Tablespoons to Grams Converter
Enter a volume in tablespoons and choose your ingredient to get the exact weight in grams. The calculator knows the density of 25+ common kitchen ingredients, so you get an accurate result rather than a generic approximation. You can also reverse it: type in grams and get tablespoons back. Need a custom ingredient? Enter its density directly.
Why tablespoons and grams do not convert with a single number
A tablespoon is a unit of volume (how much space something takes up), while a gram is a unit of mass (how heavy something is). To move between the two you need the ingredient's density: how many grams fit into each millilitre of space. Water has a density of 1 g/mL, so 1 tbsp (15 mL) of water weighs exactly 15 g. All-purpose flour, however, is much lighter - its density is roughly 0.53 g/mL, so the same tablespoon of flour weighs only about 8 g. Table salt is denser than water at around 1.22 g/mL, making 1 tbsp of salt about 18 g. The formula is: grams = tablespoons x 15 x density.
How to use this converter
Choose your ingredient from the dropdown - this loads the correct density automatically. Select the direction (tablespoons to grams, or grams to tablespoons) and enter your value. The result updates instantly and shows the equivalent weight in grams, volume in millilitres, and teaspoons. If your ingredient is not listed, choose "Custom ingredient" and enter its density in g/mL, which you can usually find on the packaging or in a food database. For the most accurate baking results, use a kitchen scale: measuring by volume introduces variability because the density of loose ingredients like flour depends on how tightly they are packed.
Measuring flour accurately: why volume measurements vary
Flour is the ingredient where volume-to-weight conversion trips people up most. When you scoop a measuring spoon directly into a bag of flour, you compact it and can easily end up with 30% more flour than the recipe intends. Professional bakers instead spoon flour into the measuring spoon from above and level it off, which produces a lighter, more consistent result. The density values in this calculator assume the spooned-and-leveled method (about 0.53 g/mL for all-purpose flour). If you scooped, your actual weight will be higher. This is why most professional baking recipes give quantities in grams rather than tablespoons or cups.
US tablespoon vs imperial tablespoon vs metric tablespoon
The US tablespoon holds exactly 14.7868 mL (defined as three US teaspoons). For nutrition labeling the FDA rounds this to 15 mL, which is what this calculator uses because it is the most common reference for food measurements. The imperial (UK/Canadian) tablespoon is 17.76 mL - about 18% larger. The metric tablespoon used in Australia and some other countries is exactly 20 mL. If your recipe comes from a UK cookbook, multiply the gram result here by 17.76/15 = 1.184 to adjust. Most modern UK recipes specify grams directly, which sidesteps the ambiguity entirely.
Grams per tablespoon - common ingredients
| Ingredient | Density (g/mL) | Grams per tbsp | Grams per tsp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water | 1.000 | 15.00 | 5.00 |
| Milk (whole) | 1.032 | 15.48 | 5.16 |
| Butter | 0.959 | 14.39 | 4.80 |
| Vegetable oil | 0.875 | 13.13 | 4.38 |
| All-purpose flour | 0.529 | 7.94 | 2.65 |
| Bread flour | 0.550 | 8.25 | 2.75 |
| Whole-wheat flour | 0.546 | 8.19 | 2.73 |
| Granulated sugar | 0.845 | 12.68 | 4.23 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 0.882 | 13.23 | 4.41 |
| Powdered sugar | 0.560 | 8.40 | 2.80 |
| Table salt | 1.217 | 18.26 | 6.09 |
| Honey | 1.420 | 21.30 | 7.10 |
| Maple syrup | 1.370 | 20.55 | 6.85 |
| Cocoa powder | 0.520 | 7.80 | 2.60 |
| Cornstarch | 0.600 | 9.00 | 3.00 |
| Baking soda | 0.690 | 10.35 | 3.45 |
| Heavy cream | 0.994 | 14.91 | 4.97 |
| Peanut butter | 1.090 | 16.35 | 5.45 |
| Rice (raw) | 0.820 | 12.30 | 4.10 |
| Rolled oats | 0.420 | 6.30 | 2.10 |
Based on 1 US tablespoon (15 mL) and standard bulk densities. Values match USDA food data where available.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams are in a tablespoon?
It depends on the ingredient. One tablespoon of water weighs 15 g. One tablespoon of all-purpose flour weighs about 8 g. One tablespoon of granulated sugar is roughly 12.7 g. One tablespoon of table salt is about 18.3 g, and one tablespoon of honey is about 21.3 g. The difference comes from each ingredient's density.
How do I convert tablespoons to grams without a calculator?
Multiply the number of tablespoons by 15 (mL per tablespoon) and then multiply by the ingredient's density in g/mL. For water the density is 1, so the result is 15 g per tablespoon. For all-purpose flour the density is about 0.53, so 1 tbsp x 15 x 0.53 = 7.95 g. For granulated sugar: 1 tbsp x 15 x 0.845 = 12.68 g.
How many grams is 2 tablespoons of flour?
2 tablespoons of all-purpose flour is approximately 15.9 g (2 x 15 mL x 0.529 g/mL). For bread flour it is about 16.5 g and for whole-wheat flour about 16.4 g. These values assume flour that is spooned into the spoon and leveled, not scooped directly from the bag.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of butter?
One tablespoon of butter weighs about 14.2 to 14.4 g. Butter's density is roughly 0.959 g/mL, so 1 tbsp x 15 mL x 0.959 = 14.39 g. Many US recipes also use 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) as the standard butter increment, which equals about 56.7 g or exactly half of a standard 113 g stick.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of sugar?
One tablespoon of granulated (white) sugar is approximately 12.5 to 12.7 g. Brown sugar packed into the spoon weighs slightly more, around 13.2 g. Powdered (icing) sugar is lighter - about 8.4 g per tablespoon - because of air trapped between fine particles.
Can I convert grams back to tablespoons?
Yes. Switch the "Convert from" toggle to "Grams to tablespoons", enter your gram value, and the calculator divides by the ingredient's density and by 15 to give you the volume in tablespoons. You can also do it by hand: tablespoons = grams / (15 x density).
What if my ingredient is not in the list?
Choose "Custom ingredient" and enter the density in grams per millilitre (g/mL). For solid ingredients, look on the packaging for a serving size given in both grams and a volume like mL or tsp, then divide. For liquids, a food database or the manufacturer's label usually lists density. Water is always 1 g/mL, so if you know relative density (specific gravity) compared to water, use that value directly.