Last Updated on July 3, 2022
Today, we’re going to be answering the question: are Sour Patch Kids gluten free? And taking a look at which of their varieties are safe to consume on a gluten-free diet. When you first receive your diagnosis, it can feel overwhelming and you may not even consider that some sweets may contain gluten. But unfortunately, almost anything can contain gluten – which is very frustrating! However, with Sour Patch Kids being one of the biggest candy brands available – are they gluten-free? Let’s take a look.
What Are Sour Patch Kids?
It’s safe to assume that we all know what Sour Patch Kids are. However, if you’re unfamiliar, they’re a brand of soft candy, that is coated in sugar. You initially get a sour taste as you place them in your mouth, but after a while they turn sweet. Their slogan, “sour. sweet. gone.” is most definitely accurate! They’ve been around since the 70’s, but were called Mars Men then. They got their infamous name, Sour Patch Kids, in 1985. Since then, they’ve released a huge selection of new flavors and varieties to try.
Learn more about: Are Dove Chocolates Gluten-Free? (& Best GF Chocolate List)
Ingredients In Sour Patch Kids
While the ingredients differ in whichever variety of Sour Patch Kids you’re enjoying, their most popular flavor is the Original Soft and Chewy Candy. They contain the following ingredients:
- sugar
- invert sugar
- corn syrup
- modified corn starch
- tartaric acid
- citric acid
- natural and artificial flavor
- yellow 6
- red 40
- yellow 5
- blue 1
Nutritional Information of Sour Patch Kids
You may be wondering what the nutritional value of Sour Patch Kids is. Each serving (16 candy sweets) contains the following:
- Calories: 150
- Fat: 0g
- Sodium: 25mg
- Carbs: 37g
- Sugar: 26g
You can find out more about Sour Patch Kids here.
Are Sour Patch Kids Gluten Free?
If you’re a fan of Sour Patch Kids, we have some good news! Sour Patch Kids are considered gluten-free, and safe to consume when following a gluten-free lifestyle. It’s worth noting that they do not carry a gluten-free label or gluten-free certification. However, they do not contain any gluten ingredients and are widely enjoyed in the gluten-free community.
The following popular varieties are free from gluten:
- Kids
- Fruits
- Kids Berries
- X-Treme
- Xploderz
- Watermelon
- Blue Raspberry
- Apple
- Sour Apple
- Strawberry
- Peach
- Bunnies
- Lollipops
- Chillerz
- Xmas Kids
Gluten Free Candy List
While this list is by no means exhaustive, these are just some of the most popular gluten-free candies available. It’s worth mentioning that not everything from these brands is gluten-free, so be sure to check the ingredients labels of anything you’re purchasing.
- Jelly Belly
- Just Born
- Sour Patch Kids
- Spangler Candy
- Tootsie Roll
- Peep
- Hershey’s
- Ferrero
- Nestle
- Smarties
- Reese’s
- Enjoy Life
- Welch’s
Gluten Free Sour Patch Kids Cookie Recipe
These Sour Patch Kids cookies are incredible, and I adapted the recipe from Design Eat Repeat to suit a gluten-free diet. They’re perfect for parties and celebrations of any kind. Let’s see how to make them.
Ingredients
The ingredients you’ll need for this recipe are:
- 1 cup of butter
- 1/4 cup of sugar
- 3/4 cup of brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 packet of instant vanilla pudding
- 3 eggs
- 1 tablespoon of corn starch
- 2 1/2 cups of gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1 cup of Sour Patch Kids (use 3/4 of cut-up SPK in your dough, and 1/4 aside for decorating)
Recipe
Now all you need to do is:
Step 1: Prepare
Gather all of the ingredients you need and preheat your oven to 350F. As well as that, prepare a baking sheet by lining it with parchment paper. You’ll also need to cut 3/4 of your Sour Patch Kids in half to use for the dough. The remaining 1/4 can be left to one side.
Step 2: Make the Dough
Add the butter, sugar, and brown sugar to a mixing bowl. Beat the mixture until just combined. Once combined, add the vanilla extract, pudding mix, baking soda, and eggs. Stir the mixture well. Once mixed, gradually add the gluten-free cornstarch and flour; be sure to mix as you go. Once combined, add your cut-up Sour Patch Kids and mix one last time.
Step 3: Bake Your Cookies
Put 2 tablespoons of dough together to form one cookie and roll into a ball. Place the dough onto your prepared baking sheet. Repeat until all dough has been used. Place in the center of your preheated oven for around 9-11 minutes.
Step 4: Serve
Remove cookies from the oven and while still hot, add the remainder of your Sour Patch Kids into the top of your cookies. Enjoy!
Read more about: Are Candy Canes Gluten-Free?
Conclusion
I hope this article has helped to answer the question: are Sour Patch Kids gluten-free? All varieties are completely free from gluten, and thought to be safe to eat – hurrah! While they may not be the healthiest option, they are perfect for a treat every so often. If you try our Sour Patch Kids gluten-free recipe, I would love to hear from you!
What’s your favorite variety of Sour Patch Kids? Please feel free to let me know in the comments below. Sharing is caring!
FAQs
Is Sour Patch Watermelon Gluten-Free?
Absolutely! In fact, all varieties of Sour Patch Kids are gluten free - including the watermelon kind; which just so happens to be my favorite!
What is Sour Patch Made of?
The ingredients in the original Sour Patch Kids are: sugar, invert sugar, corn syrup, corn starch, acids and natural and artificial flavors.
Is Sour Patch Kid Cereal Gluten-Free?
Unfortunately, this is one product from Sour Patch Kids that is not gluten free. Their cereal is made with wheat flour as the main ingredient. For this reason, you should not eat this cereal if following a gluten free diet.
How Are Sour Patch Kids Made?
You may be wondering how they're made. The soft sweet candy is made first. Then a sugar coating that contains citric acid and tartaric acid is placed on top. Once this reacts on your tongue, the sweet flavor is then uncovered.

Hi, my name’s Zoë. I’m 28 years old and live in London, UK. I work full time as a freelance writer and critic for West End theatre. Writing has been a passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I spend most of my free time at the theatre, or at conventions. I’m married to the love of my life, and live in a small apartment with my fur baby, Lillie. I run two of my own blogs: No Safer Place and Stage to Page: both of which have won awards. I also have a YouTube channel where I talk about all things stagey.