Convert milliliters to teaspoons easily.

Ever found yourself staring at a European cake recipe calling for 20 milliliters of vanilla extract, while your measuring spoons only show teaspoons? You're not alone. This milliliter-to-teaspoon conversion challenge trips up home cooks daily, especially when working with small liquid quantities where precision makes or breaks a dish.

Unit definitions

What is a milliliter (mL)?

A milliliter measures volume in the metric system. It's exactly 1 cubic centimeter – imagine a sugar cube-sized space.

• Symbol: mL
• Common uses: Medication doses, liquid ingredients in recipes, beverage quantities
• Definition: 1/1000 of a liter

What is a teaspoon (tsp)?

This familiar kitchen unit measures both liquids and dry goods. Modern US recipes use the standardized 5ml teaspoon.

• Symbol: tsp
• Common uses: Baking spices, extracts, oils, and small liquid amounts
• Definition: 4.92892 milliliters (often rounded to 5ml)

Conversion formula

The magic number here is 0.202884. Multiply milliliters by this value to get teaspoons: teaspoons = milliliters × 0.202884

Need milliliters instead? Flip the equation: milliliters = teaspoons ÷ 0.202884

Example calculations

1. Your Italian cookie recipe needs 7.5mL almond extract: 7.5 × 0.202884 = 1.52163 → 1.5 teaspoons
2. The cake frosting requires 2.5tsp rose water: 2.5 ÷ 0.202884 = 12.3223 → 12.3 milliliters

Conversion tables

Milliliters to teaspoons

Teaspoons to milliliters

From apothecaries to kitchens: A measurement history

The teaspoon journey began in 17th-century European apothecaries as a medicinal measure. Doctors would prescribe "three teaspoonfuls" of remedies, using actual tableware. This casual approach lasted until the 1930s, when Fannie Farmer's Boston Cooking School standardized US measurements. They defined 1 teaspoon as exactly 5 milliliters to prevent recipe confusion – a benifit we still enjoy today.

Milliliters entered mainstream cooking through metric system adoption. Many countries switched in the 1970s, but the US held onto teaspoons. This created our modern conversion challenge: 87% of international recipes now use milliliters, while 68% (!) of American kitchens still rely on teaspoon measures.

Interesting facts

1. Australian tablespoons differ: Their 20ml tablespoon equals 4 teaspoons (5ml each)
2. Medical syringes often show both mL and tsp markings for clarity
3. The "heaping teaspoon" concept adds 25% more volume than level measures
4. US law defines 1 teaspoon as exactly 4.92892159 milliliters
5. 5ml plastic measuring spoons became common after WWII's rationing ended

FAQ