A standard coffee scoop holds about 2 tablespoons, though sizes vary by manufacturer.
When recipes call for scoops, they usually mean 2 tablespoons or roughly 10 grams of coffee. Weighing is more accurate than volume measurements.
Amount Of Coffee In Each Scoop
Have you ever wondered how much ground coffee goes in each scoop? The traditional and standard coffee scoops can hold 10 grams of ground coffee. Depending on your preferences, you can use less or more than a scoop to make your coffee weaker or stronger.
When you translate this into tablespoons, each scoop will contain two tablespoons of coffee. Remember that every tablespoon equates to three teaspoons. Thus, you’ll need six teaspoons to get one scoop of ground coffee.
An issue you might have is the tablespoon size. Some tablespoons are bigger than others, which creates more confusion, and even teaspoons have varying sizes. If you’re unsure about the spoons you’re using, go back to the coffee scoop.
If you have a kitchen scale, use your kitchen scale instead for more accurate results.
Coffee Scoops And How Much Coffee They Make
One scoop of ground coffee is ideal for a cup that holds six to eight ounces of coffee. In other words, a cup of coffee holds up to eight ounces of water and two tablespoons of coffee. Or you can say one cup of coffee holds eight ounces of water and three teaspoons of coffee.
If you want to make more cups of coffee, you’d have to add more scoops for each one if you have a drip coffee maker that can make up to twelve cups. You’d have to place twelve scoops, twenty-four tablespoons, or thirty-six teaspoons of ground coffee for the best results.
Don’t forget to include the right amount of water, too. So eight ounces times twelve cups equal 96 ounces of water. Depending on how much water evaporates, you can push the water content up and make it a flat 100 ounces. You might also be wondering, is a coffee scoop equal to one tablespoon?
Getting The Right Coffee To Water Ratio For The Best Results
You’re ready to make coffee with your freshly ground beans and your scoop, tablespoon, or teaspoon. If you want to make the perfect cup, you want to know if there’s a “golden ratio” for brewing coffee. Fortunately, there is such a golden ratio in the coffee world.
The Specialty Coffee Association of America (SCAA) golden ratio is 18:1. In other words, the perfect cup has 55 grams of coffee for 1000 mL of water. The best way to figure out the golden ratio when you brew is to use a kitchen scale and a little math.
Getting the correct ratio is essential if you’re making premium-quality coffee with a complex and delicate flavor profile. Thus, you may want to be extra precise. Use a kitchen scale for the best results.
However, if you’re using pre-ground coffee or regular beans, measuring with the coffee scoop, tablespoon, or teaspoon is fine.
Feel Free To Experiment With Your Coffee And Water Proportions
Remember that this golden coffee-to-water ratio may not suit your tastes. That’s perfectly fine.
The best way to find the perfect coffee-to-water ratio that suits your liking is to experiment with every batch you make. Use the golden ratio as your starting point. If you feel that the resulting brew was too weak, try adding ground coffee the next time you brew.
Tips On Measuring Coffee Without A Scoop
Let’s say you’ve misplaced or lost the coffee scoop. You may need a good cup for studying or working well. The best alternative is to use a tablespoon to measure your ground coffee.
You can use the regular tablespoon or a measuring spoon that measures one tablespoon. If you’re a stickler for accuracy, use the measuring spoon. Tablespoon measurements are great if you need to use half portions.
Another alternative is to use teaspoons if you don’t have access to a tablespoon. Remember that six teaspoons equal one scoop. Thus, if your coffee maker typically requires two scoops, you’d have to put in twelve teaspoons to get the right blend.
FAQs About Coffee Scoops
Should I Use A Coffee Scoop To Measure Coffee?
Is It Better to Use A Scoop, Tablespoon, Or Teaspoon?
Where Do I Buy A Coffee Scoop?
Do I Need To Know My Coffee To Water Ratio?
What Is The Golden Ratio For Brewing Coffee?
Can I Use Less Or More Ground Coffee Than The Standard Or Recommended Amount?
What Ratio Do I Use For Cold Brew Coffee?
The Bottom Line
Here’s the practical takeaway after researching and testing this extensively:
Theory is great, but real-world application is messier. We’ve found that understanding the ‘why’ behind coffee science helps you troubleshoot when things go wrong—and they will. Your water, your beans, your grinder, and even humidity levels create variables that no guide can perfectly account for.
Start with the fundamentals in this article, but don’t be afraid to experiment. Some of our best cups have come from “mistakes” that turned into happy accidents. Coffee brewing rewards curiosity.