Some candy is gluten free, but not all of it. If you're on a gluten free diet, there's no reason you can't enjoy some of your favorite candies, you've just got to be careful about what the ingredients are.
Make sure you check package labels carefully, every time. Whether you want the rich chocolate and caffeine hit of chocolate covered coffee beans, the minty goodness of peppermint patties or the fruity flavor of some lovely Jelly Belly jelly beans, there are many gluten free products you can choose from, as you'll see on our gluten free candy list.
In a nutshell: Is candy gluten free?
Yes, candy is naturally gluten free, but many brands add gluten-containing ingredients. So you need to exercise a bit of caution and check the ingredient label and, ideally, look for a certified gluten free declaration.
And you could get fancy and make your own, like my family favorite gluten free Twix recipe, the gluten free Ferrero Rocher-style hazelnut candies you see in the image above, or the homemade Kit Kat-style chocolate wafers you see below.
Remember, even if a candy product doesn't have gluten-containing ingredients, if it's made in a facility or on equipment that also processes gluten grains like wheat, barley, or rye, then, there's a high risk of cross contact contamination.
Avoid candies with any of these ingredients, as, unlike rice, all of them contain gluten:
- Wheat
- Rye
- Barley
- Spelt
- Kamut
- Triticale
- Farina
- Vital gluten
- Semolina
- Malted milk
- Malt extract
- Malt syrup
- Malted flour
- Malt vinegar
- Brewer's yeast
Are there any hidden ingredients to look out for?
Gluten free candies should be labelled as gluten free. However, not every brand wants to pay for FDA testing to get their gluten free certification.
Some gluten free offerings may be safe but not certified. If you want to test that out, then go right ahead, but remember that there are some hidden ingredients, or rather some ingredients that are themselves gluten free, but that pose a high risk of cross contamination.
Cross Contamination
Oats, oat milk, or oat flour are all serious contenders here. Oats, unless they're “purity protocol” certified gluten free oats, are often processed alongside gluten grains, or are processed on the same equipment, so they pick up a large quantity of gluten particles, making them unsafe for people with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity.
Corn and soy products are also often processed alongside gluten, so are at a similar high risk of contamination unless they're certified free of gluten.
How to find gluten free candy
Look for brands that you know offer gluten free goodies (see below for a list of popular gluten free candies). And, of course, check the ingredient labels. Be cautious, as recipes change regularly, so it's worth checking every time you purchase, just in case.
Check for gluten free certification, and look for allergen notices, as some packaging will state that a product is unsuitable for customers with an allergy to gluten (or dairy or nuts) due to manufacturing processes.
What kind of candy is gluten free?
In this section, we'll cover some of the bigger candy brands and show you which of their products are gluten free and which may or do contain gluten. These lists aren't exhaustive, though, and they're only correct at the time of writing – remember, recipes change all the time, so check before you buy!
And – this list only applies to the US. The same products may contain different ingredients in different countries. Plus, the amount of gluten particles per million to qualify for gluten certification is different in every country, which affects gluten free status.
Gluten free candy list
There are so many candy brands that we can't possibly cover them all. But we've looked at some of the most popular brands and put together a list of which of their products are safe, and which ones contain gluten.
Please remember, it's important to check the product info before you buy. Just in case there have been any changes, or in case the candies aren't gluten free in your country.
Is Hershey candy gluten free?
Hershey does a good job of keeping consumers informed about the gluten free status of their products. On their website, you'll find an up-to-date list of all their gluten free candy. And you'll be glad to know that Hershey's kisses and Reese's peanut butter cups are gluten free (although not all of the cute seasonal shaped ones).
Gluten free candy from Hershey:
- Almond Joy (not “Almond Joy pieces”)
- Heath
- Milk chocolate kisses
- Milk chocolate bars
- Milk duds
- Mounds
- Payday
- Reeses's peanut butter cups (not seasonal shaped items)
- Rolo milk chocolate caramels (not Rolo minis)
- York's peppermint patties (not Pieces, sugar free, minis, or shapes)
Hershey candy that may or may not contain gluten:
- Jolly Ranchers
Hershey candy that does contain gluten:
- Twizzlers (but see our homemade gluten free red licorice recipe pictured below!)
- Kit Kat
- Whoppers
Smarties Candy Company
Smarties Candy Company has a statement on their website that reads:
“Smarties® and our entire line of products are gluten free.”
However, it's worth noting that some products under the Smarties brand are not actually made by Smarties Candy Company. That just means you'll still need to check the label to be sure. The company does say, though, that if the UPC number starts with 0 11206, you know that the product is gluten free and is produced in a factory that only makes gluten free products and is safe for people with Celiac disease to consume.
Are Tootsie Rolls gluten free?
Yes, according to the FAQs on their website at the time of this post, all Tootsie Roll candies are gluten free.
They state: “At this time, all of our confections are gluten free. We do not use wheat, barley, rye, oats, triticale, spelt or any of their components and that includes our dusting on our conveyor belts. We do use corn and soy products in the manufacturing of our products.”
Is Jelly Belly gluten free?
Jelly Belly jelly beans contain no gluten-containing ingredients. Their website says that then don't use any ingredients that contain wheat in their production of jelly beans.
But, with Jelly Belly, sometimes their products are taken by other companies and repackaged or added to in different facilities, so those third party products may not be dairy free, gluten free, or other allergen free. So always check the label, rather than just blindly trusting the Jelly Belly logo.
Mars Wrigley
Mars Wrigley doesn't have any certified gluten free products. Nor does it have any products just labeled as gluten free. It does, however, have some products that have no gluten-containing ingredients.
But it seems there's a fairly high chance that these products are manufactured in facilities that also handle gluten, so there's a risk of cross contamination. But if you still just can't resist a Mars candy bar, here are the ones that don't have gluten in their base ingredients:
- M&Ms (Not pretzel, crispy, or seasonal packs)
- Milky Way Caramel (interestingly, NOT the original Milky Way)
- Snickers
- 3 Musketeers
- Dove bars (Not cinnamon graham, cookies & cream, and some seasonal items)
- Lifesavers
Mars products that are NOT gluten free:
- Twix (but see our homemade gluten free Twix bars just below!)
- Maltesers
- Mars Bars
Nestlé
Nestlé produces so many products, and they don't provide a comprehensive list of what's gluten free. They just tell you to look at the packaging. However, those that are called out as gluten free include:
- Butterfinger Bars (not crisp or giant)
- Goobers
- Raisinets
- Bit-O-Honey
- Nips
Nestle products not labeled as gluten free, but that have no gluten-containing ingredients:
- Baby Ruth
- Oh Henry!
- Sno-Caps
- Pixy Stix
Nestle products that are NOT gluten free:
- Nerds
- 100 Grand
Are Sour Patch Kids gluten free?
Yes, all Sour Patch Kids products, at the time of writing, are made without any gluten-containing ingredients. However, it's worth noting that they aren't labelled as gluten free.
Are Ferrara candies gluten free?
Ferrara has a comprehensive allergen statement on their website that says that their ingredient labeling is clear and unambiguous and that, following the ingredient list, if there are any allergens, their products all carry a CONTAINS [ALLERGEN] statement.
Also, if a product is made in a factory that processes allergens, they use a “MADE IN” statement so customers can easily see if a product is gluten free, dairy free, or other allergen free.
Ferrara candy that doesn't have gluten-containing ingredients:
- Laffy Taffy
- Jelly Beans
- Brach's Candy Corn
- Trolli Gummies (Not Sour Brite Bites or Twisted Sour Brite Crawlers)
- Bob's Sweet Stripes
- Candy Canes – Bob’s, Brach’s, Lemonhead & Friends, Red Hots – all allergen free
- Gobstopper
- Black Forest Gummies
- Sathers Gummies
- Jawbreakers
- Lemonheads
- Chewy Lemonheads & Friends
- Juju's
- Jujy's
- Boston Baked Beans
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