When a recipe lists blueberries in tablespoons and your scale reads grams, the conversion is 10.6 g per tablespoon. The maths is a single division: one cup of blueberries weighs 170 g, and one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so 170 ÷ 16 = 10.6 g. That one number unlocks the whole table below, from a single teaspoon at 3.5 g up to a full cup at 170 g.
Every figure here is approximate and comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Small spoonfuls are the hardest amounts to weigh accurately, so if the recipe matters, check the weight on a kitchen scale.
About Blueberries
Small, sweet blue berries. Muffins, pancakes, salads and snacking. That is why it shows up in recipes measured by the tablespoon: it is used in amounts too small for a cup measure to be practical, yet large enough that guessing the weight can throw a dish off. Knowing that one tablespoon weighs 10.6 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Refrigerate unwashed; use within 1 week.
Worked examples
A bowl of morning oatmeal
A bowl of oatmeal for one person takes 2 tablespoons of blueberries, about 21.2 g, stirred in while the oats are still hot. Two tablespoons sweetens the bowl and adds texture without needing extra sugar. Add the fruit at the end of cooking so it softens slightly but keeps its shape, rather than boiling it into the porridge.
A trail mix for a walk
A bag of trail mix for two people uses 6 tablespoons of blueberries, 63.8 g, mixed with nuts and seeds. Six tablespoons across a whole bag gives a piece of fruit in most handfuls, which is the point of trail mix: a little sweetness alongside the savoury nuts. Keep the mix in a sealed bag or jar, because dried fruit picks up moisture from the air and turns sticky.
A fruit loaf or a tea bread
A fruit loaf for a family uses 8 tablespoons of blueberries, about 85 g, soaked first and then folded into the dough. Eight tablespoons makes the loaf properly fruity rather than sparsely dotted. Soak the fruit in hot water or tea for twenty minutes before baking, which plumps it up and stops it from drawing moisture out of the loaf while it bakes.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 3.5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 10.6 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 21.2 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 31.9 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 42.5 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 53.1 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 63.8 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 74.4 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 85 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 95.6 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 106.2 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 116.9 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 127.5 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 138.1 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 148.8 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 159.4 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 170 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 170 g divided by 16 and rounded to one decimal place. Sixteen tablespoons make one cup, which is why the last row of the table matches the cup weight exactly. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Cups to grams for reference
Most recipes switch between cups and tablespoons, so here is the same ingredient measured in cups. Use this table when a recipe gives a cup amount and you want to weigh it, or when you have already measured in tablespoons and want to check the total.
| Cups | Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 4 tablespoons | 42.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 56.7 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 85 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 113.3 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 127.5 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 170 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 255 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 340 g |
How the figure is measured
Blueberries is measured spooned and levelled: spoon it loosely into the tablespoon, then sweep the top flat with the back of a knife. Do not scoop directly from the bag or jar, because scooping packs the ingredient down and a scooped spoon can weigh far more than a spooned one. The spoon-and-level method is the one the source data assumes, so it is the method that makes the numbers on this page true.
The cup weight of 170 g comes from King Arthur Baking. The tablespoon figure is that cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place, which is why the table is consistent from one row to the next. All results are approximate: brand, grind, humidity and temperature all move the real weight a little, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use these numbers as a guide.
A note on disputed figures. King Arthur gives a range of 140-170 g per cup for fresh blueberries; we use the top of the range, 170 g.
When you do not have a scale
Not every kitchen has a scale, and a tablespoon measure is a perfectly good tool for small amounts of blueberries. The key is technique: fill the spoon the way the source data assumes, which for blueberries is spooned and levelled. A level spoon is the standard, and a heaped spoon is a different measurement altogether, so level the top with a straight edge and do not guess.
For amounts larger than a few tablespoons, a cup measure is more reliable than counting spoons, because each spoonful adds a little error and the errors add up. One cup of blueberries is 170 g, which is 16 tablespoons, so if a recipe calls for a cup, use the cup measure rather than counting sixteen spoonfuls. And when a recipe has to work the first time, borrow or buy a scale: it costs less than a single failed bake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking, which is the way ingredients pack into a spoon or a cup.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of blueberries?
One tablespoon of blueberries weighs 10.6 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 170 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 3.5 g, and one cup is 170 g.
How many grams is a teaspoon of blueberries?
One teaspoon of blueberries weighs 3.5 g, approximately. A teaspoon is a third of a tablespoon, so the teaspoon weight is the tablespoon weight of 10.6 g divided by three. For very small amounts, the teaspoon is the better tool, because it is easier to level accurately than a tablespoon.
How many tablespoons of blueberries are in 100 g?
About 9.4 tablespoons. The calculation is 100 g divided by 10.6 g per tablespoon, which gives 9.4. In practice, measure 9.4 level tablespoons and accept that the result will be a gram or two off, or weigh the ingredient directly if the recipe needs to be exact.
How many tablespoons of blueberries are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of blueberries is 16 tablespoons and weighs 170 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (85 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (42.5 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (127.5 g).
Can I use a regular eating spoon instead of a measuring tablespoon?
It is not a good idea. Eating spoons vary widely in size and shape, and a tablespoon from a cutlery drawer can hold noticeably more or less than a standard measuring tablespoon. A set of measuring spoons costs very little and is the only way to make the figures on this page true in your kitchen.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Scooping directly from the bag, which packs the ingredient down and makes a spoonful weigh far more than a spooned one.
- Leaving the spoon heaped instead of levelling it, which adds an unpredictable extra amount every time.
- Measuring a damp or clumped ingredient without breaking it up first, which leaves air pockets and a short measure.
- Using a regular eating spoon instead of a measuring tablespoon, since eating spoons vary widely in size.
The thread running through all of these is the same: a tablespoon is only a standard measure when it is filled in the standard way. Measure blueberries spooned and levelled, level it off, and check the weight on a scale when the recipe has to be right, and the numbers on this page will serve you well.