For coffee, the tablespoon-to-grams conversion is 14.8 g per tablespoon. One cup weighs 237 g, so the calculation is 237 ÷ 16 = 14.8 g, and one teaspoon, a third of a tablespoon, is 4.9 g. Those three numbers cover almost every recipe that lists coffee by the spoon.
All figures on this page are approximate, taken from USDA and measured poured. Use the tables below for the exact amount you need, and check with a kitchen scale when the result has to be right.
About Coffee
Brewed black coffee, essentially flavoured water. Drinking, tiramisu, chocolate cake and sauces. 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 14.8 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Drink fresh; refrigerate leftovers up to 1 week.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.9 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 14.8 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 29.6 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 44.4 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 59.2 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 74.1 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 88.9 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 103.7 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 118.5 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 133.3 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 148.1 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 162.9 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 177.8 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 192.6 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 207.4 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 222.2 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 237 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 237 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 | 59.2 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 79 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 118.5 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 158 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 177.8 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 237 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 355.5 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 474 g |
Worked examples
A drink or a sauce base
A sauce or a drink that serves four people often starts with 4 tablespoons of coffee, about 59.2 g, as its liquid base. Four tablespoons is a small amount in a jug, which is why recipes list it by the spoon: it is the seasoning and the lift, not the bulk of the dish. Measure it with a spoon rather than guessing from the bottle, because a free pour is almost always more than you intended.
A dressing for a side salad
A dressing for a side salad for two uses 2 tablespoons of coffee, about 29.6 g, whisked with oil and a pinch of salt. Two tablespoons is the right amount of liquid to coat a bowl of leaves without pooling at the bottom. Whisk it until the mixture comes together, taste it, and only then pour it over the salad, because a dressing is much easier to adjust in the bowl than on the leaves.
A marinade for a weeknight dinner
A marinade for two portions of chicken or fish uses 3 tablespoons of coffee, about 44.4 g, mixed with oil, garlic and herbs. The liquid carries the flavour into the food and keeps the surface moist while it cooks. Marinate for twenty to thirty minutes, and discard any leftover marinade that touched raw meat rather than reusing it as a sauce.
How the figure is measured
Coffee is a liquid, so it is measured poured: fill the tablespoon to the brim and level it by eye, or pour it into a small jug and read the level. Liquids are the easiest ingredients to measure by volume, because they settle flat and leave no air pockets, but they still cling to the spoon, so let the spoon drip for a moment before you count it as added. For larger amounts, pour into a jug rather than counting spoonfuls, since counting sixteen tablespoons is slow and each pour adds a small error.
The cup weight of 237 g comes from USDA. 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.
When precision matters most
Not every recipe needs weighing. A soup, a stew or a marinade will forgive a tablespoon of coffee more or less, because the balance of flavours is broad and you can adjust it at the end. Baking is different: a cake, a loaf or a batch of biscuits depends on the ratio of ingredients, and being out by a few tablespoons of coffee can change the texture, the rise or the sweetness.
Use the scale whenever the amount is large, whenever the recipe is one you have never made before, and whenever the ingredient is doing structural work rather than just adding flavour. For a single tablespoon in a savoury dish, a level spoon is accurate enough. For 118.5 g, which is 8 tablespoons, the spoon is a slow way to measure and a scale is both faster and more accurate. The habit to build is simple: weigh the ingredients that matter, spoon the ones that do not, and know which is which before you start cooking.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of coffee?
One tablespoon of coffee weighs 14.8 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 237 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 4.9 g, and one cup is 237 g.
How many tablespoons of coffee are in 100 g?
About 6.8 tablespoons. The calculation is 100 g divided by 14.8 g per tablespoon, which gives 6.8. In practice, measure 6.8 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 coffee are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of coffee is 16 tablespoons and weighs 237 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (118.5 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (59.2 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (177.8 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.
Is 14.8 g per tablespoon exact or approximate?
It is approximate. The cup weight of 237 g comes from USDA, measured poured, and the real weight of a tablespoon varies with brand, grind, humidity and how the spoon is filled. For most cooking the approximation is fine, and for baking or any recipe that has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Measuring a liquid in a dry cup, where it clings to the sides and some of it never reaches the bowl.
- Counting spoonfuls for a large amount instead of switching to a jug or a scale, which lets small errors add up.
- Reading a jug at an angle instead of at eye level, which makes the level look higher or lower than it is.
- Pouring straight from the bottle into the pan, which is almost always more than the recipe asked for.
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 coffee poured, 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.