Corn syrup density is about 1.39 g/mL (1,390 kg/m3) for the light or dark syrup sold in grocery stores, so it is roughly 1.4 times as dense as water. In US units, that equals about 11.6 pounds per gallon. Thicker industrial syrups, however, reach about 1.42 g/mL.
Convert Corn Syrup Density to Other Units
Labels, recipes and spec sheets quote density in different units. So type a value below, for example 1.39 for household corn syrup or 1.42 for a thick 80 percent solids syrup. The converter then shows it in kg/m3, pounds per gallon and pounds per cubic foot.
In simple terms, density is mass divided by volume. For corn syrup, that one number answers several everyday questions. For example, it tells a baker how much a cup weighs. It also tells a candy maker how heavy a gallon jug is, and it explains why the syrup sinks to the bottom of a glass of water.
Why Corn Syrup Is Heavy for Its Size
Corn syrup is heavy for its size because it is mostly dissolved sugar. Specifically, makers break corn starch down with acid or enzymes into glucose, maltose and longer sugar chains. After that, they boil off water until only about a fifth to a quarter of the syrup is water. Because sugar packs more mass into each milliliter than water does, the finished syrup ends up far denser.
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), the food regulator for both countries, publishes a table of specific gravities for its nutrition panel calculator. In that table, light or dark corn syrup is listed at 1.39, the same value it gives for glucose syrup. Therefore, that is the figure this page uses.
- Household corn syrup: about 1.39 g/mL, or 1,390 kg/m3.
- In US units, that is about 11.6 lb per gallon and 86.8 lb/ft3.
- One tablespoon weighs about 21 g; one cup weighs about 329 g (11.6 oz).
- Corn syrup is about 1.39 times as dense as water.
- Honey is slightly denser; maple syrup is slightly lighter.
- Heat thins the syrup a lot but changes its density by less than 1 percent.
Corn Syrup Density by Type
“Corn syrup” covers several products. As a result, the density depends mainly on how much water is left in the syrup and which sugars it holds. Next, the table below compares the common types.
| Type | Typical solids | Density (g/mL) | lb per US gallon | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Light or dark corn syrup (grocery) | about 77% | 1.39 | 11.60 | FSANZ specific gravity table |
| 42 DE glucose (corn) syrup, industrial | 79.7 to 81.5% | 1.411 to 1.423 | 11.77 to 11.86 | Ingredion spec sheet, 80 to 120 F |
| High fructose corn syrup (HFCS-42) | 70.5 to 71.5% | about 1.335 | 11.14 | Manufacturer spec sheet, 100 F |
In fact, grocery corn syrup sits in the middle. For instance, the USDA nutrient database lists light corn syrup at about 22.8 g of water per 100 g, so roughly 77 percent is sugar. Industrial syrups, by contrast, are boiled down further, so they are denser. HFCS, meanwhile, holds more water and simpler sugars, so it comes in lighter.
Corn Syrup Density in the Kitchen: Weight per Spoon and Cup
For cooks, density turns into a simple question: how much does my corn syrup weigh? So this chart uses 1.39 g/mL together with the exact US kitchen measures. Finally, print it or save it and keep it near your scale.
| Volume | Metric volume | Weight (grams) | Weight (US) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 teaspoon | 4.93 mL | 6.9 g | 0.24 oz |
| 1 tablespoon | 14.79 mL | 20.6 g | 0.73 oz |
| 1 fluid ounce | 29.57 mL | 41.1 g | 1.45 oz |
| 1/4 cup | 59.15 mL | 82 g | 2.90 oz |
| 1/3 cup | 78.86 mL | 110 g | 3.87 oz |
| 1/2 cup | 118.29 mL | 164 g | 5.80 oz |
| 1 cup | 236.59 mL | 329 g | 11.60 oz |
| 1 pint | 473.18 mL | 658 g | 1.45 lb |
| 1 quart | 946.35 mL | 1,315 g | 2.90 lb |
| 1 gallon | 3.785 L | 5,262 g | 11.60 lb |
| 1 liter | 1,000 mL | 1,390 g | 3.06 lb |
As a result, one handy shortcut follows. A bottle labeled 16 fl oz (1 pint) holds a volume, yet its syrup weighs about 658 g, or 1.45 lb. In the other direction, 1 pound of corn syrup fills only about 326 mL, which is a little under 1 1/2 cups.
Recommended Tools for Measuring Corn Syrup
In general, a few tools cover most needs. First, a digital kitchen scale turns the chart above into a quick pour-and-weigh job. Next, a glass graduated cylinder gives a far more exact volume than a kitchen cup when you want to check density yourself. Finally, a high-range Brix refractometer reads sugar content, which is what really controls density.
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Corn Syrup Density vs Water, Honey and Other Syrups
To begin with, water at 20 degrees C (68 degrees F) has a density of about 0.998 g/mL. Corn syrup is therefore about 1.39 times as dense. For the full story on water, including how it changes with temperature, see our guide to how dense water is.
| Liquid (about 20 degrees C) | Specific gravity | Approximate lb per US gallon |
|---|---|---|
| Water | 1.00 | 8.33 |
| Maple syrup, pure | 1.33 | 11.10 |
| Golden syrup | 1.34 | 11.18 |
| Corn syrup, light or dark | 1.39 | 11.60 |
| Molasses | 1.39 | 11.60 |
| Honey | 1.43 | 11.93 |
All of these specific gravities come from the same FSANZ table, so they compare like with like. In short, honey is a little denser than corn syrup, while maple and golden syrup are a little lighter. Still, the gaps are small, and real products vary by brand and water content. Our article on how dense honey is explains why its moisture level moves the number.
Density vs Viscosity: Not the Same Thing
However, many recipes and websites mix up these two ideas. Specifically, density is how much mass fits in a volume. Viscosity, on the other hand, is how strongly a liquid resists flowing. Corn syrup is both dense and very viscous, yet the two properties respond to heat in very different ways.
| Term | What it means | Corn syrup example |
|---|---|---|
| Density | Mass per unit volume | About 1.39 g/mL |
| Specific gravity | Density divided by the density of water; no units | About 1.39 |
| Viscosity | Resistance to flow, in centipoise (cP) | Thousands of cP; water is about 1 cP |
| Fluid ounce (fl oz) | A volume: about 29.57 mL | 1 fl oz weighs about 1.45 oz |
| Ounce (oz) | A weight: about 28.35 g | 1 oz fills about 0.69 fl oz |
To illustrate, here is how big the difference is. According to the Ingredion technical specification for a 42 DE glucose syrup, warming it from 80 F to 120 F drops its density from about 1.423 to 1.411 kg/L, a change of less than 1 percent. Over the same range, however, its viscosity falls from about 80,000 cP to about 7,000 cP, more than ten times thinner. For more on the weight ounce, see how much an ounce weighs.
What Sets Corn Syrup Density?
In particular, two factors matter most. First, water content: every percent of extra water lowers the density, because water is lighter than the sugars it replaces. That is why HFCS-42, at about 71 percent solids, is lighter than an 80 percent glucose syrup.
Second, temperature: warm syrup expands slightly, so its density drops a little. Based on the Ingredion figures, the change is roughly 0.0005 g/mL for each degree Celsius. In practice, that means a jar warmed in hot water pours much faster yet weighs almost the same per cup.
In contrast, the type of sugar matters less. After all, glucose, maltose and fructose solutions of the same strength have similar densities. Instead, they differ in sweetness, viscosity and how they behave in candy, which is why bakers pick one syrup over another.
How to Measure Corn Syrup Density at Home
In fact, you only need a kitchen scale and a measuring cup or, better, a graduated cylinder. Then follow these steps:
- Let the syrup reach room temperature. Cold syrup traps bubbles and clings to the glass, so let it sit near 20 degrees C (68 degrees F) first.
- Weigh the empty container. First, place the cup or cylinder on the scale and note the reading in grams, or press tare.
- Fill to a marked line. Next, pour slowly until the syrup reaches a known volume, such as 100 mL. Read the line at eye level once the surface settles.
- Weigh the full container. Then subtract the empty weight to get the mass of the syrup alone.
- Divide mass by volume. For example, 139 g in 100 mL gives 1.39 g/mL. Then enter your result in the converter above to see it in pounds per gallon.
- Repeat and average. Finally, do it two or three times, because syrup clings to the walls and small reading errors add up.
Similarly, teachers often use this same method before building a density column. In that classic demo, corn syrup settles below water and oil, but a layer of honey usually sits beneath it.
Do and Don’t
Do
- Weigh syrup when a candy or baking recipe needs precision.
- Use about 21 g per tablespoon as a working figure.
- Measure at room temperature for density checks.
- Read volume lines at eye level.
- Check whether a label gives fluid ounces or weight ounces.
Don’t
- Confuse thickness (viscosity) with density.
- Assume HFCS and grocery corn syrup weigh the same.
- Measure syrup straight from a cold pantry for lab work.
- Expect warm syrup to weigh much less; it mainly gets runnier.
- Treat one density as exact for every brand.
Honest Limits of These Numbers
Above all, every value here is a typical figure, not a guarantee. For one thing, brands boil their syrup to slightly different strengths, and some add vanilla, salt or other syrups. Nutrition databases also disagree a little. For example, the USDA portion weight of 341 g per cup implies about 1.44 g/mL, which is higher than most measured values, because portion weights are rounded. Kitchen cups, meanwhile, are seldom accurate to better than a few percent. So use 1.39 g/mL for everyday work, and measure your own bottle when the exact figure matters.
When Accuracy Really Matters
For instance, in a pecan pie a slightly generous cup is harmless. Still, a few situations call for real numbers:
- Candy and caramel. Syrup ratios control crystallization, so weighing gives more repeatable batches.
- Scaling recipes. For example, a commercial kitchen that buys syrup by the pound needs density to convert recipes written in cups.
- Science projects. Density columns and buoyancy experiments work better when students measure their own syrup instead of trusting a single figure.
- Pumping and storage. Engineers size tanks and pumps from density and viscosity at the handling temperature, which is why spec sheets list both.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is corn syrup density in g/mL?
Grocery-store light or dark corn syrup is about 1.39 g/mL. Thicker industrial syrups reach about 1.42 g/mL, while HFCS-42 is about 1.335 g/mL.
What is corn syrup density in pounds per gallon?
Household corn syrup weighs about 11.6 pounds per US gallon. An 80 percent solids glucose syrup weighs about 11.8 to 11.9 pounds per gallon.
Is corn syrup denser than water?
Yes. Corn syrup is about 1.39 times as dense as water, so it sinks in water and a cup of it weighs about 329 g compared with about 236 g for water.
Is corn syrup denser than honey?
No. Honey is slightly denser, at about 1.42 to 1.43 g/mL, compared with about 1.39 g/mL for corn syrup.
How much does a cup of corn syrup weigh?
One US cup of corn syrup weighs about 329 grams, or 11.6 ounces, using a density of 1.39 g/mL.
How much does a tablespoon of corn syrup weigh?
One US tablespoon weighs about 20.6 grams, or 0.73 ounces. Similarly, a teaspoon weighs about 6.9 grams.
Does corn syrup density change with temperature?
Only slightly. Warming syrup from 80 F to 120 F lowers its density by less than 1 percent, even though it becomes more than ten times runnier.
Is corn syrup density the same as its viscosity?
No. Density is mass per volume, while viscosity is resistance to flow. Corn syrup has a high value for both, but heat changes viscosity far more than density.
Do light and dark corn syrup have the same density?
Nearly. The FSANZ specific gravity table lists both at 1.39, because the added color and flavor in dark syrup change the weight very little.
How many cups are in a pound of corn syrup?
A pound of corn syrup is about 1.38 cups, or roughly 326 mL, at a density of 1.39 g/mL.
Corn Syrup Density: The Bottom Line
To sum up, grocery corn syrup has a density of about 1.39 g/mL, or roughly 11.6 pounds per gallon. That makes it about 1.4 times as dense as water, a little lighter than honey and a little heavier than maple syrup.
So for everyday cooking, use about 21 g per tablespoon and 329 g per cup. For anything precise, weigh your syrup, or measure its density with a scale and a cylinder as shown above. Then enter your number in the converter at the top of the page.
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