How To Measure A Tablespoon With Your Everyday Utensils

Cooking and baking require precision when it comes to ingredients and measurements; that's why there are standardized cups and spoons for this task. They take the guesswork out of the process. However, if you find your kitchen is without these essential kitchen tools, there are other items you can pull out of the drawers to assist you in your measuring quest. Soup and dessert spoons can easily be transformed into measuring spoons if you are in a pinch.   

A soup or kitchen spoon is the larger of the two spoons in a table setting. It holds roughly the same amount as a tablespoon, while a dessert spoon, the smaller of the spoons, holds approximately one teaspoon. If you are using a dessert spoon, just remember that it takes 3 teaspoons to equal a tablespoon. That said, if you are using kitchen spoons as opposed to measuring spoons, your cakes and cookies might not come out perfectly. A little too much baking powder can turn a cake bitter, and excess seasoning can make it overly salty or spicy. 

There are alternative ways to measure a tablespoon of ingredients without using a measuring spoon, and these methods are proven effective. While Fannie Farmer is often credited with promoting the use of standardized measurements for recipes, people from the Colonial period could cook and bake without them, and so can modern bakers. 

To wit, your hands can actually become quite handy. Try using your thumbs. A tablespoon is about the same amount as your thumb. Need a little less? The tip of your index finger from your first knuckle to the tip is just about the right amount to call a teaspoon. This is really an eyeballing technique, so if you are making baked goods, just temper expectations the first time you attempt it. 

If you are trying to figure out if a substitute measuring utensil is accurate enough for baking, you may want to go by volume. A tablespoon is the equivalent of 15 mL. If you find something that holds this amount, you're in business. Your kitchen is filled with useful tools to help you measure without specific cups and spoons. You just have to know where to look.