Grams per tablespoon depend on what you are measuring
A tablespoon is a fixed volume, but grams are mass, so the answer changes with the ingredient's density. A tablespoon of honey weighs nearly three times one of cocoa powder. There is no single number — you convert per ingredient.
By ingredient, per US tablespoon
| Ingredient | Grams / tbsp | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 15.0 g | the reference point |
| Flour (all-purpose) | 7.8 g | varies with how you scoop |
| Granulated sugar | 12.5 g | |
| Butter | 14.2 g | softened |
| Vegetable oil | 13.5 g | |
| Honey | 21.0 g | dense and heavy |
| Table salt | 18.0 g | fine grain |
Multiply these by your number of tablespoons. Values are for the US tablespoon of 14.79 mL; a 15 mL UK tablespoon is about 1% more, and a 20 mL Australian one about 35% more.
The two things that throw off the weight
- Salt is not one ingredient. A tablespoon of table salt is about 18 g, but kosher salt is only about 9.6 g — its large flakes trap air, so half the mass fits the same spoon. Swapping them one-for-one over-salts or under-salts badly.
- How you fill the spoon matters. A heaped tablespoon holds roughly 50% more than a level one, and flour scooped from the bag packs denser than flour spooned in and levelled. For flour that alone can move a cup from 110 g to 150 g.
- Use a real measuring spoon. A tablespoon pulled from the cutlery drawer can hold anywhere from 8 to 30 mL, so weigh on a scale when the recipe is fussy.
Common questions
How many grams are in a tablespoon of flour?
About 7.8 grams for all-purpose flour in a US tablespoon. It swings with technique, though: scooped straight from the bag packs more in than spooned and levelled, a difference of up to 30%.
Why does a tablespoon of honey weigh so much more than water?
Honey is denser. Water is about 1 g/mL, honey about 1.44 g/mL, so the same tablespoon of honey carries roughly 44% more mass, around 21 g against 15 g.
Is an Australian tablespoon the same as a US one?
No. An Australian tablespoon is 20 mL, against 14.79 mL in the US, about 35% larger. An Australian recipe calling for 3 tablespoons uses 60 mL, while a US measure gives only 44 mL.
