There are plenty of vegan sweets to choose from in the US!
It’s never been easier to satisfy your sweet tooth as a vegan. There are plenty of vegan chocolates and candies that contain zero animal-derived ingredients, so nobody needs to miss out on the fun.
If you’re wondering which sweets are vegan, we’ve done all the hard work for you!
ACCIDENTALLY VEGAN SWEETS
There are tons of candy that are vegan without you even realizing it. ‘Accidentally vegan’ sweets aren’t labeled vegan, but a quick scan of the label tells us they are.
- Airheads
- Charms Blow Pops
- Dots
- Dum Dums
- Fruit by the Foot
- Fun Dip
- Juicy Pops
- Laffy Taffy (Fun Size)
- Now and Laters (Original)
- Ring Pops
- Skittles (all flavors)
- Smarties
- Sweet Tarts (Original)
- Twizzlers
Most supermarkets also stock own-brand accidentally vegan treats. Just be sure to check the label for any obvious non-vegan ingredients like gelatin, or other animal-based ingredients disguised in the form of E numbers.
VEGAN SWEETS BRANDS
There are also several independent vegan brands available at supermarkets and health food shops:
- Annie’s Fruit Snacks
- Better Bears
- Dandies Marshmallows
- Healthy Hippo Naturals
- Joyride Sweets
- Oomph! Sweets
- SmartSweets
- Snack Owl
- Surf Sweets (DelishFish, Fruit Bears, Fruity Rings, and Cinnamon Bears)
- YumEarth Organic Fruit Chews
WHAT MAKES SWEETS NON-VEGAN?
If you’re trying to figure out whether a product is vegan or not, there are a few things to look out for:
- Gelatin – This substance is derived from boiled skin, ligaments, tendons, and bones of animals (usually pigs or cows). It’s often present in jelly sweets.
- Shellac – This resin secreted by the female lac bug is also known as E904. It’s often used as the shiny, hard coating on sweets.
- Cochineal – Many red sweets use cochineal, which is a food coloring made from crushed female scale insects. It also goes by other names: carmine, natural red, or E120.
- Honey – Sometimes honey is used as flavoring or sweetener, which is unsuitable for vegans as it’s derived from bees.
- Beeswax – Like honey, this is derived from bees and therefore not vegan-friendly. Beeswax is used as a glazing agent to give sweets a smooth, shiny appearance. It’s also labeled as E901.
- Dairy – Milk is used in various sweets, but must be listed in bold on product labels in the US, making it the easiest non-vegan ingredient to find.
For more information about accidentally vegan products, read our handy checklist.
PAGE UPDATED: JANUARY 2024
