australian tablespoon called for.
Tablespoon to Grams: Complete Ingredient Table
All values are for 1 level tablespoon (15ml) using UK measurements. Teaspoon = ⅓ of these values, dessertspoon = ⅔ of these values.
| Ingredient | 1 tsp (5ml) | 1 dsp (10ml) | 1 tbsp (15ml) | 2 tbsp | 3 tbsp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Plain / All-Purpose Flour | 2.7g | 5.3g | 8g | 16g | 24g |
| Self-Raising Flour | 2.7g | 5.3g | 8g | 16g | 24g |
| Cornflour (Cornstarch) | 3.3g | 6.7g | 10g | 20g | 30g |
| Wholemeal Flour | 2.7g | 5.3g | 8g | 16g | 24g |
| Almond Flour | 2.3g | 4.7g | 7g | 14g | 21g |
| Granulated Sugar | 4g | 8g | 12g | 24g | 36g |
| Caster Sugar | 4g | 8g | 12g | 24g | 36g |
| Icing Sugar (Powdered) | 2.7g | 5.3g | 8g | 16g | 24g |
| Brown Sugar | 4g | 8g | 12g | 24g | 36g |
| Demerara Sugar | 4.3g | 8.7g | 13g | 26g | 39g |
| Butter | 4.7g | 9.5g | 14g | 28g | 42g |
| Vegetable Oil / Olive Oil | 4.7g | 9.3g | 14g | 28g | 42g |
| Honey | 7g | 14g | 21g | 42g | 63g |
| Golden Syrup | 7g | 14g | 21g | 42g | 63g |
| Treacle / Molasses | 7g | 14g | 21g | 42g | 63g |
| Maple Syrup | 6.7g | 13.3g | 20g | 40g | 60g |
| Salt (fine) | 6g | 12g | 18g | 36g | 54g |
| Baking Powder | 4g | 8g | 12g | 24g | 36g |
| Bicarbonate of Soda | 5g | 10g | 15g | 30g | 45g |
| Dried Yeast | 3g | 6g | 9g | 18g | 27g |
| Cocoa Powder | 2.3g | 4.7g | 7g | 14g | 21g |
| Water / Milk | 5g | 10g | 15g | 30g | 45g |
| Cream | 5g | 10g | 15g | 30g | 45g |
| Rolled Oats | 2g | 4g | 6g | 12g | 18g |
| Breadcrumbs (fresh) | 5g | 10g | 15g | 30g | 45g |
| Desiccated Coconut | 2.3g | 4.7g | 7g | 14g | 21g |
| Ground Cinnamon | 1.7g | 3.3g | 5g | 10g | 15g |
Practical Guidance for Spoon Measurements
When Precision Really Matters
Baking powder and bicarbonate of soda are the most critical ingredients to measure accurately. These leavening agents have powerful effects in small quantities. Too much causes excessive rising followed by collapse; too little leaves baked goods dense and flat. Always use a level teaspoon or tablespoon, and consider weighing these on a scale for very precise results.
Salt is deceptively heavy — 1 tablespoon of fine salt weighs 18g, while 1 tablespoon of flaky sea salt (like Maldon) weighs far less due to its irregular crystal structure and air gaps. When a recipe specifies "1 tsp fine salt" and you use flaky salt, your dish may be undersalted. Conversely, replacing flaky salt with fine salt could oversalt it.
Heaped vs Level Measurements
UK recipes assume level spoonfuls unless stated otherwise. In practice:
- Level tablespoon: Fill the spoon and use a straight edge (knife back) to remove the excess. This is the standard.
- Rounded tablespoon: Fill the spoon so there is a small dome of ingredient above the rim. Approximately 1.3× a level tablespoon.
- Heaped tablespoon: Fill as much as the spoon can hold without spilling. Approximately 1.5–2× a level tablespoon, depending on the ingredient.
Oil and Liquids: Volume vs Weight
For water and most thin liquids, 1ml = 1g, so a tablespoon of water = 15ml = 15g. For oils, the density is slightly less than water (approximately 0.92 g/ml for vegetable oil), so 1 tablespoon of oil ≈ 14g. For honey and syrups, density exceeds water — 1 tablespoon of honey ≈ 21g due to its concentrated sugar content.
Converting Between Spoon Types
Use these relationships: 3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon. 1.5 dessertspoons = 1 tablespoon. 2 teaspoons = 1 dessertspoon. When a recipe calls for "1 dessertspoon" and you do not have one, use 2 level teaspoons or approximately ⅔ of a level tablespoon.