1 tablespoon of powdered sugar weighs 7.1 g. Powdered sugar is light and fluffy, and it is the lightest sugar per tablespoon because it is ground to a fine powder with air between the particles. The figure is for unsifted powdered sugar: sifted powdered sugar is lighter still, at about 6.3 g per tablespoon, because sifting adds even more air.
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.
Putting the numbers to work
A buttercream frosting for a birthday cake
A buttercream recipe uses 16 tablespoons of powdered sugar, about 114 g, beaten with butter and a splash of milk. That is a cup of powdered sugar, and it makes enough frosting for a two-layer cake. Sift the sugar first, because lumps of powdered sugar will not dissolve in the frosting and will show up as white specks.
Dusting a cake with powdered sugar
A finished cake is dusted with 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar, about 14 g, through a fine sieve. The sugar should fall in an even, snowy layer. Hold the sieve high above the cake and tap it gently, so the sugar drifts down rather than falling in clumps.
A glaze for cinnamon rolls
A glaze for cinnamon rolls uses 8 tablespoons of powdered sugar, about 57 g, whisked with a little milk and vanilla. The glaze should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but thin enough to drizzle. Add the milk a teaspoon at a time, because a little too much makes the glaze runny.
The numbers in a table
| Amount | Grams of powdered sugar |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.4 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 7.1 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 14.1 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 21.2 g |
| 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) | 28.2 g |
| 1/3 cup | 37.7 g |
| 1/2 cup (8 tablespoons) | 56.5 g |
| 3/4 cup (12 tablespoons) | 84.8 g |
| 1 cup (16 tablespoons) | 113 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.
Tips for best results
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 powdered sugar, count out about 14.1 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 7.0 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 tablespoons means using 2 tablespoons, or 14.1 g, and doubling it means 8 tablespoons, or 56.5 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 powdered sugar 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 powdered sugar 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 container, cool and dry, indefinitely.
- Measure powdered sugar unsifted, then sift it.
- Sift before adding to frosting to avoid lumps.
- Store airtight; it keeps indefinitely.
Method and source
The figure on this page comes from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled. Granulated sugar ground to a fine powder with a little cornstarch. Icings, glazes, dusting and buttercream.
A note on disputed figures. King Arthur lists 113 g unsifted; sifted powdered sugar is about 100 g per cup because sifting adds air.
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.
Frequently asked questions
How many grams is a tablespoon of powdered sugar?
One tablespoon of unsifted powdered sugar weighs 7.1 g, and one teaspoon is about 2.4 g. Sifted powdered sugar is lighter, at about 6.3 g per tablespoon, because sifting adds air.
Should I measure powdered sugar sifted or unsifted?
Unsifted, unless the recipe says sifted. Most recipes assume unsifted powdered sugar, and sifting it first will leave you short by about 10 percent. Sift it after measuring, not before.
Can I substitute granulated sugar for powdered sugar?
Not directly. Powdered sugar is much lighter per tablespoon, and it dissolves instantly, while granulated sugar stays gritty in a frosting. You can make powdered sugar by blending granulated sugar with a little cornstarch, but the result is coarser than shop-bought.
Why does powdered sugar clump?
It absorbs moisture from the air, and the fine particles stick together. Store it in an airtight container in a cool, dry place, and sift it before using it in a frosting or a glaze, where lumps would show.
How long does powdered sugar keep?
Indefinitely, in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It is mostly sugar with a little cornstarch, and neither goes off, though it can clump in a humid kitchen.
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.