A recipe asks for 15 grams of cocoa, and you have no scale, only a set of measuring spoons. How many teaspoons is that? It is a small amount, and in small amounts a little error shows.
This grams to teaspoons converter uses the density of each ingredient, since a teaspoon of honey weighs more than twice a teaspoon of flour. Choose the ingredient and the spoon size, and get an answer you can use at the counter.
How to use the Grams to Teaspoons Converter#
- Choose the direction. Pick grams to teaspoons, or teaspoons to grams.
- Enter the amount. Type the weight or the number of spoons.
- Pick the ingredient. This sets the density used.
- Pick the teaspoon size. US spoons are standard unless the recipe is metric.
- Read the result. You get the amount in teaspoons, the nearest spoon measure, tablespoons, millilitres, cups and ounces.
How to convert grams to teaspoons#
Grams measure weight, and a teaspoon measures volume, so you need the density of the ingredient. A US teaspoon is 4.93 millilitres, and the density comes from the weight of a cup, which is spread over 236.6 millilitres. Divide the grams by the weight of one teaspoon, and you have the number of teaspoons. For example, flour weighs about 125 grams a cup, so a teaspoon holds 2.6 grams, and 100 grams is 38.4 teaspoons.
Grams in a teaspoon by ingredient#
| Ingredient | Grams per teaspoon |
|---|---|
| All-purpose flour | 2.6 |
| Granulated sugar | 4.2 |
| Brown sugar (packed) | 4.4 |
| Powdered sugar | 2.5 |
| Butter | 4.7 |
| Honey | 7.1 |
| Vegetable oil | 4.5 |
| Cocoa powder | 1.8 |
| Table salt | 6.0 |
Figures are for a level US teaspoon, calculated from the cup weights in standard baking charts. Our grams to cups converter uses the same data.
Level, heaped and scooped#
A teaspoon measure always means a level one unless a recipe says otherwise. A heaped teaspoon can hold up to twice as much of a dry ingredient, and a rounded one about half as much again, so the variation is large. To level a spoon, sweep the back of a knife across the top. For flour and other powders, spoon the ingredient into the teaspoon instead of scooping, as scooping packs it down.
Why spoons are less accurate than a scale#
The smaller the quantity, the larger the error a spoon causes. A teaspoon of salt that is a little heaped can double the seasoning. A scale that reads to 0.1 gram, which costs little, removes the problem. If you only have spoons, level them carefully and use this converter to check that the volume matches the weight in the recipe.
Spoon sizes also differ. A US teaspoon is 4.93 millilitres and a metric one is 5. Australia uses a 20 millilitre tablespoon, so a recipe from there needs a different conversion for tablespoons, although its teaspoon is 5 millilitres.
Liquids and sticky ingredients#
Honey, syrup and oil are easier to measure by weight, since they cling to the spoon. Spray a spoon with oil before measuring honey and it slides off. Warm honey flows more easily and gives a more accurate measure. For oil, a teaspoon is about 4.5 grams, which is lighter than water, since oil is less dense.
Measuring a teaspoon accurately#
Use a proper measuring spoon, and not a spoon from the cutlery drawer, which can hold half as much or twice as much as a teaspoon. Dip the spoon into the ingredient, then sweep the back of a knife across the rim to level it. Do not tap or press the spoon unless you are measuring brown sugar, which is packed. For liquids, fill the spoon until it is full to the brim, and hold it over the bowl in case it spills. If you need a fraction, use the fractional spoons that come in most sets, such as half and quarter size, rather than judging half a spoon by eye. A spoon in a jar of sticky ingredient should be wiped clean before the next one, or the next measure will be too big.
Frequently asked questions#
About 2.6 grams for a level US teaspoon of all-purpose flour.
About 4.2 grams of granulated sugar.
About 4.7 grams.
It depends on the ingredient. For flour, one gram is about 0.38 teaspoons.
No. A US teaspoon is 4.93 millilitres, a metric teaspoon is 5, and in Australia a tablespoon is 20.
By weight when you can. It is faster and more accurate.
Sources and further reading#
- King Arthur Baking: Ingredient Weight Chart. Weights per cup for flour, sugar, butter, honey and more.
- USDA FoodData Central. Food composition and household measure weights.
- Code of Federal Regulations, 21 CFR 101.9. The rounded household measures used on US nutrition labels.
- Wikipedia: Teaspoon. Regional spoon sizes.