For milk chocolate chips, the tablespoon-to-grams conversion is 10.6 g per tablespoon. One cup weighs 170 g, so the calculation is 170 ÷ 16 = 10.6 g, and one teaspoon, a third of a tablespoon, is 3.5 g. Those three numbers cover almost every recipe that lists milk chocolate chips by the spoon.
All figures on this page are approximate, taken from USDA and measured spooned and levelled. Use the tables below for the exact amount you need, and check with a kitchen scale when the result has to be right.
About Milk Chocolate Chips
Sweet, creamy chips that melt more readily than dark chocolate. Cookies, muffins and decorating. 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 10.6 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Cool, dry place, up to 1 year.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 3.5 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 10.6 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 21.2 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 31.9 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 42.5 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 53.1 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 63.8 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 74.4 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 85 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 95.6 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 106.2 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 116.9 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 127.5 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 138.1 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 148.8 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 159.4 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 170 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 170 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 | 42.5 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 56.7 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 85 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 113.3 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 127.5 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 170 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 255 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 340 g |
Worked examples
A hot chocolate for two
Two mugs of hot chocolate use 3 tablespoons of milk chocolate chips, about 31.9 g, melted into hot milk. Three tablespoons across two mugs gives a properly chocolatey drink rather than a faintly brown one. Melt the chocolate into a little of the milk first to make a smooth paste, then whisk in the rest, because adding all the milk at once leaves lumps.
A batch of chocolate cookies
A batch of cookies uses 4 tablespoons of milk chocolate chips, about 42.5 g, folded into the dough. Four tablespoons across a dozen cookies gives a good scattering of chocolate in every bite without making the dough fall apart. Fold the chocolate in last and chill the dough for twenty minutes before baking, so the cookies hold their shape instead of spreading into thin discs.
A chocolate ganache for a cake
A ganache to cover a small cake uses 8 tablespoons of milk chocolate chips, about 85 g, melted with cream and poured over the top. Eight tablespoons is enough for a thin, glossy coat on a single layer cake. Chop the chocolate finely so it melts evenly, pour the hot cream over it, and leave it for a minute before stirring, because stirring too early leaves lumps that never quite disappear.
How the figure is measured
Milk Chocolate Chips 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 170 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 milk chocolate chips 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 milk chocolate chips 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 85 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 milk chocolate chips?
One tablespoon of milk chocolate chips weighs 10.6 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 170 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 3.5 g, and one cup is 170 g.
How many tablespoons of milk chocolate chips are in 100 g?
About 9.4 tablespoons. The calculation is 100 g divided by 10.6 g per tablespoon, which gives 9.4. In practice, measure 9.4 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 milk chocolate chips are in a cup?
There are 16 tablespoons in one US cup, so one cup of milk chocolate chips is 16 tablespoons and weighs 170 g. Half a cup is 8 tablespoons (85 g), a quarter cup is 4 tablespoons (42.5 g), and three quarters of a cup is 12 tablespoons (127.5 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 10.6 g per tablespoon exact or approximate?
It is approximate. The cup weight of 170 g comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled, 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
- 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 milk chocolate chips 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.