Heaping
A heaping spoon or cup is filled above the rim in a mound instead of leveled. It adds roughly half again as much, so here is how to judge it.
Also called Heaped, Rounded, Heaping tablespoon.
Heaping means you fill a measuring spoon or cup and then let the ingredient pile up above the rim in a mound, instead of sweeping it flat. The British word is heaped. A rounded spoon is in between: a small, gentle dome rather than as much as the spoon will hold. Heaping only makes sense for dry or thick ingredients, such as flour, sugar, spices, yogurt or peanut butter.
How to do it
- Dip the spoon into the container and lift it out full.
- Do not shake it or sweep the top.
- Let it hold as much as sits on it without falling off.
For a rounded spoon, scoop and then tap the spoon once against the side of the jar so the loose top falls away.
How to use it
How much extra a heap adds depends on the ingredient and the spoon, so these are rough guides:
| Measure | About the same as |
|---|---|
| 1 heaping teaspoon | 1½ to 2 level teaspoons |
| 1 heaping tablespoon | 1½ to 2 level tablespoons |
| 1 rounded tablespoon | about 1½ level tablespoons |
| 1 heaping cup | about 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons |
Fine, light powders such as flour and cocoa form a taller heap than coarse ones like salt, so heaping a spoon of flour adds more than heaping a spoon of salt.
Common mistakes
- Heaping baking powder, baking soda or salt in baking when the recipe says level. Too much leavening makes a cake rise and collapse and taste bitter or soapy.
- Reading "heaping" in a savory recipe as a reason to pile on. It usually means a little more, not twice as much.
- Heaping a liquid measure. A liquid cannot heap. If a recipe says "a heaping cup" of something runny, it means a little over a cup.
In recipes
You will see "1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste", "a heaped teaspoon of curry powder" and "2 rounded tablespoons flour". The opposite of heaping is scant, which means a little under. If no word is given, assume a level measure, and pack only when the recipe says packed.
Related terms
- LevelA level measure is filled to the rim and swept flat with a knife. Unless a recipe says heaping or packed, every spoon and cup should be level.
- ScantA scant measure is a little less than full, usually short by a teaspoon or so in a cup. Recipes use it to fine-tune liquid, salt and sugar.
- PackedPacked means pressing an ingredient firmly into the cup so there is no air. Recipes ask for it with brown sugar and fresh herbs. Here is how.
- TablespoonA tablespoon is about 15 ml in the US, UK and Sweden but 20 ml in Australia. It equals 3 teaspoons. Here is how to measure and convert it.
- TeaspoonA teaspoon holds 5 ml, and 3 teaspoons make a tablespoon. Here is how to measure one level, and how it compares to tsk and krm in Swedish recipes.