Quick Answer
Starbucks hazelnut syrup contains approximately 100 calories per 1 tablespoon (15 ml) serving. The exact calorie count can vary slightly depending on the recipe, but a typical hazelnut syrup contains mostly sugar, corn syrup, and hazelnut flavoring.
Hazelnut Syrup Nutrition Facts
Starbucks does not provide complete nutrition information for their hazelnut syrup, but we can estimate the calories and macros based on the ingredients and typical nutrition facts for similar syrups.
Here are the estimated nutrition facts for 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of Starbucks classic hazelnut syrup:
| Calories | 100 |
|---|---|
| Total Fat | 0 g |
| Saturated Fat | 0 g |
| Trans Fat | 0 g |
| Cholesterol | 0 mg |
| Sodium | 15 mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 24 g |
| Sugar | 24 g |
| Protein | 0 g |
As you can see, the calories in Starbucks hazelnut syrup come almost entirely from sugar. There is minimal fat, cholesterol, or protein.
The total carbohydrate content is 24 grams per serving, all of which is sugar. So the 24 grams of sugar accounts for most of the 100 calories.
Starbucks Hazelnut Syrup Ingredients
To understand where the calories come from, let’s take a look at the ingredients in Starbucks hazelnut syrup:
– Sugar
– Water
– Corn syrup
– Natural flavors (hazelnut)
– Citric acid
– Potassium sorbate (preservative)
– Caramel color
Sugar is listed first, which means it is the predominant ingredient. There are two types of sugar listed – regular granulated sugar as well as corn syrup. Corn syrup is also nearly 100% sugar, derived from corn starch.
The natural flavors provide the distinctive hazelnut taste, but do not contribute meaningful calories or macros. Citric acid and potassium sorbate are also minor additions used as a preservative and flavor balancer.
Finally, caramel color is added solely for aesthetic purposes, to produce a rich golden brown color resembling homemade syrup. It adds only trace amounts of calories and carbs.
So in summary, nearly all the calories in Starbucks hazelnut syrup comes from the sugar and corn syrup.
Calories in Hazelnut Syrup Versus Flavored Creamer
Hazelnut syrup is sometimes confused with hazelnut creamer, but they are very different products:
– Hazelnut syrup is made of sugar, corn syrup, and hazelnut flavoring. It is a concentrated, viscous liquid that is added by the teaspoon to coffee.
– Hazelnut creamer is made of milk (or milk alternatives), sugar, oil, and hazelnut flavor. It is thinner in consistency and added by the tablespoon to coffee.
This means creamers contain calories from sugar AND fat, unlike hazelnut syrup which contains minimal fat.
Here is a calorie comparison of one tablespoon (15ml) serving:
| Product | Calories |
|---|---|
| Hazelnut Syrup | 100 |
| Hazelnut Creamer (liquid) | 40 |
| Hazelnut Creamer (powder) | 35 |
As you can see, the hazelnut syrup contains over 2.5x more calories than an equivalent serving of hazelnut creamer. So be mindful of this difference if you are counting calories.
Calories in Starbucks Drinks with Hazelnut Syrup
Now let’s look at how many calories hazelnut syrup adds to Starbucks beverages.
Starbucks uses a “light” dose of 1-2 pumps hazelnut syrup in a small (12 oz) drink, equal to about 1-2 teaspoons or 5-10 mL.
That equates to 50-100 extra calories in a small caffeinated beverage like coffee or tea. In a larger milk-based coffee drink, the syrup calories make up a smaller percentage of the total.
Here are some examples:
| Beverage | Hazelnut Syrup | Total Calories |
|---|---|---|
| Small coffee (12 oz) | 50 calories (1 pump) | 5 calories + 50 calories = 55 calories |
| Small latte (12 oz) | 50 calories (1 pump) | 90 calories + 50 calories = 140 calories |
| Medium mocha (16 oz) | 100 calories (2 pumps) | 240 calories + 100 calories = 340 calories |
As you increase the amount of syrup, the calories add up quickly. Some specialty drinks may use 3-6 pumps of flavored syrup!
How to Order With Reduced Calories
If you want to reduce sugar and calories in your Starbucks drink, here are some tips:
– Order a smaller size. The tall (12 oz) size often uses less syrup than larger sizes.
– Ask for half or a quarter of the usual pumps of syrup. Most baristas are happy to accommodate requests like “half sweet”.
– Substitute sugar-free syrup. Starbucks offers sugar-free versions like skinny mocha and cinnamon dolce. These have 0 calories.
– Order unsweetened coffee or tea and use separate sweeteners to control the amount.
– Add a splash of milk, cream, or creamer instead of syrup for flavor. This also reduces the very sweet taste.
– Avoid Frappuccinos, refreshers, and blended creme drinks which use a lot of sugary syrup by default. Or ask for light or no syrup.
With a few tweaks, you can still enjoy that hazelnut coffee taste while keeping your sugar and calorie intake in check!
Hazelnut Syrup Nutrition Compared to Other Flavored Syrups
The nutrition facts for Starbucks classic hazelnut syrup are very similar to other flavored coffee syrups on their menu:
| Syrup (1 tbsp) | Calories | Sugar |
|---|---|---|
| Hazelnut | 100 | 24g |
| Vanilla | 100 | 24g |
| Caramel | 90 | 22g |
| Cinnamon Dolce | 80 | 20g |
| White Chocolate Mocha | 140 | 32g |
As you can see, most Starbucks syrups contain 20-25 grams of sugar and 80-140 calories per serving.
So hazelnut is on the higher end for calories and sugar content. Keep this in mind when choosing your syrup flavor and amount.
Making Your Own Low-Calorie Hazelnut Syrup
You can easily make homemade hazelnut syrup with just a few ingredients:
Homemade Hazelnut Syrup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup hazelnuts
- 3/4 cup sugar (or sugar substitute)
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
Instructions:
- Toast hazelnuts at 350°F for 5 minutes. Rub to remove skins.
- Bring water to a boil. Add hazelnuts and cook for 15 minutes until very soft.
- Strain through a cheesecloth or nut bag to remove solids.
- Return liquid to saucepan and add remaining ingredients. Boil for 5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Allow to cool before transferring to an airtight container. Refrigerate up to 2 weeks.
The homemade version contains way less sugar and calories compared to Starbucks. Use sugar substitutes to reduce the calories even further.
You can adjust the hazelnut taste by using more or less nuts. Add a teaspoon at a time to your coffee until you achieve the perfect flavor.
Conclusion
Starbucks classic hazelnut syrup contains approximately 24 grams of sugar and 100 calories per serving (1 tablespoon). This comes primarily from the sugar and corn syrup used to make the syrup.
Hazelnut syrup has more calories than an equivalent amount of flavored creamer. When added to coffee drinks, just 1-2 pumps of syrup can increase the calorie count by 50-100 calories.
To reduce the calories in Starbucks beverages with hazelnut syrup, opt for smaller sizes, less syrup pumps, or sugar-free flavoring. Making your own homemade hazelnut syrup is also an easy way to control the nutrition profile.
So enjoy that beloved hazelnut taste, but be mindful of the extra calories and sugar from flavored syrups like those used at Starbucks. Tracking your additions will help keep your daily calorie intake on track.
