100 grams of brown sugar is about 7.5 tablespoons. One tablespoon of brown sugar weighs about 13.3 g, and one teaspoon is about 4.4 g. It is the only common sugar that must be packed into the measure, and that single rule explains why so many cookie recipes go wrong: a loosely spooned cup of brown sugar can be 40 g light.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured packed. White sugar coated in molasses; light and dark differ only in molasses content. Cookies, barbecue sauces, glazes and oatmeal. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured packed. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 213 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. White sugar coated in molasses; light and dark differ only in molasses content. Cookies, barbecue sauces, glazes and oatmeal.
A note on disputed figures. Packed firmly, per King Arthur; loosely spooned brown sugar weighs about 170 g per cup, so packing matters more than brand.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the spoon, so when a recipe has to work the first time, weigh the ingredient on a kitchen scale and use the numbers here as a guide.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of brown sugar |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.4 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 13.3 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 26.6 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 39.9 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 53.2 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 66.6 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 79.9 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 106.5 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 133.1 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 159.8 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 213 g |
| 100 g | 7.5 tablespoons |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is simply the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of brown sugar is about 7.5 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A batch of chewy chocolate chip cookies
A cookie dough that needs 10 tablespoons of packed brown sugar, about 133.1 g, gets its chew from the molasses in the sugar, which holds moisture and keeps the cookies soft for days. Pack each tablespoon firmly with the back of a spoon so the sugar holds its shape when you turn it out. If you spoon it in loosely instead, the dough ends up short on sugar and moisture, and the cookies bake up thin, crisp and dry instead of thick and chewy.
A barbecue glaze for ribs
A sticky barbecue glaze uses 6 tablespoons of brown sugar, about 79.9 g, simmered with ketchup, vinegar and spices until it coats the back of a spoon. The sugar caramelises on the ribs in the last minutes of cooking and gives the glossy, dark crust that makes barbecue look like barbecue. Measure the sugar by weight here, because a glaze that is short on sugar stays sharp and vinegary, while too much sugar burns before the meat is done.
Sweetening a pot of morning oatmeal
A family pot of oatmeal takes 3 tablespoons of brown sugar, about 39.9 g, stirred in at the end so the molasses flavour stays bright instead of cooking away. Brown sugar suits oatmeal better than white sugar because its moisture melts straight into the hot oats instead of sitting on top in dry crystals. Three level, firmly packed spoonfuls sweeten four bowls without making the porridge taste like pudding.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Brown sugar matters in baking because it is really two ingredients in one: sugar and molasses. The molasses adds moisture, a toffee flavour and acidity, which is why recipes that use brown sugar often call for baking soda rather than baking powder. The packing rule is what catches people out. King Arthur measures brown sugar packed firmly at 213 g per cup, but the same cup loosely spooned holds only about 170 g, a gap of more than 40 g. That gap is the difference between a cookie that spreads and one that stays thick, and between a sauce that glazes and one that stays thin. Weighing 100 g of brown sugar, about 7.5 packed tablespoons, removes the packing question entirely.
If you do not have a scale, the tablespoon count on this page is your best friend: 7.5 level tablespoons is about 100 g of brown sugar, and one tablespoon is about 13.3 g. For small amounts, use teaspoons instead, at about 4.4 g each, because a teaspoon is easier to level accurately than a tablespoon. For large amounts, use a cup: one cup of brown sugar weighs 213 g, so 100 g is about 0.47 of a cup. Count carefully, level every spoon, and remember that the figures are approximate, so when the recipe has to work the first time, a kitchen scale is still the safer choice.
Storage. Airtight container with a clay disc or bread slice to stop it hardening.
- Pack brown sugar firmly into the spoon so it holds its shape when turned out.
- Soften hardened sugar overnight with a slice of bread in a sealed container.
- Weigh brown sugar whenever the recipe is baking, where packing errors show most.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of brown sugar?
100 grams of brown sugar is about 7.5 tablespoons, packed firmly, using the King Arthur Baking value of 213 g per cup. One packed tablespoon weighs about 13.3 g. The figure is approximate, and it depends on packing, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of brown sugar?
One firmly packed tablespoon of brown sugar weighs about 13.3 g, and one packed teaspoon is about 4.4 g. Loosely spooned, the same tablespoon holds only about 10.6 g, so packing is the difference between a right measurement and a wrong one.
Why does brown sugar have to be packed?
Brown sugar is moist and sticky from its molasses coating, so it clumps and leaves air gaps when spooned loosely. Packing it firmly removes the air and gives a consistent weight: 213 g per cup packed against about 170 g loosely spooned. Weighing the sugar avoids the question altogether.
Can I use granulated sugar instead of brown sugar?
You can, but the result changes: granulated sugar is drier and has no molasses flavour, so cookies turn out crisper and less chewy, and the colour is paler. For a closer swap, use 100 g of granulated sugar plus a tablespoon of molasses, mixed well. By weight the swap is simple, but by spoonfuls remember that 100 g of brown sugar is 7.5 tablespoons against 8.1 of white sugar.
How do I stop brown sugar going hard?
Keep it in an airtight container with a terracotta disc or a slice of bread, which keeps the molasses moist. If it has already hardened, seal it overnight with a damp cloth and it will soften again. Hard, lumpy sugar is difficult to measure, so soften it before spooning or weighing.
Common mistakes to avoid
The biggest mistake is measuring brown sugar the way you measure white sugar, spooned loosely into the cup. A loose cup is about 170 g against 213 g packed, so a recipe can end up a fifth short on sugar. The second mistake is using hardened, lumpy brown sugar straight from the bag: the lumps leave air gaps in the spoon, so the weight is anyone's guess. Soften it first with a damp cloth or a slice of bread overnight, or weigh it and break the lumps up as you go. The third mistake is swapping light and dark brown sugar without thinking: dark brown sugar has more molasses and a stronger flavour, which suits gingerbread and barbecue but can overpower a delicate cookie. Finally, never store brown sugar in an open bag, because it dries out and sets as hard as a brick within days.