How Many Grams Are in a Tablespoon of Sugar?

How many grams are in 1 tablespoon of each sugar type?

Different sugars weigh different amounts per US tablespoon (15 ml). Granulated white sugar weighs 12.5 g per tablespoon. Brown sugar (packed) weighs 13 g per tablespoon. Powdered sugar weighs 7.5 g per tablespoon (much lighter due to the air between fine particles). Coconut sugar weighs 9 g per tablespoon. Turbinado sugar (raw sugar) weighs 12 g per tablespoon. Demerara sugar weighs 12 g per tablespoon. Date sugar weighs 5 g per tablespoon. Maple sugar weighs 11 g per tablespoon. Stevia powder weighs 0.5 g per tablespoon (much lighter than other sugars due to extreme sweetness concentration). These weights assume properly filled tablespoons: scooped and leveled, never packed (except for brown sugar where packing is the standard).

Why do sugar types weigh different amounts per tablespoon?

The weight differences come down to crystal size, density, and moisture content. Granulated white sugar has a uniform crystal structure that packs evenly into a measuring spoon. Powdered sugar has the same chemical composition as granulated sugar but is ground into much finer particles, which trap more air between them and result in lower density per tablespoon. Brown sugar contains molasses, which adds moisture and slight extra weight while also causing the particles to cling together. Coconut sugar and turbinado sugar have larger, less uniform crystals than granulated sugar, which traps more air. Date sugar is dried, ground dates rather than crystalline sugar, with a fibrous structure that weighs less per volume. Stevia powder is so much sweeter than sugar that recipes use a fraction of the amount.

How does sugar weight scale through cups and teaspoons?

For granulated sugar (12.5 g per tablespoon): 1 teaspoon is 4 g, 1 tablespoon is 12.5 g, 1/4 cup (4 tbsp) is 50 g, 1/2 cup is 100 g, 3/4 cup is 150 g, and 1 cup is 200 g. For brown sugar (packed): 1 cup is 213 g. For powdered sugar: 1 cup is 113 g. For demerara: 1 cup is 192 g. The scaling is linear, so any volume converts cleanly to grams by multiplying. These figures matter most in baking, where sugar quantity affects both sweetness and texture (sugar contributes to browning, moisture retention, and crystal structure in cookies and cakes). For non-baking applications like sweetening coffee or sprinkling on cereal, gram precision matters less.

When does sugar tablespoon-to-gram math matter most?

Baking precision is the main case. Cookie spread, cake texture, and bread crust development all depend on sugar quantity. Using volume measurements adds 10-15 percent variability depending on how the sugar is scooped, which can change results noticeably. Nutrition tracking apps use grams for sugar content; converting from teaspoons or tablespoons to grams gives more accurate calorie and carbohydrate counts. International baking recipes universally use grams, so converting from US tablespoons or cups requires the gram math. For health-conscious cooking, knowing that 1 tablespoon of sugar is 12.5 g (about 50 calories) helps with portion awareness; reducing sugar by even a few tablespoons across a recipe can meaningfully reduce calorie content without dramatically changing texture.