How this calculator works
A tablespoon is a US customary volume of 14.787 mL, which is 1/16 of a US cup. The mass it holds depends on the ingredient: a level tablespoon of all-purpose flour is about 7.8 g, while a tablespoon of honey is about 21 g and a tablespoon of vegetable oil is about 13.6 g. The calculator derives grams per tablespoon from the USDA cup weight for each ingredient, then divides or multiplies as needed.
Formula
grams = tablespoons x grams per tablespoon. grams per tablespoon = grams per cup / 16. tablespoons = grams / grams per tablespoon. For all-purpose flour the calculator uses 125 g per cup, so one tablespoon is 7.813 g.
Worked example
A recipe needs 50 g of all-purpose flour. At 7.813 g per tablespoon, 50 / 7.813 = 6.4 tablespoons. For the same 50 g of granulated sugar at 12.5 g per tablespoon, the answer is 4 tablespoons exactly.
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Frequently asked questions
Is a tablespoon the same in every country?
No. This calculator uses the US customary tablespoon of 14.787 mL. The Australian tablespoon is 20 mL, and a rounded metric tablespoon is often treated as 15 mL. If the recipe is Australian, enter millilitres or cups instead of tablespoons, or scale the result by 20/14.787.
Should the tablespoon be level, rounded or heaped?
The weights assume a level tablespoon, filled and levelled with a straight edge. A heaped tablespoon can hold nearly twice as much of a light powder, so level the spoon if you are following a tested weight.
Why is my measured tablespoon different from the calculator?
Dry ingredients settle, so the same spoon can hold different masses depending on whether the ingredient was scooped or spooned in. Brown sugar is normally packed, and the calculator assumes packed brown sugar at 220 g per cup.
Can I convert liquids by weight?
Yes. Choose oil, water, milk or another liquid. Their densities are close to 1 g/mL, so a tablespoon of water is 14.8 g, of milk is 15.3 g and of vegetable oil is 13.6 g.