teaspoon

A teaspoon is a standardized unit of volume measurement used in cooking and baking, equal to approximately 5 milliliters or one-third of a tablespoon. The term derives from its historical use as the volume of an actual tea-serving spoon, though modern standardized teaspoons bear little resemblance to such utensils. In modern culinary practice, the teaspoon serves as a fundamental measuring tool, particularly in North American and British cooking, where recipes are commonly scaled in teaspoons, tablespoons, and cups rather than by weight. The abbreviation "tsp" is standard in written recipes.

The teaspoon functions primarily as a measuring device for both dry and liquid ingredients across all culinary traditions that employ volume-based recipe scaling. It is conventionally used for measuring small quantities of spices, herbs, salt, vanilla extract, baking powder, baking soda, and other potent ingredients where precision is essential to recipe success. The teaspoon is also employed for portioning items like honey, nut butters, and pastes. Proper measurement technique—leveling off dry ingredients with a knife and not packing them down—ensures consistency across repeated preparations of the same recipe.