1 teaspoon of cornmeal weighs 2.88 g. A teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, and a cup of cornmeal is 138 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 138 ÷ 48 = 2.88 g. The same cup divided by 16 gives the tablespoon weight of 8.6 g, and there are 3 teaspoons in every tablespoon. This page is built around small amounts, so the teaspoon and tablespoon tables below are the ones to bookmark, and the cups table is there for the times a recipe jumps to a larger quantity.
Coarsely ground dried corn; King Arthur lists whole cornmeal at 138 g per cup, and it is used for cornbread, polenta, muffins and breading.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Conversion table
One teaspoon is one forty-eighth of a cup, so every figure in this table is the cup weight divided by 48, rounded to two decimal places. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Teaspoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tsp | 2.88 g |
| 2 tsp | 5.75 g |
| 3 tsp | 8.62 g |
| 4 tsp | 11.50 g |
| 5 tsp | 14.38 g |
| 6 tsp | 17.25 g |
| 7 tsp | 20.12 g |
| 8 tsp | 23.00 g |
| 9 tsp | 25.88 g |
| 10 tsp | 28.75 g |
| 11 tsp | 31.62 g |
| 12 tsp | 34.50 g |
The tablespoon figures are included too, because most recipes switch between teaspoons and tablespoons, and 3 teaspoons make 1 tablespoon.
| Tablespoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 8.6 g |
| 2 tbsp | 17.2 g |
| 3 tbsp | 25.9 g |
| 4 tbsp | 34.5 g |
| 5 tbsp | 43.1 g |
| 6 tbsp | 51.8 g |
| 7 tbsp | 60.4 g |
| 8 tbsp | 69.0 g |
| 9 tbsp | 77.6 g |
| 10 tbsp | 86.2 g |
| 11 tbsp | 94.9 g |
| 12 tbsp | 103.5 g |
| 13 tbsp | 112.1 g |
| 14 tbsp | 120.8 g |
| 15 tbsp | 129.4 g |
| 16 tbsp | 138.0 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure is the cup weight divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place.
Cups to grams for reference
When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out 16 tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 34.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 46.0 g |
| 1/2 cup | 69.0 g |
| 2/3 cup | 92.0 g |
| 3/4 cup | 103.5 g |
| 1 cup | 138.0 g |
One cup of cornmeal weighs 138 g, so a quarter cup is 34.5 g and half a cup is 69 g. Those two figures cover most everyday scaling, and the full table above covers the rest.
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Coarsely ground dried corn; King Arthur lists whole cornmeal at 138 g per cup, and it is used for cornbread, polenta, muffins and breading.
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. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of cornmeal measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the King Arthur Baking value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.
Worked examples
Thickening a small pan sauce
A pan sauce for two needs 1 teaspoon (2.88 g) of cornmeal whisked into melted butter to make a roux, and cooking the roux for a minute before the stock goes in takes the raw taste away. The amount matters because too much cornmeal turns the sauce gluey, while too little leaves it thin and unable to coat the meat.
Dusting a cake tin
A greased cake tin needs about 2 teaspoons (5.75 g) of cornmeal dusted over the surface so the cake releases cleanly, and tapping the tin upside down removes the excess. Too much leaves a pale coating on the outside of the cake, while too little risks the cake sticking in the corners.
A roux for a cheese sauce
A cheese sauce for macaroni starts with 3 teaspoons (8.62 g) of cornmeal cooked in butter before the milk is added, and the ratio of flour to butter to milk decides how thick the finished sauce turns out. Level each spoon with a knife so the ratio stays the same every time.
Practical guidance
Spoon the cornmeal into the measure and level it off with a straight edge, and never scoop straight from the bag, since scooping packs the cornmeal down and adds weight that the recipe did not ask for. Do not sift before measuring unless the recipe says sifted, because sifting adds air and changes the weight per spoon. If you bake often, the single best upgrade is a kitchen scale, since weighing cornmeal removes the biggest source of variation in home baking entirely. Until then, spoon and level every time, and use the same spoon for the whole recipe so any small error stays consistent.
Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of cornmeal, count out about 34.8 teaspoons, and for 50 g, about 17.4 teaspoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 teaspoons means using 2 teaspoons, or 5.75 g, and doubling it means 8 teaspoons, or 23.00 g. The key is to scale every ingredient by the same factor, because changing one ingredient without changing the others throws the recipe out of balance. For large amounts, switch to a cup measure or a scale, since counting out teaspoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh cornmeal instead of measuring it? Whenever the recipe has to work the first time, and whenever the amount is large. A kitchen scale 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 cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the cornmeal until the display shows the number you need. There is nothing to wash afterwards except the bowl, and the result is the same every time. For small amounts, a level spoon is accurate enough, and for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container, cool and dry; refrigerate whole-grain cornmeal.
- Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
- Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
- Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is 1 teaspoon of cornmeal?
One level teaspoon of cornmeal weighs approximately 2.88 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 138 g by 48, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
How many teaspoons of cornmeal make 100 g?
About 34.8 teaspoons of cornmeal weigh 100 g, and about 17.4 teaspoons weigh 50 g. Count out the spoons level, and switch to a scale for large amounts, since counting dozens of spoonfuls invites mistakes.
Does a heaped teaspoon of cornmeal weigh more?
Yes, a heaped teaspoon weighs noticeably more than a level one, and the difference is biggest for light, fluffy ingredients. Always level the spoon with the back of a knife unless the recipe specifically says heaped, because recipes that give spoon measures assume a level spoon.
How many teaspoons of cornmeal are in a tablespoon?
There are 3 teaspoons in 1 tablespoon, so 1 tablespoon of cornmeal weighs approximately 8.6 g, which is three times the teaspoon weight of 2.88 g. Use the tablespoon table on this page when a recipe switches between the two units.
Can I use a kitchen scale instead of spoons for cornmeal?
Yes, and for anything where precision matters a scale is the better tool. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add cornmeal until the display shows the grams you need, which removes the variation that comes from how firmly an ingredient packs into a spoon.
How should I store cornmeal?
Airtight container, cool and dry; refrigerate whole-grain cornmeal. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.