A level tablespoon of granulated white sugar weighs about 12 grams. King Arthur Baking lists a cup of sugar at 198 g, which puts the grams in a tablespoon of sugar at 12.4 g, and Domino's label lists 1 teaspoon at 4 g, which is 12 g per tablespoon.
| Amount | Granulated sugar |
|---|---|
| 1/4 tsp | 1 g |
| 1/2 tsp | 2.1 g |
| 1 tsp | 4.1 g |
| 1 tbsp | 12.4 g |
| 1/4 cup | 49.5 g |
| 1/2 cup | 99 g |
| 1 cup | 198 g |
Why the grams in a tablespoon of sugar barely change
Good news: granulated sugar is one of the most forgiving ingredients to measure with spoons. The crystals are hard and fairly even in size, so they don't squash down the way flour does. Spooned or scooped, a level tablespoon lands close to the same weight.
The small gap between 12 g and 12.4 g mostly comes from rounding. Nutrition labels round to whole grams, so Domino's 4 g teaspoon could be a hair more or less in reality. For everyday cooking, 12 g per tablespoon is a fine number to remember.
Other white sugars weigh a little differently
Crystal size does change things. King Arthur Baking lists:
- Superfine (baker's special) sugar: 190 g per cup, or about 11.9 g per tablespoon.
- Turbinado (raw) sugar: 180 g per cup, or about 11.3 g per tablespoon.
Bigger, irregular crystals leave more air gaps in the spoon, so a spoonful of turbinado weighs less than a spoonful of regular sugar. Powdered sugar and brown sugar are different again, and both have their own conversions.
How to measure a tablespoon of sugar
- Dip or spoon the sugar into your measuring spoon.
- Level it with the back of a knife.
- If the sugar has clumped from humidity, break up the lumps first.
That's really it. The bigger risks are heaped spoons and using a cutlery spoon instead of a measuring spoon. A rounded tablespoon can easily carry several extra grams.
Sugar that's gone hard in the bag is easy to fix. Break it up with a fork or give it a quick pulse in a blender, then measure as usual.
Where tablespoons of sugar come up
- Coffee and tea. If you sweeten by the spoon, weighing once shows you what your usual spoonful really is.
- Salad dressings and marinades. A tablespoon or two balances acid and salt.
- Whipped cream and fruit. Small amounts of sugar go a long way.
- Cookie and muffin tops. A sprinkle before baking adds crunch.
Scaling a recipe down is another spot where spoons come in. Half of 1/4 cup is 2 tablespoons, or about 24.8 g. For baking, where sugar affects browning, spread and texture, weighing gives you repeatable results. Here's more on measuring by weight if you're curious.
Common mistakes
- Using the same number for every sugar. King Arthur Baking lists powdered sugar at about 7.1 g per tablespoon and packed brown sugar at about 13.3 g, so they don't trade evenly with granulated.
- Measuring with a wet spoon. Sugar sticks to damp metal, so measure dry ingredients before liquids or dry the spoon first.
- Eyeballing in baking. A guess is fine in coffee, but cookies and cakes are less forgiving.
A handy tip for the coffee bar or the stove: a MeasureMate digital measuring spoon scoops and weighs in one step, so you can see your real spoonful in grams. Zero it with the tare button, scoop, and the display reads in 0.1 g steps. It switches between grams, ounces and other units to match your recipe.
Quick questions
How many grams are in a teaspoon of sugar?
About 4 g. King Arthur Baking's numbers work out to 4.1 g, and Domino's label lists 4 g.
How many tablespoons of sugar are in 100 grams?
About 8 level tablespoons, using roughly 12.4 g per tablespoon.
How many grams is 1/4 cup of sugar?
About 49.5 g, based on 198 g per cup.
Weights based on the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart and the Domino granulated sugar label.