How Many Teaspoons Are In a Tablespoon? Save Our Cheat Sheet

If you’ve ever wondered how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon, we’re about to make your life a whole lot easier.

Familiarizing yourself with a few basic cooking measurement conversions can ensure your recipes come out tasting fantastic. One of the most common to learn? How to convert teaspoons into tablespoons and vice versa. If you’ve ever wondered how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon, we’re about to make your life a whole lot easier. 

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How Many Teaspoons in a Tablespoon?

So, how many teaspoons are in a tablespoon, exactly? It’s pretty simple, actually: There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon, says Deborah Rainford, a UK-based Cordon Bleu-trained chef who runs Savvy Bites.

How Many Half Teaspoons in a Tablespoon?

It’s time to do a little elementary math. If there are three teaspoons in one tablespoon, that means there are six half teaspoons in a tablespoon. Easy-peasy, right?

How Many Teaspoons in Half a Tablespoon?

What if a recipe calls for half a tablespoon, but you only have a teaspoon on hand to measure? Since there are three teaspoons in one tablespoon, that means there are one and a half teaspoons in half a tablespoon. Makes sense! 

Converting Metric Measurements to Standard Measurements

Say you find a really yummy recipe that uses metric measurements instead of teaspoons and tablespoons. It turns out it’s actually pretty easy to convert the measurements. 

A teaspoon is equivalent to five milliliters, while a tablespoon equals 15 milliliters, explains Rainford. “If you always remember that a teaspoon is five milliliters, then you just have to triple it for a tablespoon,” she says. 

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Why It’s Important To Know How Many Teaspoons Are in a Tablespoon

It’s important to get these measurements correct, especially when it comes to baking, says Rainford. That’s because confusing quantities of teaspoons and tablespoons can really throw off the success of the recipe and how it tastes.

In fact, mixing these two measurements up could cause the final product to be inedible! 

“If you accidentally add a tablespoon instead of a teaspoon of salt to a batch of cooks, they will look fine but will be inedible,” says Rainford. No thanks! 

The Best Way To Measure Teaspoons and Tablespoons

“The best way to measure dry ingredients with a teaspoon or tablespoon is the dip and sweep method,” says Rainford. To do this, dip the spoon into the ingredient and use the flat edge of a knife to scrape the excess off the top so you have a level spoonful, she explains. 

“For liquid ingredients, just pour them into the spoon, being sure that the meniscus of the liquid is slightly rounded on top,” adds Rainford. 

Related: Liquid Versus Dry Measure

Commonly Asked Questions About Teaspoon and Tablespoon Measurements

Is half a tablespoon one teaspoon? 

Nope! Half a tablespoon isn’t one teaspoon. It’s actually one and a half teaspoons. 

Do one and a half teaspoons equal half a tablespoon?

Yep! One and a half teaspoons equal half of a tablespoon. 

Do two teaspoons make up one tablespoon?

Nope, two teaspoons don’t make one tablespoon. There are three teaspoons in a tablespoon. 

Do four teaspoons make one tablespoon? 

Nope! Four teaspoons don’t make one tablespoon. As we said previously, three teaspoons are the equivalent of one tablespoon. 

What is the same as one tablespoon?

Three teaspoons are the same as one tablespoon. It’s that simple! 

What is half of a dry tablespoon? 

Half of a dry tablespoon would be the same as using one and a half teaspoons. 

How many tablespoons in a stick of butter?

Sometimes, a recipe might call for a certain number of tablespoons in butter. So in case you were wondering, there are eight tablespoons total in a stick of butter, says Rainford.  

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