Vegan Halloween Candy Guide 2023

It’s officially Halloween season, and if you’re one of us who goes full-tilt during this holiday, you may be wondering how you can step up your candy game this year.   Maybe you’re a new vegan looking to revamp your candy selection. But, even if you’ve been vegan for years, there are always new options to explore when it comes to filling your trick-or-treat bowl.  Whatever the reason, we have a great selection of healthier alternatives and classic vegan Halloween candies that you can include in your bowl this year!

Healthier Vegan Halloween Candy

With all of the different brands and types of candy available for us to enjoy today, there is no reason why you shouldn’t be able to find some delicious and enjoyable vegan candy options for this fall holiday.

That said, you probably don’t want to spend hours of your time researching and comparing different types of vegan candies. Instead, you could spend that time working on your Halloween costume or decorating your home for the upcoming holiday. So, we’ve come up with a list of ten delicious and healthier alternatives to traditional candies you can munch on (and give out) during this Halloween season.

UnReal PB Cups

If you’re looking for an excellent Reese’s peanut butter cup alternative that is vegan, UnReal’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups are a great option. Reese’s brand peanut butter cups use milk products, which are not vegan-friendly.

These UnReal PB cups are vegan, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and Fair Trade certified. Plus, they taste way better and are much fresher than Reese’s!

YumEarth Organic Halloween Gummy Fruits

Unfortunately, many fruit snacks and other gummy candies use gelatin to form their squishy and chewy texture. Gelatin is made from animals and, therefore, is not acceptable for a vegan diet.  YumEarth Gummy Fruits, on the other hand, are made with 100% plant-based ingredients.

These delicious fruit gummies are vegan, nut-free, gluten-free, soy-free, non-GMO, and USDA Organic certified.  Just make sure you stay away from their gummy bears, worms, and candy corn because those are NOT vegan.

Smart Sweets Lollipops

If you’re looking for a great lollipop option to include in your Halloween candy bowl this year, try Smart Sweets Lollipops. Unlike the classic Tootsie Pop, which contains milk ingredients for the Tootsie Roll center, Smart Sweet Lollipops are entirely vegan and even have a fraction of the sugar — making them a much healthier alternative to a classic lollipop.

These hard candies are a low-sugar, gluten-free, non-GMO, vegan snack that gives you all the joy of having a delicious lollipop without any animal-derived ingredients.

MadeGood Mini Halloween Bars

You might miss some of the delicious chocolate options you had growing up. Or, you might be looking to offer your kids a healthier alternative to a typical candy bar this year for Halloween. Whatever the reason, MadeGood Mini Halloween Bars are a delicious chocolate chip granola bar that is vegan and gluten-free while also being USDA Organic certified. With only 3 grams of sugar, these allergy-friendly bars are a fantastic alternative to a classic Halloween candy bar.

Skinny Pop Halloween Bags

Who says that Halloween treats have to be sweet? Not everyone wants an endless supply of candy. After a while, an excellent, more savory option might be highly welcomed — especially after the 10th bag of Skittles.

Being the house providing this delicious savory snack might make your home stand out from the crowd of trick-or-treaters.  Skinny Pop Halloween Bags are vegan, gluten-free, preservative-free, non-GMO, and guilt-free.

Eat the Change Cosmic Carrot Chews

If you’re tired of artificially flavored and overly sweet fruit snacks or other fruit-flavored treats, Eat the Change Cosmic Carrot Chews might be your choice. These delicious fruit chews include zero added sugars and are sweetened with only fruit juice! They also only contain 60 calories per serving and are an excellent source of vitamin A.

These healthy alternatives to fruit gummies are vegan, non-GMO, and USDA Organic certified. Additionally, Eat the Change supports responsible and regenerative farming practices so that you can enjoy these tasty treats 100% guilt-free.

Garden Veggie Chips Ghosts & Bats

For those who love to go all-in during this scary holiday, there’s nothing better than a little rebranding that makes something essential into an adorable Halloween critter. If you are looking for a saltier snack option, these tasty Garden Veggie Chips in seasonal ghosts and bats can be a great choice.

These veggie chips are vegan, non-GMO, and gluten-free. This makes them an excellent option for several different crowds and is sure to make your home a favorite stop in the trick-or-treating route for many kids.  After all, who doesn’t love a little salty snack to take a break from all of the candy?

Partake Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies

If you live close to a Target, you may have to look no further than your local store for a delicious and unique treat for your trick-or-treaters this Halloween. As a Target-exclusive product, Partake Halloween Chocolate Chip Cookies may be an enjoyable way to put your house on the map in trick-or-treater’s routes. After all, not many homes will be giving out delicious cookies that are non-GMO, vegan, and gluten-free!

These cookies are also produced in a dedicated facility that is top 9 allergen-free.  The cookies only have 90 calories and 5 grams of sugar per serving — much less than a traditional cookie or candy bar.  Partake is also a Black and AAPI-owned Brand. 

Snyder’s of Hanover Halloween Trick-or-Treat Mini Pretzels

Pretzels are a classic snack for a reason. So many of us grew up enjoying these crunchy, salty treats, and kids today also enjoy these savory snacks. Snyder’s pretzels have been a classic staple in many of our homes. These adorable little Halloween Trick-or-Treat Mini Pretzel bags are a great way to offer a healthier alternative to a candy bar or bag of Skittles.

No Whey! Choco No No’s Minis

These No Whey! Choco No No’s are perfect if you’re looking for the ultimate allergy-friendly vegan option. These delicious chocolates are made in a dedicated gluten-free facility that is free from the most common eight food allergens and artificial flavorings and colors. These treats are perfect for any occasion — especially for Halloween, when it may be challenging for trick-or-treaters to find vegan-friendly chocolates!

Accidentally Vegan Halloween Candy

Now, maybe you are worried that the adorable little trick-or-treaters coming for candy this year may be confused or put off if you’re only offering less well-known vegan sweets. Luckily, there are plenty of accidentally vegan candies you can give out to kids that don’t include animal products or byproducts.

If you’ve never heard the phrase “accidentally vegan,” you may be wondering what these treats are.  Accidentally vegan foods are any foods that are vegan but not marketed as or made to be vegan. In other words, accidentally vegan foods are foods that simply just happen to be vegan.

Skittles

Want to taste the rainbow this Halloween? Luckily, Skittles are vegan, and you can enjoy your little slice of the rainbow guilt-free. So whether you’re craving the original rainbow in the red bag, the purple Wild Berry pack, or the Sour Skittles in the green pack, you can look forward to these little rainbow candies this season while still following a vegan lifestyle!

Twizzlers

Twizzlers is the next accidentally vegan candy option that is commonplace in the Halloween candy loot bag. These delicious berry licorice treats come in various flavors and sizes, making them an excellent choice for trick-or-treaters looking for a vegan candy option.

Smarties

Family-owned since 1949 and women-run, these delicious little candy tablets are vegan and an excellent blast of sweet nostalgia for many of us. As one of the most popular Halloween candy options, many of us remember getting these little candy rolls during our own days of trick or treating. So, why not include them in your own candy bowl this year? 

Airheads

Airheads are another great option for your vegan Halloween bowl this year. These chewy, taffy-like candies come in a variety of fruity flavors.  Keep in mind that not all Airheads are vegan. Only the original bars are vegan.  The other types — bites, gummies, and gum — contain ingredients derived from animals.

Dots

Dots are another Halloween candy bag classic. These fruity gumdrops are an incredibly nostalgic and fun vegan option from the Tootsie Roll company. These chewy treats come in an adorable (and environmentally-friendly) cardboard box and a variety of flavors like original, tropical, and sour.

Sour Patch Kids

We all know the Sour Patch Kids jingle, “first they’re sour, then they’re sweet.” So if you are looking for a tasty sour gummy option, you really can’t do better than Sour Patch Kids. One of the things that make these delicious gummies so unique is their taste-changing nature, but the thing that makes these gummies fantastic is that they are completely cruelty-free!

Ring Pops

Who doesn’t like a little bit of wearable candy every once in a while? 😆 These can be a great way to have delicious fruity hard candy and a little bit of fun with friends. Luckily, these treats are plant-based and vegan-friendly, so you do not have to miss out on all of the Ring Pop fun!  Keep in mind that only the hard candy Ring Pops are vegan.  The Ring Pop Gummy Rings contain gelatin.

Swedish Fish

These classic red, fish-shaped candies are another well-known Halloween trick-or-treating haul staple. Both the traditional flavor and other flavors, like the tropical variation, are cruelty-free. Still, it’s important to take a quick glance at the ingredient list before indulging because some flavors can occasionally contain beeswax, which is not vegan-friendly.

Dum Dums 

Sometimes you just want a nice lollipop treat. Unfortunately, options like Tootsie pops are not vegan (due to the Tootsie Roll center that contains milk ingredients). But luckily, DumDums offer a variety of flavors of lollipop that are cruelty-free. Also, these mini lollipops are perfect for the little trick-or-treaters coming to your home!

Jolly Ranchers

Pretty much everyone is familiar with these delicious fruit-flavored candies. Jolly Ranchers are a must-have for any vegan Halloween candy haul. You can enjoy these cruelty-free fruity hard candies guilt-free.

Remember that Jolly Rancher gummies contain gelatin, but all the hard-candy options are vegan, and you can feel free to indulge in these delicious treats.

Common Non-Vegan Ingredients to Watch Out for in Halloween Candy

Maybe you are new to the vegan lifestyle, or perhaps you simply want to branch out in your Halloween candy haul for this year. If you’re looking for vegan Halloween candy options, you may be wondering which ingredients you need to steer clear of when looking for your new favorite candies.

Some of the common non-vegan ingredients in candy are:

• Butter
• Milk or milk powder
• Eggs
• Honey
• Beeswax
• Whey
• Gelatin (made from animal ligaments, tendons, cartilage, bones, and/or skin)
• Carmine color (a red pigment made from crushing the female cochineal insect)
• Confectioner’s glaze (made from sticklac, a resin scraped from branches of trees where certain insects create a waterproof cocoon)

Any candies containing these ingredients are not vegan, and you should avoid them if you adhere to a vegan diet.

The Recap

We hope this guide helps you fill your candy bowl with fun and new candy options that are cruelty-free but just as tasty as the classic Halloween candies. Whether you decide to opt for healthier alternatives to the traditional sweets we mentioned first, or you’d rather stick to the vegan classics, we know trick-or-treaters will love stopping at your house this year!

If you’re looking for more vegan snack options — maybe snacks that are not traditionally made for Halloween — check out 25 vegan snacks you can find at Target.