Grams of sugar in tablespoons, quick table
Find the gram figure from your recipe or label in the first column. The next three columns give level tablespoons for the three sugars most recipes use, and the last column turns the granulated figure into spoons you can actually measure.
| Grams | Granulated, tbsp | Brown packed, tbsp | Powdered, tbsp | Granulated, measure as |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 g | 0.32 | 0.3 | 0.53 | 1 tsp |
| 5 g | 0.4 | 0.38 | 0.67 | 1 1/4 tsp |
| 10 g | 0.8 | 0.75 | 1.33 | 2 1/2 tsp |
| 12.5 g | 1 | 0.94 | 1.67 | 1 tbsp |
| 14 g | 1.12 | 1.05 | 1.87 | 1 tbsp + 1/4 tsp |
| 15 g | 1.2 | 1.13 | 2 | 1 tbsp + 1/2 tsp |
| 20 g | 1.6 | 1.5 | 2.67 | 1 tbsp + 1 3/4 tsp |
| 21 g | 1.68 | 1.58 | 2.8 | 1 tbsp + 2 tsp |
| 25 g | 2 | 1.88 | 3.33 | 2 tbsp |
| 30 g | 2.4 | 2.25 | 4 | 2 tbsp + 1 1/4 tsp |
| 35 g | 2.8 | 2.63 | 4.67 | 2 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp |
| 40 g | 3.2 | 3 | 5.33 | 3 tbsp + 1/2 tsp |
| 50 g | 4 | 3.76 | 6.67 | 1/4 cup |
| 60 g | 4.8 | 4.51 | 8 | 1/4 cup + 2 1/2 tsp |
| 75 g | 6 | 5.63 | 10 | 1/4 cup + 2 tbsp |
| 100 g | 8 | 7.51 | 13.33 | 1/2 cup |
Level US tablespoons. Granulated 12.5 g, packed brown 13.31 g, powdered 7.5 g per tablespoon.
Seven sugars, one tablespoon each
The spoon is the same for every sugar, but the weight is not. Crystal size, moisture and how tightly the sugar packs all change how much fits in the bowl of the spoon.
| Sugar | Grams per cup | Grams per tbsp | Grams per tsp | Tbsp in 100 g |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coconut sugar | 96 | 6 | 2 | 16.67 |
| Powdered sugar | 120 | 7.5 | 2.5 | 13.33 |
| Caster sugar | 190 | 11.88 | 3.96 | 8.42 |
| Demerara sugar | 198 | 12.38 | 4.12 | 8.08 |
| Granulated sugar | 200 | 12.5 | 4.17 | 8 |
| Turbinado sugar | 202 | 12.62 | 4.21 | 7.92 |
| Brown sugar, packed | 213 | 13.31 | 4.44 | 7.51 |
These are the per-cup weights on our sugar grams per cup page, divided by 16. The general cups to grams table uses 220 g for packed brown sugar, a firmer pack than the 213 g used here. If you press brown sugar down hard, expect the higher figure.
The formula
Tablespoons = grams ÷ grams per tablespoon. For white granulated sugar the divisor is 12.5, because a US cup of it weighs 200 grams and a cup holds 16 tablespoons. For teaspoons, divide by 4.17 instead, since a tablespoon is three teaspoons.
To go the other way, grams = tablespoons × grams per tablespoon. Two tablespoons of granulated sugar is 25 grams. Two tablespoons of powdered sugar is only 15 grams, because powdered sugar is ground fine and holds a lot of air.
Worked examples
A recipe asks for 35 g of sugar. 35 ÷ 12.5 = 2.8 tablespoons. Measure 2 tbsp + 2 1/2 tsp. If the recipe means packed brown sugar, 35 ÷ 13.31 = 2.63 tablespoons.
A nutrition label shows 21 g of sugars. As white sugar, that is 21 ÷ 12.5 = 1.68 tablespoons, or about 5 teaspoons. This is only a way to picture the amount. The label number counts all sugars in the food, including sugars from fruit or milk, not only added table sugar.
A glaze needs 60 g of powdered sugar. 60 ÷ 7.5 = 8 tablespoons, which is exactly 1/2 cup. If you use granulated sugar by mistake, 8 tablespoons would weigh 100 g, much more sugar than the glaze needs.
Teaspoons for small amounts
Below about 3 tablespoons, teaspoons are the better tool. A level teaspoon of granulated sugar holds 4.17 grams, so 10 grams is 2 1/2 teaspoons and 5 grams is a little over 1 teaspoon. Many nutrition guides round a teaspoon of sugar to 4 grams, which is close enough for reading a label.
For coffee and tea, remember that a heaped spoon from the sugar bowl is not a measuring spoon. A heaped teaspoon has no fixed volume, so no chart can turn it into grams with confidence.
Why brown and powdered sugar differ
Brown sugar is white sugar with molasses. The molasses makes the crystals damp and sticky, and recipes ask you to press it into the spoon, so a packed spoon weighs more than a spoon of loose white sugar.
Powdered sugar is ground to a fine powder, and in the US it usually contains a little cornstarch to stop it caking. Fine powders trap air, so a spoonful weighs only about 60 percent of a spoonful of granulated sugar. Sifting adds more air again. If a recipe gives powdered sugar in grams, weigh it rather than counting spoons.
Questions about sugar measurements
- How many tablespoons is 15 grams of sugar?
- 1.2 level tablespoons of granulated sugar, or 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon. For other ingredients see 15 grams to tablespoons.
- How many grams is 1 tablespoon of sugar?
- 12.5 grams for granulated sugar, 13.31 grams for packed brown sugar and 7.5 grams for powdered sugar.
- How many teaspoons is 4 grams of sugar?
- 0.96 teaspoons of granulated sugar, so just under 1 level teaspoon.
Where these numbers come from
The per-cup weights are the ones published on this site’s sugar page and used by its converters. USDA FoodData Central gives household weights for granulated and brown sugar. King Arthur Baking lists 198 g per cup of granulated sugar, 1 percent lighter than the 200 g used here. The US tablespoon is defined as 14.79 ml.