adjective [ADJECTIVE noun] A heaped spoonful has the contents of the spoon piled up above the edge.

What does heaping tablespoons mean?

For dry ingredients, if a recipe calls for a level tablespoon, the usual meaning without further qualification, is measured by filling the spoon and scraping it level. In contrast, a heaped, heaping, or rounded spoonful is not leveled off, and includes a heap above the spoon.

What does heaping mean in a recipe?

A “heaping” tablespoon, teaspoon, or cup is not a precise measurement but generally means having a moderately sized, heap of the ingredient in addition to that which fills the level of the spoon.

When following a recipe, always use a level teaspoon or tablespoon, unless otherwise stated. When measuring a level spoon, the ingredient should not come any higher than the edges of the spoon. The same goes for a rounded tablespoon. A heaping teaspoon or tablespoon means to pile on as much as the spoon can hold.