Corn syrup substitutes: 2 swaps and how the nutrition changes
To replace 1 cup of corn syrup, use 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid or 1 cup honey. 1 cup of corn syrup has 965 calories, and the swaps come to 802 to 1031 calories for the same amount. The biggest change is in sugar: 261.8 g in the original, 199.6 g to 278.4 g in the swaps.
Per 1 cup
| Calories | Fat | Saturated fat | Protein | Carbs | Total sugars | Sodium | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Corn syrup (original) | 965 calories | 0.68 g | 0 g | 0 g | 261.9 g | 261.8 g | 211 mg |
| 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid | 802 calories (-163) | 0.64 g | 0 g | 0 g | 199.2 g (-62.7) | 199.6 g (-62.2) | 2 mg (-209) |
| 1 cup honey | 1031 calories (+66) | 0 g (-0.7) | 0 g | 1 g (+1.0) | 279.3 g (+17.5) | 278.4 g (+16.6) | 14 mg (-198) |
Numbers in brackets show the change from the original. USDA FoodData Central.
How to make each swap
- 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid. Use whatever liquid the recipe already calls for. The numbers here count water. Compared with 1 cup of corn syrup: -163 calories, -62.2 g sugars, -209 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension, USU Extension.
- 1 cup honey. Compared with 1 cup of corn syrup: +66 calories, -0.7 g fat, +1.0 g protein, +16.6 g sugars, -198 mg sodium. Source: NMSU Extension, NDSU Extension.
Which swap fits what you need
Per 1 cup, among the swaps above.
- Fewest calories: 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid, 802 calories (965 calories in corn syrup)
- Most protein: 1 cup honey, 1 g (0 g in corn syrup)
- Least sugar: 1 cup sugar plus 1/4 cup liquid, 199.6 g (261.8 g in corn syrup)
Choosing a swap
Use 1 cup of sugar plus 1/4 cup of the liquid already in your recipe. Honey also works cup for cup, according to NMSU and NDSU.
Sugar and water come to 802 calories a cup against 965 for light corn syrup. Honey is a little higher, at 1031 calories and 278.4 g of sugar.
Neither swap makes the recipe low in sugar. If that is your goal, the change has to come from using less of the sweetener, not from switching it.
Written from the extension guidance and USDA numbers on this page, reviewed by the Bioma editorial system. How we verify.
Keep exploring
Sources
Substitution ratios
- New Mexico State University Cooperative Extension, In a Pinch Ingredient Substitution (Guide E-131, revised May 2016). https://pubs.nmsu.edu/_e/E131/ (accessed 2026-10-12)
- NDSU Extension, Ingredient Substitutions (FN198, J. Garden-Robinson, April 2013 edition). https://www.extension.purdue.edu/extmedia/HHS/HHS-784-W.pdf (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Utah State University Extension, List of Ingredient Substitutions for Cooking and Baking. https://extension.usu.edu/archive/list-of-ingredient-substitutions-for-cooking-and-baking (accessed 2026-10-12)
Nutrition numbers: USDA FoodData Central (accessed 2026-10-12)
- Light corn syrup: Syrups, corn, light, FDC ID 168837 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01)
- Granulated sugar: Sugar, white, granulated or lump, FDC ID 2710258 (FoodData Central survey (FNDDS) 2024-10-31)
- Honey: Honey, FDC ID 169640 (SR Legacy, published 2019-04-01) · full profile
How we calculate: each part of a swap is converted from its household measure to grams with the USDA portion weight for that food (1 cup = 16 tbsp = 48 tsp), then multiplied by the USDA values per 3.5 oz (100 g). Water counts as zero, and so do pinches under 5 g (salt, baking powder) where USDA lists no value. A dash (—) means USDA reports no value for at least one part. USDA measures sugars directly but calculates total carbohydrate by difference, so in a few foods here, mostly dairy, sugars come out slightly higher than carbs. We show the USDA numbers as published. How we verify.