100 grams of molasses is about 4.7 tablespoons. One tablespoon of molasses weighs about 21.2 g, and one teaspoon is about 7.1 g. It is the heaviest sweetener on this page at 21.3 g per tablespoon, and its flavour is so strong that a little does a lot of work, which is why recipes measure it in spoonfuls rather than cups.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from King Arthur Baking, measured poured. Thick, dark syrup left after sugar refining; strongly flavoured. Gingerbread, baked beans, barbecue sauce and rye bread. 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. One US cup is 16 tablespoons, so every figure here is the cup weight of 340 g divided by 16, rounded to one decimal place. Thick, dark syrup left after sugar refining; strongly flavoured. Gingerbread, baked beans, barbecue sauce and rye bread.
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.
Conversion table
| Amount | Grams of molasses |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 7.1 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 21.2 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 42.5 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 63.8 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 85 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 106.2 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 127.5 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 170 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 212.5 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 255 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 340 g |
| 100 g | 4.7 tablespoons |
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. The last row is the headline figure for this page: 100 g of molasses is about 4.7 tablespoons. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
Three real kitchen examples
A gingerbread loaf for the holidays (Molasses)
A gingerbread loaf uses 6 tablespoons of molasses, about 127.5 g, beaten into the butter and sugar with ground ginger and cinnamon. Molasses is what makes gingerbread dark, moist and deeply flavoured, and it also reacts with the baking soda to help the loaf rise. Weigh the molasses on a scale if you can: it is so thick that half a spoonful stays in the measure, and the loaf needs the full amount to stay moist.
A pot of slow-baked beans
A pot of baked beans takes 4 tablespoons of molasses, about 85 g, stirred in with mustard and tomato before the long, slow bake. The molasses gives the beans their dark colour and their bittersweet depth, and it thickens the sauce as the beans cook. Four spoonfuls is enough for a large pot; any more and the beans taste more of molasses than of beans.
A barbecue sauce from scratch
A homemade barbecue sauce uses 3 tablespoons of molasses, about 63.8 g, simmered with ketchup, vinegar and smoked paprika. The molasses adds a dark, almost bitter sweetness that balances the vinegar and gives the sauce its body. Simmer it gently rather than boiling it hard, because molasses scorches easily once the water cooks off.
Getting it right in your kitchen
Molasses matters because it is a flavouring first and a sweetener second. It is the syrup left after sugar is refined, so it carries minerals and a strong, almost bitter taste that no other sweetener can copy. In gingerbread and rye bread it is the defining flavour, and in barbecue sauce it is the dark backbone. At 340 g per cup it is the heaviest sweetener in the kitchen, so 100 g is only about 4.7 tablespoons, and a tablespoon weighs about 21.2 g. Its acidity also matters: molasses reacts with baking soda, which is why gingerbread recipes pair the two. Weighing molasses is the practical choice, because it is so thick that spooning it accurately is a slow, sticky job.
Scaling with tablespoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of molasses, count out about 4.7 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 2.4 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 100 g means using 50 g, and doubling it means 200 g, or about 9.4 tablespoons. 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 more than 16 tablespoons is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
Storage. Airtight jar, cool and dark, up to 1 year.
- Oil the spoon or weigh molasses straight into the bowl; it is too thick to spoon cleanly.
- Use light molasses for baking unless the recipe says blackstrap.
- Keep molasses in a cool, dark cupboard with the lid tight.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 grams of molasses?
100 grams of molasses is about 4.7 tablespoons, poured, using the King Arthur Baking value of 340 g per cup. One tablespoon weighs about 21.2 g. The figure is approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe matters.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of molasses?
One tablespoon of molasses weighs about 21.2 g, and one teaspoon is about 7.1 g. Molasses is the heaviest common sweetener, at 340 g per cup, slightly heavier than honey at 336 g.
What is the difference between light and blackstrap molasses?
Light molasses comes from the first boiling of sugar cane and is sweet and mild, while blackstrap comes from the third boiling and is darker, more bitter and less sweet. Recipes for gingerbread and baked beans usually mean light molasses; blackstrap is best for savoury sauces and marinades.
Can I substitute honey for molasses?
Only with a flavour change: honey is lighter and floral, while molasses is dark and bittersweet. By weight the swap is simple, 100 g for 100 g, but the gingerbread or barbecue sauce will taste different. For a closer match, use honey plus a spoonful of dark brown sugar.
Why is molasses so hard to measure?
Molasses is thick and sticky, so it clings to spoons and jugs and pours slowly. The fix is to oil the measure lightly first, or to weigh it: put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and pour the molasses straight in. Weighing is faster and more accurate.
Common mistakes to avoid
The most common mistake is measuring molasses in a dry spoon, so a good part of it stays behind and the recipe ends up short. Oil the spoon first, or weigh the molasses straight into the bowl. The second mistake is using blackstrap molasses in a recipe written for light molasses: blackstrap is far more bitter and less sweet, and it can make a cake taste medicinal. The third mistake is letting molasses boil hard in a sauce, because it scorches and turns bitter. Finally, do not store molasses in a warm cupboard with a loose lid, because it thickens and crystallises, and a crystallised jar is hard to pour and harder to measure.