Nutrition · Updated Oct 2026
Simple Syrup Calories: Per Tablespoon, Ounce and Pump
A tablespoon of 1:1 simple syrup has about 32 calories and 8 g of sugar. See calories per ounce and pump for every ratio, plus honey and sugar-free swaps.
A tablespoon (15 ml) of classic 1:1 simple syrup has about 32 calories and 8 g of sugar, and a 1 oz pour has about 64 calories. Richer syrups pack more into the same spoon: rich 2:1 syrup has about 51 calories per tablespoon, and light 1:2 syrup about 22. Every one of those calories comes from sugar, so the number depends on just two things: how much sugar is in the syrup, and how much of it you pour.
Calories and sugar by ratio
| Syrup (sugar : water) | Brix | Per tbsp (15 ml) | Per fl oz (30 ml) | Per pump (7.5 ml) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light 1:2, by weight | About 33° | 22 kcal · 5.6 g sugar | 43 kcal · 11.2 g sugar | 11 kcal · 2.8 g sugar |
| Classic 1:1, by volume (cups) | About 46° | 32 kcal · 8.3 g sugar | 64 kcal · 16.6 g sugar | 16 kcal · 4.2 g sugar |
| Classic 1:1, by weight | 50° | 36 kcal · 9.2 g sugar | 71 kcal · 18.4 g sugar | 18 kcal · 4.6 g sugar |
| Rich 2:1, by weight | About 67° | 51 kcal · 13.3 g sugar | 103 kcal · 26.6 g sugar | 26 kcal · 6.7 g sugar |
These figures use 3.87 calories per gram of sugar and are rounded. A fluid ounce is about 2 tablespoons, and most café-style syrup pumps dispense about ¼ oz (7.5 ml) per full press. Pumps vary, so press one into a tablespoon measure to check yours.
Simple syrup has no fat, protein or fiber. Its carbohydrate count is the same as its sugar count, and all of it counts as added sugar.
Why two 1:1 syrups have different calories
A cup of sugar weighs about 200 g, but a cup of water weighs about 237 g. So 1:1 measured in cups makes a slightly lighter syrup, about 46° Brix, than 1:1 measured on a scale, which is exactly 50° Brix (50 g of sugar in every 100 g of syrup). That's the difference between 32 and 36 calories per tablespoon. The ratio guide explains Brix in more detail.
Boiling matters too. Letting syrup boil hard doesn't add sugar, but it drives off water, so each spoonful ends up stronger and higher in calories than the ratio you measured.
Calories in common drinks
Here's what a typical pour adds, before the spirit, milk or juice:
- Sour or Daiquiri, ¾ oz (22 ml) of 1:1 syrup: about 48 calories and 12.5 g of sugar.
- Old Fashioned, ¼ oz (7.5 ml) of rich 2:1 syrup: about 26 calories and 7 g of sugar.
- 12 oz latte with 3 pumps of 1:1 syrup made by weight: about 54 calories and 14 g of sugar.
- Iced coffee with 2 tbsp of 1:1 syrup: about 64 calories and 17 g of sugar.
- 12 oz glass of lemonade made 1 part syrup, 1 part lemon juice and 4 parts water: about 2 oz of syrup, or roughly 140 calories with the lemon.
For context, the American Heart Association suggests keeping added sugar to about 25 g a day for most women and 36 g for most men. A single iced coffee sweetened with 2 tablespoons of syrup uses up a good share of that.
Honey, agave and maple compared
Per tablespoon, here's how other sweeteners stack up. Thinned versions follow our recipes.
| Sweetener, per tbsp | Calories | Sugar | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Granulated sugar, dry | 48 | 12.5 g | For reference |
| Classic 1:1 simple syrup | 32 | 8.3 g | The everyday standard |
| Honey, straight from the jar | 64 | 17 g | Dense, so more per spoon |
| Honey syrup, 1:1 with water | About 34 | About 9 g | Floral, great in sours |
| Agave nectar, straight | About 60 | About 15 g | Tastes sweeter than sugar |
| Agave syrup, 2:1 with water | About 36 | About 9 g | Margaritas and iced tea |
| Maple syrup, straight | 52 | 12 g | Adds caramel and wood notes |
| Maple simple syrup, 2:1 with water | About 35 | About 9 g | Old Fashioneds and lattes |
| Allulose syrup, 1:1 | About 3 | 0 g counted | Sugar-free |
Honey, agave and maple aren't meaningfully lower in calories than sugar. Gram for gram, honey has fewer calories than sugar (about 3 versus 3.9) only because it's about 17% water; per tablespoon it has more, because it's denser. Agave tastes sweeter, so you can often use a little less, which is its only real calorie advantage. Choose these for flavor rather than nutrition.
Sugar-free and lower-sugar options
- Allulose makes the best sugar-free syrup. It dissolves like sugar, stays liquid in the fridge and has about 0.4 calories per gram, and US nutrition labels don't count it as sugar. It's about 70% as sweet as sugar, so use a little more. Our sugar-free simple syrup shows how.
- Monk fruit or stevia drops add sweetness with essentially no calories. They're too concentrated to make a syrup on their own, but a few drops bring allulose syrup up to full sweetness.
- Erythritol is nearly calorie-free, but it recrystallizes in the fridge, so it makes a poor syrup. Many monk fruit sweeteners are mostly erythritol, so check the label.
- Light 1:2 syrup isn't sugar-free, but it has about 30% fewer calories per tablespoon than 1:1. It's also less sweet, so it suits iced tea and lemonade, where gentle sweetness is the goal.
Large amounts of allulose or erythritol can upset some stomachs, so start with a tablespoon or two a day.
Work out your own batch
Use the calculator below to scale any batch of syrup. For calories and sugar per tablespoon at any ratio, measured by cups or by weight, open the full syrup calculator.
of finished syrup
- Sugar
- 1 cup200 g
- Water
- 1 cup235 ml
FAQ
How many calories are in a tablespoon of simple syrup?
About 32 calories and 8 g of sugar for classic 1:1 syrup made with cups, or 36 calories and 9 g of sugar if you made it 1:1 by weight. Rich 2:1 syrup has about 51 calories per tablespoon.
How many calories are in an ounce of simple syrup?
About 64 calories for 1:1 syrup made by volume, 71 for 1:1 by weight, and about 103 for rich 2:1 syrup. A fluid ounce is about 2 tablespoons.
How many calories are in a pump of syrup?
A typical café pump dispenses about ¼ oz (7.5 ml), which works out to 16–18 calories and 4–5 g of sugar for a 1:1 syrup. Pumps vary, so measure yours.
Is honey or agave healthier than simple syrup?
Not meaningfully. Straight honey and agave have more calories per tablespoon than simple syrup, and once they're thinned to a similar sweetness they land in about the same place. Pick them for flavor.
Does simple syrup have carbs?
Yes. All of its calories come from carbohydrate in the form of sugar, so a tablespoon of 1:1 syrup has about 8 g of carbs. For a low-carb option, use allulose syrup.
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