1 tablespoon of honey weighs 21 g. Honey is the densest common sweetener, and a tablespoon of it weighs almost twice as much as a tablespoon of sugar. That is the number to remember when a recipe lists honey in tablespoons, because it explains why honey is so much sweeter by volume than sugar, and why swapping them spoon for spoon does not work.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured poured. 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 poured. Thick, floral syrup made by bees; sweeter than sugar by weight. Baking, glazes, dressings and sweetening tea.
A note on disputed figures. King Arthur lists 336 g per cup (21 g per tablespoon); USDA lists about 339-340 g. Honey is denser than any dry sweetener.
All results on this page are approximate. Ingredient weights vary with brand, humidity, temperature and how firmly you pack the cup, 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 honey |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 7 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 21 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 42 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 63 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) | 84 g |
| 1/3 cup | 112 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) | 168 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) | 252 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 336 g |
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. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A honey glaze for roast carrots
A glaze for a tray of roast carrots uses 2 tablespoons of honey, about 42 g, whisked with olive oil and a pinch of salt. The honey caramelises in the oven and gives the carrots a glossy, sticky coating. Measure the honey in a lightly oiled spoon so it slides off cleanly.
A honey and mustard dressing
A salad dressing uses 1 tablespoon of honey, 21 g, whisked with Dijon mustard, vinegar and olive oil. The honey balances the sharpness of the mustard and the vinegar. One tablespoon is the right amount for a dressing serving four.
Sweetening a cup of tea
A cup of tea takes 1 tablespoon of honey, 21 g, for most people. Honey is sweeter than sugar by weight, so a tablespoon of honey sweetens more than a tablespoon of sugar. Stir it in while the tea is hot, because honey dissolves slowly in cold liquid.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Granulated sugar is forgiving to measure, but brown sugar is not: it must be packed firmly into the cup, because loosely spooned brown sugar weighs about 170 g per cup instead of 213 g, a gap that will leave cookies flat and sauces thin. Powdered sugar goes the other way: sifted powdered sugar is about 100 g per cup against 113 g unsifted, so always measure it unsifted unless the recipe says otherwise. Honey and syrups should be measured in a lightly oiled cup or jug so they slide out cleanly, and weigh them if you can, because sticky sweeteners cling to every measuring surface.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of honey, count out about 4.8 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 2.4 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 tablespoons means using 2 tablespoons, or 42 g, and doubling it means 8 tablespoons, or 168 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: counting out 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh honey 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 cake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking: the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the honey 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 liquids, a jug is fine, but for anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight jar at room temperature; crystallisation is natural and reverses in warm water.
- Oil the spoon lightly so honey slides off.
- Honey is sweeter than sugar, so use less.
- Warm crystallised honey in hot water to dissolve it.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of honey?
One tablespoon of honey weighs 21 g, and one teaspoon is 7 g. A cup of honey is 336 g, which makes it the densest common sweetener in the kitchen.
Why is honey heavier than sugar per tablespoon?
Honey is a concentrated syrup with very little air in it, while granulated sugar is a pile of crystals with air between them. A tablespoon of honey is almost solid sugar and water, while a tablespoon of sugar is mostly air gaps.
Can I substitute honey for sugar spoon for spoon?
Not by volume. A tablespoon of honey is 21 g and a tablespoon of sugar is 12.4 g, and honey is sweeter. Use about three quarters as much honey as sugar by volume, and reduce the other liquid in the recipe slightly, because honey is a liquid.
How do I measure honey without a mess?
Lightly oil the spoon first, so the honey slides off. Or weigh it: put the bowl on the scale, tare it, and pour the honey straight in. Weighing is the cleanest method and the most accurate.
Does honey go bad?
No, in any practical sense. Honey is naturally antibacterial and does not spoil, though it can crystallise over time. Warm the jar in hot water to dissolve the crystals, and the honey will be as good as new.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake with sugar is not packing brown sugar firmly, which leaves a cup that is 40 g light and a batch of cookies that spreads too thin. The second is measuring powdered sugar after sifting it, which makes it lighter and leaves a frosting short on sugar. The third is pouring honey or syrup into a dry cup without oiling it first, so a spoonful of sweetener stays stuck to the cup and never reaches the bowl. The fourth mistake is swapping sweeteners by volume instead of by weight: a tablespoon of honey is 21 g and a tablespoon of sugar is 12.4 g, so a spoon-for-spoon swap changes the recipe significantly. Finally, do not store sugar in a humid cupboard without a sealed container, because it absorbs moisture and clumps into hard lumps that are difficult to measure.