2 Tablespoons in Grams
2 tablespoons in grams depends on the ingredient: flour is 15 g, sugar is 25 g and butter is 28 g. Two tablespoons is a spoon measure, and grams are a weight, so there is no single answer: the weight depends entirely on what is on the spoon. Two tablespoons of flour weighs 15 g, two tablespoons of sugar weighs 25 g and two tablespoons of butter weighs 28 g, and the spread across ingredients is wider than most cooks expect. This page gives the per-ingredient table so you can convert by what you are actually measuring, not by a guess.
Why this conversion exists
Grams measure mass and cups measure volume, and the bridge between them is density, which is different for every ingredient. A cup is always 236.59 ml of space, but what that space weighs depends on what fills it: a cup of flour weighs 120 g, a cup of granulated sugar weighs 198 g and a cup of butter weighs 227 g, and across the 120 ingredients in our table the figure runs from 48 g for dried oregano to 340 g for molasses. That is why this page gives a table instead of a single number, and why every figure on it is labelled approximate. Confusing volume with weight is how a cake ends up too dry or too sweet: the recipe asked for a weight and the cook supplied a volume, or the other way round. Keep the two apart, use the table for the ingredient in your bowl, and weigh the ingredient on a scale whenever the recipe matters.
2 Tablespoons in Grams conversion table
| Ingredient | Grams per cup | Grams | Method |
|---|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | 120 g per cup | 15 g | spooned and levelled |
| Granulated Sugar | 198 g per cup | 24.8 g | spooned and levelled |
| Butter | 227 g per cup | 28.4 g | scooped |
| Brown Sugar | 213 g per cup | 26.6 g | packed |
| Honey | 336 g per cup | 42 g | poured |
| Cocoa Powder | 84 g per cup | 10.5 g | spooned and levelled |
| Milk | 244 g per cup | 30.5 g | poured |
| Rolled Oats | 89 g per cup | 11.1 g | spooned and levelled |
The gram-per-cup figures in the table come from the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart and USDA FoodData Central, and every converted figure is computed from them, so the table is consistent: the same density gives every row. All the converted figures are approximate, because densities are measured one way in one laboratory, and your kitchen will differ by a few grams. When a bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
The same conversion for flour, sugar and butter
The table above covers eight ingredients. The table below gives the same conversion for the three ingredients that appear in most recipes, at the amounts cooks actually use, so the common cases are all in one place.
| Tablespoons | All-purpose flour | Granulated sugar | Butter |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 tbsp | 7.5 g | 12.4 g | 14.2 g |
| 2 tbsp | 15 g | 24.8 g | 28.4 g |
| 3 tbsp | 22.5 g | 37.1 g | 42.6 g |
| 4 tbsp | 30 g | 49.5 g | 56.8 g |
Worked examples
Marinade for grilled vegetables calling for 2 tbsp of granulated sugar
A marinade for grilled vegetables recipe that calls for 2 tbsp of granulated sugar needs 24.8 g. A marinade is mostly oil and acid measured in tablespoons, and the balance between them decides whether the vegetables char or steam. Count the spoonfuls out loud as you add them, because losing count halfway through is the commonest spoon error. That is the figure to measure: 2 tbsp in the units the recipe uses, or 24.8 g on a scale or in a cup, whichever the recipe asks for. The figure is approximate, because it comes from the King Arthur Baking density of 198 g per cup, measured spooned and levelled, so when the bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale. A recipe that calls for 2 tbsp of granulated sugar and gets 24.8 g will behave as written, and a recipe that uses another ingredient's figure instead will not, because a cup of one ingredient weighs nothing like a cup of another.
Pan gravy calling for 4 tbsp of butter
A pan gravy recipe that calls for 4 tbsp of butter needs 56.8 g. Gravy starts with a tablespoon or two of fat and flour, and the spoon is the unit that sets the roux, so the conversion is the first step in the sauce. For a sticky ingredient, weigh it instead of spooning it, because what clings to the spoon never reaches the bowl. That is the figure to measure: 4 tbsp in the units the recipe uses, or 56.8 g on a scale or in a cup, whichever the recipe asks for. The figure is approximate, because it comes from the King Arthur Baking density of 227 g per cup, measured scooped, so when the bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale. A recipe that calls for 4 tbsp of butter and gets 56.8 g will behave as written, and a recipe that uses another ingredient's figure instead will not, because a cup of one ingredient weighs nothing like a cup of another.
Ginger cake batter calling for 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour
A ginger cake batter recipe that calls for 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour needs 7.5 g. A ginger cake's treacle and spice are measured in tablespoons, and the treacle is the sticky part that clings to the spoon, which is why weighing it is often the better choice. Level each spoonful with the back of a knife, because a heaped spoonful can hold half as much again as a level one. That is the figure to measure: 1 tbsp in the units the recipe uses, or 7.5 g on a scale or in a cup, whichever the recipe asks for. The figure is approximate, because it comes from the King Arthur Baking density of 120 g per cup, measured spooned and levelled, so when the bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale. A recipe that calls for 1 tbsp of all-purpose flour and gets 7.5 g will behave as written, and a recipe that uses another ingredient's figure instead will not, because a cup of one ingredient weighs nothing like a cup of another.
Scaling the recipe up and down
Scaling works the same way in both directions, and flour is the example here because it is the ingredient most recipes scale. Double the recipe and 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour becomes 30 g. Halve it and you need 7.5 g. The same arithmetic applies to every ingredient in the table, using that ingredient's own density: double the amount, double the converted figure, and the ratio holds. When you scale, always scale by weight if the original recipe was written in grams, and by volume if it was written in cups, because mixing the two mid-recipe is how scaling errors creep in. And remember that the figures are approximate, so a scaled recipe is only as accurate as the original conversion: weigh the scaled amount on a scale rather than trusting the scaled cup figure.
How the conversion is defined
The gram figures on this page come from the King Arthur Baking ingredient weight chart and USDA FoodData Central, the two sources used across this site. Dry ingredients are measured spooned and levelled, which means the ingredient is spooned loosely into the measuring cup and the top is swept flat with a straight knife, never scooped and never pressed down. Butter is measured scooped, because it is a solid fat pressed into the cup, and liquids are measured poured into a jug and read at eye level. Every density-based result on this page is approximate, so when a recipe really matters, verify with a kitchen scale. Two figures on this page carry a dispute worth knowing about. Flour is the most disputed conversion in baking: King Arthur lists 120 g per cup spooned and levelled, while other sources quote 125 g, 130 g and up to 142 g for a scooped cup, so this page uses the King Arthur spooned-and-levelled value. Granulated sugar is listed at 198 g per cup by King Arthur while USDA rounds it to 200 g; the 2 g difference is rounding, not a real disagreement, and this page uses 198 g.
Why spoon measures are the least accurate unit in the kitchen
Tablespoons and teaspoons are the least accurate measures most kitchens use, because a spoonful depends on how it is filled, how it is levelled and what is on the spoon. A level tablespoon of flour weighs about 7.5 g, but a heaped one can weigh 11 g, and a tablespoon of honey weighs 21 g while a tablespoon of cocoa powder weighs 5 g. The spoon is also the unit where the difference between a US tablespoon, at 14.79 ml, and a metric tablespoon, at 15 ml, is small enough to ignore, which is a rare piece of good news. The practical rule is simple: use spoons for small amounts of flavourings, salt and leavening, where a small error is a small error, and switch to a scale for anything structural, like flour, fat and sugar, where a spoonful is a real part of the recipe.
Common mistakes
- Using a dinner spoon instead of a measuring spoon. A dinner spoon holds an unpredictable amount, often closer to two teaspoons than one tablespoon. Measuring spoons are standardised, and a recipe written in tablespoons means the standardised spoon.
- Heaping the spoon. A heaped tablespoon can hold half as much again as a level one. Level the spoon with a straight knife unless the recipe explicitly says heaped.
- Measuring a sticky ingredient in a dry spoon. Honey, treacle and syrup cling to the spoon, so what you measured is not what reached the bowl. Weigh sticky ingredients instead, or oil the spoon lightly first.
- Counting spoonfuls instead of levelling. Spoon measures are only as accurate as the levelling. A rounded spoonful of baking powder can add enough leavening to make a cake rise and collapse, so level every spoonful.
Practical guidance
Spoons are best used for small amounts, and the practical rule is to level every spoonful with the back of a knife unless the recipe says heaped. A rounded tablespoon of baking powder can add half as much again as the recipe asked for, which is enough to make a cake rise fast and then collapse. For dry ingredients, spoon the ingredient into the measuring spoon rather than dipping the spoon into the packet, because dipping packs it. For sticky ingredients like honey or treacle, oil the spoon lightly first, or weigh the ingredient instead, because what clings to the spoon never reaches the bowl. Keep a full set of measuring spoons, a tablespoon, a teaspoon, a half teaspoon and a quarter teaspoon, because guessing a half tablespoon with a full tablespoon is how errors creep in. And when a recipe calls for more than four tablespoons of anything, switch to a cup or a jug: counting spoonfuls is slow, and every spoonful is another chance to miscount.
Frequently asked questions
How do I measure this amount without a scale?
Spoon a dry ingredient into the cup and level it off with a straight knife, never scoop, because scooping packs it and adds weight. Pour a liquid into a jug on a flat surface and read the meniscus at eye level. Press butter into the cup to remove air pockets and level the top. Those are the methods the figures on this page were measured with, so measuring the same way gives the closest result to the table.
What about the dispute over the weight of flour?
Flour is the most disputed conversion in baking: King Arthur lists 120 g per cup spooned and levelled, while other sources quote 125 g, 130 g and up to 142 g for a scooped cup. This page uses the King Arthur spooned-and-levelled value of 120 g, because it is measured the way the method describes. Granulated sugar carries a smaller dispute: King Arthur lists 198 g per cup and USDA rounds it to 200 g, which is rounding rather than a real disagreement, and this page uses 198 g.
Does packing change the answer?
Yes, and for some ingredients it changes it a great deal. Brown sugar is measured packed at 213 g per cup, while loosely spooned it weighs about 170 g, so packing is part of the number for brown sugar and muscovado. Flour, sugar and cocoa powder are measured spooned and levelled, never packed, because packing them adds grams the recipe did not ask for. Butter is measured scooped, because it is a solid fat that has to be pressed into the cup to fill it.
How many grams is 2 tbsp?
2 tablespoons in grams depends on the ingredient: flour is 15 g, sugar is 25 g and butter is 28 g. The table above lists the same conversion for eight ingredients cooks use most often, and the second table gives the figures for the three ingredients that appear in most recipes: all-purpose flour, granulated sugar and butter. Every figure is approximate, because it comes from a density, so when a bake really matters, verify with a kitchen scale.
Why does the answer depend on the ingredient?
Because this conversion crosses from volume to weight, or from weight to volume, and the bridge between them is density, which is different for every ingredient. A cup is always 236.59 ml of space, but what that space weighs runs from 48 g for dried oregano to 340 g for molasses across the 120 ingredients in our table. That is why this page gives a table instead of a single number: the conversion is a property of the ingredient, not of the unit.
Related conversions
Use the tablespoons to cups converter, teaspoons to tablespoons converter, cups to grams converter for instant answers, or browse the units hub for every conversion on this site. For the weight of the same ingredients by the cup, see all-purpose flour in grams, granulated sugar in grams and butter in grams. Nearby pages in this series: 2 tablespoons in millilitres, 3 teaspoons in tablespoons, 4 tablespoons in cups. See also our disclaimer about approximate conversions and about CookScale for how our figures are sourced.