When a recipe lists cream of tartar in tablespoons and your scale reads grams, the conversion is 9 g per tablespoon. The maths is a single division: one cup of cream of tartar weighs 144 g, and one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so 144 ÷ 16 = 9 g. That one number unlocks the whole table below, from a single teaspoon at 3 g up to a full cup at 144 g.
Every figure here is approximate and comes from USDA, 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 Cream of Tartar
Acidic white powder left over from winemaking. Stabilising egg whites, activating baking soda and making baking powder. 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 9 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Airtight jar, cool and dry, up to 3 years.
Worked examples
A batch of pancakes for breakfast
A batch of pancakes for four people uses 2 tablespoons of cream of tartar, about 18 g, whisked into the dry ingredients. Two tablespoons spread across a whole batch is a small amount per pancake, yet it is what makes them puff instead of lying flat. Mix the batter gently once the wet and dry ingredients meet, because overmixing knocks the air out and no amount of leavening can put it back.
A cake that needs a lift
A single layer cake uses 1 tablespoon of cream of tartar, 9 g, sifted with the flour so it is evenly distributed. Sifting matters more than the exact spoon count here, because a pocket of leavening leaves a bitter spot and a hole in the crumb. Get the oven hot before the batter goes in, since leavening starts working the moment it meets moisture and heat.
Doubling a recipe that uses leavening
Doubling a recipe that calls for one tablespoon of leavening means using 2 tablespoons, 18 g, but the rest of the recipe does not always double cleanly. Double the leavening exactly, and keep the rising time the same rather than doubling it, because a doubled dough rises faster than a single one. Watch the dough, not the clock, and bake when it has risen rather than when the timer says so.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 3 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 9 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 18 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 27 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 36 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 45 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 54 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 63 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 72 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 81 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 90 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 99 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 108 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 117 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 126 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 135 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 144 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 144 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 | 36 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 48 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 72 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 96 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 108 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 144 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 216 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 288 g |
How the figure is measured
Cream of Tartar 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 144 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 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 cream of tartar. The key is technique: fill the spoon the way the source data assumes, which for cream of tartar 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 cream of tartar is 144 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 cream of tartar?
One tablespoon of cream of tartar weighs 9 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 144 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 3 g, and one cup is 144 g.
How much does 36 g of cream of tartar work out to in tablespoons?
That is 4 tablespoons, which weigh 36 g. Four tablespoons is a quarter of a cup, so it is a convenient amount to measure with a quarter-cup measure if you have one. The same arithmetic works for any amount: divide the grams by 9 to get tablespoons.
What is 25 g of cream of tartar in tablespoons?
About 2.8 tablespoons. The calculation is 25 g divided by 9 g per tablespoon. For such a small amount, weigh it on a kitchen scale if you have one, because counting out a tablespoon and a half by eye is less accurate than the scale.
How many grams is a tablespoon of cream of tartar?
One tablespoon of cream of tartar weighs 9 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 144 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 3 g, and one cup is 144 g.
How many grams is a teaspoon of cream of tartar?
One teaspoon of cream of tartar weighs 3 g, approximately. A teaspoon is a third of a tablespoon, so the teaspoon weight is the tablespoon weight of 9 g divided by three. For very small amounts, the teaspoon is the better tool, because it is easier to level accurately than a tablespoon.
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 cream of tartar 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.