Vegan Gummies: In our quest to uncover the ultimate gelatin-free treats, we embarked on a taste-testing adventure with a variety of vegan gummy candies. Below, you’ll find our top picks for these delightful snacks!
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Why Most Gummy Candies Aren’t Vegan
Many brands rely on gelatin, a meat industry by-product derived from animal bones and ligaments, to create the chewy texture of gummy candies. This makes finding vegan options a bit more challenging.
Our Top Vegan Gummies Choices
After extensive taste tests, the winners emerged. Sour Patch Kids took the lead, closely followed by YumEarth Organic Gummies, with Project 7 gummies also ranking high on our list. These were the unanimous favorites among our group.
Sour Patch Kids are perfect for those who crave a tangy twist, excelling in both taste and texture. If you prefer something sweet, YumEarth Organic Gummies offer a delightful snap reminiscent of traditional gummy bears, coupled with exceptional flavors.
Although not included in our initial review, Air Heads Extremes have earned a spot among the best vegan gummy candies for their impeccable taste and texture. Sprouts Vegan Gummi Worms also impressed us in a separate review, standing out for their perfect blend of flavor and chewiness.
For more detailed reviews of these vegan delights, continue reading below.
Gelatin-Free Gummy Candy Alternatives
Fortunately, creating gummy candies without gelatin is feasible, using alternatives like pectin, potato starch, or tapioca. Some brands even utilize a combination of fiber and rice flour to mimic the traditional gummy consistency impressively.
The list we’ve compiled isn’t exhaustive but highlights easily accessible options from retailers like Kroger, Target, Whole Foods, and Sprouts.
For those seeking a quick recommendation, refer to our top picks mentioned earlier. Or, explore the alphabetical list below for a broader overview.
How Gelatin-Free Gummy Candies Are Made
365 Vegan Gummy Bears or Stars
Initially, these were a favorite of James. However, post-taste test, his opinion drastically changed. The consensus was that while the flavor was satisfactory, the texture was off-putting, resulting in an undesirable coating on the teeth.
These gummies utilize tapioca and cornstarch as gelatin substitutes, aiming for a fruit-snack-like texture, which ultimately fell short of our expectations for that classic gummy “snap.”
Air Heads Extremes
Recently, Jane discovered Air Heads Extremes Rainbow Berry at a local store, and they’ve quickly become a household favorite. The combination of sugar and citric acid coating each strip offers a delightful sweet and sour experience, with a berry and watermelon flavor blend that’s irresistibly fun.
Jelly Belly Gummies
Jelly Belly’s venture into vegan gummies, made with tapioca syrup and cornstarch, was eagerly anticipated but ended in disappointment. Despite a firmer texture than the 365 gummies, they excessively stuck to our teeth and lacked the vibrant flavors we had hoped for.
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Project 7 Gummy Bears
These pectin-based gummies, sweetened with stevia, offered a healthier alternative with a favorable texture, particularly the Sour Worms variant, which masked the stevia taste effectively.
Smart Sweets
Some Smart Sweets varieties are vegan, distinguishable by their Plant-Based badge. They blend fibers and rice flour for texture and are sweetened with monk fruit.
Our taste tests favored the Sour Buddies, while the Peach Rings and Sweet Fish were less impressive, mainly due to their flavors.
Snak Club Gummies
This brand’s chili and lime-infused vegan gummies, including apple, peach, and mango rings, as well as gummy bears, received mixed reviews. Their texture was generally too soft for our liking, with varying opinions on the flavor profiles.
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Sour Patch Kids
A long-time vegan favorite, these candies excel in texture and the perfect sweet-to-sour ratio, making them an unrivaled choice in the vegan gummy candy category.
Sprouts Vegan Gummi Worms
An impromptu try of these gummi worms revealed a superbly firm texture and delightful flavor, making them a standout choice for vegan candy lovers.
YumEarth Organic Gummy Fruits
Surprisingly enjoyable, these gummies, with their pectin-based texture and a variety of flavors, including an unexpectedly pleasant banana, quickly became a top pick among our testers.
