If you are converting a recipe from cups to grams, start here: 1 tablespoon of sunflower seeds weighs 8.8 g. The cup weight is 140 g, and since there are 16 tablespoons in a cup, the division is 140 ÷ 16 = 8.8 g. Multiply that by the number of tablespoons in your recipe and you have the weight.
This page gives you the full tablespoon table, a cups table for cross-checking, and worked examples from real cooking. All figures are approximate and come from King Arthur Baking, measured spooned and levelled; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
About Sunflower Seeds
Hulled sunflower seeds, mild and nutty. Bread, granola, salads and snacking. 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 8.8 g lets you move between the spoon and the scale without stopping to work it out.
Storage. Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 6 months.
Tablespoon to grams table
| Tablespoons | Grams |
|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 2.9 g |
| 1 tablespoon | 8.8 g |
| 2 tablespoons | 17.5 g |
| 3 tablespoons | 26.2 g |
| 4 tablespoons | 35 g |
| 5 tablespoons | 43.8 g |
| 6 tablespoons | 52.5 g |
| 7 tablespoons | 61.2 g |
| 8 tablespoons | 70 g |
| 9 tablespoons | 78.8 g |
| 10 tablespoons | 87.5 g |
| 11 tablespoons | 96.2 g |
| 12 tablespoons | 105 g |
| 13 tablespoons | 113.8 g |
| 14 tablespoons | 122.5 g |
| 15 tablespoons | 131.2 g |
| 16 tablespoons | 140 g |
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every figure above is the cup weight of 140 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 | 35 g |
| 1/3 cup | 5 tablespoons plus 1 teaspoon | 46.7 g |
| 1/2 cup | 8 tablespoons | 70 g |
| 2/3 cup | 10 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons | 93.3 g |
| 3/4 cup | 12 tablespoons | 105 g |
| 1 cup | 16 tablespoons | 140 g |
| 1 1/2 cups | 24 tablespoons | 210 g |
| 2 cups | 32 tablespoons | 280 g |
Worked examples
A salad topping for lunch
A lunch salad for two people takes 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, about 17.5 g, scattered over the top just before serving. Two tablespoons adds crunch and richness without turning a light salad into a heavy one. Toast them in a dry pan for a minute first, because toasting deepens the flavour enormously, and let them cool before they go on the salad so they stay crisp.
A granola batch for the week
A tray of homemade granola uses 8 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, about 70 g, mixed through the oats before baking. Eight tablespoons across a whole tray means a spoonful of granola has a few pieces in it, which is the right balance. Stir the granola halfway through baking so the nuts on top do not burn while the ones underneath stay pale.
A smoothie or a breakfast bowl
A breakfast bowl or a smoothie for one person takes 2 tablespoons of sunflower seeds, about 17.5 g, sprinkled on top or blended in. Two tablespoons is a sensible single serving: enough to add flavour and texture without overwhelming the bowl. If you are blending them in, add them last and pulse briefly, so they break up without turning the whole bowl gritty.
How the figure is measured
Sunflower Seeds 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 140 g comes from King Arthur Baking. 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 sunflower seeds. The key is technique: fill the spoon the way the source data assumes, which for sunflower seeds 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 sunflower seeds is 140 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 sunflower seeds?
One tablespoon of sunflower seeds weighs 8.8 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 140 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 2.9 g, and one cup is 140 g.
How do I measure sunflower seeds without a scale?
Fill a measuring tablespoon spooned and levelled and level it off with a straight edge. For amounts up to a few tablespoons, that is accurate enough. For larger amounts, use a cup measure: one cup of sunflower seeds is 140 g. Count spoonfuls only for small amounts, since the error on each spoon adds up over sixteen of them.
How much does 35 g of sunflower seeds work out to in tablespoons?
That is 4 tablespoons, which weigh 35 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 8.8 to get tablespoons.
Should I chop sunflower seeds before measuring a tablespoon?
Measure them the way the recipe lists them. If the recipe says chopped nuts, chop first and then measure, because chopping changes how they pack into the spoon. The figure on this page, 8.8 g per tablespoon, assumes the nuts are measured as they come, spooned and levelled, so a chopped measure will weigh slightly more per spoon.
How many grams is a tablespoon of sunflower seeds?
One tablespoon of sunflower seeds weighs 8.8 g, approximately. The figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 140 g by 16, since one tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup. One teaspoon is 2.9 g, and one cup is 140 g.
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 sunflower seeds 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.