Convert US teaspoons to EU teaspoons with confidence

Picture this: you're halfway through making Swedish kladdkaka using a European recipe when you realize your measuring spoons are American. That 1 tsp of vanilla extract suddenly feels like a guessing game. This is where understanding US vs EU teaspoon differences becomes your kitchen superpower.

Unit definitions

What is a US teaspoon (tsp)?

The US teaspoon is a volume measurement rooted in the American customary system. Symbol: tsp. Commonly used in cooking and pharmaceuticals. Officially defined as exactly 1/6 US fluid ounce or about 4.92892 milliliters. You'll find these in American recipes and older Commonwealth cookbooks.

What is an EU teaspoon (tsp)?

The European teaspoon follows metric system standards. Symbol: tsp. Used across EU countries and in modern international recipes. Defined as exactly 5 milliliters. This 0.071 ml difference from US teaspoons might seem small, but it becomes significant when scaling recipes.

Conversion formula

To convert US teaspoons to EU teaspoons: EU tsp = US tsp × (4.92892 mL / 5 mL)
Or simplified:
EU tsp = US tsp × 0.985784

For EU to US conversion: US tsp = EU tsp / 0.985784

Example calculations

1. Converting 3 US teaspoons to EU: 3 × 0.985784 = 2.96 EU tsp (which explains why European cakes might taste slightly different)
2. Converting 2 EU teaspoons to US: 2 / 0.985784 = 2.03 US tsp (that extra 0.03 tsp could matter in medication dosing)

Conversion tables

US teaspoons to EU teaspoons

EU teaspoons to US teaspoons

The teaspoon timeline

The teaspoon's journey began as actual cutlery. In 18th century England, coffee houses charged extra for sugar, measured with special spoons. When the US standardized measurements in 1893, they based the teaspoon on the wine gallon, while Europe later aligned with metric standards. This historical divergence explains why your grandmother's scone recipe might need adjustment for French patisserie measurements.

Fun fact: The metric teaspoon was first adopted in France post revolution (aprox. 1790), part of their push to standardize measurements. Meanwhile, American cookbooks continued using the older system, leading to today's international kitchen confusion.

Interesting facts

1. A US teaspoon holds enough water to fill 78 average ant mandibles (not that you'd need to know this)
2. The difference between US and EU teaspoons equals about 1.4% of a standard espresso shot
3. Australia officially switched to metric teaspoons in 1970, catching many home bakers by surprise
4. Professional bakers often use grams instead of teaspoons for better precision
5. The teaspoon is the only cooking measurement unit with different US/EU values still sharing the same name

FAQ