Tablespoon vs Dessert Spoon: What is the Difference?

Updated 17 April 2026

A UK tablespoon is 15 ml (3 teaspoons). A dessert spoon is 10 ml (2 teaspoons). They are different units. The confusion is common in UK kitchens where both a dessert spoon and a tablespoon from the cutlery drawer sit next to each other, and neither is labelled. Older British recipe books may use "dsp" (dessert spoon) as a unit. Modern recipes do not.

Dessert spoon conversions at a glance

1 dessert spoon to teaspoons2 teaspoons (10 ml)

1 dessert spoon to tablespoons2/3 tablespoon (10 ml of 15 ml)

2 dessert spoons4 teaspoons = 1.33 tablespoons (1 tbsp + 1 tsp)

1 tablespoon to dessert spoons1.5 dessert spoons (15 ml)

A dessert spoon (also written dessertspoon, abbreviated dsp or dspn) is a UK and Australian measure of 10 ml. It does not divide evenly into the 15 ml tablespoon, so 2 dessert spoons equal 1 tablespoon only with the 20 ml Australian tablespoon, not the UK or US one.

Side-by-Side Comparison

Teaspoon

5 ml

1 tsp

Spices, vanilla, baking powder

Dessert Spoon

10 ml

2 tsp

UK recipes only. Not used in US.

Tablespoon

15 ml

3 tsp

Standard for all modern recipes

Conversion Rule

1 dessert spoon

2 teaspoons

10 ml

2 dessert spoons

4 tsp (= 1 tbsp + 1 tsp)

20 ml

3 dessert spoons

6 tsp (= 2 tbsp)

30 ml

1 tablespoon

1.5 dessert spoons

15 ml

When You Will See a Dessert Spoon in Recipes

You will encounter the dessert spoon as a unit only in older British cookbooks and some British recipe cards, typically printed before the 1980s. Writers like Mrs Beeton and the early editions of Delia Smith may use it. Modern UK food websites, Jamie Oliver recipes, BBC Good Food, and any recipe published after roughly 1990 use only tablespoon and teaspoon. US recipes never use dessert spoon. If in doubt, substitute 1 dessert spoon with 2 teaspoons and you will be correct.

Note also that cutlery-drawer spoons, regardless of what they look like, are not reliable measures. A dinner-table tablespoon from one manufacturer may be 12 ml. Another may be 18 ml. Only a calibrated measuring spoon guarantees accuracy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a tablespoon the same as a dessert spoon?

No. A tablespoon is 15 ml (3 teaspoons). A dessert spoon is 10 ml (2 teaspoons). They are different sizes. The confusion arises in UK kitchens where both spoon types are found in the cutlery drawer alongside actual calibrated measuring spoons.

When does a recipe use a dessert spoon?

Older British recipe books written before the 1970s may specify a dessert spoon (dsp or dspn) as a unit of measurement. Modern UK recipes standardise on tablespoon and teaspoon. US recipes never use dessert spoon.

How do I convert a dessert spoon to teaspoons?

One dessert spoon equals 2 teaspoons (10 ml). If a recipe says 1 dessert spoon, measure 2 teaspoons. If it says 2 dessert spoons, measure 4 teaspoons (which equals 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon).

What are all the UK spoon sizes?

UK calibrated spoon sizes: teaspoon = 5 ml, dessert spoon = 10 ml, tablespoon = 15 ml. Cutlery drawer spoons vary by manufacturer and are not reliable measures. Always use calibrated measuring spoons for recipes.

How many teaspoons is a dessert spoon?

One dessert spoon (also written dessertspoon) is 2 teaspoons. A dessert spoon is 10 ml and a teaspoon is 5 ml, so 10 divided by 5 is exactly 2. Two dessert spoons is 4 teaspoons; three dessert spoons is 6 teaspoons (which is 2 tablespoons).

How do I convert a dessert spoon to a tablespoon?

One dessert spoon is two-thirds of a tablespoon (10 ml versus 15 ml). Going the other way, 1 tablespoon is 1.5 dessert spoons. There is no whole-number conversion, which is why recipes that mix the two units are awkward; if you only have a tablespoon measure, fill it two-thirds full for one dessert spoon.

Does 2 dessert spoons equal 1 tablespoon?

Not with a UK or US tablespoon. Two dessert spoons is 20 ml, while a UK or US tablespoon is 15 ml, so 2 dessert spoons is actually 1.33 tablespoons (1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon). They are equal only against the Australian tablespoon, which is 20 ml. The common belief that 2 dessert spoons make a tablespoon comes from this Australian measure.

Australia Guide Kitchen Chart Cooking Terms tbsp to tsp Converter