The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the views of Spoon University.
Peanut-free shouldn’t mean taste-free.
As someone with a peanut allergy and a serious snacking habit, finding treats that are both safe and satisfying can be a challenge. Sure, avoiding obvious culprits like peanut butter cups is easy, but it’s a lot more disheartening when a delicious-looking snack comes with a “may contain peanuts” warning. Thankfully, more companies are stepping up and crafting snacks free of the Top 9 allergens, giving folks with food allergies and Celiac disease the freedom to enjoy food without fear. These snacks often use clever ingredient swaps—like tapioca starch for wheat flour or brown rice syrup instead of corn syrup—to keep the texture on point. But do they actually taste good? I tried a few peanut-free snacks to find out which ones are worth stocking in your pantry…and which ones should stay on the shelf.
Note: I focused on peanut-free snacks, but most of these are free from all Top 9 allergens.
Trader Joe’s Dark Chocolate Sunflower Seed Butter Cups
I’m a huge fan of sunflower butter (highly recommend mixing it into Greek yogurt), so I was very excited to try Trader Joe’s Sunflower Seed Butter Cups. Not only are they peanut-free, but they’re also dairy and gluten-free! When I broke one in half, the dark chocolate layer was noticeably thicker than the sunflower seed butter center. The smell of sunflower butter is pretty strong, and you immediately get that sweet and salty aroma that makes your mouth water with anticipation.
Biting into it, the dark chocolate definitely stole the show. I got small bursts of sunflower butter flavor in some bites, but overall, it felt more like eating a rich dark chocolate square with a hint of something nutty and salty in the middle. It’s not a bad thing—just not what I expected.
I asked a friend who loves peanut butter for their opinion, and they agreed it’s not really a dupe for a classic Reese’s. To be fair, Reese’s uses milk chocolate and has a much thicker peanut butter center, so the products themselves aren’t too similar to begin with. Additionally, sunflower butter is milder than peanut butter, so it makes sense that the dark chocolate would dominate.
Even though these weren’t quite what I had imagined, I’d still buy them again—especially if I’m craving something chocolatey.
Cybele’s Free to Eat Crunchy Cookies
Cookies are one of my favorite foods: whether chewy, crunchy, soft, or thin, if it’s safe, I’ll eat it. So when I spotted Cybele’s Free to Eat Crunchy Cookies in the snack aisle, I had to try them. Cybele’s offers several allergy-friendly flavors, but I opted for the Caramel Chocolate Chip. It seemed like a good starting point—classic with a twist.
The moment I opened the package, I was hit with a wave of nostalgia. The cookies instantly reminded me of the chocolate chip cookie cereal I used to beg my dad for as a kid. These are a bit larger than the cereal pieces, but they give off a similar energy. One thing that stood out right away was the smell, because it was not your typical chocolate chip cookie aroma. Instead, it leaned more caramel-y, with a deeper molasses note. A quick peek at the ingredients explained it: dark brown sugar and brown rice syrup are listed near the top.
They’re not kidding when they say these are crunchy. The texture has a serious bite, but they’re incredibly satisfying. The caramel flavor from the brown sugar and syrup gave the cookies a rich twist that still satisfies a sweet tooth. Even though they’re made with gluten-free ingredients like brown rice flour, tapioca starch, and potato starch, the texture was similar to a regular, store-bought cookie. If anything, they reminded me of a Tate’s Bake Shop chocolate chip cookie—but thicker and heartier.
I’ll definitely be buying these again. In fact, I already have plans to crumble them into vanilla ice cream.
Abe’s Mini Coffee Cake Muffins
I’ll admit, I’m no stranger to Abe’s products. They’ve become a go-to for me because they offer a wide variety of baked goods, from muffins and brownies to entire loaves of banana bread. They’re also free from the Top 9 allergens! Abe’s even includes a thoughtful blurb about their facility: while it’s free from most major allergens, they do handle dairy, egg, and wheat there. That said, the gluten-free muffins are made on dedicated allergen-free lines, which is reassuring. Regardless, it’s still smart to exercise some caution.
I’ll admit that I’m a little more selective with muffins. While I typically stick to blueberry or chocolate chip, I decided to step out of my comfort zone and try something new: the Coffee Cake Muffins. Visually, they looked enticing with a generous layer of crumb topping. Like Cybele’s cookies, they have that sweet molasses-caramel smell that draws you in.
I was hoping for the same warm richness in flavor, but the texture caught me off guard. I expected it to be different since it’s gluten-free, but it had a unique combination of chewy and grainy. It reminded me of a rice cake mixed with wheat flour. I checked the ingredients: the gluten-free flour mix includes rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, brown rice flour, and sorghum flour. It’s definitely a blend aimed at mimicking gluten’s structure, which explains the slightly varied texture.
Despite the mouthfeel, the flavor was really nice. The muffin had a gentle mix of caramel, cinnamon, and a surprising hint of lemon zest. It wasn’t not overly sweet or spiced. While the texture might not be for everyone, I personally enjoyed it and would absolutely buy it again. I think I just added coffee cake muffins to my very short list of muffin favorites.
Eat Blake’s Chewy Granola Bars: Chocolate Chip
I used to make my own peanut-free granola, but ever since I lost the recipe, I’ve been on the hunt for a good replacement. Safe granola bars are surprisingly hard to come by, so I was excited to find a few allergy-friendly options at the grocery store. While there are a couple brands I already love (shoutout to Made Good), I decided to try Eat Blake’s Chewy Granola Bars, mostly because they feature oats, sunflower seeds, and flax seeds. Plus, they’re Top 9 allergen-free.
As always, the first thing I noticed was the smell. This bar had an odd scent, reminiscent of alcohol, which wasn’t promising. I flipped the wrapper over and scanned the ingredients. My best guess for the source was the humectant syrup (made from grape juice concentrate) and brown rice syrup. But unlike other snacks with brown rice syrup, this one didn’t have that sweet, caramel-like smell.
Texture-wise, they weren’t lying about the “chewy” part. It’s a dense type of chewy, almost gummy, which might be thanks to the agar they used. The taste itself is okay—mildly chocolate-y due to the bottom layer coating, but the sunflower and flax seeds are definitely the stars. They add a nutty crunch that breaks up the chewiness and gives each bite a bit of variation.
In the end, this bar didn’t really hit the spot for me. I’ve had better peanut-free granola bars, so this one probably won’t be a regular in my snack stash.
Overall, there are some companies absolutely killing the game when it comes to producing allergen-friendly snacks. They use thoughtful substitutes and alternatives that strike a rare balance: safe and tasty. That’s all that matters, right? Not quite. One of the biggest challenges I ran into while buying these snacks was the price. Allergy-friendly products are often categorized as specialty items, which means they tend to cost more, and with grocery prices already rising, that adds another barrier.
In the future, I hope we not only see more allergen-friendly options but also greater efforts to make them more affordable. Accessibility matters—especially to communities where food safety and cost are real concerns. It’s something worth fighting for. In the meantime, I’m truly grateful for the companies putting in the work to create worry-free snacks that people like me can enjoy. As someone who spends a large amount of time reading labels and sometimes passes up treats altogether, being able to walk into a store and find safe options is incredibly empowering. Yes, the price tag can still sting—but this is a step in the right direction. Safe food shouldn’t be a luxury. It should be the norm. Here’s to a future where peanut-free snacks are not just delicious and widely available, but affordable for everyone.