Article from Jane Anderson at About.com
Wondering what gluten-free Easter candy is available this year to place in your child’s Easter basket (or to enjoy yourself)? Here’s the list, updated as of March 2014, of gluten-free Easter candy — as you’ll see below, there are plenty of options you can use to make up a really nice gluten-free Easter basket.
Unless otherwise noted, these candies are considered by their manufacturers to contain less than 20 parts per million of gluten, which makes them “gluten-free” according to the currently accepted definition.
One note: there seems to be plenty of debate each year over whether Cadbury Creme Eggs are gluten-free or not. In the U.S., Cadbury Easter products are made by Hershey’s, which does not consider them to be gluten-free due to the potential risk of gluten cross-contamination in manufacturing.
However, the eggs appear to contain no gluten ingredients (Hershey’s will specify any gluten-containing ingredients on the label). They are manufactured in a plant that also processes tree nuts and peanuts, but not wheat. Nonetheless, I recommend using caution with Cadbury Creme Eggs because Hershey’s does not consider them gluten-free — despite safe-sounding ingredients, they may contain trace gluten.
Here’s the list of gluten-free Easter candy. If you’re wondering about the gluten status of a candy product not on this list, you should be able to find information on it in my main candy article, Gluten-Free Candy. Happy Easter!
Gluten-Free Easter Candy List
- Easter-themed Dove chocolate products, including Dove chocolate Easter bunnies, Dove egg-shaped candies and Easter-themed Dove bars. Always check the label, as I’ve occasionally seen Dove chocolate products with “made on equipment shared with wheat” warnings. Mars Inc. will identify gluten ingredients on the product’s label.
- Most Easter-themed M&Ms chocolate products, including M&Ms solid milk chocolate Easter bunny, M&M candies in Easter colors, and egg-shaped M&M candies. Exceptions include pretzel M&Ms (which contain gluten) and some specialty flavored M&Ms (which contain warnings about shared equipment). Beware especially of the white chocolate M&Ms on sale exclusively at Target for Easter, as they contain a warning about a shared facility. Again, always check the label, as Mars Inc. will call out any potential gluten cross-contamination on the label.
- Plain milk chocolate regular-sized Hershey’s Kisses in Easter-themed foil wrappers (for more on the gluten status of Hershey’s Kisses products, check out Are Hershey’s Kisses Gluten-Free?
- Jelly Belly jelly beans (INCLUDING licorice flavor jelly beans) and all Jelly Belly specially themed Easter packages
- Easter-themed Starburst candy, including jelly beans and special Easter candy packages
- Easter-themed Tootsie Roll candy, including Dubble Bubble Easter egg-shaped bubble gum, Tootsie Pops, Charms Blow Pops and Charms Candy Carnival products
- Necco Candy Eggs
- Peeps marshmallow treats by Just Born (check the label to make sure it states “gluten-free” below the list of ingredients — most do, but a few are made in shared facilities)
- Kraft Bunny Mallows and Egg Mallows (marshmallow Easter-themed treats). Kraft Foods Group Inc. will clearly disclose any gluten ingredients on the label.
Again, these candies are considered gluten-free to less than 20 parts per million. If you have any questions about a specific product, contact the manufacturer.
Easter Candy That’s NOT Considered Gluten-Free
• Balmer Easter bunnies (all sizes and flavors)
• Brach’s Speckled Jelly Bird Eggs
• Cadbury Creme Eggs (see note above)
• Cadbury Mini-Eggs
• Cadbury Easter bunnies (all sizes and flavors)
• Frankford Easter bunnies (all sizes and flavors)
• Ghirardelli chocolate Easter eggs
• Hershey’s Easter bunnies (all sizes and flavors)
• Hershey’s Easter egg candies (all sizes and flavors)
• Jolly Ranchers jelly beans and other Easter-themed candy
• Lindt chocolate carrots
• Lindt Easter bunnies (all sizes and flavors)
• Mighty Malts Speckled Malted Milk Eggs
• Russell Stover Easter bunnies (all sizes and flavors)
• Sweetarts jelly beans and other Easter-themed candy
• Whoppers Robin Eggs and Mini Robin Eggs
• Zachary chocolate-covered marshmallow eggs
