Are Candy Canes Gluten Free? Good For You Gluten Free

I’ve got the full scoop on which candy canes are gluten free and safe to consume on a strict gluten-free diet. I even tested Brach’s candy canes for hidden gluten with my portable gluten-detecting device. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

‘Tis the season to be jolly and eat plenty of candy canes. Christmas just isn’t the same without the candy cane, which is used as decoration, stocking stuffers, gift wrapping, and of course, for eating.

But before you put that candy cane in your mouth, let’s talk about if it’s gluten free, or not.

Yes, the vast majority of candy canes are gluten free, but of course, as someone with celiac disease, you can never be certain until you see the ingredient list.

Gluten, a protein found in wheat, barley, rye and sometimes oats, has a funny way of sneaking into everyday foods, especially when it comes to gluten cross contamination.

I researched the most popular candy cane brands and share what each brand says about gluten. I even tested one of the most popular brands for hidden gluten with my gluten-detecting device. Scroll down to learn more.

Are Spangler Candy Canes Gluten Free?

Spangler is a family-owned privately held candy company that makes candy canes. You can find Spangler candy canes in major retailers across the U.S., including Albertsons, Big Lots, BJ’s Wholesale, CVS, Family Dollar, Kmart, Kroger and Sam’s Club, to name a few major retailers.

According to the Spangler website, all Spangler candy canes are free from gluten and wheat, and they’re made in a dedicated manufacturing facility. If you can’t find them in a store near you, you can purchase them on Amazon.

Spangler Candy Canes, Big Sticks, and Mini Canes — Photo from Spangler.com

It looks like Spangler also has several licensed partner brands, all which are gluten free too, including:

Are Brach’s Candy Canes Gluten Free?

Brach’s, a brand by the Ferrara company, and the company manufacturers seasonal candy canes as well.

While none of the Brach’s candy canes contain gluten ingredients, the company features this warning on its website, “For gluten-free, product-specific information, please contact Ferrara Consumer Relations by completing the Contact Us form. Due to changes that may occur in the manufacturing and packaging environments, Ferrara does not provide allergen or gluten-free lists on this site.”

It looks like you’ll need to contact the manufacturer directly, although I would be comfortable eating a Brach’s candy cane based on the ingredient list and the below Nima Sensor test.

A Nima Sensor is a portable gluten-detecting device. I put a small amount of a candy cane in the single-use test capsule, and Nima displayed a smile. A smile means it did not detect any gluten.

You can find Brach’s candy canes on Amazon and learn more about Nima Sensor in this article.

Are Bob’s Sweet Stripes Gluten Free?

Bob’s Sweet Stripes are another holiday staple. They’re not quite a mint, not quite a candy cane.

While the ingredient list steers clear of gluten (Sugar, Peppermint Oil*, Red 40, Red 40 Lake), it, too, is manufactured by Ferrera and the same warning that applies to Brach’s candy canes applies to Bob’s Sweet Stripes.

Are SweeTARTS Candy Canes Gluten Free?

If you’re looking for funky colored candy canes, SweeTARTS are it. It doesn’t appear that SweetTART branded candy canes contain any gluten based on the ingredient list (Sugar, Corn Syrup, Malic Acid, and Less Than 2% of Sodium Lactate, Natural and Artificial Flavors, Acetic Acid, Color Added, Blue 1, Red 40, Yellow 5).

That said, these candy canes are manufactured by Ferrera, so the same warning that applies to Brach’s candy canes applies to SweetTART candy canes. You can find SweeTART candy canes on Amazon.

Are YumEarth Candy Canes Gluten Free?

Yes, all YumEarth candies, including its candy canes, are free from gluten and the top 8 allergies (wheat, soy, eggs, dairy, tree nuts, peanuts, fish and shellfish). They are also organic and made with organic cane sugar and organic brown rice syrup. You can find them on Amazon.

It also contains no artificial ingredients or food dyes. Check out this clean ingredient list: Organic Cane Sugar, Organic Brown Rice Syrup, Natural Peppermint Flavor, Colored With Organic Fruit And Vegetable Concentrate (Radish, Apple, Blackcurrant).

Are Hammonds Candy Canes Gluten Free?

Hammonds is a small family business that first grew a loyal local following but has since turned into an internationally-known iconic brand. It’s classic peppermint candy cane is its best-selling candy and is much more artisan in look than most store-bought brands.

According to the Hammonds website, the peppermint candy canes are free from gluten ingredients. However, I decided to reach out to the company for a little more explanation.

A spokesperson told me, “All of our candies canes are gluten free and are processed on gluten-free equipment. Please note we are not a certified gluten-free facility and have a general allergen statement that includes gluten, because gluten is handled in the building. We store cookies (wheat) in our cooler and pack snacks with gluten in the same production area our candy canes are produced.”

You can purchase Hammonds candy canes at major grocery stores or online on Amazon.

Happy Candy Cane Eating

As you can see, Spangler brand and Yum Earth are the safest candy cane brands, but none of the candy canes featured on this list specifically contain gluten ingredients. Always read ingredient labels carefully. The best and latest information will always be directly on the packaging itself.

Also read my gluten-free candy list for more information about other candies that are gluten free.