100 grams of tapioca flour is about 12.5 tablespoons. A tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, and a cup of tapioca flour is 128 g spooned and levelled, so the maths is 1600 ÷ 128 = 12.5 tbsp — or, the other way round, one tablespoon weighs 8.0 g. If you cook from recipes written in grams and spoons, this page is the bridge between the two, and the worked examples show the conversion inside real dishes rather than in isolation.
Tapioca flour is the starch from cassava root, for thickening pies, gluten-free baking and Brazilian cheese bread with a chewy, glossy finish. A hundred grams is about 12.5 tablespoons, because tapioca flour is heavy per cup at 128 g. It is the thickener that stays clear and glossy where cornstarch turns cloudy, which is why it is the starch for fruit pies — and the practical point that matters most is the same as with cornstarch: a little goes a long way, and too much turns a filling rubbery.
All figures on this page are approximate, and they come from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. When a recipe has to work the first time, verify with a kitchen scale.
Conversion table
One tablespoon is one sixteenth of a cup, so every tablespoon figure here is the gram amount divided by the weight of one tablespoon. All figures are approximate; verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
| Grams | Tablespoons (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 10 g | 1.2 tbsp |
| 20 g | 2.5 tbsp |
| 25 g | 3.1 tbsp |
| 30 g | 3.8 tbsp |
| 40 g | 5.0 tbsp |
| 50 g | 6.2 tbsp |
| 60 g | 7.5 tbsp |
| 75 g | 9.4 tbsp |
| 80 g | 10.0 tbsp |
| 100 g | 12.5 tbsp |
| 120 g | 15.0 tbsp |
| 125 g | 15.6 tbsp |
| 150 g | 18.8 tbsp |
| 200 g | 25.0 tbsp |
| 250 g | 31.2 tbsp |
| 300 g | 37.5 tbsp |
| 500 g | 62.5 tbsp |
The reverse table is just as useful: when a recipe gives tablespoons and you want to know the weight before you reach for the scale.
| Tablespoons | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 8.0 g |
| 2 tbsp | 16.0 g |
| 3 tbsp | 24.0 g |
| 4 tbsp | 32.0 g |
| 5 tbsp | 40.0 g |
| 6 tbsp | 48.0 g |
| 7 tbsp | 56.0 g |
| 8 tbsp | 64.0 g |
| 9 tbsp | 72.0 g |
| 10 tbsp | 80.0 g |
| 11 tbsp | 88.0 g |
| 12 tbsp | 96.0 g |
| 13 tbsp | 104.0 g |
| 14 tbsp | 112.0 g |
| 15 tbsp | 120.0 g |
| 16 tbsp | 128.0 g |
One tablespoon of tapioca flour weighs 8.0 g, and one cup weighs 128 g. Those two figures are all you need to move between grams, tablespoons and cups for this ingredient.
Cups to grams for reference
When a recipe jumps from spoons to cups, use this table instead of counting out tablespoons. Every figure is the cup weight multiplied by the fraction, rounded to one decimal place, and all figures are approximate.
| Cups | Grams (approx.) |
|---|---|
| 1/4 cup | 32.0 g |
| 1/3 cup | 42.7 g |
| 1/2 cup | 64.0 g |
| 2/3 cup | 85.3 g |
| 3/4 cup | 96.0 g |
| 1 cup | 128.0 g |
How the measurement works
The figure on this page comes from USDA, measured spooned and levelled. Starch from cassava root; gives a chewy, glossy finish. Thickening pies, gluten-free baking and Brazilian cheese 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. The method matters more than the number itself, because the same spoon of tapioca flour measured two different ways can give two different weights, and the USDA value assumes the spooned and levelled method every time.
Worked examples
Thickening a fruit pie
A fruit pie for six takes 4 tablespoons (32.0 g) of tapioca flour tossed with the fruit and sugar before it goes into the crust, and the starch is what sets the filling without turning it cloudy. The amount matters because tapioca flour is powerful: too much and the filling turns rubbery and bouncy, too little and the pie leaks when you slice it.
Brazilian cheese bread
A batch of cheese bread takes 100 g of tapioca flour, which is about 12.5 tablespoons spooned and levelled, mixed with hot milk, oil, cheese and an egg. The amount matters because tapioca flour is the whole structure of the bread — there is no wheat flour at all, and the starch is what makes the rolls chewy and hollow inside.
A spoonful in a gluten-free blend
A gluten-free flour blend for a small batch takes 2 tablespoons (16.0 g) of tapioca flour mixed with rice flour and potato starch, and the tapioca adds chew and a glossy finish. Use only a small amount — too much tapioca flour makes a bake gummy and dense.
Practical guidance
Spoon tapioca flour lightly into the measure and level it, and never press it down: tapioca flour is a fine starch that packs easily, and a packed spoon can weigh half as much again as a level one. Tapioca flour thickens at a lower temperature than cornstarch and stays clear and glossy, which is why it is the starch for fruit pies — but it turns rubbery if you use too much, so measure it carefully. For a pie filling, toss the tapioca flour with the fruit and sugar and let it sit for fifteen minutes before baking, so the starch hydrates.
Tapioca flour, tapioca starch and cassava flour are not all the same: tapioca flour and tapioca starch are the same product, but cassava flour is made from the whole root and is heavier and denser. Do not swap them spoon for spoon. Store tapioca flour sealed and dry for up to a year; it absorbs moisture from the air, and damp tapioca flour weighs more per spoon and clumps in a batter.
Scaling with spoons is easy once you know the weight of one spoon. To measure 100 g of tapioca flour, count out about 12.5 tablespoons, and for 50 g, about 6.2 tablespoons. Halving a recipe that calls for 4 tablespoons means using 2 tablespoons, or 16.0 g, and doubling it means 8 tablespoons, or 64.0 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, since counting out tablespoons one by one is slow and error-prone, and a cup is faster and more accurate.
When should you weigh tapioca flour 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 bake, and it removes the biggest source of variation in home cooking, which is the way ingredients pack into a cup or a spoon. Put the bowl on the scale, press tare, and add the tapioca flour 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 anything where precision matters, the scale is the tool to reach for.
Storage. Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 1 year.
- Level every spoon with the back of a knife.
- Use spoons for small amounts, and a scale for large ones.
- Keep the same spoon for the whole recipe so errors stay consistent.
Frequently asked questions
How many tablespoons is 100 g of tapioca flour?
100 g of tapioca flour is about 12.5 tablespoons, measured spooned and levelled. Because a level tablespoon is not always exactly the same, treat that as an approximation and verify with a kitchen scale when the recipe has to work the first time.
How many grams is 1 tablespoon of tapioca flour?
One level tablespoon of tapioca flour weighs approximately 8.0 g. That figure comes from dividing the cup weight of 128 g by 16, and it assumes the ingredient is measured spooned and levelled. All figures on this page are approximate, so verify with a kitchen scale when it matters.
What is the difference between tapioca flour and cornstarch?
Both are starches, but tapioca flour thickens at a lower temperature and stays clear and glossy, while cornstarch turns cloudy. Tapioca flour is the starch for fruit pies, because a clear filling shows off the fruit. Cornstarch is better for gravies and custards.
Why did my pie filling turn rubbery?
Because there was too much tapioca flour. Tapioca flour is powerful, and a little too much turns a filling rubbery and bouncy. Measure it carefully — 4 tablespoons is enough for a pie for six — and let the fruit and starch sit together for fifteen minutes before baking.
Is tapioca flour the same as cassava flour?
No. Tapioca flour and tapioca starch are the same product, made from the starch of the cassava root. Cassava flour is made from the whole root and is heavier and denser. Do not swap them spoon for spoon.
How should I store tapioca flour?
Airtight container, cool and dry, up to 1 year. Keeping it stored properly also keeps its weight consistent, since an ingredient that has absorbed moisture or dried out will not weigh the same per spoon as a fresh one.