How Many Ounces in a Tablespoon?
one half fl oz
There are 1/2 fluid ounce in 1 US tablespoon (14.79 ml).
UK: 1 metric tablespoon (15 ml) = 0.5279 imp fl oz
Exact: 1 tbsp = 0.5 fl oz
Tablespoons to Ounces conversion chart
| Tablespoons | Ounces |
|---|---|
| one half tablespoon | one quarter |
| 1 tbsp | one half |
| 1 and one half tablespoons | three quarters |
| 2 tbsp | 1 |
| 3 tbsp | 1 and one half |
| 4 tbsp | 2 |
| 5 tbsp | 2 and one half |
| 5 and one third tablespoons | 2 and two thirds |
| 6 tbsp | 3 |
| 8 tbsp | 4 |
| 10 tbsp | 5 |
| 10 and two thirds tablespoons | 5 and one third |
| 12 tbsp | 6 |
| 14 tbsp | 7 |
| 16 tbsp | 8 |
| 18 tbsp | 9 |
| 20 tbsp | 10 |
| 24 tbsp | 12 |
| 32 tbsp | 16 |
| 48 tbsp | 24 |
| 64 tbsp | 32 |
How to convert tablespoons to ounces
fluid ounces = tablespoons ÷ 2
Example: 3 tbsp ÷ 2 = 1 1/2 fl oz.
Halve the tablespoon count to get US fluid ounces. Because US measures define the tablespoon from the fluid ounce, the result is exact rather than rounded.
For 5 tablespoons of maple syrup, 5 ÷ 2 = 2 1/2 fluid ounces. For 7 tablespoons of cream, the answer is 3 1/2 fluid ounces.
A count that is a multiple of four also lands on a cup line: 12 tablespoons are 6 fluid ounces, or 3/4 cup. For the reverse direction, see ounces to tablespoons.
US vs UK tablespoons and fluid ounces
A British or Canadian tablespoon is 15 ml, a shade more than the US spoon of 14.79 ml. Paired with the smaller imperial fluid ounce of 28.41 ml, the neat two-to-one ratio breaks: an imperial ounce holds about 1.9 metric tablespoons.
The Australian tablespoon is 20 ml, or 0.6763 fl oz in US terms. Halving an Australian spoon count therefore undercounts the ounces.
When a British or Australian recipe gives both spoons and ounces, measure with its own metric spoons rather than mixing systems.
| Unit | Size | Used in |
|---|---|---|
| US tablespoon | 14.79 ml | US |
| metric tablespoon | 15 ml | UK, Canada, New Zealand |
| Australian tablespoon | 20 ml | Australia |
| US fluid ounce | 29.57 ml | US |
| imperial fluid ounce | 28.41 ml | UK |
How do nutrition labels count tablespoons?
Labels round kitchen measures to metric ones. Under the federal labeling rule 21 CFR 101.9, a tablespoon counts as 15 ml and a fluid ounce as 30 ml. A serving of 2 tablespoons of syrup therefore still equals one fluid ounce on the label.
Grams printed next to a tablespoon serving are weight, and they depend on the food. By USDA data, 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar weigh about 25 g and 2 tablespoons of butter about 28 g, though both fill one fluid ounce.
Tablespoons and ounces: questions
Does 2 tablespoons equal 1 oz?
Yes, as a volume: 2 tablespoons fill exactly 1 fluid ounce. As a weight, only some foods come close. 2 tablespoons of butter weigh about 1 oz by USDA data, but the same amount of shredded cheddar weighs about 0.5 oz.
Does 2 teaspoons equal 1 oz?
No. A teaspoon is a third of a tablespoon, so 2 teaspoons make just 1/3 fluid ounce. You need 6 teaspoons, the same as 2 tablespoons, to reach one fluid ounce.
Is 1/4 oz a tablespoon?
No, it is half of one. 1/4 fl oz equals 1/2 tablespoon, which you can also measure as 1 1/2 teaspoons with a teaspoon and a half-teaspoon.
Is 4 tbsp 1 oz?
No. 4 tablespoons equal 2 fluid ounces, the same as a 1/4 cup measure. Half as many spoonfuls make one ounce, so if a drink recipe calls for 1 fl oz of syrup, stop at the second spoonful.
How many ounces are in 8 tablespoons of butter?
By volume, 8 tablespoons are 4 fluid ounces, the size of one US stick. By weight, USDA data puts that much butter at about 4 oz, so for butter the two kinds of ounce nearly match.
Related conversions
Sources: Unit definitions: NIST Handbook 44 · Last reviewed · Report an error
https://howmanyounces.com/tablespoons-to-ounces/