Trick-or-treating, harvest festivals, and school Halloween parties! It's the time of year when we check labels and google the gluten-free status of literal bucketfuls of candy.
The first gluten-free Halloween after a celiac diagnosis is the hardest, but it gets easier every year.
My daughter was diagnosed at three, still years away from reading labels. Now, she knows which candies are gluten-free better than I do!
This year, you're covered with this list of easy-to-find, safe, gluten-free, Halloween candy.
The really good news is that there is a lot more safe gluten-free candy than there is gluten-containing candy!
Some of the links on this post are affiliate links. To learn more, visit our Disclosures.
At the end of this candy list, I'll share several of my best Gluten-Free Halloween Candy Tips to set you up for this year and every Halloween to come!
But first, let's talk about all the candy you can eat, whether you have gluten intolerance or celiac disease.
Please remember that ingredients can change at any time. This information is accurate for the following candy in the United States at the time of writing. Refer to the manufacturer links mentioned in this post, the actual candy packages, and the 7 tips at the end of this post.
Reese's Peanut Butter Cups: Werewolf Tracks!
Last year's Franken-Cups (pictured above) have been replaced with this year's Reese's Peanut Butter Cups Werewolf Tracks. Now, there is white vanilla creme on top instead of green creme on the bottom.
Werewolf Tracks top this list for a couple of reasons:
First, Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are a hit with the candy crowd and commonly appear in Halloween buckets. Regular Reese's Peanut Butter Cups are labeled gluten-free. In fact, at last count, 73 varieties of Reese's products are on Hershey's gluten-free list. The gluten-free label is even on the individually-wrapped peanut butter cups, so you can check each candy!
Second, Werewolf Tracks are a seasonal version of this popular treat. Usually, seasonal versions of Reese's, like the pumpkin, bat, and ghost-shaped Reese's are produced on shared lines during busy holiday production and are not labeled gluten-free.
So, this Halloween-themed peanut butter cup is a truly special Halloween treat!
Jelly Belly Candy Corn
While most candy corn has no gluten ingredients, there can be at risk of cross-contamination due to shared equipment.
Jelly Belly Candy Corn, however, is gluten-free according to the manufacturer.
Jelly Belly Jelly Beans are also gluten-free and the very best jelly beans ever!
Caramel Apple Lollipops
These fall-themed lollipops often show up in Halloween candy buckets after a fun night of trick-or-treating. Caramel Apple Lollipops are clearly labeled gluten and peanut-free on the package.
Yum Earth Halloween Candy Variety Pack
The Yum Earth brand focuses on including kiddos with allergies, celiac disease, gluten sensitivity, and other special dietary needs.
The Yum Earth Halloween Variety Pack contains mini-packages of candy, including Halloween-shaped Gummy Fruits with bats and vampire teeth. Everything is free of the top 9 allergens, gluten-free, organic, and vegan.
Other Yum Earth Halloween options are snack pack-sized Giggles & Chews, which you'll quickly recognize as similar in appearance to the popular brands Skittles & Starburst.
Skittles
Speaking of Skittles...
Skittles are labeled gluten-free, again. If you keep up with gluten-free labels, Skittles used to be labeled gluten-free. The label went away a few years ago, but the candy continued to have no gluten ingredients.
The gluten-free label is back and offers even more confidence to those of us on a medically necessary gluten-free diet.
A special Halloween variety that comes in black and orange packages, Skittles Shriekers Sour Fun Size for Halloween, is also labeled gluten-free!
Starburst
Like Skittles, Starburst is owned by Mars/Wrigley and now carries a new gluten-free claim. If these show up in your little one's trick-or-treat bucket, they are a safe option.
There's even a giant Variety Bag of 105 Fun Size Skittles & Starbust, all labeled gluten-free and free of the top 9 allergens.
Smarties
Sold in a seemingly bottomless giant bag filled with an endless supply of Smarties, this candy is sure to show up in this year's Halloween haul. Smarties are labeled gluten-free and peanut-free.
Hershey Monster Kisses
Adorable Hershey's Kisses wrapped inside monster face foils! These are labeled gluten-free and are on the lengthy list of gluten-free Hershey's Kisses. Along with Harry Potter Hershey's Kisses.
Not all Hershey's Kisses are gluten-free. Regular milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and hugs are gluten-free. Some flavors, such as cookies and cream, are not.
Check the bag. Hershey will add "gluten-free" on the back if they are.
Blow Pops
For a few years, in lieu of her own gluten-free cupcake for birthday parties, my daughter started requesting lollipops.
Blow Pops, in particular, were her favorite. Not only did she get a lollipop, but she got to chew gum long after her friends had finished their slices of birthday cake. She never felt like she was missing out.
This 2-for-1 candy is labeled gluten-free.
Dum Dums
These allergy-friendly little lollipops usually cost under 10 cents each, so you'll frequently see Dum Dums at school-wide Halloween events where budgets have to be stretched.
They are gluten-free!
Tootsie Pops and Pops Minis
Tootsie Pops and Tootsie Pops Minis are ubiquitous in Halloween candy bowls. Happily, they are gluten-free and peanut-free, making them another popular candy for school events.
Tootsie Rolls
These inexpensive sweets will definitely show up in candy buckets on Halloween night. Traditional Tootsie Rolls, as well as all other flavors and colors, are gluten-free. All products by Tootsie Roll Industries carry a peanut-free, gluten-free symbol on the packaging.
Dubble Bubble
If you can get past the spelling, you'll be happy to know Dubble Bubble gum is gluten-free. The package states "peanut-free, gluten-free".
Ghost DOTS (& Regular DOTS)
Any themed seasonal candy is automatically better than the regular version, so it's especially fun for our gluten-free kids to be able to join in the fun with these special goodies!
These Halloween Ghost DOTS are gluten-free, as are the regular DOTS and any other seasonal variety. Look for the "peanut-free, gluten-free" image on every package.
Child's Play Candy Variety Pack
The Child's Play Candy Variety Pack is made by Tootsie Roll Industries. We've already covered everything in this grab bag assortment and it is all gluten-free!
Halloween Peeps: Ghosts, Pumpkins & Monsters
Peeps aren't just for Easter! You can find these themed marshmallows for every holiday. The package is labeled gluten-free.
Halloween Peeps are great for sugar lovers to eat as-is. But they are even more fun when used as marshmallows for s'mores, a Halloween decoration for easy white hot chocolate, or to decorate a gluten-free Haunted House.
Movie Theater Candy: Junior Mints, Milk Duds, Hot Tamales, and Mike & Ikes
These movie theater favorites are all labeled gluten-free right on the box: Junior Mints, Milk Duds, Hot Tamales, and Mike & Ikes.
What about the fun-size versions made for trick-or-treaters?
Most fun sizes of these movie theater candies still carry the gluten-free label on the bag. The exception is Milk Duds, which are made by Hershey. A bag of just fun-size Milk Duds is on Hershey's gluten-free list, but the "gluten free" claim disappears from the package when the mini boxes are added to an assortment of Halloween candy. The actual Mik Duds still contain no gluten ingredients.
Halloween York Peppermint Patties
The Halloween-sized York Peppermint Patties in themed wrappers and the Pumpkin-shaped versions are both labeled gluten-free this year.
In past years, the seasonal-shaped York Peppermint Patties were usually not labeled gluten-free, due to possible cross-contact from shared lines during busy holiday production. Although, the peppermint patties themselves still contained no gluten ingredients.
Over the past year or so, Hershey has been surprising us with gluten-free heart-shaped peppermint patties for Valentine's Day, snowflakes for Christmas, and egg-shapes for Easter. The trend continued with labeled gluten-free pumpkin-shaped peppermint patties for Halloween!
Hershey kindly labels its packages of York Peppermint Patties gluten-free, so there is no doubt. If you don't have access to the package, such as when trick-or-treating, the rule of thumb is to assume that the seasonal shapes are not labeled gluten-free.
Note, Zero Sugar Peppermint Patties are not labeled gluten-free.
PEZ
PEZ candy is labeled gluten-free and is sold with cute Halloween-themed dispensers. These make fun gifts for kids and are a great way to make the candy last a little longer.
Airheads Bars and Mini Bars
I frequently see Airheads in my daughter's Halloween bucket. They are labeled both gluten-free and peanut-free.
Almond Joy
As a kid, I was not a fan of Almond Joy. Any that ended up in my orange plastic pumpkin went straight to my mom.
Tradition lives on! My daughter now passes on to me this chocolate bar that seems more suited to an adult palate. Like my daughter, I have celiac disease. So, I'm thankful for the gluten-free label on the bag.
Mounds
Mounds, the almond-less sister to Amond Joy, is labeled gluten-free by Hershey.
Heath Miniatures
Also bearing a gluten-free label from Hershey are Heath Miniatures. These chocolate-covered toffees are especially delicious broken into little pieces and sprinkled on ice cream!
Rolo
If you are missing the Milky Way chocolate bar, which contains gluten (barley), the caramel-filled chocolate Rolo is an excellent alternative. Hershey labels it gluten-free.
Albanese Gummi Bears
Albanese Gummi Bears are an exciting addition to the Gluten-Free Halloween Candy List. They are full of unique and real flavors, labeled gluten-free, and now sold in mini packs for Trick-or-Treaters!
Albanese has added a fun Sweet & Sour Monster Combo with mini packs of sweet gummi bears and sour gummi worms.
Popular Halloween Candy without Gluten-Ingredients
The following candies are ubiquitous at Halloween. The manufacturers do not make gluten-free claims, which means they are not verifying that the products contain fewer than 20 parts per million of gluten. However, they currently do not contain gluten ingredients.
- Bazooka Halloween Ring Pops: see the Bazooka Candy Brands allergy guide
- Milky Way Midnight. The original Milky Way Bar contains barley malt extract and is not gluten-free.
- Plain M&Ms including the Ghouls Mix with only green, orange, and purple M&Ms. Note, Crispy M&Ms, Pretzel M&Ms, and some seasonal varieties are not gluten-free.
- Peanut M&Ms
- Life Savers
- 3 Musketeers
- Ghoolish Green Snickers for Halloween and regular Snickers
- Swedish Fish
- Sour Patch Kids including Zombie Sour Patch Kids
7 Gluten-Free Halloween Candy Tips
1. Visit the Candy Aisle in Late September for Quick & Easy Research.
We've all cried in the grocery store aisles. Don't worry! This candy scouting trip will not leave you in tears.
Visit your grocery store or favorite big box store and head straight to the candy aisle for stress-free research. My go-to candy source is Target, and the products photographed for this post were all found at my local Target.
Simply pick up bags of your or your child's favorite candy and look for the gluten-free label (more on that in a moment). Manufacturers consistently tell us that the ingredient labels have the most current and accurate allergen information.
Also, take a peek at any of the candies that you see frequently handed out on Halloween.
Safe List
Make a mental note or keep a list on your phone of any items that are labeled gluten-free.
Consider adding items that have no gluten ingredients, depending on your comfort level. Based on discussions with our gastroenterologists, my daughter and I (both celiacs) are comfortable including the "no gluten ingredients" category.
Do Not Eat List
Note any candy that is definitely off-limits, based on declared gluten ingredients.
Most often this will be wheat. Occasionally, you'll see barley and barley malt.
As a celiac, I personally also add any candy with a voluntary "may contain wheat" statement to my do not eat category.
Unsure?
There may be items that you are unsure about.
Wheat has to be declared on the label, so that's easy.
Barley, however, can be hidden. If there is no "gluten-free" claim on the package and you see ingredients like malt, yeast extract, or natural flavors, you will have to contact the manufacturer for more information.
Sometimes, I decide it is not worth the trouble to contact the company, especially with so many easy and safe options available. Other times, if I know it's something my daughter will really want, I reach out to the manufacturer. Options include email, chat, phone, and social media. It sometimes takes a few days to get an answer.
The candy scouting trip will only take about 10-15 minutes, and you will happily and quickly find that more candy is gluten-free than not.
2. Get to Know the Gluten-Free Policies of Major Halloween Candy Brands
It helps tremendously to understand the allergen policies of the major candy manufacturers who make the vast majority of the candy that you'll come across during Halloween or any other candy holiday.
Tootsie Roll Industries
Tootsie Roll Industries makes popular candies including Tootsie Rolls, Charms Blow Pops, Junior Mints, Sugar Daddy/Babies, Dots, and more!
According to its website, at this time, none of its confections include gluten. Look for the gluten-free, peanut-free symbol on the packaging.
Hershey
Hershey Company, the maker of Reese's, York Peppermint Patties, Hershey's Kisses, and countless chocolate treats sets the standard for gluten-free transparency.
The company maintains a searchable list of gluten-free products on its website.
It also declares gluten ingredients, so there's no hidden barley under the name "natural flavors". Many Hershey's chocolate products carry gluten-free statements on the label.
Ferrero/Ferrera
Ferrero owns Ferrera Candy, and they collectively own several brands of candy including SweetTarts, Nerds, and Fun Dip.
Unfortunately, Ferrera does not publish gluten-free information online and rarely includes it on the candy package. This means the safest way to determine if a product is safe is to contact the company and wait a couple of days for a response.
Bazooka
Bazooka owns several brands. The most likely to appear at Halloween is Ring Pop. According to an email I received from Bazooka, Ring Pops contain no gluten ingredients and are not produced in the same factory or on the same equipment as products containing wheat.
The Company has a detailed allergen chart on its website with similar information for all of its products.
Mars/Wrigley
Mars/Wrigley makes a lot of popular Halloween candy but does not make gluten-free claims on its chocolate products, like 3 Musketeers, Snickers, and M&Ms.
According to an email I received from Mars/Wrigley, gluten ingredients will be clearly identified on the label. No hidden barley under natural flavors, for example. Milky Way is a Mars/Wrigley product, and barley malt is disclosed in the ingredient list.
For products that may have cross-contact with one of the top nine allergens, which includes wheat but not barley, Mars/Wrigley will include a "may contain statement", such as "may contain wheat." The package is the most accurate source of current information. The company also follows a high standard for allergy protocols during manufacturing.
Mars/Wrigley also owns Skittles and Starbursts. Those two products recently added gluten-free claims, so fingers crossed we will see more gluten-free labels from this Halloween candy powerhouse in the future!
Mondelez International
Mondelez owns Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids.
Both products contain natural flavors, which in the United States, can potentially be a source of hidden gluten, although this is usually not the case. To be safe, when there is not a gluten-free claim on the label and the product ingredient list includes natural flavors, I reach out to the manufacturer for more information.
According to my chat with customer service, Mondelez requires that its suppliers disclose whether there is any gluten. Mondelez will then disclose it on the label if "present even at minute levels due to cross contact". Currently, Swedish Fish and Sour Patch Kids do not have a gluten disclosure.
3. Watch out for Seasonal Items
Brands we normally trust to be gluten-free can run their products on shared manufacturing lines during busy holiday seasons when production is ramped up.
This is especially true with seasonal items that are a different shape or especially a different flavor. A new flavor, such as pumpkin spice, means a new recipe that could include gluten ingredients.
Double-check the candy labels to be safe.
4. The Manufacturer is the Best Resource
Any gluten-free candy list (including this one) is only as accurate as it is current.
Information can change at any time. Candy that is safe this Halloween may not be safe by next Halloween or even Christmas.
That's why these 7 tips are even more important than the gluten-free candy list above. The tips will serve you well from year to year.
Refer to each manufacturer's website and always the package itself for the most up-to-date and accurate information. Once you know what to look for and the policies of each brand, this gets so much easier!
5. Remember the Teal Pumpkin Project!
The Teal Pumpkin Project encourages homes to offer non-food Halloween treats for kids with food allergies, other dietary restrictions, or medical conditions.
The Teal Pumpkin Project has a map where you can register your home or find other homes with non-food alternatives for your trick-or-treater. Or both!
To be easily identified, pick up a teal pumpkin to place in front of your home. Kids can carry teal pumpkin buckets if they wish.
If you are listing your home on the map, you can still offer candy. Just have non-food treats on hand for teal-pumpkin kiddos.
I found teal pumpkins, buckets, and a huge selection of Halloween knick-knacks at Target.
6. Stock up on Non-Candy Snack Deals for Halloween-Themed Lunch Box Fillers
It's no secret that gluten-free snacks are pricey. Halloween-themed versions of your child's favorite lunch box snacks can be a bargain. They are a fun way for our gluten-free kids to feel included in seasonal fun.
Always do the quick math on cost per unit, but there are often deals to be had on snacks, such as the following:
- Halloween Pirate's Booty
- Veggie Chips Ghosts & Bats
- Partake Halloween Chocolate Chips Cookies and Made Good Mini Chocolate Chip Granola Bars: These cookies and granola bars contain gluten-free oats and are certified gluten-free. However, I have not seen the mini Halloween portions in stores this year, yet, but Target came out with these adorable Pumpkin Face Sandwich Cookies with Pumpkin Creme Filling!
- Good Health Monster Shaped Veggie Chips
7. Important! Make a Plan for Gluten-Containing Candy
- Trade candy with friends and siblings. This solution is a win-win. Your child can trade popular candy they can't eat for their favorite safe candies.
- Buy a bag of your child's favorite candies to swap out with ones they can't eat.
- Have a visit from the Switch Witch (in my house she was the Halloween Fairy. Your child can leave the gluten-containing candy (and maybe some of the gluten-free candy if you want to cut down more on the sweets) for the Switch Witch to exchange for a more desirable toy. If you have teens, this more desirable toy is called money.
- Donate the unsafe candy. Your child's dentist likely has a candy collection program.
Popular Halloween Candies That Are NOT Gluten-Free
- Regular Milky Way Bars (barley)
- Kit Kat Bars (wheat)
- Twix (wheat)
- Twizzlers (wheat)
- Nestle Crunch (barley)
- Whoppers (barley)
Helpful Gluten-Free Halloween Posts:
- Free Printable: Gluten-Free Halloween Candy List
- Halloween Dinner Ideas: Gluten-Free Jack-O'-Lantern Pizza and Gluten-Free Mummy Hot Dogs
- Halloween at Disneyland
- Keep Your Celiac Child Included & Gluten-Free at School
- Complete Gluten-Free Halloween Guide
After Halloween, get ready for the holidays with this list of Gluten-Free Christmas Candy!
