Halloween can be an extra tricky time for a vegan, especially for one with a sweet tooth. There’s nothing spookier than the thought of having to miss out on America’s biggest annual sugar high because you couldn’t find any vegan candy.
Now, you can be the person who squints at every candy wrapper to see if the treat you’re holding passes the animal-free test, or you can just check out this handy-dandy guide to some of the best sweets you didn’t know were vegan and specialty vegan candy you didn’t know existed.
1. Blow Pops
You can feel free to suck these lollipops, lollipops, oh lolli lolli lolli lollipops until you accidentally swallow the gum inside them—which some people do more often than they like to admit.
If you wanna know what happens to your bod when you do that, or are just curious about the history of gum, you can feast your eyes on this article.
2. Nerds
Talk nerdy to me while I see how many boxes of these I can dump down my gullet until my mouth overflows purely because I can…uh, or, ya know, you can be a cool adult and throw them into a milkshake or cocktail. Whatever floats your boat.
3. Twizzlers
No crushed up insects here, sir. (If you weren’t already aware, most red dye comes from bugs. Great for the creepy factor of Halloween, not so great for us vegan peeps. Read all about it in this Huffington Post article, or check out this Spoon article for other dyes you don’t want to be eating).
Also, you can’t call yourself a Twizzlers fan if you haven’t upped your drinking game with this crazy-easy hack.
#SpoonTip: Their Fall flavor, caramel apple, can go in the vegan candy pile too! This is super-duper special because caramel is typically milk & sugar. Never thought I’d say this, but processed food for the win.
4. Skittles
Tread with caution: Remember that bug dye I mentioned? Skittles used to contain it, but recently changed their recipe, so just make sure you check the ingredients list for the words “suitable for vegetarians” before you try to make skittles vodka with them (because how else are you supposed to taste the rainbow?).
5. Fun Size Laffy Taffys
Unfortunately, the big versions of this guy still contain egg. But don’t worry, stick to the fun size and you can still shake your laffy taffy knowing it’s solely plant-powered.
6. Airheads
Is it so wrong that the main reason I’m excited about this one is because you can turn them into edible shot glasses?
7. Smarties
Sure, these guys may be on a lot of people’s “least favorite Halloween candy” lists, but they are vegan, and you’re bound to end up with a few.
Personally I like to stick them in my backpack or car for when I’m desperate for something to eat or don’t have a breath mint handy. Or, if you wanna get your bake on, they’re also the perfect excuse to make these adorable Despicable Me minion cupcakes.
8. SweeTarts
Pretty much the less shitty version of smarties. Still not that great, but still vegan candy, and therefore still worth eating. Nom.
9. Sour Patch Kids
Sour-lovers, rejoice. If you’re a booze-lover too, you can pump your fist even higher in the air because there’s a hella easy recipe for Sour Patch watermelon vodka shots that you better believe I’ll be throwing back this Halloween.
10. Swedish Fish
Basically the OG vegan-friendly gummy. Just simple, sweet perfection that you should not consume in any other form, such as, oh I don’t know, Oreos (also “accidentally vegan”), which this Spoon member tested so you wouldn’t have to.
11. Yum Earth Gummy Worms & 12. Surf Sweets Gummy Worms
Free from common allergens, organic, and loaded with scrumptious fruity flavor, YumEarth and Surf Sweets gummies are the perfect addition to childhood classics like dirt cups, or the college classics like vodka gummies.
13. Annie’s Fruit Snacks
Unfortunately they were sold out of the Halloween-themed version at my grocery store, but don’t stress because you can get yours here. These lil bunnies are extra juicy and über addicting, and since they’re like the healthy version of gummies, you can let them hop into your mouth all year long, guilt free.
14. Trujoy Sweets Organic Fruit Chews
Two words. Vegan. Starburst. Seriously, right down to not giving you enough of the best flavor (which is the pink, obviously).
15. Enjoy Life Rice Milk Crunch Bar
Ah, the same ol’ light, airy, crunchy deliciousness packed into four dairy, gluten, nut and soy-free little bites. If you want a chocolate vegan candy that’s safe for almost errbody, The Enjoy Life company has got your back.
16. Justin’s Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups & 17. Cleo’s Vegan Milk Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Vegan candy never looked so good. Who needs Reese’s when you can have these beauties? (Answer: no one). Cleo’s dairy-free milk chocolate peanut butter cups and Justin’s dark chocolate peanut butter cups are every PB lover’s dream come true.
If you want to get whacky, you can conjure up these Inside Out Vegan Peanut Butter Cups, or get your vegainz by whipping up this Chocolate PB Protein shake.
18. Unreal Candy Crispy Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups
Nom on this next level vegan candy that’s the freaky delicious love child of Crunch bars and peanut butter cups. Definitely unreal.
19. Jokerz Candy Bar
It’s official. The search is over, because I found the greatest vegan candy in existence. Made by the same company that produces the Cleo PB cups, Go Max Go, the Jokerz candy bar is straight magic.
It’s a vegan Snickers bar, with the same milky chocolate, gooey caramel and crunchy peanut pleasure-party-in-your-mouth flavor, but with zero animal products #BlessUp.
With all this vegan candy in my treat bag (and by that, I do mean my belly), I just might have to go sugar-free for November. Until then, though, you can bet that I’ll be gobbling up every item on this list for the ultimate vegan Halloween.