[ { "id": "agave-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Agave Syrup", "synonyms": [ "agave nectar", "agave", "blue agave syrup", "blue agave nectar", "organic agave syrup", "light agave nectar", "amber agave", "dark agave", "maguey syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "King Arthur Ingredient Weight Chart (Agave syrup)", "ref": "1/4 cup = 3 oz = 84g, so 336 g/cup, density 1.42 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "USDA Sweetener syrup agave (NDB ID 19912)", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 20.7g per USDA nutrient database, so 331 g/cup, density 1.40 g/mL. 1.5% variation from KA chart, within syrup tolerance.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4003 }, { "name": "Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave nutrition label", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 21g per label, so 336 g/cup. Wholesome is one of the dominant US retail brands for organic agave syrup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Agave in the Raw Organic Agave Nectar nutrition label", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 21g per label, so 336 g/cup. Matches Wholesome and KA exactly.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Madhava Organic Light Agave nutrition label", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 21g per label, so 336 g/cup. Madhava is another dominant US retail brand.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Xagave Agave Nectar nutrition label", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 21g per label, so 336 g/cup. Fifth independent brand confirmation.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Agave syrup converges tightly at 336 g/cup (21g per tablespoon) across USDA, King Arthur's chart, and every major producer label (Wholesome Sweeteners, Agave in the Raw, Madhava, Xagave). Density 1.42 g/mL is identical to honey and barley malt syrup — all concentrated sugar solutions at similar solids fractions.\n\nAgave syrup (also called agave nectar) is a sweetener produced from the sap of blue agave and other agave species, concentrated to about 76% sugars by weight. It's used as a liquid sugar substitute in beverages (cocktails especially — margaritas, palomas, tommy's-style tequila drinks), baking (in place of honey or as a 30% weight-reduction substitute for granulated sugar), and drizzling on pancakes, waffles, yogurt, and oatmeal. About one-third sweeter than table sugar per gram, so recipes typically call for about 25-30% less agave than sugar for equivalent sweetness.\n\nDensity is a solved physical property here. Blue agave syrup contains 76% carbohydrates and 23% water, with 56% fructose and 12% glucose as the dominant sugars. Sugar solutions at 76% solids sit near 1.40-1.42 g/mL density, and agave lands squarely in that range. USDA branded food data (NBD ID 19912) lists 20.7g per tablespoon, or 331 g/cup. King Arthur's Ingredient Weight Chart lists 1/4 cup = 3 oz = 84g, giving 336 g/cup. Producer labels converge exactly: Wholesome Sweeteners Organic Blue Agave lists 21g per tablespoon, Agave in the Raw lists 21g per tablespoon, Madhava Organic Light Agave lists 21g per tablespoon, Xagave lists 21g per tablespoon. Six independent sources within 1.5% of each other. This is one of the cleanest density entries in the syrup category.\n\nSubstitution equivalence with honey: honey and agave both weigh 336 g/cup at density 1.42 g/mL, so they substitute 1:1 by weight or volume with essentially no measurement adjustment needed. Flavor differs (honey is floral, agave is neutral to slightly caramel) and sugar composition differs (honey is roughly 40% fructose plus 30% glucose while agave is roughly 56% fructose plus 12% glucose), which affects sweetness perception and browning behavior. Barley malt syrup also matches at 336 g/cup, though its flavor profile (malty, molasses-like) makes it a poor 1:1 substitute for agave in most applications.\n\nSubstitution for granulated sugar: because agave is about one-third sweeter than table sugar per gram, use approximately 2/3 to 3/4 the weight of agave when replacing sugar in a recipe. So 200g sugar becomes about 135-150g agave. Because agave is a liquid (76% carbs, 23% water), reduce other liquids in the recipe by about 1/4 cup per 1 cup agave to maintain hydration balance. Agave also causes baked goods to brown faster due to fructose's higher browning rate, so bakers commonly reduce oven temperature by 25°F when substituting agave for sugar in cakes and cookies.\n\nLight versus amber versus dark: producers grade agave by color and flavor intensity. Light agave (most common in US supermarkets) is filtered to remove color and has a neutral flavor best for cocktails and light-flavored baking. Amber agave has stronger caramel notes, comparable to light honey. Dark agave has intense caramel and molasses notes similar to maple syrup. All three grades have essentially identical density (336 g/cup) and identical sugar content — the color reflects processing choices and filtration, not composition changes.\n\nHealth marketing caveat: agave is often marketed as a healthier sweetener because of its low glycemic index. The low GI comes from the high fructose content (fructose doesn't spike blood glucose the way glucose does), but fructose is metabolized primarily by the liver and excess intake is associated with metabolic issues. Agave is not calorically or metabolically distinguishable from other sugars in the amounts typically used in cooking. Choose it for flavor and texture reasons, not for perceived health benefits.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for any recipe calling for agave by cup or tablespoon, the 21g/tbsp figure is rock-solid across brands. Weigh for precision but volume measures are reliable for agave. Substitute 1:1 by weight or volume with honey; substitute at 2/3 to 3/4 weight when replacing granulated sugar and reduce oven temperature 25°F to prevent over-browning." }, { "id": "apple-juice-concentrate", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Apple juice concentrate", "synonyms": [ "frozen apple juice concentrate", "unsweetened apple juice concentrate", "concentrated apple juice", "AJC" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "medium", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, unsweetened frozen concentrate (retail form)", "density_g_per_ml": 1.1878, "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central", "ref": "FDC 173934, Apple juice, frozen concentrate, unsweetened, undiluted, without added ascorbic acid (SR Legacy). Published: 1 can (6 fl oz) = 211 g. Extrapolated to 1 cup (8 fl oz): 281 g. Density 1.1878 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.1878 }, { "name": "King Arthur", "ref": "Ingredient Weight Chart, 'Apple juice concentrate', 1/4 cup = 70 g (280 g/cup). Density 1.1835 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.1835 } ], "verified": "2026-09-21", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-21" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Two sources agree within measurement precision. USDA FoodData Central FDC 173934 (Apple juice, frozen concentrate, unsweetened, undiluted, without added ascorbic acid, SR Legacy) publishes 1 can (6 fl oz) = 211 g, which extrapolates to 1 cup (8 fl oz) = 281 g and implies a density of 1.1878 g/mL. King Arthur's Ingredient Weight Chart lists 'Apple juice concentrate' at 1/4 cup = 70 g, extrapolating to 280 g per cup and 1.1835 g/mL. The gap between them is 0.46 percent, well inside any reasonable tolerance, so this entry publishes USDA's figure of 281 g per cup and names both sources. Both figures describe the retail-form frozen apple juice concentrate: unsweetened, undiluted, packaged in standard 6 or 12 fluid ounce cans to be thawed and mixed with water to produce regular-strength apple juice.\n\nThe 1.19 g/mL density corresponds to approximately 40 to 45 degrees Brix, the standard concentration for retail frozen apple juice concentrate in the United States. Industrial apple juice concentrate is often shipped at 65 to 72 degrees Brix (density approximately 1.32 to 1.36 g/mL) for bulk transport efficiency, but this stronger concentrate is not typically sold at retail and is not what King Arthur's chart is measuring. Home bakers using apple juice concentrate as a natural sweetener or moisture source in recipes essentially always use the retail 40 to 45 Brix form covered by this entry.\n\nApple juice concentrate is placed in the syrup category alongside honey, maple syrup, corn syrup, molasses and sweetened condensed milk on this site. At 1.19 g/mL it is the lowest-density entry in the syrup cluster (honey publishes at approximately 1.42 g/mL, corn syrup at approximately 1.38, sweetened condensed milk at approximately 1.28), but its physical behavior and baking function match the syrup category rather than the water-based liquid category. It is thick, sticky, slow-pouring, and functions in recipes as a sugar-forward moistener the way other syrups do. Recipes calling for 'juice concentrate' as an ingredient are treating it as a syrup, not as a fruit juice.\n\nApple juice concentrate is distinct from regular ready-to-drink apple juice, which USDA covers under a separate record (FDC 173935, apple juice, frozen concentrate, diluted with 3 volumes water) at approximately 1.04 g/mL, a water-density beverage. The dilution ratio is important: standard retail apple juice concentrate reconstitutes 1 volume concentrate to 3 volumes water, so a 6 fl oz can of concentrate produces 24 fl oz of drinkable juice. Recipes calling for 'apple juice' without qualifier mean the reconstituted beverage, not the concentrate. This distinction matters both for weight (concentrate is roughly 15 percent denser than the reconstituted juice) and for sweetness (concentrate contains four times the sugar per volume).\n\nProduct variants: unsweetened frozen concentrate (covered here) is the primary retail form. Sweetened frozen apple juice concentrate exists but is uncommon in the US market where 'apple juice concentrate' generally means the unsweetened product. Ascorbic acid (vitamin C) fortification is common in modern packaged apple juice concentrate but has negligible density impact. Shelf-stable ambient apple juice concentrate (sold in aseptic packaging without freezing) has essentially the same density as the frozen form. Boiled cider, a traditional New England apple concentrate reduced to 60 to 70 degrees Brix on the stovetop, is a distinct product with higher density (approximately 1.28 to 1.32 g/mL) closer to maple syrup, and would earn its own entry when a second authoritative source becomes available.\n\nNo standards body publishes a bulk density for apple juice concentrate. USDA Agricultural Marketing Service publishes grade standards for frozen concentrated apple juice that specify minimum Brix values (22.9 degrees for Grade A) but not density directly. Density can be derived from Brix using standard sugar-solution tables but the relationship is not published as a physical-density standard for apple juice concentrate. Two independent authoritative sources agree within measurement precision, so this entry is held at medium confidence. A third independent source, such as a professional culinary reference or a producer's laboratory measurement, matching within tolerance would move it to high confidence.", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-21" }, { "id": "barley-malt-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Barley Malt Syrup", "synonyms": [ "barley malt", "malt syrup", "barley malt extract", "traditional barley malt syrup", "organic barley malt syrup", "non-diastatic malt syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "King Arthur Ingredient Weight Chart (Barley malt syrup)", "ref": "2 tablespoons = 1 1/2 oz = 42g, so 336 g/cup", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "USDA Branded (Eden Foods Organic Traditional Barley Malt Syrup, UPC 024182491159)", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 21g per USDA FoodData Central. 21g x 16 tbsp/cup = 336 g/cup. Aqua-calc confirms 355 g/metric cup = 336 g/US cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Eden Foods 20 oz jar nutrition label", "ref": "Nutrition label: 1 tablespoon (21g), 60 calories. Consistent across Amazon, Better Health Market, iHerb, CalorieKing, and multiple aggregator listings.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Pleasant Hill Grain product page", "ref": "Product description explicitly states 15g carbohydrates per 21g (1 tablespoon) serving, confirming Eden's label figure independently.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Barley malt syrup consistently weighs 336 g/cup (21g per tablespoon), converging across King Arthur's chart, Eden Foods (the dominant US brand), and USDA branded food data. The naming confusion is where bakers get tripped up: it's a distinct product from barley malt extract powder, diastatic malt, non-diastatic malt powder, and malted milk powder.\n\nBarley malt syrup is a thick, dark, molasses-like sweetener made by extracting maltose and complex carbohydrates from sprouted (malted) barley. Its primary baking uses are bagels (both in the dough and in the boiling water for glossy crust), pretzels (soft or hard), pumpernickel and other dark whole-grain breads, gingerbread, and baked beans. About half as sweet as refined sugar, it contributes a distinctive malty flavor no other sweetener duplicates.\n\nDensity is a solved physical property here. Concentrated maltose solutions at the standard 74-79% solids fraction produce a density near 1.42 g/mL, virtually identical to honey. Eden Foods (USDA branded UPC 024182491159, the dominant retail brand and only widely-available producer of barley-malt-only syrup in US supermarkets) publishes 21g per 1 tablespoon on their nutrition label, which works out to 336 g/cup. King Arthur's Ingredient Weight Chart lists barley malt syrup at 42g per 2 tablespoons, the same 336 g/cup. USDA branded food data for the Eden UPC confirms 355 g per metric cup (336 g per US cup). Three independent sources, exact convergence, no correction needed.\n\nThe disambiguation matters more than the density. Five related products are frequently confused for one another. Barley malt syrup (this entry) is a thick liquid concentrate at 336 g/cup, non-diastatic, used for sweetness and flavor in bagels and dark breads. Barley malt extract is often used interchangeably with barley malt syrup, but the extract label sometimes covers products containing other grains or corn syrup; home brewers use liquid malt extract (LME) for beer wort at similar density. Non-diastatic malt powder is the dried version of malt syrup with no active enzymes: King Arthur sells it at 18g per 2 tablespoons (144 g/cup), and the substitution equivalence is 1 tablespoon syrup (21g) matches roughly 2 tablespoons powder (16g) by weight solids. Diastatic malt powder retains active amylase enzymes that break down starch, used in tiny quantities (fractions of a teaspoon per loaf) to boost fermentation and browning in long-proofed doughs. Malted milk powder contains dry milk solids and sugar plus malt extract, made for chocolate malt beverages and malt balls: it is not a substitute for barley malt syrup in bread applications, and King Arthur lists it at 35g per 1/4 cup (140 g/cup).\n\nKing Arthur also has a separate Malt syrup chart entry at 43g per 2 tablespoons (344 g/cup), a 2% variation from the barley-malt-specific entry that likely reflects blended malt syrups containing non-barley grains.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for bagels and pretzels, use barley malt syrup by weight (21g per tablespoon in dough, more in the water bath). For any barley-malt-syrup recipe where the product is unavailable, molasses is the closest 1:1 substitute by weight; light brown sugar dissolved in equal weight of water works in a pinch but lacks the malty character. If a recipe calls for barley malt syrup and you only have non-diastatic malt powder, use half the weight of powder (16g powder for every 21g syrup)." }, { "id": "brown-rice-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Brown Rice Syrup", "synonyms": [ "rice syrup", "rice malt syrup", "rice malt", "organic brown rice syrup", "lundberg brown rice syrup", "brown rice malt syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 1.4202, "range_max": 1.5554, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "Two-cluster split between physical density (336 g/cup, matches sugar-syrup family at 1.42 g/mL for 78% solids) and Lundberg retail label (368 g/cup, implies 1.55 g/mL — physically implausible, reflects heaping-tablespoon measurement convention).", "sources": [ { "name": "USDA Branded (Organic Brown Rice Syrup, UPC 733739069078)", "ref": "355 g/metric cup = 336 g/US cup per USDA FoodData Central via aqua-calc, density 1.42 g/mL. Matches the sugar-syrup density family (honey, agave, golden syrup, barley malt syrup).", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "GloryBee industrial specification sheet (Brown Rice Syrup 55 DE)", "ref": "Density listed as 11.8 lb/gal at 100°F. Converting: 11.8 lb (5352g) / 1 US gallon (3785 mL) = 1.41 g/mL, giving 335 g/cup. Independent industrial-source confirmation of physical density.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.416 }, { "name": "Physical density from composition (78% sugars, 22% water)", "ref": "Sugar solutions at 78% Brix have density near 1.40-1.42 g/mL. Brown rice syrup at 78% solids (typical retail product) matches this range, aligning with the entire sugar-syrup family.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.42 }, { "name": "Lundberg Sweet Dreams Organic Brown Rice Syrup nutrition label", "ref": "2 tablespoons = 46g per label. 46g x 8 = 368 g/cup, implying density 1.55 g/mL. Physically implausible for a 78% sugar solution and 9% higher than USDA branded data for the same product class. Likely reflects a heaping-tablespoon measurement convention rather than level tablespoons. Home bakers scooping directly from a Lundberg jar will practically approach this figure.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.5554 }, { "name": "Perkchops aggregator (generic rice syrup)", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 22g per aggregator listing. 22g x 16 = 352 g/cup, density 1.49 g/mL. Sits between the physical density and Lundberg label figures.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.488 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Brown rice syrup ranges 336-368 g/cup depending on measurement convention. The physical density is 336 g/cup (1.42 g/mL, matching honey and other sugar syrups at 78% solids), while Lundberg's nutrition label lists 368 g/cup reflecting a heaping-tablespoon convention. King Arthur's chart does not list brown rice syrup, leaving conversions unstandardized.\n\nBrown rice syrup (also called rice syrup or rice malt) is a viscous amber sweetener made by cultured enzymatic breakdown of cooked brown rice starches into maltose, maltotriose, and glucose. Unlike sugar-cane-based syrups, brown rice syrup contains no fructose — its sweetness comes primarily from maltose (a glucose-glucose disaccharide), making it about half as sweet as table sugar. Bakers use it in vegan and paleo baking, granola bars, macrobiotic cooking, gluten-free desserts, and as a corn syrup alternative in confectionery for chewy texture. Lundberg Family Farms is the dominant US retail brand; Suzanne's Specialties is the largest industrial supplier.\n\nDensity has two answers depending on which reference you use. The physical density of brown rice syrup at 78% solids (typical for the finished retail product) is 1.42 g/mL, giving 336 g/cup. USDA branded food data for organic brown rice syrup (UPC 733739069078) confirms 355 g per metric cup = 336 g per US cup. GloryBee's industrial specification sheet for 55 DE brown rice syrup lists 11.8 lb/gallon at 100°F, converting to 1.41 g/mL = 335 g/cup. Both align with the sugar-syrup density family (honey, agave, golden syrup, barley malt syrup — all at ~336 g/cup). Lundberg's retail nutrition label states 2 tablespoons = 46g, working out to 368 g/cup at density 1.55 g/mL — physically implausible for a 78% sugar solution and likely reflecting a heaping-tablespoon measurement convention rather than level tablespoons. Home bakers scooping from a Lundberg jar will practically get closer to the label figure than to the physical density.\n\nBrown rice syrup versus other sugar syrups. Honey, agave, and golden syrup all sit at 336 g/cup with density 1.42 g/mL, matching brown rice syrup's physical density. Substitute for brown rice syrup 1:1 by weight or volume — sweetness will be about double (because brown rice syrup is half as sweet as fructose-heavy syrups), so reduce quantity accordingly if matching sweetness. Corn syrup at 312 g/cup and density 1.32 g/mL is slightly less dense; both are glucose-based non-fructose sweeteners, so substitute 1:1 by volume with minor sweetness difference. Barley malt syrup at 336 g/cup is physically similar to brown rice syrup (both are maltose-dominant enzyme-hydrolyzed grain syrups), so 1:1 substitution works by weight or volume, but flavors differ — barley malt has strong malty and molasses notes, while brown rice is mild and neutral.\n\nSweetness comparison: brown rice syrup is roughly 50% as sweet as sucrose (table sugar) by weight. To match the sweetness of 1 cup granulated sugar (200g), use approximately 400g brown rice syrup (about 1 and 1/4 cups). Reduce other liquids in the recipe by 1/4 cup per 1 cup of brown rice syrup to maintain hydration balance. Because brown rice syrup is glucose and maltose dominant with no fructose, browning behavior is milder than agave or honey — bake at the recipe's specified temperature without the 25°F reduction typically applied for fructose-heavy syrup substitutions.\n\nDextrose Equivalent (DE) grades: industrial brown rice syrup is sold at various DE grades (28 DE, 42 DE, 55 DE, 60 DE) reflecting how completely the rice starches have been converted to sugars. Higher DE means more sweetness, more glucose relative to maltose, and thinner consistency. Retail Lundberg is typically in the 42-55 DE range. This mostly affects flavor and viscosity, not density — all DE grades sit near 1.42 g/mL at 78% solids.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for recipes tested with Lundberg brand and calling for cup measures, use the label figure at 46g per 2 tbsp (368 g/cup). For recipes with weight in grams, weigh directly. For substitution planning, treat brown rice syrup as a sugar syrup with density essentially matching honey (336 g/cup physical), and adjust for sweetness — you'll need roughly double the weight of brown rice syrup to match the sweetness of an equivalent amount of honey or table sugar." }, { "id": "cane-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Cane Syrup", "synonyms": [ "cane syrup", "pure cane syrup", "sugar cane syrup", "sugarcane syrup", "Louisiana cane syrup", "Steen's cane syrup", "open kettle cane syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3527, "sources": [ { "name": "Steen's 100% Pure Cane Syrup (C.S. Steen's Syrup Mill, Abbeville LA, since 1910)", "ref": "Product label serving: 2 tablespoons = 40 g = 120 kcal (29 g sugar). Extrapolates to 320 g/cup at 20 g/tbsp. Ingredient: pure sugarcane juice, slow-simmered in open kettles. Louisiana's defining cane syrup brand for well over 100 years, listed by Slow Food USA in the Ark of Taste as an endangered traditional food. Sold in 12 oz, 16 oz, 46 oz, and 90 oz sizes with iconic yellow label.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3527 }, { "name": "USDA FoodData Central — Cane Syrup (branded, UPC 864023000115, via aqua-calc)", "ref": "USDA branded food entry: 338 g/metric cup = 320 g/US cup = 11.3 oz/US cup, density 1.352 g/mL. Exact match with Steen's product label figure, confirming 320 g/cup as the true cane syrup density independent of any single brand's labeling convention.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.352 }, { "name": "Charles Poirier's Louisiana Cane Syrup (Youngsville LA, small-batch artisan)", "ref": "Small-batch (near-homemade scale) Louisiana producer, distributed by Zingerman's, Coutelier NOLA, and specialty grocers. Grown, crushed, cooked, and bottled on the Poirier farm. Six-to-seven-hour open-kettle boil yields roughly 3 gallons of syrup per 125 stalks of cane. Represents the traditional Acadiana small-mill production alongside Steen's industrial-scale operation. No explicit per-serving nutrition label published.", "density_g_per_ml": null }, { "name": "Wikipedia — Steen's cane syrup", "ref": "Reference: traditional American sweetener made by simple concentration of cane juice through long cooking in open kettles. \"Dark, caramel-flavored, burnt gold-colored syrup, deep and slightly sulfurous with a lightly bitter backlash. Sweeter than molasses because no refined sugar is removed from the product.\" Confirms cane syrup ≠ cane molasses distinction that drives search-intent for this entry.", "density_g_per_ml": null } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: 320 g/cup (1.35 g/mL). Steen's Pure Cane Syrup and USDA branded cane syrup data converge exactly at 320 g/cup, placing this ingredient in the 320 g/cup density cluster alongside date syrup, pomegranate molasses, and maple cream. King Arthur is silent on cane syrup — it's a Louisiana traditional sweetener outside the chart's coverage.\n\nCane syrup is boiled sugarcane juice: sugarcane stalks are crushed and the juice extracted, then simmered in open kettles for 6-7 hours until it concentrates to a dark amber syrup at roughly 72-75% sugar. The finished product is a whole natural sweetener with no crystallization or refining step — \"nothing added, nothing extracted\" is Steen's own tagline. The flavor is caramel-forward with a slight sulfurous depth from the long open-kettle cook, sweeter and less bitter than sugarcane molasses because no refined sugar has been removed from the concentrate. C.S. Steen's Syrup Mill in Abbeville, Louisiana has produced the defining brand since 1910; smaller artisan producers like Charles Poirier's operation in Youngsville keep the traditional small-mill craft alive alongside Steen's industrial-scale production.\n\nDensity data converges exactly at 320 g/cup. Steen's product label lists 2 tablespoons = 40 g, extrapolating to 20 g/tbsp and 320 g/cup at 1.353 g/mL. The USDA branded entry (UPC 864023000115, via aqua-calc) gives 338 g per metric cup, which is 320 g per US cup at 1.352 g/mL — a perfect match with the Steen's figure to within rounding. Physical density prediction from composition (72.5% sugar × 1.53 g/mL + 25% water × 1.0 g/mL) gives 1.36 g/mL, or 322 g/cup, again within 1% of the observed value. This is a high-confidence single-figure ingredient.\n\nThe nomenclature disambiguation is where cane syrup earns most of its search intent. Cane syrup is not the same as cane molasses, despite similar dark color and pourable consistency. Molasses is a byproduct of crystalline sugar refining — cane juice is boiled, sugar crystals are extracted and removed, and the dark bitter fraction left behind becomes molasses. Cane syrup is the whole boiled juice with no crystallization or extraction step, so it retains all the plant's natural sugars and reads sweeter, milder, and thinner than molasses on the tongue. Fresh sugarcane juice (roughly 13% sugar, no boiling) is different again — a beverage, not a sweetener. And sorghum syrup, despite being colloquially called \"sorghum molasses\" in the Southern US, comes from a different plant genus entirely (Sorghum bicolor rather than Saccharum officinarum) and lands in the 336 g/cup cluster rather than the 320.\n\nWithin the syrup density framework, cane syrup at 320 g/cup joins the plant-juice cluster with date syrup (320), pomegranate molasses (320), and maple cream (320). It sits below the 336 g/cup cluster of honey, agave syrup, barley malt syrup, golden syrup, and sorghum syrup because Steen's open-kettle process stops at a specific target clarity and consistency rather than pushing to maximum sugar concentration. The 5-6% density difference between the two clusters reflects a 3-4% difference in final solids content — roughly the difference between boiling to 72-75% solids (cane syrup, date syrup) versus 76-80% solids (sorghum syrup, honey, sugarcane molasses).\n\nFor baking, cane syrup substitutes 1:1 by weight for corn syrup in pecan pie, sweet potato pie, and glazes with a more assertive caramel flavor. It replaces molasses in gingerbread and marinades at 1:1 by weight with a sweeter, less bitter finish. In Cajun and Creole cooking, cane syrup is an essential ingredient in tarte à la ferlouche, sauce piquante glazes, ham marinades, and vinaigrettes; the syrup's slight sulfurous depth pairs particularly well with mustard, black pepper, and smoked meats. Direct substitution for honey is 1:1 by weight, though the assertive caramel flavor changes the character of a recipe more than a honey-to-maple swap would." }, { "id": "corn-syrup", "name": "Corn syrup", "aliases": [ "light corn syrup", "glucose syrup", "Karo syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "schema_version": 3, "confidence": "medium", "default_state": "standard", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard (light)", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3527, "verified": "2026-09-17", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-17", "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central", "ref": "FDC 168836 (Syrups, corn, light, SR Legacy). Published: 1 cup = 320 g, 1 tbsp = 20 g. Density 1.3527 g/mL. Composition: ~22% water, ~78% carbohydrate (primarily glucose), 0% protein, 0% fat.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3527 }, { "name": "King Arthur", "ref": "Ingredient Weight Chart, 'Corn syrup', 1 cup = 312 g, density 1.3187 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3187 } ] } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Corn syrup is a concentrated glucose solution made by breaking down corn starch enzymatically until the starch molecules become simple sugars. It is one of the densest liquid ingredients in a home kitchen, sitting in the same range as honey, molasses and maple syrup — all concentrated sugar solutions with similar water content and similar density around 1.3 to 1.4 grams per millilitre.\n\nUSDA FoodData Central publishes 1 cup at 320 grams and 1 tablespoon at 20 grams (FDC 168836, Syrups, corn, light). This gives a bulk density of 1.3527 grams per millilitre. King Arthur's ingredient weight chart publishes 1 cup at 312 grams and 1.3187 grams per millilitre. The two figures agree within 2.5 percent, comfortably inside the 5 percent tolerance we apply to the syrup category.\n\nWe publish the USDA figure of 320 grams per cup because it comes with the underlying tablespoon and 100-gram numbers rather than an extrapolation from a partial cup, and because USDA's laboratory measurements are more rigorous than a chart entry.\n\nCorn syrup should not be confused with high-fructose corn syrup, though the density is nearly identical. Regular corn syrup (the kind sold in bottles under the Karo brand) is predominantly glucose. High-fructose corn syrup is regular corn syrup that has been further processed with an enzyme to convert some of the glucose to fructose, producing HFCS-42 (42 percent fructose) or HFCS-55 (55 percent fructose). HFCS is used almost exclusively in commercial food manufacturing rather than home baking; the bottle on the supermarket shelf is regular glucose corn syrup. Both have density near 1.35 grams per millilitre because the total sugar content is similar; the distinction is in the sugar type and sweetness, not the weight per cup.\n\nLight and dark corn syrup differ only slightly. Dark corn syrup is light corn syrup with molasses or refiners' syrup added for colour and a slight caramel note; the density is essentially the same at 320 to 325 grams per cup. King Arthur does not publish a separate row for dark, and USDA lists them separately with only a few grams of difference. For measurement purposes, treat them as interchangeable and rely on the recipe's flavour requirement to choose between them.\n\nRelated concentrated sugar syrups: honey (339 g/cup, density 1.43), molasses (337 g/cup, 1.42), maple syrup (322 g/cup, 1.36), sweetened condensed milk (306 g/cup, 1.29). All sit in the same density range because all are concentrated aqueous solutions of sugars, and all measure similarly in a cup — thick, slow to pour, self-levelling once settled, insensitive to how the cup is filled.\n\nA cup of corn syrup weighs about 2.4 times more than a cup of water, which is why recipes that call for it as part of the liquid balance need to weigh rather than measure by volume when the ratio matters — pecan pie and caramel are the two clearest examples, where 10 percent too much or too little corn syrup changes the final texture from set to runny or set to hard.\n\nFDA does not publish an identity standard for corn syrup as a common name; it is regulated under general food safety and labelling rules. The Codex Alimentarius standard for sugars (CXS 212-1999) covers glucose syrups and related sweeteners internationally, addressing composition and identity rather than density.\n\nThe category here is 'syrup' rather than 'liquid' because corn syrup's measuring behaviour matches other concentrated sugar solutions: thick, slow-pouring, and not sensitive to how the cup is filled once it settles. The 5 percent syrup tolerance applies, and both sources sit well inside it.", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-17" }, { "id": "cream-of-coconut", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Cream of Coconut", "synonyms": [ "coco lopez", "crema de coco", "sweetened cream of coconut", "sweetened coconut cream", "real cream of coconut", "coconut cream sweetened" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured (canned, sweetened)", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 1.1961, "range_max": 1.3187, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "Density varies by brand formulation. Goya (lower coconut solids, coconut-milk-based) at 1.20 g/mL. Coco Lopez (higher coconut solids, coconut-first ingredient list) at 1.27-1.32 g/mL. 10% gap reflects real formulation differences, not measurement error.", "sources": [ { "name": "King Arthur Ingredient Weight Chart (Cream of coconut)", "ref": "1/2 cup = 5 oz = 142g, so 284 g/cup, density 1.20 g/mL. This chart figure is correct for cream of coconut, though KA also mistakenly applies the same 284 g/cup to their unsweetened Coconut cream entry — a scope error documented in the existing coconut-cream entry.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2005 }, { "name": "Goya Cream of Coconut nutrition label (15 fl oz can)", "ref": "12 servings per 15 fl oz can (425g total). 2 tbsp per serving = 35.4g per 30 mL = 283 g/cup, density 1.20 g/mL. Matches KA chart figure independently.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.1961 }, { "name": "Coco Lopez per Art of Drink professional reverse-engineering", "ref": "Coco Lopez composition (5g fat, 21g sugar, 2g water in a 28g serving) calculated to occupy 22 mL, giving density 1.27 g/mL = 300 g/cup. Coco Lopez's own nutrition label states 2 tbsp = 28g, but this is inconsistent with the 30 mL volume of 2 US tablespoons — the label understates volume-to-mass conversion.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2679 }, { "name": "Fitia nutrition app (Coco Lopez upper reading)", "ref": "Lists 2 tbsp Coco Lopez = 39g, implying density 1.32 g/mL = 312 g/cup. Represents Coco Lopez at maximum settled concentration where the syrup phase separates from the emulsion.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3187 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Cream of coconut ranges 283-312 g/cup depending on brand formulation. It's a sweetened, heavily emulsified coconut product (Coco Lopez is the dominant brand), physically distinct from unsweetened coconut cream despite the naming confusion. King Arthur's chart entry at 284 g/cup applies correctly here, though their chart mistakenly gives the same figure to unsweetened coconut cream.\n\nCream of coconut is a thick, syrupy, sweetened emulsion of coconut fat, sugar, and water with stabilizers. Coco Lopez (Dominican Republic, invented 1954) is the archetypal product and the inventor of the piña colada. Goya makes a lower-fat version starting from coconut milk rather than coconut solids. Both are staples for tropical cocktails (piña colada, painkiller, blue Hawaiian), Puerto Rican coquito, tres leches variants, coconut ice cream, and coconut cream pie.\n\nDensity lands in the 1.20-1.32 g/mL range depending on solids concentration. Goya Cream of Coconut publishes 35g per 2 tablespoons on its nutrition label (12 servings per 15 fl oz can, 425g total), which works out to 283 g/cup at density 1.20 g/mL — matching King Arthur's chart entry (142g per 1/2 cup = 284 g/cup) exactly. Coco Lopez is denser: its higher coconut-solids content (label lists coconut first, sugar second, versus Goya's coconut milk with added water) gives a physical density near 1.27 g/mL per Art of Drink's professional cocktail reverse-engineering, or 300 g/cup. The upper bound at 312 g/cup (density 1.32 g/mL) reflects Coco Lopez at maximum settled concentration where the syrup phase separates from the emulsion.\n\nCoco Lopez's nutrition label has an internal inconsistency worth flagging. The label states 2 tablespoons (28g) as the serving size, which would imply a density of 0.947 g/mL — less than water, physically impossible for a sugar-loaded product. The reality is that 28g of Coco Lopez occupies about 22 mL, not 30 mL. If you scoop 2 level tablespoons volumetrically, you actually get about 38g and consume more calories than the label per-serving figure suggests. For cup-weight purposes, the physical density of about 1.27 g/mL is what matters, giving roughly 300g per US cup.\n\nDo not confuse cream of coconut with coconut cream, canned coconut milk, or creamed coconut. All four are distinct products. Cream of coconut (this entry) is sweetened, syrupy, emulsified, 283-312 g/cup, used for cocktails and desserts. Coconut cream (existing entry) is unsweetened, the skimmed thick portion of canned coconut milk or dedicated canned coconut cream, 224-240 g/cup, used for curries and unsweetened whipped-cream substitutes. Canned coconut milk is a thinner unsweetened liquid, about 241 g/cup per King Arthur, and serves as the base ingredient for the above. Creamed coconut (also called coconut butter) is a solid block of coconut flesh at room temperature, no water, no sugar — a denser semi-solid roughly 260-284 g/cup.\n\nKing Arthur's chart lists both Cream of coconut and Coconut cream (unsweetened) at 284 g/cup — the correct figure for this entry, but a scope error for their unsweetened coconut cream figure (which physically should sit near 240 g/cup, matching most producer labels for canned coconut cream). This entry confirms where the 284 g/cup figure actually belongs.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: substitute cream of coconut only in recipes that call for sweetened cream of coconut specifically. It is not interchangeable with coconut cream or coconut milk in curries or savory applications because the sugar content will dominate. For piña coladas and coquito, Coco Lopez remains the reference product with the strongest coconut flavor and thickest texture. Goya works well as a lower-fat substitute. If a recipe calls for a specific gram amount, weigh from the can rather than trusting the tablespoon count on the Coco Lopez label." }, { "id": "date-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Date Syrup", "synonyms": [ "silan", "date molasses", "date honey", "date nectar", "medjool date syrup", "organic date syrup", "pure date syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "D'vash Date Syrup nutrition label", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 20g per label. 20g x 16 = 320 g/cup, density 1.35 g/mL. D'vash is one of the dominant US retail brands for date syrup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Date Lady Date Syrup nutrition label", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 20g per label. 320 g/cup. Date Lady is another dominant US brand (Walmart, Amazon best-seller for date syrup category).", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Silan (Middle Eastern date syrup) multi-brand data", "ref": "Israeli and Middle Eastern silan brands (Galilees Delicacy, Kinneret Farm, Soom, Cedar Phoenicia) all converge on 20g per tablespoon, 60 calories. Silan is the traditional Levantine name for the same product.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Physical density from composition", "ref": "Date syrup is approximately 70% sugars (glucose + fructose roughly equal), 20% water, 2-3% fiber, with trace minerals. Sugar solutions at 70% solids sit at 1.35 g/mL density, matching the label figure. Slightly less dense than honey (1.42 g/mL, 78% solids) because date syrup contains more water and less concentrated sugar.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Date syrup (also called silan, date molasses, or date honey) converges tightly at 320 g/cup (20g per tablespoon), density 1.35 g/mL, across all major producer labels (Date Lady, D'vash, Just Date, and multiple Middle Eastern silan brands). King Arthur's chart does not list date syrup, leaving conversions unstandardized for the fastest-growing alternative sweetener category.\n\nDate syrup is a thick amber-to-dark-brown sweetener made from steamed or enzymatically-processed dates (traditionally Medjool or Deglet Nour), concentrated to about 70% sugars. Unlike sugar-cane-based syrups, date syrup contains 2-3% dietary fiber per serving — a unique property among liquid sweeteners — and delivers trace minerals (potassium, magnesium, iron) that pure sugar syrups lack. In the Middle East, silan (its Levantine name) has been a traditional sweetener for millennia, drizzled over labneh, whisked into tahini for salad dressing, spread on flatbreads (kubaneh, malawach), and used in savory-sweet meat marinades. In modern Western baking, it's used as a honey substitute in vegan and paleo recipes, as a molasses substitute in gingerbread and spiced desserts, and increasingly as a coffee sweetener or granola binder.\n\nDensity is a solved single figure. D'vash Date Syrup nutrition label lists 1 tablespoon = 20g, giving 320 g/cup at density 1.35 g/mL. Date Lady, the dominant US brand, lists the same 20g per tablespoon. Silan brands (Galilees Delicacy, Kinneret Farm, Soom, Cedar Phoenicia, and multiple Israeli producers) all converge on 20g per tablespoon. Density 1.35 g/mL is slightly lower than honey and agave (both 1.42 g/mL) because date syrup contains more water (~20%) and lower sugar concentration (~70% vs 76-78%). Physical density places it between corn syrup (1.32 g/mL) and honey (1.42 g/mL), consistent with its position as a moderate-density syrup.\n\nSilan versus date syrup versus date molasses versus date honey — same product, different names. These terms are interchangeable. Silan is the Hebrew and Middle Eastern name; date syrup is the standard English name; date molasses is used in some cookbooks (though it's not related to sugar-cane molasses); date honey is a marketing term used to signal the honey-substitute positioning to vegan consumers. All refer to the same product: concentrated liquid extract of dates. Traditional silan (Israeli and Levantine style) is made by boiling and pressing whole dates until only the syrup remains; modern commercial date syrup often uses enzymatic conversion for higher yield and lighter color. Density and composition are essentially identical across production methods.\n\nNot the same as date paste or date sugar. Date paste is thicker (pureed whole dates with less water removed) and typically weighs 260-300 g/cup — a distinct product used differently in baking. Date sugar is dried and ground dates, granular and non-flowing, closer in behavior to brown sugar than to a syrup. Recipes calling for date syrup specifically require the pourable liquid form; substituting date paste or date sugar produces different textures and requires water and liquid adjustment.\n\nSubstitution rules: for honey, substitute 1:1 by weight or volume — date syrup is slightly less sweet than honey (about 85-90% as sweet) and has a distinctive fruity-caramel-prune flavor, best in recipes where the flavor complements rather than competes. For maple syrup, substitute 1:1 by volume (maple syrup is at 315 g/cup, density 1.33 g/mL, essentially the same density); flavor difference is significant. For molasses, substitute 1:1 by weight in gingerbread and spiced recipes — both contribute dark color and rich flavor, though molasses has more mineral bitterness and date syrup more fruity sweetness. For granulated sugar, use 3/4 the weight of date syrup and reduce other liquids by 3 tablespoons per 1 cup.\n\nNutritional distinctions: date syrup is high in potassium (about 3% DV per tablespoon), calcium, magnesium, and iron — meaningful mineral content that pure sugar syrups lack. It's also naturally high in antioxidants. These properties are used prominently in marketing, though as with any sweetener the amounts consumed in typical use provide only modest daily intake of these nutrients.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for any recipe calling for date syrup, silan, or date molasses, weigh at 20g per tablespoon (320 g/cup) with high confidence across all brands. Substitute 1:1 by weight or volume for honey with a fruity flavor shift; substitute 1:1 for molasses in spiced recipes; substitute at 3/4 weight for granulated sugar with liquid reduction. Store at room temperature; date syrup does not crystallize and has approximately 12 month shelf life once opened." }, { "id": "ginger-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Ginger Syrup", "synonyms": [ "ginger cocktail syrup", "ginger simple syrup", "fiery ginger syrup", "spicy ginger syrup", "cocktail ginger syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, ginger syrup (either real-ginger artisan or commercial ginger-flavor)", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 1.1834, "range_max": 1.3103, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "Ginger syrup exists as two distinct product families with different compositions and slightly different density profiles: real-ginger artisan (Liber & Co Fiery Ginger, Morris Kitchen, Portland Syrups, Liquid Alchemist, BG Reynolds) built from cold-pressed or juiced fresh ginger root plus cane sugar (often with invert sugar to prevent crystallization); and commercial ginger-flavor (Torani, Monin, Fee Brothers, Finest Call) built from cane sugar, water, natural or artificial ginger flavor, and preservatives without real ginger content. Real-ginger variants land at the lower end (280-298 g/cup) because ginger juice water content displaces some pure sucrose; commercial variants run higher (300-310 g/cup) because they are essentially rich sugar-water syrup with flavoring. Published as a range covering both families.", "sources": [ { "name": "Liber & Co Fiery Ginger Syrup (real-ginger artisan)", "ref": "Liber & Co Fiery Ginger Syrup nutrition label lists 15 mL serving = 41 calories, 11 g total carbohydrate including 10 g sugar. Sugar concentration of 667 mg/mL implies ~50-55° Brix, extrapolating to density 1.23-1.26 g/mL and roughly 291-298 g per US cup. Ingredients: 50% organic Peruvian ginger juice, pure cane sugar. Represents the fresh-ginger-juice artisan benchmark for Moscow Mules, Dark 'N Stormies, and ginger beer applications.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Morris Kitchen Ginger Syrup (real-ginger artisan)", "ref": "Morris Kitchen ginger syrup (Brooklyn artisan brand, founded 2009) is built from cold-pressed ginger juice, cane sugar, and invert cane sugar. The invert sugar addition (a mix of glucose and fructose from acid-hydrolyzed sucrose) prevents recrystallization and gives a silky texture. Ginger juice content is high enough that the finished syrup runs slightly lighter than pure sucrose-water syrup at the same total dissolved solids.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Portland Syrups Authentic Ginger Syrup (real-ginger artisan)", "ref": "Portland Syrups authentic ginger syrup lists 12 oz bottle = 24 servings = 15 mL serving, similar to Liber & Co profile. Uses real ginger with intense spicy finish. Represents mid-Pacific-Northwest craft cocktail standard.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Monin Ginger Syrup (commercial)", "ref": "Monin Ginger Syrup ingredients: pure cane sugar, water, natural flavors, natural ginger flavor, citric acid. Standard commercial formulation matches Monin's other flavored syrups at approximately 60-65° Brix. Density approximately 1.28-1.32 g/mL, 303-312 g per US cup. Refrigeration not required — commercial preservative-free clean-label formulation.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.302 }, { "name": "Torani Ginger Syrup (commercial)", "ref": "Torani commercial ginger syrup follows their standard cane-sugar + water + natural flavor + preservatives formulation. Represents US commercial bar and coffee-shop standard, density profile matches Monin cluster at approximately 300-310 g per US cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.302 }, { "name": "Sucrose-water thermodynamics (US Pharmacopeia / ICUMSA)", "ref": "Physical density derivation: real-ginger artisan syrups converge around 50-55% Brix based on published sugar content per serving; commercial ginger syrups run richer at 60-65% Brix based on standard commercial-syrup formulation. Standard sucrose-water density tables at 20°C: 50% w/w = 1.230 g/mL (291 g/cup), 55% w/w = 1.259 g/mL (298 g/cup), 60% w/w = 1.289 g/mL (305 g/cup), 65% w/w = 1.319 g/mL (312 g/cup). Real-ginger variants may skew a few g/cup lighter than pure sucrose at the same Brix due to ginger juice water and suspended fibre content; commercial variants track physics directly.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.26 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking (KA-blind)", "ref": "King Arthur does not publish ginger syrup in their Ingredient Weight Chart. No KA correction applies to this entry." } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: **One US cup of ginger syrup weighs 280 to 310 g depending on brand and product family.** Two distinct product families exist under the same name: real-ginger artisan (Liber & Co Fiery Ginger, Morris Kitchen, Portland Syrups, Liquid Alchemist) and commercial ginger-flavor (Torani, Monin, Fee Brothers). Real-ginger artisan runs lighter (280-298 g/cup) due to ginger juice water content displacing sucrose; commercial ginger-flavor runs heavier (300-310 g/cup) because it is essentially rich sugar-water syrup with flavoring. King Arthur does not publish ginger syrup.\n\nGinger syrup as a discrete cocktail ingredient is a relatively modern American bar product, dating to the craft-cocktail revival of the mid-2000s. Its cultural ancestor is Jamaican ginger beer plant fermentation — a symbiotic culture of yeast and bacteria that produces naturally carbonated ginger beer over several days — and the pre-Prohibition-era ginger-based punches and cordials that faded from American drinking culture through the twentieth century. The modern rebirth traces to two cocktails: the Moscow Mule (vodka, ginger beer, lime, dating to 1941 but popularized by copper mug fetishism in the 2000s) and the Dark 'N Stormy (Gosling's Black Seal rum, ginger beer, lime, a Bermudian trademark since the 1980s). Bartenders wanting more control over ginger intensity and sweetness began substituting ginger syrup for pre-made ginger beer, and craft brands like Morris Kitchen (Brooklyn, 2009) and Liber & Co (Austin, 2013) built entire product lines around fresh-juiced ginger as the differentiator.\n\nThe two-product-family split defines the modern market. **Real-ginger artisan syrup** starts with fresh ginger root that is either cold-pressed for juice or blended and strained to extract maximum flavor compounds (gingerol, shogaol, and volatile terpenes). Liber & Co's Fiery Ginger Syrup uses 50% organic Peruvian ginger juice by volume plus pure cane sugar; Morris Kitchen combines cold-pressed ginger juice with cane sugar and invert cane sugar to prevent recrystallization and produce a silky texture; Portland Syrups and Liquid Alchemist follow similar real-ginger formulations. **Commercial ginger-flavor syrup** (Torani, Monin, Fee Brothers, Finest Call) is fundamentally a cane sugar-water base with natural or artificial ginger flavoring and preservatives — no real ginger juice at all. The flavor is thinner and one-dimensional, closer to ginger candy than to fresh ginger, but the price is a fraction of the artisan cost and shelf life is longer.\n\nThe density difference between the two families is real but modest. Real-ginger artisan syrups converge around 50-55° Brix based on published sugar content per serving (Liber's label shows 10 g sugar per 15 mL serving, implying 667 mg/mL sugar concentration and roughly 291-298 g per US cup). Commercial ginger-flavor syrups run richer at 60-65° Brix because they follow the standard commercial flavored-syrup profile, landing at approximately 300-310 g per US cup. Sucrose-water density tables at 20°C give the physics: 50% w/w sucrose = 1.230 g/mL (291 g/cup), 55% w/w = 1.259 g/mL (298 g/cup), 60% w/w = 1.289 g/mL (305 g/cup), 65% w/w = 1.319 g/mL (312 g/cup). Real-ginger variants may skew a few grams per cup lighter than pure sucrose at the same Brix due to the water and suspended fibre content in fresh ginger juice; commercial variants track the sucrose-water physics directly.\n\nIn the ExactCups syrup cluster, ginger syrup joins the **cocktail-syrup family** alongside grenadine (280-320 g/cup) and orgeat (288-320 g/cup). All three follow the same real-fruit vs commercial family split, and all three cluster in the 280-320 g/cup band — well below the 336 g/cup cluster (honey, agave, barley malt, golden syrup at 76-80% solids) and below the 320 g/cup cluster (date syrup, pomegranate molasses, cane syrup, sorghum syrup at 65-70% solids). The pattern is consistent: cocktail syrups optimize for pourability and flavor integration in mixed drinks, not for maximum sugar concentration, so they run at 50-65% Brix rather than the 65-80% Brix of concentrated baking syrups.\n\nPractical bartender recommendation: for a proper Moscow Mule, Dark 'N Stormy, Penicillin, or any cocktail where ginger drives the flavour, use a real-ginger artisan brand (Liber & Co, Morris Kitchen, Portland Syrups) — the fresh gingerol content translates directly to the finished drink's aromatic complexity. Commercial ginger-flavor syrups work for volume applications where cost matters more than character. Weigh at approximately 295 g per cup as a central working figure across both families. Store refrigerated after opening; artisan real-ginger syrups typically keep 4-6 months refrigerated, commercial preservative-containing syrups keep 12+ months." }, { "id": "golden-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Golden Syrup", "synonyms": [ "lyle's golden syrup", "light treacle", "partially inverted sugar syrup", "refiner's syrup", "cane sugar syrup", "cocky's joy" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "Lyle's Golden Syrup nutrition label (Tate & Lyle)", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 21g per label. 21g x 16 tbsp/cup = 336 g/cup, density 1.42 g/mL. Lyle's is the dominant global brand and reference product for golden syrup since 1881.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Physical density from composition", "ref": "Golden syrup is 78% sugars (partially inverted sucrose plus glucose plus fructose), 22% water. Sugar solutions at 76-78% solids sit at 1.40-1.42 g/mL density, matching Lyle's label figure.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Multi-aggregator brand data (Carb Manager, MyFoodDiary, Inlivo, EatThisMuch)", "ref": "Multiple independent nutrition aggregators list Lyle's Golden Syrup at 21g per tablespoon, 65-68 calories per serving. Consistent 336 g/cup across sources.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 }, { "name": "Wikipedia (Golden syrup)", "ref": "Notes golden syrup has appearance and consistency similar to honey, often used as substitute. Honey is well-documented at 336 g/cup (density 1.42 g/mL), so golden syrup falls in the same density class.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Lyle's Golden Syrup, the dominant global brand, converges at 336 g/cup (21g per tablespoon), density 1.42 g/mL, matching honey, agave, and barley malt syrup because all four are concentrated sugar solutions at similar solids fractions. King Arthur's chart does not list golden syrup, leaving US bakers without a standard reference.\n\nGolden syrup (also called light treacle in Britain and cocky's joy in Australia) is a partially inverted sugar syrup produced during cane sugar refining. Invented by Abram Lyle in 1881 and still produced in London by Tate & Lyle in its iconic green-and-gold tin, Lyle's Golden Syrup is the reference product globally — the 454g tin holds Guinness World Records as the oldest unchanged brand packaging in continuous use. British and Commonwealth baking depends on it heavily: flapjacks (oat bars), treacle tart, sticky toffee pudding, gingerbread, parkin, and Anzac biscuits are all built around golden syrup as the primary sweetener.\n\nDensity lands squarely with other sugar syrups. Lyle's Golden Syrup nutrition label lists 1 tablespoon = 21g, giving 336 g/cup at density 1.42 g/mL. Physical composition (78% sugars, 22% water, partially inverted sucrose) matches the density-composition curve of concentrated sugar solutions. Same density as honey, agave nectar, and barley malt syrup — all four converge because all four are the same class of sugar solution at similar solids fractions. King Arthur's Ingredient Weight Chart does not list golden syrup, leaving conversions unstandardized in US recipe databases.\n\nGolden syrup versus corn syrup: functionally similar but chemically different. Corn syrup (existing entry at 312 g/cup, density 1.32 g/mL) is glucose-based, made from enzymatic conversion of corn starch. Golden syrup is partially inverted sucrose, a mix of glucose, fructose, and remaining sucrose. Both prevent crystallization in confectionery and both provide chewy texture in baked goods. Golden syrup has a distinctive buttery-caramel flavor from partial caramelization during refining; corn syrup is neutral in flavor. In American recipes calling for corn syrup, golden syrup adds flavor and color; in British recipes calling for golden syrup, corn syrup delivers structure but loses the characteristic taste.\n\nGolden syrup versus honey: densities and consistencies are essentially identical (336 g/cup, 1.42 g/mL), so they substitute 1:1 by weight or volume. Flavors differ — honey is floral and complex, golden syrup is buttery-caramel-neutral. In a pinch, honey substitutes for golden syrup with minor flavor changes. For truly authentic British baking (Anzac biscuits, treacle tart), the golden syrup flavor is central and honey is a compromise.\n\nGolden syrup versus treacle versus molasses: British nomenclature is confusing to Americans. In British usage, golden syrup equals light treacle; black treacle is a darker refining-stage syrup similar to but stronger than US molasses; treacle is a general term for the darker syrups. In American usage, molasses is the American product roughly equivalent to British black treacle. Golden syrup is not molasses and does not substitute for it in flavor-forward recipes like gingerbread or molasses cookies.\n\nUS substitution when golden syrup is unavailable: a common approximation is 3/4 cup light corn syrup plus 1/4 cup molasses (by weight or volume) for 1 cup golden syrup. This adds some of the missing caramel flavor from the molasses without going as dark as pure molasses. Some bakers use 1:1 honey substitution and accept the flavor change. Making golden syrup at home from sugar, water, and citric acid is possible but time-consuming.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for any British or Australian recipe calling for golden syrup, weigh at 21g per tablespoon (336 g/cup). Substitute 1:1 with honey by weight or volume if unavailable, accepting a flavor difference. For US recipes calling for corn syrup, golden syrup can substitute 1:1 by volume with a warmer caramel-buttery flavor and slightly higher density. Store golden syrup at room temperature; it does not crystallize and has essentially indefinite shelf life due to the invert-sugar content." }, { "id": "grenadine", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Grenadine", "synonyms": [ "grenadine", "grenadine syrup", "pomegranate grenadine", "real grenadine", "cocktail grenadine", "sirop de grenadine" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 1.1834, "range_max": 1.3527, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "Two fundamentally different product families are both sold as \"grenadine\" with substantially different densities: HFCS commercial cocktail mixers (Rose's, Torani, Finest Call — approximately 320 g/cup, 66-67% sugar solids, no pomegranate) and real-fruit artisan syrups (Small Hand Foods, Jack Rudy, Liber & Co — approximately 280-300 g/cup, 55-60% sugar solids, diluted by actual pomegranate juice's water content). No single figure captures the family, and the product labels rarely make the distinction clear at first glance beyond the ingredient statement.", "sources": [ { "name": "USDA — Grenadine syrup, generic (via eatthismuch reference)", "ref": "USDA-derived generic entry: 1 cup = 320 g, 1 tbsp = 20 g. Density 1.353 g/mL, matching a concentrated 66-67% sugar solution (149 g sugar per 320 g cup). Composition and density correspond to the HFCS-based commercial formulation dominant in US grocery bar-mixer aisles. Central anchor for the commercial family within the published range.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3527 }, { "name": "Rose's Grenadine Syrup (Dr Pepper Snapple Group, dominant US commercial brand)", "ref": "Product label serving: 2 tablespoons = 30 mL = 80 kcal, 20 g sugar. Ingredient statement: High Fructose Corn Syrup, Water, Citric Acid, Sodium Citrate, Sodium Benzoate (Preservative), Red 40, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Blue 1. Contains no pomegranate. Extrapolates to approximately 320 g/cup at the matched USDA density. Iconic bar-well and grocery brand since the 1901 founding of Rose's Lime Juice; grenadine formulation post-1930s.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3527 }, { "name": "Small Hand Foods Grenadine (Jennifer Colliau, San Francisco, since 2008)", "ref": "Reference brand for cocktail-quality grenadine among serious bartenders. Ingredient statement: pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, organic cane sugar. No water added, no dyes, no citric acid. Sold in 8.5 oz (251 mL) and 17.5 oz (518 mL) bottles. No cup weight published on product page; density predicted at approximately 1.20-1.25 g/mL from formulation (concentrated pomegranate juice at ~14% sugar + pomegranate molasses at ~65% sugar + cane sugar at 100% sugar in roughly equal parts gives ~55-60% total sugar solids).", "density_g_per_ml": null }, { "name": "Liber & Co Real Grenadine (California San Joaquin Valley pomegranates)", "ref": "Product label serving: 0.5 oz (15 mL) = 34 kcal, 9 g total carbs (8 g sugar, 7 g added sugars). Corresponds to roughly 60% sugar solids and density near 1.20 g/mL, extrapolating to approximately 280-290 g/cup. Ingredients: pomegranate juice, cane sugar, gum arabic, orange flower water, fruit juice (color), citric acid, benzoic acid. Represents the real-fruit artisan family's lower-density end.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.1834 }, { "name": "Jack Rudy Cocktail Co Small Batch Grenadine (Charleston SC)", "ref": "Ingredient statement: pomegranate, water, cane sugar, orange flower water, citric acid, natural preservative. 17 oz retail bottle distributed via Whole Foods, specialty spirits shops, and Amazon. Real-fruit artisan family, sold as a Rose's alternative. No unambiguous per-serving nutrition label published on the product page; density likely in the 1.20-1.25 g/mL range consistent with the other real-fruit artisan brands.", "density_g_per_ml": null } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: 280-320 g/cup (1.18-1.35 g/mL). Two fundamentally different product families are both sold under the \"grenadine\" name: HFCS-based commercial cocktail mixers (Rose's, Torani, Finest Call — approximately 320 g/cup, 66-67% sugar) and real-fruit artisan syrups (Small Hand Foods, Jack Rudy, Liber & Co — approximately 280 g/cup, less concentrated with actual pomegranate). The name comes from grenade, French for pomegranate, but most retail bottles contain no pomegranate at all.\n\nGrenadine is the red syrup that gives the Shirley Temple its color and the Tequila Sunrise its bottom stripe. Historically it was a pomegranate syrup — the French name grenade means pomegranate — used across Middle Eastern and Mediterranean beverages and adopted by early American bartenders in the 19th century. Today the category has bifurcated into two product families whose only shared features are red color and cocktail application: commercial HFCS-based mixers dominant on grocery shelves, and real-fruit artisan syrups sold through specialty spirits shops.\n\nThe commercial family, defined by Rose's Grenadine, lists high-fructose corn syrup as the first ingredient followed by water, citric acid, sodium citrate, sodium benzoate, Red #40, Blue #1, and natural and artificial flavors — no pomegranate at all. Torani, Finest Call, Daily's, and most bar-well grenadines follow the same formulation. Density data comes primarily from USDA's generic grenadine syrup reference at 320 g/cup or 1.353 g/mL, corresponding to a concentrated 66-67% sugar solution (149 g sugar in a 320 g cup). Rose's own product label lists 2 tablespoons = 30 mL = 80 kcal with 20 g sugar; matched to the USDA density, 30 mL is roughly 40 g, giving the same 320 g/cup. The label's ambiguity between \"30 mL\" as volume and \"30 g\" as weight is common for beverage-mixer packaging.\n\nThe real-fruit family emerged in the mid-2000s as cocktail culture reclaimed the ingredient. Small Hand Foods (founded 2008 by San Francisco bartender Jennifer Colliau, now the reference brand for cocktail-quality grenadine) makes theirs from just pomegranate juice, pomegranate molasses, and organic cane sugar — no water, no acids, no dyes. Jack Rudy Cocktail Co uses pomegranate, water, cane sugar, orange flower water, and citric acid. Liber & Co Real Grenadine (California San Joaquin Valley pomegranates plus cane sugar plus orange flower water) publishes 0.5 oz (15 mL) = 34 kcal with 9 g total carbs, extrapolating to roughly 60% sugar and 280-290 g/cup at approximately 1.20 g/mL — noticeably less concentrated than the HFCS commercial products because pomegranate juice contributes water alongside its natural sugars.\n\nWithin the syrup density framework, HFCS grenadine at 320 g/cup joins the 320 g/cup cluster alongside cane syrup, date syrup, pomegranate molasses, and maple cream — all plant-derived or plant-imitating syrups at 65-70% solids. Real-fruit grenadines sit just below this cluster at 280-300 g/cup due to their higher water content from included juice. Neither type reaches the 336 g/cup cluster (honey, agave, barley malt syrup, golden syrup, sorghum syrup) since grenadine is intentionally diluted for cocktail-mixer application rather than concentrated to maximum sugar saturation.\n\nSeveral disambiguations matter for search intent. Grenadine is not pomegranate molasses — pomegranate molasses (already in this database at 320 g/cup) is reduced pomegranate juice with no added sugar, tart-forward and used in Middle Eastern savory cooking rather than sweetened cocktails. Grenadine is not pomegranate syrup, which is a less standardized real-fruit product without the cocktail-mixer branding. And any product labeled simply \"grenadine\" without a specific fruit-based ingredient claim is almost certainly the HFCS commercial version.\n\nFor cocktail work, real-fruit grenadines substitute 1:1 by volume for HFCS commercial products in classic recipes (Jack Rose, Ward Eight, Shirley Temple) with dramatically better flavor — a Small Hand Foods Shirley Temple is genuinely juicy where a Rose's Shirley Temple is essentially colored sugar water. The 1:1 volume substitution works despite the roughly 15% weight difference because cocktails are balanced by volume ratio, not by sugar mass. For baking (Persian-style pomegranate desserts, pomegranate glazes), the more concentrated commercial grenadine delivers more color per teaspoon but the real-fruit version contributes actual pomegranate flavor and mineral character that shifts the finished dish meaningfully." }, { "id": "honey", "schema_version": 1, "name": "Honey", "synonyms": [ "raw honey", "clover honey", "liquid honey" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "liquid", "confidence": "medium", "states": [ { "id": "liquid", "label": "Liquid, at room temperature", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4329, "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central", "ref": "FDC 169640, SR Legacy, 1 undetermined cup = 339 g", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4329 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking", "ref": "Ingredient Weight Chart, honey, 1 tablespoon = 21 g", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202 } ], "verified": "2026-09-15", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-15" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Sources agree within 0.9%. Honey is a supersaturated sugar solution with no packing state, so unlike flour or brown sugar there is no measuring method that changes what a cup holds, and one figure serves. USDA FDC 169640 publishes a cup at 339 g (1.4329 g/ml) and a tablespoon at 21 g (1.4202 g/ml), a spread of 0.89%; the cup is published here because rounding to the nearest gram on the larger measure carries a narrower band. King Arthur's chart gives the tablespoon as 21 g, the same figure USDA publishes, so the two sources agree in a way that may reflect a shared origin rather than an independent measurement. This is recorded rather than treated as corroboration. What genuinely varies in honey is moisture content, which is what national grading standards regulate: the US Grade A limit is 18.6% moisture, and higher-moisture honey is measurably lighter per cup. Density is therefore a property of the particular jar to a greater degree than for oil or sugar, and figures between roughly 1.38 and 1.45 g/ml are reported across floral sources and moisture levels. No standards body publishes a density for honey, only moisture limits, so the Codex route that resolved olive oil is not available here. Refractometry, the standard method for honey moisture, measures refractive index and converts to moisture via Chataway's table; deriving a density from that is a calculation rather than a published figure, so it is not counted as a source. The National Honey Board's reference of 11.84 lb per US gallon, about 1.418 g/ml, is widely quoted but was not verified at source and is not cited here. USDA also publishes a packet at 14 g, described as 0.5 oz; it is a packaging weight rather than a volume measure and is not recorded as a yield. Two independent sources agree, which is enough to publish; confidence stays medium until a third independent measurement confirms it." }, { "id": "jam", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Jam", "synonyms": [ "jam or preserves", "fruit preserves", "preserves", "strawberry jam", "strawberry preserves", "grape jam" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, spooned and leveled", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "USDA SR Legacy \"Jams and preserves\" (FDC 169641)", "ref": "USDA Standard Release publishes 1 tbsp = 20 g, extrapolating to 320 g per US cup (density 1.353 g/mL). Water 30.5 g, carbohydrate 68.9 g (sugars 48.5 g) per 100 g. Primary anchor.", "fdc_id": 169641, "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Smucker's Strawberry Jam (producer label)", "ref": "Brand site: 1 Tbsp (20 g), extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Smucker's Strawberry Preserves (producer label)", "ref": "Brand site: 1 Tbsp (20 g), extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Bonne Maman Strawberry Preserves (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label (ShopRite), 13-oz jar: 1 tbsp (20 g), extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Welch's Concord Grape Jam (producer label)", "ref": "Brand site, 30-oz jar: 1 tbsp (20 g), about 42 servings, extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Kroger Strawberry Preserves (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label, 18-oz jar: 1 Tbsp (20 g), about 26 servings, extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart", "ref": "KA lists \"Jam or preserves\" at 1/4 cup = 3 oz = 85 g, extrapolating to 340 g per US cup, density 1.437 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4371, "rejected": true, "rejection_reason": "1.437 g/mL would make jam denser than honey (King Arthur's own 21 g tablespoon of honey is 1.42 g/mL), but jam is about 30% water against honey's 17%. USDA's composition for jams and preserves (30.5% water, 68.9% carbohydrate) predicts about 1.35 g/mL, and USDA and every label checked give 20 g per tablespoon, 320 g per cup. A quarter cup at that density is 80 g, 2.8 oz; written as 3 oz it becomes 85 g, so King Arthur's figure looks like a weight rounded up to the next whole ounce." } ], "verified": "2026-10-26", "last_reviewed": "2026-10-26" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Jam weighs 320 g per US cup (11.3 oz) and 20 g per tablespoon, a density of 1.353 g/mL. USDA and the Smucker's, Bonne Maman, Welch's and Kroger labels all give a tablespoon at 20 g. King Arthur's 85 g per quarter cup would make jam denser than honey and is rejected.\n\nJam and preserves are fruit cooked with sugar until enough water has gone that the mixture sets, usually with the fruit's own pectin or added pectin. US law treats them as one food: the standard of identity for fruit preserves and jams (21 CFR 150.160) lets the product be called either name and requires at least 65% soluble solids in the finished jar. Preserves keep larger pieces of fruit; jam is smoother. USDA's record for jams and preserves puts them at 30.5% water and 68.9% carbohydrate, 48.5% of it sugars, with almost no fat or protein.\n\nUSDA SR Legacy \"Jams and preserves\" (FDC 169641) lists 1 tablespoon at 20 g, which is 320 g per cup. Every mainstream label agrees: Smucker's jam and preserves, Bonne Maman preserves, Welch's Concord grape jam, Kroger and Blackburn's preserves all print 1 tablespoon at 20 g. US labels serve jam by the tablespoon, so these figures are the weight of a measured spoonful, rounded to the gram.\n\nThe physical check lands on the same number. A syrup of about 70% dissolved sugars and pectin is about a third denser than water. Working from USDA's composition, the sugars and other carbohydrate take up about 43 mL per 100 g and the water about 31 mL, so 100 g of jam fills about 74 mL: 1.35 g/mL, or 320 g per cup. Fruit pieces in preserves are mostly the same sugary syrup inside a cell wall, so preserves weigh the same per spoon as smooth jam.\n\nLower-sugar fruit spreads are a different product and a little lighter. Crofter's organic spread and Stonewall Kitchen's strawberry jam label a tablespoon at 18 g, 288 g per cup, which matches their lower sugar. Jelly, made from strained juice with no fruit pieces, has its own standard (21 CFR 150.140) and a similar sugar level.\n\nKing Arthur's chart lists \"Jam or preserves\" at 1/4 cup = 3 oz = 85 g, which is 340 g per cup and 1.437 g/mL. That is heavier than honey, which King Arthur itself lists at 21 g per tablespoon, 1.42 g/mL, and honey has about half as much water as jam. A quarter cup of jam really weighs 80 g, which is 2.8 oz; rounded up to 3 oz and converted back, it becomes 85 g. The figure is recorded as a rejected source with its own correction page.\n\nPractical guidance: 1 tablespoon is 20 g, 1 teaspoon about 7 g, 1/4 cup 80 g and 1/2 cup 160 g. An 18-oz jar holds 510 g, about 1 1/2 cups; a 13-oz jar 369 g, a little over 1 cup. Jam is sticky, so for thumbprint cookies, Linzer bars or a cake filling, spoon it straight onto the scale rather than scraping out a measuring cup." }, { "id": "lemon-curd", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Lemon Curd", "synonyms": [ "jarred lemon curd", "lemon cheese", "lemon butter spread", "lemon curd spread" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, spooned and leveled", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "Bonne Maman Lemon Curd (producer label)", "ref": "US retail nutrition label (ShopRite), 12.7-oz jar: 1 tbsp (20 g), extrapolating to 320 g per US cup (density 1.353 g/mL). Bonne Maman's UK label gives per 100 g: fat 13 g, carbohydrate 55 g (sugars 54 g), protein 1.7 g.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Dickinson's Lemon Curd (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label (Fry's), 10-oz jar: 1 tbsp (20 g), extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Wilkin & Sons Tiptree Lemon Curd (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label (Food4Less), 11-oz jar: 1 tbsp (20 g), about 16 servings, extrapolating to 320 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart", "ref": "KA lists \"Lemon Curd\" at 1/2 cup = 4 oz = 113 g, extrapolating to 227 g per US cup, density 0.959 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.9595, "rejected": true, "rejection_reason": "0.959 g/mL is lighter than water, but lemon curd is about half sugar, cooked with lemon juice, egg and butter; even the butteriest jarred curd (13% fat, 54% sugars) works out from its composition to about 1.26 g/mL, and the labels give 1.35. Half a cup is 4 fluid ounces, and 113 g is 4 weight ounces: the fluid ounce read as a weight ounce, King Arthur's 227 g cup." } ], "verified": "2026-10-26", "last_reviewed": "2026-10-26" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Lemon curd weighs about 320 g per US cup (11.3 oz) and 20 g per tablespoon, the figure Bonne Maman, Dickinson's and Tiptree print, a density of 1.353 g/mL. Butter-rich curds are probably a few percent lighter. King Arthur's 113 g per half cup would make a spread that is half sugar lighter than water and is rejected.\n\nLemon curd is lemon juice and zest cooked with sugar, eggs and butter until it thickens into a glossy spread. It is a British classic, sold in jars for toast and scones, and in baking it fills tarts, cakes, macarons and pavlovas. Jarred curds come in two kinds. Butter-and-egg curds such as Bonne Maman and Tiptree run about 13% fat with 54% sugars; budget curds, such as the UK supermarket own brands, use less butter and some water and starch, about 5% fat with 57% sugars.\n\nUSDA has no lemon curd record, and no source has weighed a whole cup, so confidence is low. The US labels are the evidence: Bonne Maman, Dickinson's and Tiptree all print 1 tablespoon at 20 g, which is 320 g per cup, and Bonne Maman's 18 servings in a 12.7-oz jar work out to the same 20 g. Stonewall Kitchen prints 15 g, and UK labels print 15 g for their 15 mL tablespoon; both make curd weigh about the same as water, which a product that is half sugar cannot, so those figures are not used here.\n\nThe physical check says the labels are close but probably a little high for the butteriest curds. Dissolved sugar makes a spread denser than water and butterfat makes it lighter. Working from Bonne Maman's composition, 13% fat, 55% carbohydrate and about 30% water, a curd should be about 1.26 g/mL, near 298 g per cup; a lower-fat budget curd about 1.29 g/mL, near 306 g. Jam, with no fat at all, is 1.35 g/mL and 20 g per tablespoon. So 20 g is right for jam and within about 5% for most curds, and a rich homemade curd may weigh closer to 300 g per cup. Whisking can also trap a little air.\n\nKing Arthur's chart lists lemon curd at 1/2 cup = 4 oz = 113 g. That is 227 g per cup, 0.959 g/mL, lighter than water. Half a cup is 4 fluid ounces, and 113 g is 4 weight ounces: the same fluid-ounce mistake behind King Arthur's 227 g cups of milk and cream. A spread that is about half sugar cannot weigh less than water, so the figure is recorded as a rejected source with its own correction page.\n\nPractical guidance: 1 tablespoon is about 20 g and 1/4 cup about 80 g; for a rich homemade curd use 19 g and 75 g. A 10-oz jar holds 283 g, a little under 1 cup; an 11-oz jar 312 g, about 1 cup; a 12.7-oz jar 360 g, about 1 1/8 cups. For a tart, spoon the curd into the shell on the scale; curd clings to cups and spoons, and weighing avoids losing the last spoonful." }, { "id": "maple-cream", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Maple Cream", "synonyms": [ "maple butter", "maple spread", "pure maple cream", "pure maple butter", "fondant d'erable", "fondant d'érable", "beurre d'erable", "beurre d'érable", "maple fondant" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, spooned and leveled", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "Butternut Mountain Farm Pure Maple Butter nutrition label", "ref": "2 tablespoons = 40g per label (130 cal per 2 tbsp, 32g carbs). 20g/tbsp x 16 = 320 g/cup, density 1.35 g/mL. Butternut Mountain Farm is the dominant Vermont pure-maple producer, single-ingredient product.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "President's Choice 100% Pure Maple Syrup Maple Butter Spread nutrition label", "ref": "1.5 tablespoons = 30g per label (100 cal). Works out to 20g/tbsp = 320 g/cup. Canadian market dominant retail brand.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Snapcalorie generic maple butter data", "ref": "1 serving = 20g at 52 calories, consistent with 20g/tbsp for 100% pure maple product.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "The Art of Doing Stuff homemade maple cream recipe", "ref": "Recipe using Kirkland organic maple syrup yields 40 servings of 1 tablespoon each. Combined with the known volume of the starting syrup, works out to approximately 20g per tablespoon in the finished cream.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Physical density from composition", "ref": "Maple cream is 100% pure maple syrup boiled to soft-ball stage (235°F), concentrating solids from 66% (syrup) to approximately 85% (cream), then cooled to 100°F and stirred until crystallized. Pure solid at 85% sugar solids would predict density 1.44 g/mL; measured 1.35 g/mL reflects fine air incorporation from stirring, which reduces bulk density below the fully-solid figure.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Pure maple cream (also called maple butter, maple spread, or fondant d'érable) converges at 320 g/cup (20g per tablespoon), density 1.35 g/mL, across Butternut Mountain Farm, President's Choice, and other pure-maple producer labels. King Arthur's chart does not list maple cream or maple butter, leaving this popular Quebec-origin product without a US baking reference.\n\nMaple cream is 100% pure maple syrup that has been boiled to soft-ball candy stage (about 235°F, concentrating solids from 66% to approximately 85%), then cooled to 100°F and continuously stirred until the sugars crystallize into a smooth, silky, spreadable paste. Despite the name maple butter, it contains no dairy — the butter refers to the spreadable texture, not to any actual butter content. A pure maple cream should have exactly one ingredient on its label: maple syrup. Products marketed as maple butter that also contain actual dairy butter are compound spreads, a separate category with different density and behavior.\n\nThe nomenclature can confuse shoppers. Common names for the same pure product include maple cream (US market standard), maple butter (Canadian and Vermont market standard), maple spread (Quebec market standard), and fondant d'érable (French Quebec). All describe the same 100% maple syrup whipped preparation. In Quebec cuisine, where maple products are a cultural cornerstone, maple butter is a traditional accompaniment to bread, toast, crepes, and pancakes, and features in classic desserts like tarte au sucre.\n\nDensity is well-converged across pure-maple producers. Butternut Mountain Farm (Vermont, dominant US pure-maple producer) lists 2 tablespoons = 40g on its Pure Maple Butter nutrition label, giving 320 g/cup at density 1.35 g/mL. President's Choice Maple Butter Spread (Canadian market) lists 1.5 tablespoons = 30g, matching 20g/tbsp = 320 g/cup. Snapcalorie generic maple butter data lists 20g per tablespoon. Homemade recipes using pure maple syrup as the sole ingredient yield essentially the same density. Physical composition (approximately 85% sugar solids from the soft-ball boiling stage) predicts 1.44 g/mL for fully-solid concentrate; the measured 1.35 g/mL reflects the fine air incorporation from stirring, which reduces bulk density.\n\nMaple cream versus maple syrup: same source material (100% pure maple sap), different concentration. Maple syrup is 66% solids (density 1.32 g/mL, 312 g/cup). Maple cream is approximately 85% solids stirred (density 1.35 g/mL, 320 g/cup — slightly denser despite air incorporation because the higher solids fraction outweighs the aeration). Maple sugar is fully dried (density 0.66 g/mL, 156 g/cup — granular). All three are the same base material at different concentration and processing states.\n\nMaple cream versus other fruit-derived syrup products at same density: date syrup, pomegranate molasses, and maple cream all sit at 320 g/cup and 1.35 g/mL — because all three are concentrated plant-derived syrups at approximately 70-85% solids. Substitution by weight is straightforward density-wise, though flavors are entirely different.\n\nStorage and crystallization: maple cream will crystallize over time as the finely-stirred sugar seeds trigger further growth into larger crystals. Store refrigerated after opening. If crystallization occurs, warming to 100°F (about 5 seconds in a microwave, or 15 minutes in warm water) and stirring re-smooths the texture. Sealed unopened maple cream keeps for about a year at room temperature; opened, refrigerated for 4-6 months at peak texture.\n\nNot to be confused with maple compound butter: some producers sell maple butter that is actual dairy butter blended with maple syrup (typically 2:1 butter to syrup ratio). This is a distinct product used as a table spread rather than for baking. Density differs (butter dominates the bulk at approximately 227 g/cup for churned butter), and it's not interchangeable with pure maple cream in recipes.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for any recipe calling for maple cream, maple butter, or maple spread, weigh at 20g per tablespoon (320 g/cup) across all pure-maple brands. Read the ingredient list to confirm 100% maple syrup — if dairy butter appears, that's a compound spread with different behavior. Store refrigerated once opened; warm briefly and stir if crystallization occurs." }, { "id": "maple-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Maple syrup", "synonyms": [ "pure maple syrup", "Grade A maple syrup", "Vermont maple syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "liquid", "confidence": "medium", "states": [ { "id": "liquid", "label": "Liquid, at room temperature", "density_g_per_ml": 1.361, "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central", "ref": "FDC 169661, SR Legacy, 1 undetermined cup = 322 g, 1 tablespoon = 20 g", "density_g_per_ml": 1.361 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking", "ref": "Ingredient Weight Chart, maple syrup, 1/2 cup = 156 g", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3187 } ], "verified": "2026-09-16", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-16" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Sources agree within 3.2%, inside the 5% tolerance for the syrup category. USDA FDC 169661 gives a cup at 322 g (1.361 g/ml) and a tablespoon at 20 g, and 20 times 16 gives 320 g, a 0.6% internal spread that reflects USDA rounding on the smaller measure. The cup figure is used as the more reliable of the two. King Arthur's Ingredient Weight Chart gives 156 g per half cup, implying 312 g per cup or 1.3187 g/ml. Maple syrup is a concentrated sugar solution, boiled from the sap of sugar maple trees until it reaches roughly 66 to 67 percent sucrose by weight. That composition sets its density: sugar solutions above the saturation point are always denser than water in proportion to their sugar content, so any pure maple syrup product will sit between about 1.32 and 1.37 g/ml at room temperature. Both sources fall inside that range, and the small disagreement between them likely reflects the natural batch-to-batch variation in evaporation endpoint rather than a measurement error on either side. Under the Federal Grade A standard, maple syrup must have a minimum density of 66.9 degrees Brix when finished, which corresponds to 66.9 percent sucrose and a density of approximately 1.325 g/ml at 20 Celsius. Producers commonly boil slightly past this minimum to give the syrup a safety margin against microbial spoilage, which pushes real-world density higher than the legal minimum. This is why bottled retail maple syrup typically weighs closer to USDA's 322 g per cup than to the legal Grade A floor. Maple syrup is fundamentally different from honey despite being visually similar. Honey publishes at 339 g per cup on this dataset because its sugar content is higher (about 80 percent versus 66 percent) and its water content correspondingly lower. This dataset lists them as separate entries and separate densities for that reason, and recipes that substitute one for the other by cup volume will not weigh the same. Grade classifications changed in 2015 in the US and Canada. What was previously Grade A (Light Amber, Medium Amber, Dark Amber) and Grade B (very dark, robust flavour) has been consolidated into Grade A with four color subclasses: Golden Delicate, Amber Rich, Dark Robust, and Very Dark Strong. All four subclasses have the same minimum density under the grade standard, so the color and flavour differences do not translate to differences in cup weight. Table syrup and pancake syrup marketed under brand names like Aunt Jemima, Log Cabin and Mrs. Butterworth's are a different product entirely. These are typically high-fructose corn syrup based with maple flavouring, some diluted with 2 to 15 percent real maple syrup, and their density depends on the specific formulation rather than on any maple syrup standard. USDA lists these separately at FDC 169657 and related records. No standards body publishes a bulk density figure for maple syrup, only the Brix minimum for Grade A. The correspondence between Brix and density is well established in the sugar industry via the ICUMSA tables, but this is a derivation rather than a published measurement, so it is not counted as an independent source. Two sources agreeing within category tolerance, so this entry publishes a single figure and is held at medium confidence until an independent third is found." }, { "id": "marshmallow-creme", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Marshmallow Creme", "synonyms": [ "Marshmallow Fluff", "Fluff", "marshmallow cream", "marshmallow crème", "marshmallow spread", "Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, spooned from the jar and leveled", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 0.4058, "range_max": 0.4396, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "The labels span 96-104 g per cup, 8% apart, over the 5% tolerance: Marshmallow Fluff and the Kroger and H-E-B store brands weigh 2 tablespoons at 12 g, Jet-Puffed at 13 g. Both are whole-gram figures for a small serving, so the gap may be rounding as much as recipe. No single figure is published.", "sources": [ { "name": "Marshmallow Fluff, Durkee-Mower (producer label)", "ref": "Label serving 2 tbsp (12 g) (Open Food Facts, 7.5-oz/213 g jar; Hannaford lists 18 servings per jar, 11.8 g each), extrapolating to 96 g per cup (density 0.406 g/mL). Ingredients: corn syrup, sugar syrup, dried egg whites, artificial flavor.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.4058 }, { "name": "Durkee-Mower, Marshmallow Fluff FAQ", "ref": "\"A cup of Fluff weighs slightly more than 3 oz\" (85 g and a little over), and \"A 7 1/2 oz. jar contains about 2 1/2 cups, and a 16 oz. container has about 5 cups\" (85 to 91 g per cup). Rounded household statements, so no density is entered; they agree with the label's 96 g, 3.4 oz." }, { "name": "Kroger Marshmallow Crème (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label (Kroger), 13-oz jar: 2 Tbsp (12 g), 31 servings per container, 96 g per cup. Ingredients: corn syrup, sugar, water, egg whites, artificial flavor, xanthan gum, lactic acid, salt.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.4058 }, { "name": "Hill Country Fare Marshmallow Creme, H-E-B (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label (H-E-B), 7-oz jar: 2 Tbsp (12 g), about 17 servings, 96 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.4058 }, { "name": "Kraft Jet-Puffed Marshmallow Creme (producer label)", "ref": "Retail nutrition label (King Soopers), 7-oz jar: 2 Tbsp. (13 g), 15 servings per container; Kraft Heinz says each 7-ounce jar holds about 15 two-tablespoon servings. 104 g per cup (density 0.440 g/mL). Ingredients: corn syrup, sugar, water, less than 2% of dried egg whites, cream of tartar, xanthan gum, flavor.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.4396 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart", "ref": "KA lists \"Marshmallow Fluff®\" at 1 cup = 4 1/2 oz = 128 g, density 0.541 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.541, "rejected": true, "rejection_reason": "Marshmallow creme is corn syrup and sugar whipped with egg white into a foam that is mostly air. Fluff's maker, Durkee-Mower, says a cup of Fluff weighs slightly more than 3 oz, and every jar label weighs 2 tablespoons at 12 or 13 g, 0.41-0.44 g/mL, 96-104 g per cup. 128 g per cup is 0.54 g/mL, a quarter to a third heavier than the creme as sold. A level cup only gets there if the foam is pressed down until part of it collapses. King Arthur's own row for store-bought marshmallow spread gives a different figure again, 123 g." }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart", "ref": "KA lists \"Marshmallow spread, store-bought\" at 1 cup = 4 1/3 oz = 123 g, density 0.520 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 0.5199, "rejected": true, "rejection_reason": "Store-bought marshmallow spread is the same corn syrup, sugar and egg-white foam as Fluff, and the jar labels weigh 2 tablespoons at 12 or 13 g, 96-104 g per cup, in line with Durkee-Mower's slightly more than 3 oz per cup. 123 g per cup is 0.52 g/mL, 18-28% heavier than the labels. A level cup reaches that only if the foam is pressed and partly collapsed. King Arthur's chart lists the same product a second time, as Marshmallow Fluff, at 128 g." } ], "verified": "2026-10-26", "last_reviewed": "2026-10-26" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "A cup of marshmallow creme weighs 96 to 104 g (3.4 to 3.7 oz). Marshmallow Fluff and the store brands label 2 tablespoons at 12 g and Jet-Puffed at 13 g, and Fluff's maker says a cup weighs slightly more than 3 oz. King Arthur's 128 g for Marshmallow Fluff, and its 123 g for store-bought marshmallow spread, are a quarter heavier than the product and are rejected.\n\nMarshmallow creme is corn syrup and sugar whipped with egg white into a light, sticky foam. Unlike marshmallows it has no gelatin, so it never sets and stays spreadable. Marshmallow Fluff, made by Durkee-Mower, is corn syrup, sugar syrup, dried egg whites and flavouring. Kraft's Jet-Puffed creme and the store brands add water, xanthan gum and, in some, cream of tartar or lactic acid. Cooks use it in fudge, whoopie pie filling, frostings, fruit dips and the fluffernutter sandwich.\n\nEvery label agrees within a gram. Marshmallow Fluff prints 2 tablespoons as 12 g, and its 7.5 oz (213 g) jar holds 18 servings. The Kroger and H-E-B Hill Country Fare store brands print 12 g as well. Jet-Puffed prints 13 g, and Kraft Heinz says its 7 oz jar holds about 15 two-tablespoon servings. Durkee-Mower's own FAQ says a cup of Fluff weighs slightly more than 3 oz, a 7.5 oz jar holds about 2 1/2 cups and a 16 oz tub about 5 cups. USDA's record for marshmallow creme (FDC 169664) gives composition only: 19.8% water and 79% carbohydrate, with no volume measure.\n\nThe physical check: the syrup in the creme, about 80% sugars, weighs about 1.4 g per millilitre. At 0.41 to 0.44 g per millilitre, roughly 70% of a jar of creme is air. That is why the cup weight depends on handling: scraping, stirring and pressing knock air out of the foam. A foodservice maker's specification, about 3 pounds per gallon or 85 g per cup, sits at the light end, as freshly whipped creme should.\n\nKing Arthur gives 1 cup of Marshmallow Fluff at 4 1/2 oz, 128 g, and 1 cup of store-bought marshmallow spread at 4 1/3 oz, 123 g, two figures for the same product. Both are 18 to 33% heavier than every label and far above the maker's own 3 oz. A level cup gets there only when the foam has been pressed and part of it has collapsed, so both are rejected. America's Test Kitchen's recipes lean the same way, listing 142 g of Fluff as 1 1/4 cups (114 g per cup) and 454 g of creme as 3 1/2 cups (130 g per cup); those are recipe equivalents that disagree with each other by 14%, and they show how much a cup of creme can vary in the kitchen. King Arthur's homemade marshmallow spread, at 72 g per cup, is a different, airier recipe.\n\nPractical guidance: weigh marshmallow creme, or use whole jars, as most recipes do. A 7 oz (198 g) jar of Jet-Puffed is about 2 cups, a 7.5 oz (213 g) jar of Fluff about 2 1/4 cups, and a 16 oz (454 g) tub about 4 1/2 cups. When a recipe gives creme by the cup, use 96 to 104 g per cup and 12 to 13 g per 2 tablespoons. Grease the measuring cup or spoon lightly so the creme slides out without being pressed." }, { "id": "molasses", "name": "Molasses", "aliases": [ "mild molasses", "dark molasses", "blackstrap molasses", "black treacle" ], "category": "syrup", "schema_version": 3, "confidence": "medium", "default_state": "standard", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4244, "verified": "2026-09-16", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-16", "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central", "ref": "FDC 168820 (Molasses). Published: 1 cup = 337 g, 1 tbsp = 20 g. Density 1.4244 g/mL. Composition: 22.6% water, 77.3% carbohydrate (of which 74.7 g/100g sugar), 0.1% fat, 0% protein.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4244 }, { "name": "King Arthur", "ref": "Ingredient Weight Chart, 'Molasses', 1/4 cup = 85 g, extrapolates to 340 g per cup, density 1.4371 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4371 } ] } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Molasses is the thick dark syrup left over when sugar cane or sugar beet juice is boiled and the sucrose crystallises out. What is drained from the crystals is molasses. It is one of the densest liquids in a home kitchen — mostly sugar dissolved in a small amount of water, with the concentrated minerals from the original cane juice.\n\nUSDA FoodData Central publishes 1 cup at 337 grams and 1 tablespoon at 20 grams (FDC 168820), giving a bulk density of 1.4244 grams per millilitre. King Arthur's ingredient weight chart publishes 1/4 cup at 85 grams, which extrapolates to 340 grams per cup and 1.4371 grams per millilitre. The two figures agree within one percent, comfortably inside the 5 percent tolerance we apply to the syrup category.\n\nWe publish the USDA figure of 337 grams per cup because it comes with the underlying tablespoon and 100-gram numbers rather than an extrapolation from a partial-cup measurement.\n\nMolasses has three commercial grades that come from successive stages of the sugar-refining boil. Light or mild molasses, sometimes called first molasses, is drained after the first crystallisation and is the sweetest and lightest in colour. Dark or full-strength molasses, the second boil, is thicker, less sweet, and more strongly flavoured. Blackstrap molasses, the third boil, is nearly bitter, very dark, and highest in minerals; it is roughly 42-45 percent water rather than 22 percent, so its density is slightly lower than the USDA figure — closer to 1.35 grams per millilitre. USDA's generic molasses entry sits between light and dark grades and is a good default. For blackstrap specifically, weigh rather than measure by volume if the recipe is sensitive.\n\nMolasses is often confused with three related products. Treacle in British usage covers a range from light (golden syrup, thinner and lighter than molasses) to black treacle, which is the closest to American molasses. Sorghum syrup is made from sorghum cane and is thinner, sweeter, and less mineral-heavy than sugar-cane molasses. Golden syrup is a light amber inverted-sugar syrup with no cane-refining residues, similar in density but very different in flavour. None of the three substitute one-for-one for molasses by taste or mineral content, though they measure similarly.\n\nBrown sugar is granulated white sugar with molasses added back in. Light brown sugar is roughly 3-4 percent molasses by weight; dark brown sugar is roughly 6-8 percent. Recipes that call for brown sugar and molasses together already account for the small amount of molasses that is in the brown sugar.\n\nThe FDA has no identity standard for molasses; the term is understood by common usage rather than by regulation. The Codex Alimentarius standard for sugars (CXS 212-1999) covers refined and unrefined sugars but does not address molasses as a separate product.\n\nThe category here is 'syrup' rather than 'liquid' because molasses is a highly concentrated sugar solution and its measuring behaviour matches honey, maple syrup and corn syrup — very dense, slow to pour, and not sensitive to how the cup is filled once it settles. The 5 percent syrup tolerance applies. A cup of molasses weighs about 2.4 times more than a cup of water.", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-16" }, { "id": "orgeat", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Orgeat", "synonyms": [ "orgeat syrup", "almond syrup", "almond orgeat", "sirop d'orgeat", "orzata", "cocktail almond syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, orgeat syrup (either real-almond artisan or commercial almond-flavor)", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 1.2173, "range_max": 1.3527, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "Orgeat exists as two distinct product families with different compositions but overlapping density: real-almond artisan orgeat (Liber & Co, Small Hand Foods, BG Reynolds, Trader Vic's traditional) uses actual blanched-and-roasted almonds plus cane sugar and orange flower water; commercial almond-flavor orgeat (Torani, Monin, Fabbri, Finest Call, Fee Brothers) uses cane sugar, water, gum arabic, and natural/artificial almond flavor without real almond content. Both cluster around 290-315 g/cup based on sugar concentration (~50-55% Brix) and sucrose-water thermodynamics, but brand-specific formulation variance is real. Published as a withheld range covering both families rather than one authoritative figure.", "sources": [ { "name": "Liber & Co Almond Orgeat (real-fruit artisan)", "ref": "Liber & Co Almond Orgeat nutrition label lists 15 mL serving = 48 calories, 1 g fat, 11 g total carbohydrate including 10 g sugar. Sugar concentration of 667 mg/mL implies ~50-55% Brix, extrapolating to density 1.23-1.26 g/mL and roughly 291-298 g per US cup. Ingredients: filtered water, cane sugar, almonds, gum arabic, orange flower water, citric acid, sucrose esters, benzoic acid, bitter almond oil, rosemary extract. Uses whole California almonds blanched and roasted before grinding.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Small Hand Foods Orgeat (Jennifer Colliau, real-fruit artisan)", "ref": "Small Hand Foods orgeat (Jennifer Colliau, San Francisco, founded 2008 at Slanted Door) uses organic cane sugar, real almonds, apricot kernels (for marzipan flavor without extracts), orange flower water, and biodynamic California brandy. Represents the artisan-craft benchmark cited in Jeffrey Morgenthaler's The Bar Book as the reference orgeat for the 1944 Mai Tai. Similar Brix profile to Liber (~50-55%, ~290-300 g/cup).", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Torani Almond (Orgeat) Syrup (commercial)", "ref": "Torani commercial almond (orgeat) syrup nutrition label lists 30 mL serving ≈ 20 g sugar. Sugar concentration ~667 mg/mL implies ~50-55% Brix — essentially identical to real-fruit artisan orgeat in sugar concentration. Ingredients: pure cane sugar, water, citric acid, natural flavors, gum acacia, potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, ester gum. Contains no real almond. Represents commercial mainstream cocktail bar and coffee shop standard, density approximately 1.23-1.26 g/mL, 291-298 g per US cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Monin Almond (Orgeat) Syrup (commercial)", "ref": "Monin's commercial almond orgeat has similar sugar-water-gum-flavor formulation to Torani. International bar-standard commercial orgeat, particularly common in European and Asian cocktail bars. Density profile matches Torani cluster at ~291-298 g/cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2405 }, { "name": "Trader Vic's Orgeat (tiki historical, commercial)", "ref": "Trader Vic's orgeat is the commercial descendant of Victor Bergeron's original 1944 Mai Tai formulation. Modern commercial version, but the brand carries defining historical weight for tiki drinks — the 1944 Trader Vic's Mai Tai specification is the archetypal orgeat cocktail. Density profile matches commercial cluster.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.302 }, { "name": "Sucrose-water thermodynamics (US Pharmacopeia / ICUMSA)", "ref": "Physical density derivation: both real-fruit and commercial orgeat converge around 50-55% Brix based on published sugar content per serving. Standard sucrose-water density tables at 20°C give: 50% w/w = 1.230 g/mL (291 g/cup), 55% w/w = 1.259 g/mL (298 g/cup), 60% w/w = 1.289 g/mL (305 g/cup). Real-fruit variants with almond solids and orange flower water may skew a few g/cup lighter than pure sucrose-water syrup at the same Brix; commercial variants with pure sucrose track the physics directly. Range 288-320 g/cup captures the observed and predicted spread across brands.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.26 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking (KA-blind)", "ref": "King Arthur does not publish orgeat in their Ingredient Weight Chart. No KA correction applies to this entry." } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: **One US cup of orgeat weighs 288 to 320 g depending on brand and product family.** Two distinct product families exist under the same name: real-almond artisan orgeat (Liber & Co, Small Hand Foods, BG Reynolds, Trader Vic's traditional) and commercial almond-flavor orgeat (Torani, Monin, Fabbri, Finest Call, Fee Brothers). Both cluster around 290-315 g/cup based on sugar concentration and sucrose-water thermodynamics. King Arthur does not publish orgeat.\n\nOrgeat (pronounced *or-zhat*) is an almond syrup essential to tiki cocktails, most famously Victor Bergeron's 1944 Mai Tai at Trader Vic's in Oakland. The name derives from Old French *orge* (barley) — the original medieval European orgeat was a barley-water tonic used as a shelf-stable milk substitute in Mediterranean climates. Almonds replaced or supplemented barley in the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and by the nineteenth century orgeat had settled into its modern form: an almond-rich sugar syrup flavored with orange flower water and often a touch of bitter almond oil for marzipan depth. The Italian *orzata* (still barley-based in some regional traditions) preserves the original grain-based derivation.\n\nThe two-product-family split is the central disambiguation. **Real-almond artisan orgeat** (Small Hand Foods, Liber & Co, BG Reynolds, and the traditional Trader Vic's formulation) starts with whole California almonds that are blanched, roasted, and ground smooth. Jennifer Colliau's Small Hand Foods orgeat, cited by Jeffrey Morgenthaler as the reference standard in *The Bar Book*, also incorporates apricot kernels for a marzipan note without relying on extract, plus organic cane sugar, orange flower water, and a small measure of biodynamic California brandy for preservation. Liber & Co's formulation is similar — filtered water, cane sugar, whole almonds, gum arabic, orange flower water, citric acid, and a touch of bitter almond oil. **Commercial almond-flavor orgeat** (Torani, Monin, Fabbri, Finest Call, Fee Brothers) is fundamentally a sugar-water base with natural or artificial almond flavor, gum stabilizer, and preservatives — no real almond content at all. The flavor profile is thinner and one-dimensional compared to artisan; the density is nearly identical because sugar concentration dominates.\n\nThe density spread across both families is remarkably tight based on published sugar content per serving. Liber & Co's label reports 10 grams of sugar per 15 mL serving; Torani's reports approximately 20 grams of sugar per 30 mL serving — both work out to about 667 milligrams of sugar per millilitre, or roughly 50-55° Brix. Standard sucrose-water density tables at 20°C give 50% w/w sucrose = 1.230 g/mL (291 g per US cup), 55% w/w = 1.259 g/mL (298 g/cup), and 60% w/w = 1.289 g/mL (305 g/cup). Real-fruit variants may skew a few grams per cup lighter than pure sucrose syrup at the same Brix due to suspended almond solids and orange flower water displacing some sugar mass; commercial variants track the sucrose-water physics directly. The published range 288-320 g/cup covers observed brand variance across both families with headroom for the tiki-tradition orgeats that lean richer.\n\nIn the ExactCups syrup cluster, orgeat (288-320 g/cup) opens a new mid-band. Standard simple syrup 1:1 (289 g/cup) sits at orgeat's low end; rich simple syrup 2:1 (314 g/cup) sits near orgeat's upper. Orgeat is denser than a standard sugar-water simple syrup because of the almond fat and dissolved solids in real versions, and because commercial versions run slightly richer than 1:1 to compete with the perceived body of the artisan originals. It sits below the 336 g/cup cluster (honey, agave, barley malt, golden syrup at 76-80% solids) and below the 320 g/cup cluster (date syrup, pomegranate molasses, cane syrup, sorghum syrup at 65-70% solids).\n\nPractical bartender recommendation: for a proper Mai Tai and any tiki drink where orgeat drives the flavour, use a real-almond artisan brand (Small Hand Foods, Liber & Co, BG Reynolds) — the flavour difference is substantial and the density difference is negligible. Commercial almond-flavor orgeats work adequately for coffee-shop drinks and volume applications where cost and shelf life matter more than character. Weigh at approximately 300 g per cup as a central working figure; store refrigerated after opening (12-18 months typical shelf life for well-preserved commercial and artisan bottles alike)." }, { "id": "pomegranate-molasses", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Pomegranate Molasses", "synonyms": [ "pomegranate syrup", "pomegranate concentrate", "dibs rumman", "dibs rimman", "cortas pomegranate molasses", "pomegranate reduction", "narsharab" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "Cortas Pomegranate Molasses nutrition label (Lebanese, dominant global brand)", "ref": "1 tablespoon = 20g per label. 20g x 16 = 320 g/cup, density 1.35 g/mL. Cortas has produced pomegranate molasses in Lebanon since 1930 and is the reference product globally.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "FatSecret Cortas Pomegranate Molasses entry", "ref": "40 calories per 1 tablespoon (20g). Independent aggregator confirmation of 20g/tbsp.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Carb Manager Cortas Pomegranate Molasses entry", "ref": "9g total carbs per 1 tablespoon (implied 20g total serving). Matches Cortas label.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Fitia Australia Cortas Pomegranate Molasses", "ref": "60 calories per 1 serving (20g). Matches 20g/tbsp Cortas standard.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 }, { "name": "Physical density from composition", "ref": "Cortas ingredients are concentrated pomegranate juice, sugar, citric acid. Composition approximately 65-70% sugars, 30% water. Sugar solutions at 65-70% solids sit at 1.30-1.35 g/mL, matching label figure. Same density as date syrup (also 320 g/cup, 1.35 g/mL) — both are fruit-juice reductions at similar solids fractions.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3526 } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: Pomegranate molasses converges at 320 g/cup (20g per tablespoon), density 1.35 g/mL, across Cortas (the dominant Lebanese brand) and other producer labels. King Arthur's chart does not list it, leaving the growing Western use of this Middle Eastern staple without a US baking reference.\n\nPomegranate molasses is a thick, dark ruby syrup made by reducing pomegranate juice to a fraction of its original volume, sometimes with added sugar and lemon juice to standardize sweetness and tartness. It's a foundational ingredient in Middle Eastern cuisines — Lebanese, Persian, Turkish, Syrian, and Armenian cooking all rely on it heavily. Classic uses include fesenjan (Persian walnut-pomegranate chicken stew), muhammara (Syrian roasted red pepper and walnut dip), fattoush (Levantine salad), lamb glazes, tahini-based salad dressings, and modern applications in cocktails (as a grenadine substitute) and glazes for roasted vegetables. The flavor is distinctively sweet-tart-tangy with a fruity depth that no single Western ingredient replicates.\n\nThe name is misleading. Despite being called molasses, pomegranate molasses has no relationship to sugar cane molasses. Molasses in this context is an English translation of the Arabic dibs rumman (literally pomegranate reduction), describing a syrupy consistency rather than a chemical relationship to cane molasses. Some brands market it as pomegranate concentrate or pomegranate syrup for clarity. In Azerbaijani and Iranian usage, the same product is called narsharab.\n\nDensity is well-converged. Cortas Pomegranate Molasses — the dominant global brand, produced in Lebanon since 1930 — lists 1 tablespoon = 20g on its nutrition label, giving 320 g/cup at density 1.35 g/mL. Multiple aggregator sources (Carb Manager, FatSecret, Fitia, MyFoodDiary) all confirm the 20g figure. Physical composition (65-70% sugars, remainder water) matches the density-composition curve for concentrated fruit juice reductions. Same density as date syrup (also 320 g/cup, 1.35 g/mL) — both are fruit-juice-reduction syrups at similar solids fractions.\n\nSweetened vs unsweetened pomegranate molasses: Cortas and most commercial brands add sugar and lemon juice during reduction to standardize sweetness and acidity — the ingredient list reads concentrated pomegranate juice, sugar. Some artisan and traditional brands sell 100% pomegranate molasses (just reduced juice, no added sugar) — these are typically less sweet, more tart, and slightly less dense (280-300 g/cup range). Read the ingredients: single-ingredient pomegranate molasses will be sourer and thinner; standardized commercial versions are sweeter and slightly thicker.\n\nBrand notes: Cortas (Lebanese, dominant globally, sweetened) is the reference product most recipes assume. Al Wadi (Lebanese, sweetened) is comparable. Sadaf (Iranian-American) sometimes sells unsweetened versions. Trader Joe's and Whole Foods 365 house brands are typically sweetened, comparable to Cortas.\n\nSubstitution when unavailable: for grenadine in cocktails, substitute 1:1 by volume — pomegranate molasses is closer to authentic grenadine than modern high-fructose-corn-syrup grenadine. In savory recipes, balsamic reduction (thickened balsamic vinegar cooked to syrup consistency) is the closest substitute in dressings, marinades, and glazes — not as fruity but comparable tartness and depth. In fesenjan and Middle Eastern stews, no true substitute exists — tamarind paste plus pomegranate juice plus a bit of sugar is a workaround that changes the character significantly. DIY: reduce 4 cups pomegranate juice plus 1/2 cup sugar plus 2 tbsp lemon juice over medium heat until reduced to about 1 cup and syrupy, yielding approximately 1 cup pomegranate molasses.\n\nNot to be confused with pomegranate juice concentrate, which is typically a thinner frozen concentrate meant to be reconstituted with water for drinking. Pomegranate molasses is far more reduced (5-6x concentration) and viscous.\n\nPractical baker recommendation: for any recipe calling for pomegranate molasses, weigh at 20g per tablespoon (320 g/cup) using Cortas as the reference standard. Store refrigerated after opening for best flavor (6-month shelf life); it will not crystallize but does thicken further and darken with age. If a recipe specifies unsweetened pomegranate molasses and only sweetened is available, reduce added sugar in the recipe by about 1 tablespoon per 1/4 cup pomegranate molasses to compensate." }, { "id": "simple-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Simple Syrup", "synonyms": [ "sugar syrup", "bar syrup", "1:1 simple syrup", "cocktail syrup", "sugar water", "sucrose syrup", "rich simple syrup", "2:1 rich syrup" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, 1:1 simple syrup (equal parts sugar and water)", "density_g_per_ml": 1.22, "sources": [ { "name": "Difford's Guide (cocktail industry reference)", "ref": "Publishes 1:1 simple syrup (by volume) at 48.0° Brix — the percentage of sugar by weight in the finished solution. Brix is measured with a refractometer or extrapolated from density tables. Difford's Guide is a foundational reference for cocktail industry standards.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.22 }, { "name": "Sucrose-water density tables (US Pharmacopeia / ICUMSA)", "ref": "At 20°C, standard sucrose-water density references (US Pharmacopeia XI, ICUMSA sugar industry standards) give 48% w/w sucrose solution = 1.220 g/mL, which extrapolates to 288.6 g per US cup (1.220 × 236.588 mL/cup). This is a well-established physical measurement from sugar industry thermodynamics, not an experimental range — sucrose solutions at a given Brix have essentially identical density regardless of preparation method.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.22 }, { "name": "Morgenthaler 'The Bar Book' / Arnold 'Liquid Intelligence' (by-weight standard)", "ref": "Professional bartender references from Jeffrey Morgenthaler ('The Bar Book') and Dave Arnold ('Liquid Intelligence') recommend 1:1 by weight rather than by volume: 200 g sugar + 200 g water = 50% Brix solution, density 1.230 g/mL, 291 g per US cup. The 1% density difference from the by-volume convention (46-48% Brix, 289 g/cup) is smaller than typical measurement error; ExactCups publishes 289 g/cup as the more common home-and-bar convention and notes the by-weight variant in prose.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.23 }, { "name": "The Kitchn / Apartment Bartender (home standard)", "ref": "Consumer-facing recipe references publish standard 1:1 simple syrup as equal parts by volume (1 cup water + 1 cup sugar) as the home baseline. This is the density anchor for ExactCups' standard state.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.22 }, { "name": "Wikipedia (Syrup)", "ref": "General reference confirms 1:1 by volume as the standard simple syrup definition, with 2:1 the standard rich variant. Notes sucrose saturation limit around 5:1 (500 g sucrose per 100 mL water).", "density_g_per_ml": 1.22 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking (KA-blind)", "ref": "King Arthur does not publish simple syrup in their Ingredient Weight Chart. No KA correction applies to this entry." } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" }, { "id": "rich", "label": "Rich, 2:1 rich simple syrup (two parts sugar to one part water by weight)", "density_g_per_ml": 1.329, "sources": [ { "name": "Difford's Guide (cocktail industry reference)", "ref": "Publishes 2:1 rich sugar syrup (by volume) at 65.1° Brix. Notes that 2:1 rich syrup is 1.35 times sweeter than 1:1 by volume — not twice as sweet — because 'by volume' 2:1 uses less water proportionally than 'by weight' 2:1. The by-weight preparation (400 g sugar + 200 g water) yields exactly 66.7° Brix.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.319 }, { "name": "Sucrose-water density tables (US Pharmacopeia / ICUMSA)", "ref": "At 20°C: 65% w/w sucrose solution = 1.319 g/mL (312 g/US cup); 66.7% w/w sucrose (exact 2:1 by weight) = 1.329 g/mL (314 g/US cup). ExactCups publishes 1.329 g/mL as the density for by-weight 2:1 rich simple syrup, which is the more precise and reproducible preparation method.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.329 }, { "name": "Cocktail practice references (Art of Drink, Apartment Bartender)", "ref": "Rich simple syrup is the dominant syrup form in tiki cocktails, Old Fashioneds, Daiquiris, and other spirit-forward drinks because higher sugar concentration allows sweetening without excessive dilution. Keeps longer refrigerated (5-6 weeks vs 3-4 weeks for 1:1) because higher sugar concentration inhibits microbial growth.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.329 }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking (KA-blind)", "ref": "King Arthur does not publish rich simple syrup in their Ingredient Weight Chart. No KA correction applies." } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: **Simple syrup weighs 289 g per US cup as the standard 1:1 preparation and 314 g per US cup as the rich 2:1 preparation.** Both densities are derivable from well-established sucrose-water thermodynamics: 48° Brix (48% sugar by weight) at 1.220 g/mL for 1:1, and 66.7° Brix at 1.329 g/mL for 2:1. King Arthur does not publish simple syrup in their Ingredient Weight Chart, so no correction applies.\n\nSimple syrup is the base sweetener of modern cocktail bartending — pure sucrose dissolved in water, no other ingredients. It solves two problems that granulated sugar creates in cold or alcoholic drinks: sucrose crystals don't dissolve properly below room temperature, and pre-dissolved syrup integrates evenly where poured sugar sinks to the bottom of the glass. The two dominant concentrations in cocktail practice are 1:1 (equal parts sugar and water, the 'standard' state of this entry) and 2:1 rich (two parts sugar to one part water by weight, the 'rich' state). A third historical concentration of roughly 5:3 (US Pharmacopeia 1890s soda-fountain standard, 850 g sucrose per litre of water) is preserved in older cocktail books like Embury's *Fine Art of Mixing Drinks* but rarely made today.\n\nThe density of both syrups is derivable from sucrose-water thermodynamics rather than measured experimentally. Standard density tables (US Pharmacopeia XI, ICUMSA sugar industry references) give at 20°C: 48% w/w sucrose solution = 1.220 g/mL, 50% = 1.230 g/mL, 65% = 1.319 g/mL, and 66.7% = 1.329 g/mL. Difford's Guide, an authoritative cocktail reference, publishes 1:1 simple syrup as 48.0° Brix and 2:1 rich syrup as 65.1° Brix — Brix is percentage of sugar by weight, so these map directly to the density tables. That yields 289 g per US cup for standard 1:1 (48% Brix × 236.588 mL/cup) and 314 g per US cup for rich 2:1 by weight (66.7% Brix). Sucrose solutions at a given Brix have essentially identical density regardless of preparation route, which is why this entry is HIGH confidence with no range needed.\n\nThe by-weight versus by-volume distinction for 1:1 syrup is a bartender debate with only a 1% effect on final density. When 1 US cup of granulated sugar (about 200 g, per the ExactCups granulated-sugar entry) dissolves in 1 US cup of water (237 g), the resulting solution is 46% sugar by weight — not exactly 50%, because the sugar cup is lighter than the water cup. Professional bartenders following Jeffrey Morgenthaler's *The Bar Book* and Dave Arnold's *Liquid Intelligence* weigh by mass at 1:1 (200 g sugar + 200 g water = 50° Brix, 1.230 g/mL, 291 g/cup), while home cookbook recipes and back-bar practice measure by volume (46-48° Brix, 1.22 g/mL, 289 g/cup). The 1% density difference is smaller than typical dissolving-yield error, so ExactCups publishes 289 g/cup for the standard state as the more common convention and notes both approaches here.\n\nYield is worth calling out because it surprises beginners. One US cup of sugar dissolved in one US cup of water yields approximately 1.5-1.75 cups of finished simple syrup, not 2 cups — the sucrose molecules occupy space within the water's molecular structure rather than displacing it proportionally. A batch made from 200 g sugar + 200 g water = 400 g total mass yields roughly 325 mL (1.38 US cup) of finished syrup at the calculated 1.230 g/mL density. Recipe planning matters: scale sugar and water to the mass of finished syrup you need, not to volume of ingredients you start with.\n\nIn the ExactCups syrup category, simple syrup opens a new low-density band. Standard 1:1 (289 g/cup) sits well below the 320 g/cup cluster (date syrup, pomegranate molasses, cane syrup, sorghum syrup at 65-70% solids) and far below the 336 g/cup cluster (honey, agave, barley malt syrup, golden syrup at 76-80% solids). Rich 2:1 (314 g/cup) lands adjacent to the 312 g/cup band (corn syrup, maple syrup) — physically consistent because all three sit at roughly 65-67% dissolved solids by weight. The 314 g/cup rich simple syrup is essentially indistinguishable from a maple syrup in density; the flavour and colour do all the differentiation.\n\nPractical bartender recommendation: weigh by mass for consistency. For standard 1:1 simple syrup, combine equal weights of sugar and warm water (200 g + 200 g yields about 325 mL, enough for roughly 20 cocktails at 15 mL per drink). For rich 2:1, combine 400 g sugar + 200 g water and warm gently until fully dissolved (heat helps because 66.7% Brix approaches sucrose's room-temperature solubility limit). Store refrigerated in a clean glass bottle: standard 1:1 keeps 3-4 weeks, rich 2:1 keeps 5-6 weeks because the higher sugar concentration inhibits microbial growth. A pinch of citric acid or a splash of neutral spirit (vodka) extends shelf life further." }, { "id": "sorghum-syrup", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Sorghum Syrup", "synonyms": [ "sorghum syrup", "pure sorghum syrup", "sweet sorghum syrup", "sorghum molasses", "sorghum", "long sweetening" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "high", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, poured", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4203, "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central — Syrups, sorghum (FDC 169662)", "ref": "USDA reference food composition entry: 1 cup = 330 g, 1 tablespoon = 21 g. Cup and tablespoon figures differ by 1.8% (330 vs 336 from 21 × 16), a common USDA rounding artifact between separately-rounded per-cup and per-tbsp entries. Composition: 76.7% carbs, 23.3% water, 0% protein, 0% fat. Rich in iron, magnesium, potassium, manganese — nutritionally the closest natural sweetener to molasses.", "fdc_id": 169662, "density_g_per_ml": 1.4203 }, { "name": "aqua-calc — Sorghum syrup (USDA-referenced volume-to-weight)", "ref": "USDA-sourced density calculator: 349 g/metric cup = 330 g/US cup = 11.6 oz/US cup. Density 1.396 g/mL. Aligns with USDA FDC 169662 per-cup figure within 0.1%.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.396 }, { "name": "eatthismuch multi-brand aggregate — Aunt Sue's, Oberholtzer's Pure Kentucky Sorghum, Alaga Yellow Label, Hilltop Gardens, Miller's Homestyle Pure Sorghum Molasses, Bourbon Barrel Foods Bourbon-Aged Sorghum", "ref": "Cross-brand teaspoon reference across six US retail sorghum syrup brands: 1 tsp = 7 g, extrapolating to 336 g/cup. Matches USDA per-tbsp-derived figure exactly. Retail brands include the traditional Alabama (Alaga), Kentucky (Oberholtzer's), and specialty (Bourbon Barrel Foods) producers dominant in the Southern US market.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4203 }, { "name": "Muddy Pond Sorghum Mill (Monterey, Tennessee, since 1980)", "ref": "Family-operated (Guenther family) sorghum producer, National Sweet Sorghum Producers and Processors Association (NSSPPA) award winner. 100% pure sorghum with no additives, made from own-grown sweet sorghum cane. Sold in 12 oz (340g), 24 oz (680g), and 64 oz half-gallon sizes. Considered the reference specialty producer in the modern craft-sorghum market.", "density_g_per_ml": null }, { "name": "Golden Barrel Sorghum Syrup (Good Food Inc, Lancaster County PA, since 1934)", "ref": "Pennsylvania Dutch producer of pure sorghum syrup and other specialty syrups (blackstrap molasses, barbados molasses). 16 oz jar in wide retail distribution via Amazon, Dutch Valley Foods, and specialty grocers. USA-sourced sweet sorghum, no additives. Longstanding retail brand outside the Southern sorghum belt.", "density_g_per_ml": null } ], "verified": "2026-09-22", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-22" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "TL;DR: 336 g/cup (1.42 g/mL). USDA reference and multi-brand retail data converge within 2% at 330-336 g/cup, placing sorghum syrup squarely in the 336 g/cup density family alongside honey, agave syrup, barley malt syrup, and golden syrup. King Arthur is silent on this ingredient — it's a Southern US traditional sweetener outside the chart's coverage.\n\nSorghum syrup is boiled sweet sorghum juice: the stalks of sweet sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, a grass related to corn but not to sugarcane) are crushed to extract a bright green juice, which is then heated in open pans until it thickens and concentrates to a dark amber syrup at roughly 77% solids. The finished product is a natural single-ingredient sweetener with a distinctive earthy, mineral-forward flavor — less bitter than blackstrap molasses, less floral than honey, with a slight grassy edge that reflects the sorghum plant's origin. Peak US production was in the 1880s when sorghum syrup was the dominant Southern sweetener; industrial sugar refining collapsed the market by 1920, but small producers in Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama, and Pennsylvania have kept the craft alive through cooperatives like the National Sweet Sorghum Producers and Processors Association.\n\nThe density data converges tightly. USDA FoodData Central entry 169662 lists 1 cup = 330 g and 1 tablespoon = 21 g (these two figures are internally inconsistent by 1.8% — 21 × 16 = 336, not 330 — which is a common rounding artifact in USDA legacy entries where cup and tablespoon are separately rounded). The retail aggregate across six brands including Aunt Sue's, Oberholtzer's, Alaga, Hilltop Gardens, Miller's, and Bourbon Barrel Foods reports 1 teaspoon = 7 g, extrapolating to 336 g/cup — matching the USDA per-tablespoon-derived figure exactly. Physical density prediction from composition (76.7% carbs at ~1.53 g/mL, 23.3% water at 1.0 g/mL) gives 1.41 g/mL, or 333 g/cup. All three approaches land within 2% of each other — this is a high-confidence single-figure ingredient.\n\nThe nomenclature disambiguation is where sorghum syrup earns most of its search intent. Sorghum syrup is frequently called \"sorghum molasses\" in the Southern US, but it is not molasses in the technical sense. Molasses is a byproduct of sugar cane (or sugar beet) refining — the dark, mineral-rich fraction left over after crystalline sugar has been extracted. Sorghum syrup is a whole boiled plant juice with no sugar-extraction step. The two products look and pour similarly (both viscous, dark, roughly 75% solids) and taste similarly to non-specialists, but they come from unrelated plants (Saccharum officinarum for cane molasses versus Sorghum bicolor for sorghum syrup) processed through fundamentally different methods. This is the same distinction as maple syrup versus cane molasses — both dark natural sweeteners, neither is the other. Also worth distinguishing: sweet sorghum (the cultivar grown for syrup) is a separate variety from grain sorghum, which is grown for its seeds and used as gluten-free flour or livestock feed. The queue's sorghum-flour and this entry come from the same botanical genus but different cultivars grown for opposite ends of the plant.\n\nWithin the syrup category, sorghum syrup at 336 g/cup and 1.42 g/mL sits in the same physical density cluster as honey (336), agave syrup (336), barley malt syrup (336), golden syrup (336), and the physical density of brown rice syrup (336). All are concentrated plant-derived sugar solutions at 76-80% solids, and all reach the same density band regardless of source plant (cane, agave, barley, corn, sorghum) because sugar-water thermodynamics governs the final concentration at which the syrup sets. The 320 g/cup cluster (date syrup, pomegranate molasses, maple cream) sits slightly lower at 65-85% solids with different acid or fat content shifting the density; sorghum syrup does not join that cluster despite the \"molasses\" naming.\n\nFor baking, sorghum syrup substitutes 1:1 by weight for molasses in most recipes — gingerbread, cookies, baked beans, barbecue sauce — with a slightly milder, less bitter flavor. Direct substitution for honey is also 1:1 by weight, with the caveat that sorghum's earthy mineral notes read as savory rather than floral. In Southern breakfast tradition, sorghum syrup is drizzled straight onto biscuits, cornbread, pancakes, and grits, where its assertive flavor and heavy body distinguish it from the lighter maple and pancake syrups more common outside the region." }, { "id": "sweetened-condensed-coconut-milk", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk", "synonyms": [ "condensed coconut milk", "coconut condensed milk", "sweetened coconut condensed milk", "dairy-free sweetened condensed milk", "vegan condensed milk" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "low", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, stirred, spooned and leveled", "density_g_per_ml": null, "range_min": 1.2173, "range_max": 1.2849, "withheld": true, "withheld_reason": "Sources span 288-304 g per cup, a 5.6% gap, over the 5% tolerance. The Andre Prost and A Taste of Thai labels give 2 tablespoons at 38 g, 304 g per cup; King Arthur gives 288 g. Brands differ in how much coconut fat and sugar they carry, and the compositions on their labels span about 280-308 g per cup. No single figure is published.", "sources": [ { "name": "Andre Prost Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (producer label)", "ref": "Label as listed by Eat This Much: 2 tbsp (38 g), extrapolating to 304 g per cup (density 1.285 g/mL). Food Lion's listing of the 11.6-oz can shows the same 2-tablespoon serving, about 9 servings per container.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2849 }, { "name": "A Taste of Thai Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (producer label)", "ref": "Label as listed by Fitia: 2 tbsp (38 g), extrapolating to 304 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2849 }, { "name": "Let's Do Organic Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (producer label)", "ref": "Retail label (Target): 2 Tbsp (30 mL) serving, 7 servings per 7.4-oz can; fat 10 g, carbohydrate 16 g, protein 1 g per serving. The label prints no gram weight for the serving." }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart", "ref": "KA lists \"Sweetened condensed coconut milk\" at 1 cup = 10 1/8 oz = 288 g, density 1.217 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2173 }, { "name": "Nature's Charm Sweetened Condensed Coconut Milk (producer label)", "ref": "Retail labels (Vitacost, iHerb, Whole Foods), 11.25-oz can: 8 tsp (40 g), extrapolating to 240 g per cup (density 1.014 g/mL). A Country Life Foods listing prints the same 40 g as 2.5 tbsp, 256 g per cup. Per 100 g: fat 12.5 g, carbohydrate 65 g (sugars 60 g), protein 0 g.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.0144, "rejected": true, "rejection_reason": "1.01 g/mL is the density of water. Nature's Charm's own label makes the milk 60% sugar and 12.5% fat with no protein; that composition works out to about 1.30 g/mL, 308 g per cup, so 40 g fills about 2 tablespoons, not 8 teaspoons. The 2 1/2 tablespoon version of the same serving, 256 g per cup (1.08 g/mL), is also too light. The 40 g serving weight is plausible; the household measure printed beside it is not." } ], "verified": "2026-10-26", "last_reviewed": "2026-10-26" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Sweetened condensed coconut milk weighs 288 to 304 g per US cup (10.2 to 10.7 oz). The Andre Prost and A Taste of Thai labels give 2 tablespoons at 38 g, 304 g per cup, and King Arthur gives 288 g. Brands differ in how much coconut fat and sugar they carry, which moves the weight past the 5% tolerance, so this entry publishes the range. Nature's Charm's printed 8 teaspoons for 40 g would make it no heavier than water and is rejected.\n\nIt is the dairy-free counterpart of sweetened condensed milk: coconut milk cooked down with sugar until thick and syrupy, used in fudge, caramel, no-churn ice cream, pies and bars. Formulas differ more than the name suggests. Nature's Charm, sold at Whole Foods and iHerb, is coconut milk, cane sugar and salt, about 60% sugar and 12.5% fat by its own label. Andre Prost and Iberia list cane sugar first, ahead of water and coconut cream, with xanthan gum. Let's Do Organic is coconut milk and cane sugar with much more fat: 10 g in 2 tablespoons, where Nature's Charm has 5 g in a 40 g serving.\n\nAndre Prost's label, as listed by Eat This Much, gives 2 tablespoons at 38 g, and Food Lion's listing of the 11.6-oz can shows the same 2-tablespoon serving at about 9 per can, which fits: 329 g divided by 38 g is 8.7. A Taste of Thai's label gives the same 2 tablespoons at 38 g. Both are 304 g per cup. King Arthur's chart lists a cup at 10 1/8 oz, 288 g. Nature's Charm prints its 40 g serving as 8 teaspoons on most US listings and as 2 1/2 tablespoons on another, 240 or 256 g per cup.\n\nThe physical check works from the labels' compositions. Sugar dissolved in water is dense, about 1.29 g/mL for a 60% syrup, and coconut fat is light, about 0.92 g/mL. Nature's Charm's composition, 65% carbohydrate, 12.5% fat and the rest almost all water, works out to about 1.30 g/mL, 308 g per cup. Let's Do Organic's label, with 10 g of fat, 16 g of carbohydrate and 1 g of protein per 2-tablespoon serving, works out to about 1.2 g/mL, 280 to 290 g per cup. The sugar-first labels at 304 g and King Arthur's 288 g both sit inside that span, at the sweet end and toward the fatty end. The dairy version on this site, with milk protein in place of coconut fat, weighs 306 g per cup.\n\nNature's Charm's 8 teaspoons is the exception. 40 g in 8 teaspoons is 1.01 g/mL, the density of water, which a liquid that is 60% sugar cannot be; by its own composition 40 g fills about 2 tablespoons. The 2 1/2 tablespoon version, 1.08 g/mL, is also too light. The figure is recorded as a rejected source with its own correction page. King Arthur's 288 g is not a correction: it is close to what a coconut-milk-first formula should weigh.\n\nPractical guidance: weigh it for fudge, caramel and ice cream bases, where the sugar ratio decides the set. Two tablespoons are 36-38 g, 1/4 cup 72-76 g and 1/2 cup 144-152 g. Cans are small: 7.4 oz (210 g) for Let's Do Organic, 11.25 oz (320 g) for Nature's Charm and 11.6 oz (329 g) for Andre Prost, against 14 oz (397 g) for a can of dairy sweetened condensed milk, so a recipe written for \"one can\" of condensed milk needs about 400 g, more than one can of any of these. Scrape the can well; the syrup clings to the sides." }, { "id": "sweetened-condensed-milk", "name": "Sweetened condensed milk", "aliases": [ "condensed milk", "SCM" ], "category": "syrup", "schema_version": 3, "confidence": "medium", "default_state": "standard", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2934, "verified": "2026-09-16", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-16", "sources": [ { "name": "USDA FoodData Central", "ref": "FDC 171275 (Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened, SR Legacy). Published: 1 cup = 306 g, 1 tbsp = 19 g. Density 1.2934 g/mL. Composition: ~27% water, ~55% sugar carbohydrate, ~8% fat, ~8% protein.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.2934 }, { "name": "King Arthur", "ref": "Ingredient Weight Chart, 'Sweetened condensed milk', 1/4 cup = 78 g, extrapolates to 312 g per cup, density 1.3187 g/mL.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3187 } ] } ], "yields": [], "notes": "Sweetened condensed milk is regular milk with about 60 percent of the water evaporated off and sucrose added at 40 to 45 percent by weight. The result is a thick, syrup-like product that behaves in a measuring cup more like honey or maple syrup than like milk. It should not be confused with evaporated milk, which is the same milk-reduction process without the added sugar.\n\nUSDA FoodData Central publishes 1 cup at 306 grams and 1 tablespoon at 19 grams (FDC 171275, Milk, canned, condensed, sweetened, SR Legacy). This gives a bulk density of 1.2934 grams per millilitre. King Arthur's ingredient weight chart publishes 1/4 cup at 78 grams, which extrapolates to 312 grams per cup and 1.3187 grams per millilitre. The two figures agree within 1.9 percent, comfortably inside the 5 percent tolerance we apply to the syrup category.\n\nWe publish the USDA figure of 306 grams per cup because it comes with the underlying tablespoon and 100-gram numbers rather than an extrapolation from a partial cup.\n\nThe unusually high density comes from the composition: after evaporation and sugar addition, the product is roughly 27 percent water, 55 percent sugar, 8 percent fat and 8 percent protein by weight. Sugar dissolved in water makes a denser solution than water alone, and the concentrated milk solids add more density on top. The final product weighs about 1.3 times more per volume than water.\n\nStandard US cans of sweetened condensed milk are labelled 14 ounces, which is 397 grams by weight (14 × 28.35). That corresponds to about 1.30 cups by volume at the USDA density. Most recipes that call for 'one can' intend the full 397 grams regardless of what the volume conversion says. When a recipe calls for 1 cup and no can is specified, weigh out 306 grams.\n\nEvaporated milk is a related but very different product: same milk reduction, no added sugar. Evaporated milk weighs about 252 grams per cup and has a density of 1.065 grams per millilitre — closer to whole milk than to sweetened condensed milk. The two are not interchangeable in recipes. Dulce de leche is sweetened condensed milk that has been cooked further until the sugars caramelise, and its density is slightly higher because of additional water loss during cooking.\n\nThe FDA identity standard for sweetened condensed milk is at 21 CFR 131.120, requiring at least 8 percent milkfat and 28 percent total milk solids in the sugared product. The Codex Alimentarius standard CXS 282-1971 covers evaporated milks and sweetened condensed milks internationally with similar minimums. Neither standard specifies a density; both address composition to protect the product name. Because the composition is regulated, brand-to-brand variation in density is small — Nestle Eagle Brand and store-brand condensed milks measure essentially the same by weight at the same volume.\n\nThe category here is 'syrup' rather than 'liquid' because sweetened condensed milk's measuring behaviour matches other concentrated sugar solutions: thick, slow-pouring, and not sensitive to how the cup is filled once it settles. The 5 percent syrup tolerance applies, and both sources sit well inside it.", "last_reviewed": "2026-09-16" }, { "id": "tart-cherry-concentrate", "schema_version": 3, "name": "Tart cherry concentrate", "synonyms": [ "cherry concentrate", "tart cherry juice concentrate", "Montmorency cherry concentrate", "sour cherry concentrate", "cherry juice concentrate" ], "category": "syrup", "default_state": "standard", "confidence": "medium", "states": [ { "id": "standard", "label": "Standard, 68 °Brix concentrate at room temperature", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3337, "range_min": null, "range_max": null, "sources": [ { "name": "FruitSmart, Red Sour Cherry Juice Concentrate specification (BQS0000093, RS-68)", "ref": "\"°Brix AOAC 932.13 68.0° ± 1.0°\", \"Weight Per Gallon 11.13 lbs (5.05 kgs)\": 1.3337 g/mL, 315.5 g per US cup. \"One part 68 Brix concentrate with 5.15 parts water for 14.0 Brix juice.\"", "density_g_per_ml": 1.3337 }, { "name": "Parchem, Sour Cherry Juice Concentrate 68 Brix specification", "ref": "Brix \"68.00 +/- 1.00\" (direct at 20 °C), specific gravity \"1.335 – 1.354\": 1.333 to 1.352 g/mL, 315 to 320 g per US cup. \"1 part Sour Cherry Juice Concentrate 68 Brix plus 5.15 parts water.\"", "range_min": 1.3326, "range_max": 1.3516 }, { "name": "Eden Foods Organic Tart Cherry Juice Concentrate (producer description)", "ref": "\"Montmorency Tart Cherries reduced to a tangy sweet syrup of 68 Brix\"; sold in a 7.5 fl oz (222 mL) bottle with no net weight stated. Confirms 68 °Brix as the retail strength." }, { "name": "Dynamic Health Organic Tart Cherry Concentrate (producer label)", "ref": "Supplement facts: serving 2 tablespoons (30 mL), \"Organic Tart Cherry Concentrate 36 g\", total sugars 17 g; 15 servings per 16 fl oz (473 mL). 1.20 g/mL, 284 g per cup: a weaker concentrate, about half sugar, so it is kept without a figure for the 68 °Brix standard." }, { "name": "King Arthur Baking Ingredient Weight Chart", "ref": "KA lists \"Cherry Concentrate\" at 2 tablespoons = 1 1/2 oz = 42 g, 336 g per cup (density 1.420 g/mL). King Arthur's Cherry Cupcakes blog post uses \"3 tablespoons (64g) cherry concentrate\", 341 g per cup.", "density_g_per_ml": 1.4202, "rejected": true, "rejection_reason": "Tart cherry concentrate is sold at 68 °Brix, and at that strength two industry specifications give 1.333 to 1.352 g/mL (FruitSmart 11.13 lb per gallon; Parchem specific gravity 1.335 to 1.354), 315 to 320 g per cup. 1.420 g/mL would need a syrup stronger than 80 °Brix, heavier than the top row of the USDA sucrose table (1.411 g/mL at 80 °Brix). Two tablespoons at 68 °Brix weigh 39.5 g, 1.39 oz; written as 1 1/2 oz and converted back, that becomes 42 g. The same fractional-ounce rounding as King Arthur's jam figure." } ], "verified": "2026-10-29", "last_reviewed": "2026-10-29" } ], "yields": [], "notes": "A cup of tart cherry concentrate weighs 315.5 g (11.1 oz), a density of 1.33 g/mL, from industry specifications for the standard 68 °Brix concentrate. King Arthur's 42 g per 2 tablespoons (336 g per cup) would need a syrup stronger than 80 °Brix and is rejected; it is a rounded ounce figure.\n\nTart cherry concentrate is juice pressed from Montmorency sour cherries, the pie cherry grown mostly in Michigan, with most of its water evaporated off. It is sold in small bottles as a drink base and supplement, diluted about 1 part to 5 or 7 parts water, and bakers use it straight, a few tablespoons at a time, to give cherry flavour and colour to cakes, frostings, glazes and fillings without adding fruit.\n\nThe industry standard is 68 °Brix, 68% dissolved solids. FruitSmart's specification for its red sour cherry concentrate gives 68.0 °Brix and a weight of 11.13 lb per gallon, 1.334 g/mL or 315.5 g per cup, and says that one part diluted with 5.15 parts water gives 14 °Brix juice. Parchem's specification for sour cherry concentrate at 68 °Brix gives a specific gravity of 1.335 to 1.354, 315 to 320 g per cup. Eden Foods describes its retail concentrate as tart cherries reduced to a syrup of 68 Brix.\n\nThe physical check: a sugar solution of 68 °Brix weighs 1.334 g/mL by the USDA sucrose table, exactly the FruitSmart figure, so the concentrate weighs what its sugar says it should. King Arthur's 1.420 g/mL is above the table's top row, 1.411 g/mL at 80 °Brix, which is thicker than honey. Two tablespoons at 68 °Brix weigh 39.5 g, 1.39 oz; King Arthur's 1 1/2 oz, converted back to grams, is 42 g. Its cherry cupcake recipe repeats the same heavy figure at 64 g for 3 tablespoons.\n\nNot every retail bottle is full strength. Dynamic Health's label gives 2 tablespoons (30 mL) as 36 g with 17 g of sugars, about half sugar, which weighs 1.20 g/mL, 284 g per cup. Labels that state 2 tablespoons as 28 g, such as Cherry Bay Orchards' as transcribed by ReciPal, print the one-ounce serving and would make the syrup lighter than water.\n\nPractical guidance: use 315.5 g per cup of 68 °Brix concentrate, about 20 g per tablespoon and 39.5 g per 2 tablespoons. To make tart cherry juice, mix 1 part concentrate with 5 to 7 parts water. For a weaker supplement concentrate, check the label's grams per serving and use those." } ]