Cookies & Bars #40
Cookie Scoop & Yield Calculator
How many tablespoons is a #40 scoop? 1⅔ tablespoons, per the USDA scoop chart.
Scoops are sold by number, recipes are written in tablespoons. Pick your scoop and the amount of dough and see how many cookies you'll get, or weigh one scoop and get an exact count.
How to use it
- Choose the number on your scoop's handle, or the tablespoons the recipe uses per cookie.
- Enter the dough in cups, or weigh all the dough and one scoop.
- Read the cookie count and the matching scoop for any recipe.
How it works
Scoop sizes are the USDA Food Buying Guide's standard: a #40 holds 1⅔ tablespoons, a #16 holds ¼ cup. The number is how many level scoops fill a quart.
The count is the dough volume divided by one level scoop, rounded down.
By weight, the tool divides your dough's weight by one scoop's weight: the reliable way, because doughs with nuts and chips weigh very differently.
Assumptions and limits
- Level scoops. Mounded scoops make bigger, fewer cookies.
- Brands vary slightly from the standard.
- Dough measured loosely in cups.
Sources reviewed October 23, 2026.
Quick reference: Scoop (disher) sizes
| Scoop | Holds (level) |
|---|---|
| #6 | ⅔ cup |
| #8 | ½ cup |
| #10 | ⅜ cup |
| #12 | ⅓ cup |
| #16 | ¼ cup |
| #20 | 3⅓ tbsp |
| #24 | 2⅔ tbsp |
| #30 | 2 tbsp |
| #40 | 1⅔ tbsp |
| #50 | 3¾ tsp |
| #60 | 3¼ tsp |
| #70 | 2¾ tsp |
| #100 | 2 tsp |
Source: USDA Food Buying Guide, Table 13: Sizes and Capacities of Scoops (or Dishers).
Tips
- Chill sticky dough 30 minutes; it scoops cleanly and spreads less.
- Use the same scoop for a whole batch so every cookie bakes in the same time.
- Dip the scoop in water between scoops for sticky doughs.
Recipes to try it with
Questions
How many tablespoons is a #40 scoop?
1⅔ tablespoons, per the USDA scoop chart.
What size scoop for 2-tablespoon cookies?
A #30 scoop holds 2 tablespoons.
What does the scoop number mean?
How many level scoops fill a quart: the higher the number, the smaller the scoop.
How do I get the same size cookies every time?
Use a scoop and level it against the bowl, or weigh each ball.