---
title: "Teaspoon: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "A 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."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/teaspoon"
---

# Teaspoon

A 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.

Also called tsp, t, Teaspoons.

A teaspoon is a measuring spoon that holds 5 ml. A US teaspoon is 4.93 ml, which is the same for any cooking purpose. Three teaspoons make a [tablespoon](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tablespoon). Recipes write it tsp or a lowercase t, and Swedish recipes call it _tesked_, written [tsk](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tsk). It is the size used for salt, spices, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla and yeast.

## How to do it

1. Stir the ingredient in its jar to loosen it.
2. Dip the measuring spoon in and lift it out full.
3. Sweep across the top with a straight knife to make it [level](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/level).
4. Measure over a small dish, not over your mixing bowl.

## How to use it

| Teaspoons | Other measures                                                |
| --------- | ------------------------------------------------------------- |
| ⅛ tsp     | about 0.6 ml, a dash                                          |
| ¼ tsp     | about 1.2 ml, a little over 1 krm                             |
| ½ tsp     | 2.5 ml                                                        |
| 1 tsp     | 5 ml, 1 tsk, 5 [krm](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/krm) |
| 3 tsp     | 1 tablespoon, 15 ml                                           |

Rough weights for 1 level teaspoon:

| Ingredient                                                     | Weight         |
| -------------------------------------------------------------- | -------------- |
| Fine table salt                                                | about 6 g      |
| Coarse kosher-style salt                                       | about 3 to 5 g |
| Granulated sugar                                               | about 4 g      |
| Baking powder                                                  | about 4 g      |
| [Baking soda](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/baking-soda) | about 5 g      |
| Instant yeast                                                  | about 3 g      |

Salt varies most. A teaspoon of coarse salt is far less salty than a teaspoon of fine salt, because the large flakes leave gaps.

## Common mistakes

* Using a cutlery teaspoon. They hold anywhere from about 2.5 to 6 ml.
* Mixing up tsp and tbsp. Too much salt or baking soda by three times can ruin a dish.
* Swapping fine salt for coarse salt one to one. If a recipe says kosher salt and you only have fine salt, use about half to three quarters as much, depending on how coarse the kosher salt is.
* Heaping baking powder or soda. The extra makes cakes rise too fast, then sink, and taste bitter.

## In recipes

You will see "1 tsp baking soda", "½ teaspoon ground cumin" and "1 t vanilla". "A scant teaspoon" means a little under, and "a heaping teaspoon" a good deal more. Smaller amounts are a [pinch](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pinch) or a dash.

## Related terms

* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tablespoon)
* [TskTsk, short for tesked, is the Swedish teaspoon and holds exactly 5 ml. It equals 5 krm or a third of a msk, and swaps one for one with a US teaspoon.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/tsk)
* [KrmKrm, short for kryddmått, is the Swedish spice measure and holds exactly 1 ml. Here is how it compares to tsk, msk and US teaspoons.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/krm)
* [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.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/level)
* [PinchA pinch is the small amount you can hold between your thumb and one or two fingers, about 1/16 teaspoon. It is used for salt, spices and saffron.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/pinch)
* [Baking sodaBaking soda is sodium bicarbonate, a strong leavening that needs an acid to work. In the UK it is bicarbonate of soda, in Ireland bread soda.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/baking-soda)

[More in measurements](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/measurements)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)