Ever stood over a bowl of expensive organic cake batter, staring at a recipe that asks for 3/4 of a tablespoon of vanilla, and realized your measuring set jumped straight from a teaspoon to a full tablespoon? It's annoying. You're left hovering there, trying to "eye it" while hoping you don't accidentally dump half the bottle in. Getting this specific measurement right matters more than you’d think, especially when you’re dealing with potent stuff like baking soda or high-heat spices where a little extra can ruin the whole vibe of the dish.
Most standard kitchen sets are basic. They give you the hits: 1/4 tsp, 1/2 tsp, 1 tsp, and 1 tbsp. But they leave this awkward gap in the middle.
Honestly, the math isn't even that hard once you break it down, but in the heat of a kitchen timer going off, nobody wants to do mental fractions. To get 3/4 of a tablespoon, you basically just need to remember the magic ratio of three to one. There are three teaspoons in one single tablespoon. So, if you need three-quarters of that larger spoon, you are looking for 2 and 1/4 teaspoons. That’s it. That is the "secret" everyone struggles with.
Why 3/4 of a tablespoon is the kitchen’s weirdest measurement
Usually, recipes stick to the standards. But when you scale a recipe down—say you’re cutting a "family size" portion in half—you end up with these bizarre fractional requirements. If a full recipe calls for 1.5 tablespoons of lemon juice, and you want to make half a batch, you’re stuck looking for 3/4 of a tablespoon.
It shows up a lot in professional pastry books too. Bakers like Stella Parks or the team over at America’s Test Kitchen often weigh things in grams because volume is a liar. A tablespoon of packed brown sugar weighs way more than a tablespoon of sifted flour. But for liquids, volume is still king for home cooks. If you don't have a digital scale that handles small increments well, you have to rely on your spoons.
Precision is key here. If you are measuring something like baking powder, which is a chemical leavener, being off by a quarter-tablespoon can be the difference between a muffin that rises beautifully and one that tastes like metallic soap and collapses in the center.
Breaking down the math (The easy way)
Let’s look at the actual breakdown of how this volume works in a standard US kitchen.
1 tablespoon is equal to 3 teaspoons.
1 tablespoon is also equal to 15 milliliters (roughly, though technically 14.78ml).
So, if you want 3/4 of a tablespoon, you take that 15ml and chop it down. You're looking for about 11.25ml. Since most people don't have a graduated cylinder in their pantry, using your teaspoons is much more practical.
Take your 1-teaspoon measurer. Fill it once. Fill it twice. Now, you need that extra quarter. This is where most people give up and just "scant" a third teaspoon, but if you have a 1/4 teaspoon in your drawer, use it. Two teaspoons plus one-quarter teaspoon equals exactly 3/4 of a tablespoon. It feels like a lot of steps for a tiny amount of liquid, but it keeps your ratios perfect.
Common mistakes when eyeing it
We’ve all done the "half-pour." You take the big tablespoon and try to fill it just most of the way.
The problem? Surface tension.
Liquids like honey or oil don't sit flat. They curve. This is called a meniscus. Because of the way liquids cling to the edges of a round spoon, a "half-full" spoon is almost never actually half the volume. It’s usually much less. When you try to guess 3/4 of a tablespoon by looking at a 1 tbsp scoop, you are almost certainly going to under-measure.
I’ve seen people try to use a dinner spoon from their silverware drawer too. Don’t do that. Those aren't "tablespoons" in the legal, culinary sense. A decorative soup spoon can hold anywhere from 7ml to 20ml depending on the design. It's total chaos. Always use calibrated measuring spoons if you care about the outcome of your bake.
The metric vs. imperial headache
If you're following a recipe from the UK or Australia, things get even weirder. In Australia, a tablespoon is actually 20ml (four teaspoons). If an Aussie recipe asks for 3/4 of a tablespoon, they want 15ml—which is a full American tablespoon!
Always check the origin of your recipe. If it's a "global" blog, they might be using metric measurements. If you see "15ml" written out, just grab your US tablespoon and fill it to the brim. If you see "11ml," then you’re back to the 3/4 of a tablespoon hunt.
- US Tablespoon: 15ml (approx)
- UK Tablespoon: 15ml
- Australian Tablespoon: 20ml
It’s a small detail that can completely wreck a delicate sauce or a salt-sensitive dough.
Scaling and Ratios
Sometimes you'll see a recipe ask for a "scant" tablespoon. That usually means a tablespoon that isn't quite full—essentially 3/4 of a tablespoon plus a tiny bit more. It's an imprecise term that driving perfectionist cooks crazy. If I see "scant," I usually just measure out the 2.25 teaspoons and call it a day.
Dry vs. Liquid measurements
There is a massive difference between measuring 3/4 of a tablespoon of milk versus 3/4 of a tablespoon of cornstarch.
With dry ingredients, you have the "leveling" issue. You should always heap the powder onto the spoon and then scrape the excess off with the back of a butter knife. If you’re trying to get a fractional measurement like three-quarters, you can’t really "level" it inside a larger spoon.
Again, use the smaller spoons.
- Use your 1-teaspoon measure. Level it off. Do it twice.
- Use your 1/4-teaspoon measure. Level it off.
- Combine.
This is the only way to ensure you aren't packing the powder too tightly or leaving air pockets that throw off the volume.
The "Visual" trick for when you're desperate
Let's say you're at a vacation rental. The kitchen is stripped bare. No measuring spoons. Only a single tablespoon.
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If you absolutely have to eyeball 3/4 of a tablespoon, think of it in terms of a clock. Imagine the bowl of the spoon is a circle. Filling it to 75% capacity is hard because of the depth. Instead, try to visualize the "empty" space. You want to leave enough room at the top of the spoon so that if you added one more teaspoon's worth of volume, it would be perfectly level.
It’s risky. I wouldn't do it with cayenne pepper or almond extract (which is incredibly strong). But for something like sugar or olive oil? You'll probably be fine.
Practical hacks for everyday cooking
If you find yourself frequently needing 3/4 of a tablespoon, it might be time to stop struggling. You can actually buy "odd-size" measuring spoon sets. These are lifesavers. They include 1/8 tsp, 2/3 tsp, and yes, even the elusive 3/4 tbsp or "1.5 tsp" measures.
King Arthur Baking and some specialty shops on Amazon sell these "comprehensive" sets. They take the guesswork out of the equation.
Another pro tip: keep a small liquid measuring jigger (the kind bartenders use) that has milliliter markings. Since 3/4 of a tablespoon is about 11ml, you can just pour your liquid to the 11 mark and toss it in. It’s way faster than cleaning three different spoons just to get one measurement done.
Converting to Weight (The Gold Standard)
If you really want to cook like a pro, stop using spoons for dry goods.
Get a scale.
A "tablespoon" of flour is generally about 8 to 9 grams. So, 3/4 of a tablespoon would be roughly 6 grams.
A "tablespoon" of salt is about 15 to 18 grams depending on the grain size (Kosher salt is much fluffier than table salt).
If a recipe gives you grams, use them. It eliminates the "is this spoon level?" debate entirely. Most high-end coffee scales are perfect for this because they measure in 0.1g increments, which is exactly what you need for these tiny, fractional amounts.
Actionable steps for your next recipe
Next time you see this measurement, don't panic or guess. Follow this checklist:
- Check the source: Is this an Australian recipe? If so, your "3/4" is just a standard US tablespoon.
- Use the 2+1/4 rule: Grab your teaspoon and your quarter-teaspoon. Use two of the former and one of the latter.
- Level your powders: Always use a flat edge to scrape the top of the spoons.
- Think in milliliters: If you have a syringe or a small graduated cup, look for the 11ml mark.
- Consider the ingredient: If it's a "dangerous" ingredient like salt, baking soda, or hot spice, be extra precise. If it's vanilla or water, a little variance won't hurt.
Stop eyeing it. Your cookies will thank you. If you’re tired of doing the math every time, just write "3/4 tbsp = 2 tsp + 1/4 tsp" on a sticky note and put it inside your spice cabinet door. It’s the kind of small kitchen win that makes cooking feel way less stressful.
Measurement Summary Table (Prose)
To keep it simple: One tablespoon is 3 teaspoons. Half a tablespoon is 1.5 teaspoons. Three-quarters of a tablespoon is 2.25 teaspoons (or 2 teaspoons plus a 1/4 teaspoon). In metric, you are aiming for roughly 11.25 milliliters. If you are using a 1/2 tablespoon measure, you need one of those plus another 1/4 tablespoon (which is 3/4 of a teaspoon). It sounds like a math quiz, but once you do it twice, it becomes muscle memory.