Find out what types and brands of candy are gluten-free, plus get a list of gluten and dairy-free candy to look for at the store.

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If you love candy, you know there’s nothing quite like a sweet treat at the movie theater, candy packed for camping or road trips, or to gift to friends or kids you know.
Candy is such a popular treat, but if you follow a gluten-free diet, you know that you can’t just pick up any package and enjoy it.
Nope, if you follow a gluten-free or dairy-free diet, you have to do research first to make sure that what you’re eating won’t make you feel sick later.
The goal of this post is to help you get the answers you need abt your favorite types of candy to make a decision that works best for you and your diet. I’m rounding up a list of gluten-free candy so that you can confidently shop for and gift treats to everyone you love.
I’ve done a lot of research on this topic – and written over 30 posts!! – on gluten-free and dairy-free candy. I’ve learned where gluten can hide and discovered the types of candy that you’ll be able to enjoy any time you want on a gluten-free diet, and those that you’ll want to steer clear of.
In this post, I’m going to share everything you need to know about gluten-free and dairy-free candy. We’ll go over how to know if your candy is gluten-free, and dive into a big list of brands, varieties, and flavors of candy that are going to be safe for your gluten-free diet.
Now, I follow both a gluten AND dairy-free diet, so it was important to me to call out the brands and types of candy that have dairy as well. The main places you’re going to find dairy ingredients are in chocolate candies and candy with any type of caramel.
Most fruity candies, like Starburst, Skittles, and jelly beans are almost always a good choice. We’ll cover all of this in detail, along with brands to look for in the list below.
But first, let’s answer a few important questions to make sure we’re on the same page as we talk about candy, gluten, and dairy.

What is gluten?
Gluten is a protein found in most wheat products, and acts as the “glue” that helps to hold wheat, barley, kamut, spelt, farro, durum, bulgur, rye, and semolina together to maintain their shape.
Gluten is naturally occurring, and therefore is impossible to strip away from the grain. If a grain naturally has gluten in it, there’s no way to make that food gluten-free.
Gluten can be found in candy as one of the main ingredients, especially in gummy candies, as wheat or wheat starch. You can also find it in flavorings, thickeners, or binders.
Is candy gluten-free?
Some types of candy contain gluten, while others don’t. The main places to look for gluten in candy is in anything with cookie or crunchy textures, especially in candy bars.
Gummy candies are another place where you might encounter gluten hiding in your sweet treats.
Look for names of gluten like wheat, wheat flour, glucose syrup, modified food starch (wheat), barley, and malted barley in ingredients, so you know to avoid them.
Read on: Is modified food starch gluten-free?
How to know if candy contains gluten
The easiest way to know if the candy you’re reaching for is gluten-free is by reading through the ingredients list on the packaging and looking for keywords, like “barley malt,” “wheat flour,” and “glucose syrup.” These are key indicators that a candy has gluten ingredients.
Another way to determine if candy has gluten is to look for a gluten-free label. If a candy has a gluten-free label (and yes, some do!), then you know there’s less than 20ppm of gluten in the packaging.
Some candy packages have notes like “May contain traces of wheat or gluten” or “processed in a facility that manufactures wheat.” In this case, you know there’s a risk of cross contamination with gluten ingredients in that candy, and thankfully the brand is being up front and straightforward about it.
In this case, do your best to determine your choice based on what you know about your level of sensitivity to gluten. Some folks can tolerate trace levels of gluten, while others have big reactions. Use your best judgment and if all else fails, look for that gluten-free label.

What is dairy?
Dairy is any product that is made from animal milk.
Dairy is a general name for any food that is made from milk. Technically this is any food made from cow’s milk or goat’s milk or sheep’s milk, but most commonly when we think of cow’s milk when we hear the term dairy.
Dairy can be found in candy in the form of milk, cream, whey, lactose, butter fat, and many other names.
Is candy dairy-free?
Many candies contain dairy in the form of milk, cream, or whey. Look for these on ingredients lists is you are also following a dairy-free diet.
Gluten-free Candy List
There are a number of different types and brands of candy that are safe for a gluten-free diet. I’ve listed them in alphabetical order, but some of them may seem out of place as I’ve grouped types of candy in with specific brands.
Something to keep in mind as you’re making your way through grocery stores is that while some products from one brand may be gluten-free, not all of their products necessarily will be.
It’s important to do your due diligence before purchasing and review all ingredients in the packaging before you buy. Many of the candies in this list contain no gluten ingredients and yet the manufacturer does not list them as gluten-free or have a gluten-free label.
This means there’s a chance and possibility of cross contamination with gluten during the manufacturing process. I’ve listed more in depth information about each type of candy in their specific posts, so click through if you’re looking for more details.
Since I also follow a dairy-free diet and you might too, I’ve included a note with all these types and brands of candy with an asterisk (*) to annotate those that are both gluten and dairy-free.
Note: This list and information is based on the US versions of these candy brands and options. Some of the brands listed are manufactured in other countries and these may contain gluten. If you are outside of the US, it will be useful for you to research the candies you are curious about.
Read on: 101 Gluten-free Dairy-free Snacks

3 Musketeers
3 Musketeers bars contain no gluten ingredients and are considered safe for a gluten-free diet.
3 Musketeers candy may not have any gluten-containing ingredients in the product, but there is also not a clear gluten-free label indicating that the final product is gluten-free, like many other Mars candies.
This means that there’s a potential for cross contamination with gluten products during manufacturing. Use your own best judgement based on your level of sensitivity to gluten to determine if you want to enjoy this treat on a gluten-free diet.
3 Musketeers candy bars are not dairy-free as they contain milk in the milk chocolate.
- 3 Musketeers full size bars
- 3 Musketeers 2 to go
- 3 Musketeers fun size
- 3 Musketeers minis
- 3 Musketeers unwrapped bites
Read on: Are 3 Musketeers Gluten-free?
Airheads
Not all Airheads candy is gluten-free, but their Airheads bars – the original product – contain no gluten ingredients. Here’s what the brand says about their products and folks on a gluten-free diet:
“Our Airheads Bars are gluten-free. To meet FDA regulations for “gluten-free,” a finished product must have less than 20 parts per million of gluten. When tested, our Airheads Bars showed no gluten in the products.
Airheads Bites, Gum, Gummies, and Pops are not tested for gluten; therefore, they cannot carry a “gluten-free” claim.
Airheads Xtremes Bites, Xtremes Belts, Ropes, Sourfuls, and Soft Filled Bites contain wheat and cannot claim to be “gluten-free.””
Read on: Are Airheads gluten-free?
Butterfinger
According to the Butterfinger website, “most Butterfinger products are gluten-free. The Butterfinger Crisp is not gluten-free.”
If you love Butterfinger candy bars, you can safely enjoy most of their products.
Butterfinger candy bars have milk in their ingredients list, as well as a “Contains Milk” note on the packaging. If you follow a dairy-free diet, this type of candy should be avoided.
Read on: Are 3 Butterfingers Gluten-free?
Candy Corn
Depending on the brand, candy corn may or not contain wheat. For the most part, most brands don’t use wheat in the candy itself, but they do have “may contain” wheat or gluten notes on their product’s packaging.
This means that there is a likelihood that cross contamination occurs during manufacturing, and is something to be aware of on a gluten-free diet.
These are the brands I was able to find that have a gluten-free label in addition to having no gluten ingredients listed.
- Jelly Belly Candy Corn*
- Happy Bites Candy Corn*
- Fruidles Candy Corn*
- Brach’s Naturally Flavored Candy Corn*
- Yum Earth Organic Candy Corn*
Read on: Is Candy Corn Gluten-free?
Chocolate Bars
Many plain chocolate bars contain no gluten, but most have dairy. This is a list of both gluten and dairy-free chocolate bars you can find.
Note that while many of these brands offer gluten and dairy-free options and flavors, not every item they sell contains no gluten or no dairy. Read ingredients lists before buying.
Gluten & Dairy-free Dark chocolate brands
- Alter Eco
- Chocolate Inspirations
- Chocolove
- Cocoa Parlor
- Divine
- Eating Evolved
- Endangered Species
- Endorfin Foods
- Enjoy Life
- Equal Exchange
- Gnosis Chocolate
- Green & Black’s
- Heavenly Organics
- Hu
- Lilly’s Sweets
- Lindt
- Mandala Chocolate
- OmBar
- Primal Kitchen
- Pascha Organics
- Raaka Chocolate
- Righteously Raw
- Taza Chocolate
- Theo Chocolate
- Trader Joe’s
- Unreal
Gluten & Dairy-free milk or semi sweet chocolate brands
- Charm School Chocolate
- Eating Evolved
- Endangered Species
- Enjoy Life
- Lakanto
- Moo Free
- No Whey Foods
- Pascha Organics
- Raaka Chocolate
- Taza Chocolate
Gluten & Dairy-free white chocolate brands
Read on: Dairy-free Chocolate: The Ultimate Guide
Gobstoppers
The Ferrera Candy Shop website does not explicitly state whether or not Gobstoppers are gluten-free or not. This brand states that they will have a “contains” note on their packaging if there are any ingredients with top 8 allergens, including wheat.
Read on: Are Gobstoppers gluten-free?

Gummy Bears and Gummy Candy
Many brands of gummy bears use glucose syrup which is derived from wheat, making many brands of gummy candy not a safe option for a gluten-free diet.
That said, there are brands that are gluten-free, but you’ll need to review the ingredients lists of each brand and package that you find. Some brands may have gluten-free gummy bears, but have entirely different ingredients for another gummy candy they make, so look at every package that you plan to buy before eating.
Most all brands of gummy bears contain no dairy and are considered safe for a dairy-free diet.
Those marked with a (C) mean they have gluten-free labels, otherwise the rest of the list contain no gluten ingredients.
Albanese* (C)
- All sizes and flavors of Gummi Bears
- All sizes and flavors of Gummi Worms
- All flavors of Gummi Rings
- Sour Gummi Bears
- Sanded Gummi Hearts
- Gummi Tic Tac Toe
- Gummi Butterflies
- Gummi Awesome Blossoms
- Gummi Rainforest Frogs
- Gummi Rattlesnake
- Gummi Army Guys
- Gummi Jet Fighters
- Gummi Military Heroes
- Gummi Poppers
- Seasonal Gummi Items
Black Forest* (C)
- Classic Gummy Bears
- Gummy Worms
- Swirly Bears
- Organic Gummy Worms
- Organic Gummy Bears
- Organic Forest Critters
- Organic Exotic Bears
- Juicy Bears
- Juicy Bunnies
Boston Fruit Slices* (C)
- All flavors in regular size
- All flavors in mini size
- All sugar-free flavors
Brach’s*
- Gummy Bears
- Spice Drops
- Mandarin Orange Slices
Dare Real Fruit* (C)
- Fruit Medley
- Superfruits
- Tropical
Sour Patch*
- Sour Patch Kids Mystery Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Kids Just Blue Raspberry
- Sour Patch Strawberry Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Kids Original Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Watermelon Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Kids Berries Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Kids Crush Soda Fruit Mix Flavor
- Sour Patch Kids Tropical Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Kids Heads, 2 Flavors in One
- Sour Patch Kids Extreme Sour Soft & Chewy Candy
- Sour Patch Kids Big Kids Soft & Chewy Candy
Surf Sweets* (C)
- Cinnamon Organic Bears
- DelishFish
- Gummy Bears
- Sour Worms
- Gummy Worms
- Organic Fruity Bears
- Organic Watermelon Rings
- Organic Jelly Beans
Trolli*
- Classic Bears
- Big Bold Bears
- Sour Brite Bears
- Sour Brite Crawlers Original
- Sour Brite Crawlers Very Berry
- Sour Brite Crawlers Fruit Punch
- Sour Brite Crawlers Watermelon
- Sour Brite Mystery Night Crawlers
- Crunchy Crawlers
- Sour Crunchy Crawlers
- Slurpee Sour Brite Crawlers
- Slurpee Sour Brite Crawlers Fruit
- Sour Brite Crawlers Watermelon
- Slurpee Sour Brite Crawlers Squiggles
- Slurpee Sour Brite Crawlers Tropical
Plus many other flavors and shapes – check out the packaging for ingredients lists before buying!
Yum Earth*
- Gummy Bears
Read on: Are Gummy Bears Gluten-free?

Heath Bars
According to the Hershey Company website, all varieties of heath Bars are gluten-free. These are all safe for enjoy on a gluten-free diet and have been approved by the standards of the FDA as a gluten-free food.
Heath bars contain milk chocolate and dairy butter as ingredients in their ingredients list. These are not a good option for a dairy-free diet, and you’ll want to find a different type of candy without any dairy to help you stick with this diet.
- Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee Candy Bar
- Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee King Size Candy Bar
- Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee Bits
- Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee Candy Bar Multipack
- Heath Milk Chocolate English Toffee Candy Miniatures
Read on: Are Heath Bars Gluten-free?
Hershey Bars
According to the Hershey’s website, “Hershey’s milk chocolate bars are gluten-free.”
They don’t go into details about their other chocolate bars and the status of gluten in them. Knowing this, I’d be sure to check ingredients lists on all other varieties of Hershey’s bars.
The candy bar that definitely has gluten after reviewing my list is Hershey’s Cookies n’ Creme. This bar contains wheat and has an allergen note on the packaging as well to alert you to this.
Read on: Are Hershey bars gluten-free?
Hi Chew
According to the Hi Chew website, Hi Chew candy is considered gluten-free.
Hi Chew comes in a variety of fruity flavors, like Blue Hawaii, Blue Raspberry, Rainbow Sherbet, Raspberry, Blueberry, Black Cherry, Watermelon, Green Apple, Dragonfruit, Strawberry, Grapefruit and Kiwi. They also have Mango, Grape, Lemon, Acai, and Banana.
If you follow a dairy-free diet, this may be a candy to avoid as many of their flavors contain milk as an ingredient. If you do decide to enjoy this candy while steering clear of dairy, be sure to read ingredients lists first.
Read on: Are Hi Chews gluten-free?
Jelly Beans
Most jelly beans are gluten-free and contain no added gluten ingredients. You can check ingredients lists for hidden sources of gluten, like malted barley, glucose syrup, or wheat flour just to be on the safe side.
Many brands of jelly beans are gluten-free. You can easily look for gluten-free labels on packages to know that these labeled products contain less than 20ppm of gluten in the package.
Most jelly beans do not contain any dairy products, however if you have a dairy or milk allergy, I’d be aware of any packaging that says the candy is produced on shared equipment with other milk products.
Those marked with a (C) mean they are certified gluten-free brands.
- Amanda’s Own Assorted Gourmet Jelly Beans* (C)
- Dare Real Hoppy Easter Jelly Beans* (C)
- Gimbal’s Gourmet Jelly Beans* (C)
- Jelly Belly Jelly Beans* (C)
- Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans*
- Just Born Jelly Beans*
- Nerds Big Chewy Jelly Beans*
- Peeps Jelly Beans*
- See’s Candies Jelly Beans*
- Sour Patch Jelly Beans*
- Starburst Original Jelly Beans*
- Swedish Fish Jelly Beans*
- Sweet Tarts Jelly Beans*
- Surf Sweets Jelly Beans* (C)
- Teenee Beanee Jelly Beans*
- Vermont Nut Free Jelly Beans*
- Warheads Sour Jelly Beans*
- Welch’s Jelly Beans*
- Yum Earth Sour Beans* (C)
Read on: Are Jelly Beans Gluten-free? Are Jelly Bellys gluten-free?
Jolly Ranchers
According to the Hersheyland website, the manufacturer of Jolly Ranchers, “While JOLLY RANCHER candies have not been fully evaluated to qualify as gluten-free by FDA standards, they do not include any gluten-containing ingredients.”
This means if you are following a gluten-free diet, you may be okay to enjoy these treats if you can tolerate trace amounts of gluten. Without the manufacturer testing for gluten, it’s best to assume there are some trace levels of gluten in this product since we can’t know for sure.
Read on: Are Jolly Ranchers gluten-free?

Laffy Taffy
Laffy Taffy is considered safe for a gluten-free diet, as they contain no gluten ingredients.
Laffy Taffy may not have any gluten-containing ingredients in the product, but there is also not a clear gluten-free label indicating that the final product is gluten-free.
This means that there’s a potential for cross contamination with gluten products during manufacturing. Use your own best judgement based on your level of sensitivity to gluten to determine if you want to enjoy this treat on a gluten-free diet.
Laffy Taffy contains no dairy ingredients and is generally considered safe for folks who avoid dairy in their diet.
These are the products that are considered gluten-free from Laffy Taffy:
- Minis*
- Stretchy & Tangy*
- Ropes*
- Bites*
Read on: Is Laffy Taffy Gluten-free?
Licorice
Since most licorice, black, red, or other flavored, is made using wheat flour and wheat starch, most traditional licorice is not a safe option for a gluten-free diet.
Though most licorice does contain gluten, there are some brands that offer gluten-free licorice. Try one of these options instead of a more common brand, like Red Vines.
Traditional Red and Black Licorice
- Yum Earth Organic Gluten-free Black Licorice
- Smart Sweets Red Twists
- Gimbal’s All Natural Black Licorice Scottie Dogs
- Gimbal’s All Natural Strawberry Licorice Scottie Dogs
- Lakritsfabriken Swedish Premium Soft Licorice
- Candy Tree Gluten-free Licorice Twists
- Oldtimer’s Smallingerlandse Salmiak Klinkers Licorice
- Zot Organic Licorice
- See’s Candies Red Licorice Medallions
Fruity Licorice (Twizzlers Alternatives)
- Yum Earth Organic Gluten-free Pomegranate Licorice
- Yum Earth Organic Gluten-free Strawberry Licorice
- Yum Earth Organic Gluten-free Peach Licorice
- Candy Tree Gluten-free Raspberry Twists
- Clif Strawberry Fruit Ropes
Read on: Gluten-free Licorice
Read on: Are Red Vines gluten-free?

M&M’s
While m&m’s doesn’t make any statement that their products are gluten-free, based on the ingredients lists, we can assume that they are.
Be aware that some of their flavors will definitely contain gluten, such as the crispy m&m’s and pretzel m&m’s. These list wheat flour or barley malt as ingredients, which are both names for hidden gluten to be on the lookout for.
You can also look for “may contain wheat” labels on the packaging to help you determine if the candy has had cross contamination or produced on the same lines as other gluten ingredients.
While the m&m’s website doesn’t state that their products are gluten-free, most of their flavors do not contain any gluten-containing ingredients. These are:
- Milk Chocolate m&m’s
- Peanut m&m’s
- Peanut Butter m&m’s
- m&m’s minis
- Almond m&m’s
- Dark chocolate m&m’s
- Dark chocolate Peanut m&m’s
M&M’s contain milk and milk chocolate, and therefore not dairy-free. If you follow a dairy-free diet, you’ll want to look for a different type of chocolate candy to enjoy that has no milk or other milk products.
Read on: Are M&M’s Gluten-free?
Read on: Are peanut m&m’s gluten-free?
Milk Duds
According to the Hershey’s website, all varieties of Milk Duds are gluten-free. If you follow a gluten-free diet, this type of candy is safe for you to enjoy.
Milk Duds contain nonfat milk and reduced protein whey, making this not a good option for a dairy-free diet. Most caramel candies are made with dairy, so you’ll want to look for a coconut milk based caramel candy, like Cocomels, to get your caramel fix.
Read on: Are Milk Duds Gluten-free?
Read on: Is caramel gluten-free?
Milky Way
The original Milky Way candy bars contain gluten from the malted barley. This is a candy bar that you’ll want to stay away from on a gluten-free diet and find another type of Milky Way bar to enjoy instead.
Both the Milky Way Midnight bar and the Milky Way Caramel bar contain no gluten ingredients, making these a relatively safe option for folks on a gluten-free diet, if you can tolerate trace levels of gluten.
Milky Ways are not dairy-free as they contain milk chocolate, skim milk, milk fat, and lactose. Try another brand or type of candy bar if you’re following a dairy-free diet.
Read on: Are Milky Ways Gluten-free?

Nerds
Nerds are considered safe for a gluten-free diet, as they contain no gluten ingredients.
Nerds may not have any gluten-containing ingredients in the product, but there is also not a clear gluten-free label indicating that the final product is gluten-free.
This means that there’s a potential for cross contamination with gluten products during manufacturing. Use your own best judgement based on your level of sensitivity to gluten to determine if you want to enjoy this treat on a gluten-free diet.
There are a number of varieties and flavors of Nerds candies. These are the ones that have no gluten-containing ingredients.
- Grape & Strawberry Nerds*
- Watermelon & Cherry Nerds*
- Rainbow Nerds*
- Big Chewy Nerds*
- Sour Big Chewy Nerds*
- Nerds Gummy Clusters*
- Rainbow Rope*
- Very Berry Rope*
- Tropical Rope*
Read on: Are Nerds Gluten-free?
No Cow
No Cow offers two delicious “mighty treats.” Their Peanut Butter Cups and Marshmallow Crunchies are super tasty, high protein, gluten AND dairy-free, and perfect for satisfying your sweet tooth.
Now and Laters
Now and Later candy does not contain any ingredients that have gluten, however the Ferrera brand does not make any official gluten-free claims.
The Ferrera Candy Shop brand, the manufacturer of Now and Later, state that they will have “contains” statements on all their products that contain any top 8 allergens.
Read on: Are Now and Laters gluten-free?
Reese’s
The original Reese’s peanut butter cups are gluten-free, according to the Hershey Company website and we can see this by reviewing the ingredients list.
The official gluten-free allergen statement from the Hershey Company, maker of Reese’s products says:
“The best way to determine if our products contain a gluten ingredient is to read our product label. This label includes an accurate, current listing of the ingredients in our products.
Because, on occasion, the list of ingredients can change, we strongly encourage you to check the ingredient label on the package each time before you make a purchase.”
The Hershey’s Company also has call-outs of allergens in their ingredients lists. You can see an example of this on their website.
Their packaging will have a “Contains” note under the ingredients stating the top allergens in the product. For example, “Contains: Wheat” will help you know if the product contains wheat or gluten.
- Reese’s Pieces
- Reese’s Thins
- Reese’s Fast Break Bars
- Reese’s Nutrageous Bars
- Reese’s Unwrapped minis
If you follow a dairy-free diet in addition to a gluten-free one, you’ll be sad to know that all Reese’s products contain dairy. They all have milk chocolate with skim milk and milk fat.
For a gluten and dairy-free peanut butter cup option, try Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups. These contain no dairy products, but are produced on equipment that processes milk.
Read on: Are Reese’s Gluten-free?
Read on: Are Reese’s Pieces gluten-free?
Rolos
Rolos do not contain any gluten ingredients and they are considered to be gluten-free by the Hershey’s company.
Their website states that all the products are gluten-free except Rolo minis.
That said, Rolos may not have any gluten-containing ingredients in the product, but there is also not a clear gluten-free label indicating that the final product is gluten-free.
This means that there’s a potential for cross contamination with gluten products during manufacturing. Use your own best judgement based on your level of sensitivity to gluten to determine if you want to enjoy this treat on a gluten-free diet.
Rolos contain milk, so these are not a good choice for a dairy-free diet. You’ll want to choose another candy instead if you also avoid dairy in your diet.
Read on: Are Rolos Gluten-free?

Skittles*
Skittles contain no gluten ingredients and are safe for a gluten-free diet. These candies are also dairy-free.
- Original
- Wild Berry
- Tropical Skittles
- Sour Skittles
- Skittles Darkside
- Skittles Brightside
- Zombie Skittles
- Skittles Gummies
Read on: Are Skittles Gluten-free?
Smarties*
According to the Smarties website, “Smarties® and our entire line of products are free from most of the known allergens. All products are free of milk, egg, fish, crustacean shellfish, tree nuts, peanuts, wheat and soy.”
They go on to say “Smarties® are gluten‑free and vegan! “
If you have Celiac disease, you can be sure the candy was processed in a gluten-free facility if the UPC number on the packaging begins with a “011206” – read more information on this here under “Are your products gluten-free?”
Yes, Smarties are gluten-free, and they are safe for a gluten-free diet.
Smarties also contain no dairy products and are safe to enjoy on a dairy-free diet.
Read on: Are Smarties Gluten-free?
Snickers
Based on the ingredients list in Snickers, this candy is gluten-free and safe to enjoy on a gluten-free diet.
The Mars Wrigley brand doesn’t have any information on their website or products related to the presence of gluten in their products or in their processing. Assume there is gluten at the trace levels with this treat.
Read on: Are Snickers Gluten-free?
Starburst*
Although the Mars company, the parent brand of Starburst, makes no claims on whether any of their products are gluten-free, the ingredients list on their packaging would indicate there are no gluten-containing ingredients in the product.
Starburst are generally considered safe for a gluten-free diet, however since we know that they don’t label their candy as gluten-free, there is a chance of cross contamination.
Starburst do not contain any milk or other dairy products, and are therefore safe to eat while following a dairy-free diet.
- Starburst Original Fruit Chews
- Starburst Minis Fruit Chews
- Starburst FaveREDs Fruit Chews
- Starburst All Pink Fruit Chews
- Starburst Tropical Fruit Chews
- Starburst Duos Fruit Chews
- Starburst Swirlers Chewy Sticks
- Starburst GummiBursts Candy
- Starburst Jelly Beans
Read on: Are Starburst Gluten-free?

Swedish Fish*
Swedish fish are gluten-free and safe for a gluten-free diet. Although they do not have a gluten-free label on their products, they are made with no gluten-containing ingredients.
- Swedish Fish Assorted Candy
- Swedish Fish Assorted Soft & Chewy Candy
- Swedish Fish Bags Original Soft & Chewy Assorted Candy
- Swedish Fish Brand Soft & Chewy Candy Christmas Colors
- Swedish Fish Candy
- Swedish Fish Candy Go-Paks!
- Swedish Fish Eggs Assorted Soft & Chewy Candy
- Swedish Fish Hearts BG
- Swedish Fish Mini Candy
- Swedish Fish Mini Crush Flavored Candy
- Swedish Fish Mini Tropical Flavored Candy
- Swedish Fish Original Soft & Chewy Candy
- Swedish Fish Soft & Chewy Candy
- Swedish Fish Soft Candy Berry Fat-Free
- Swedish Fish Tails Candy
- Swedish Fish Tropical Flavored
Swedish Fish contain no dairy ingredients, and are safe for a dairy-free diet. They are one of only a few candies that are allergen-friendly across multiple allergens, like gluten, dairy, nuts, and soy.
Read on: Are Swedish Fish Gluten-free?
Sweet Tarts
Some types of Sweet Tarts are gluten-free while others aren’t. The original Sweet Tarts are safe for a gluten-free diet, though they are processed on the same machinery and facility as other products that contain gluten. There is a risk of cross contamination.
Other varieties of Sweet Tarts are not gluten-free and contain wheat or glucose syrup derived from wheat. You can look on the packaging at the ingredients list on the back of the candy to determine if the candy you’re looking at is gluten-free.
While these don’t contain gluten ingredients, they are not labeled as gluten-free, so be aware that there is a potential for cross contamination with this candy.
- Original*
- Mini Chewy*
- Tangy Strawberry Soft & Chewy Ropes*
- Mini Chewy Berries & Cherries*
- Extreme Sour Chewy*
- Giant Chewy*
Read on: Are Sweet Tarts Gluten-free?
Tootsie Rolls & Tootsie Pops
Tootsie rolls are gluten-free, because they contain no wheat or other gluten ingredients. If you follow a gluten-free diet, this candy is safe to enjoy.
Tootsie Rolls contain whey and condensed skim milk making them not a good choice for someone following a dairy-free diet. Both the chocolate and fruit chews contain dairy products, so you’ll want to find a different treat if you’re avoiding dairy products in your diet.
- Tootsie Roll Mini Bites
- Tootsie Fruit Chew Mini Bites
- Tootsie Roll Snack Bars
- Tootsie Roll Midgees
- Tootsie Roll
- Tootsie Roll Vanilla Midgees
- Tootsie Fruit Chews
Tootsie Pops use the same ingredients as Tootsie rolls on the inside of the pops, with a hard candy shell on the outside. The candy shell is made with gluten-free ingredients and is safe for a gluten-free diet.
Like Tootsie Rolls, Tootsie Pops are not dairy-free or vegan.
- Grape Tootsie Pops
- Blue Raspberry Tootsie Pops
- Raspberry Tootsie Pops
- Caramel Tootsie Pops
- Cherry Tootsie Pops
- Chocolate Tootsie Pops
- Orange Tootsie Pops
- Strawberry Vanilla Tootsie Pops
- Green Apple Tootsie Pops
- Wild Apple Berry Tootsie Pops
- Wild Black Berry Tootsie Pops
- Wild Blue Berry Tootsie Pops
- Wild Cherry Berry Tootsie Pops
- Wild Mango Berry Tootsie Pops
- Blue Razz with Cherry Center Fruit Chew Pops
- Lemon-lime with Orange Center Fruit Chew Pops
- Orange with Lime Center Fruit Chew Pops
- Strawberry with Lemon Center Fruit Chew Pops
Read on: Are Tootsie Rolls Gluten-free?

Tic Tacs*
According to the Tic Tac website, “Tic Tac mints are gluten free.” If you follow a gluten-free diet, know that this candy is safe to enjoy regularly without giving you any issues.
- Freshmints
- Orange
- Fruit Adventure
- Wintergreen
- Coca Cola
- Big Berry Adventure
- X-Freeze
Read on: Are Tic Tacs Gluten-free?
What candy is NOT gluten-free?
During my research trying to find out what candy is safe for a gluten-free and dairy-free diet, I also found out a number of popular brands of candy that aren’t.
Here are some types and brands of candy you’ll want to avoid if you follow a gluten-free diet.
- Baby Ruth
- Butterfinger Crisp
- Fun Dip (the mix is gluten-free but there is no information available about the sticks in this candy)
- Kit Kat
- Sweet Tarts (some varieties)
- Twix
- Twizzlers
Read about each of these candies in detail and why they aren’t gluten-free in their own posts:
- Is Baby Ruth Gluten-free?
- Are Butterfingers Gluten-free?
- Is Fun Dip Gluten-free?
- Are Kit Kats Gluten-free?
- Are Sweet Tarts Gluten-free?
- Are Twix Gluten-free?
- Are Twizzlers Gluten-free? Are Twizzlers Vegan?
If you’ve been looking for candy that’s gluten-free or dairy-free, I hope this post has given you loads of information to help you find a treat that you love. Remember the most important thing about sticking with a gluten-free or dairy-free diet is reading ingredients lists.
Look at packaging as well as ingredients every time you buy candy (or any other packaged food for that matter) to be sure a recipe hasn’t changed. There are plenty of yummy candies for you to enjoy on a gluten and dairy-free diet, and I hope this list has helped you!
Didn’t find your favorite candy in this post? Share it in the comments below and I’ll be happy to add to it!
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