November 2, 2023

Do Jolly Ranchers have Gelatin : are they vegan (2023)

Jolly Ranchers have been hanging out in candy bowls and continue to be a Halloween favorite amongst the trick-or-treaters for over 70 years! Enjoying this fruity sweet treat is a fond memory for many. But as many of us age and wisen up to the less than desirable ingredients hidden in some of our favorite candies…we have some questions before unwrapping and popping another one of these babies in our mouth. Do Jolly Ranchers have Gelatin…are they vegan…are they gluten free? Continue to find out!

Do Jolly Ranchers have Gelatin?

Short Answer:

Most varieties of Jolly Ranchers are gelatin free! The varieties of Jolly Ranchers that are NOT gelatin free are Jolly Rancher Chew, Bites, and Jelly Hearts.

Are Jolly Ranchers vegan?

Short Answer:

No. Hershey’s website states that Jolly Ranchers are NOT vegan.

However…many, not so strict, vegans will eat most varieties of Jolly Ranchers and consider them vegan because they do not contain any ingredients sourced from animal products (such as dairy or gelatin).

If you are a very strict vegan, you will definitely skip out on traditional Jolly Ranchers and all of their other varieties.

Why are Jolly Ranchers not vegan?

Although most varieties of Jolly Ranchers do not contain ingredients sourced from animal products, there are a few sneaky ingredients that make them non-vegan.

Sugar

Although sugar is made from sugar cane, which is obviously vegan, the way sugar is processed can result in a non-vegan product.

Sugar is often whitened with bone char! This method of whitening sugar crystals is responsible for making most processed sugars technically not vegan. This includes the sugar used in Jolly Ranchers and its many varieties.

Natural Flavors

Jolly Ranchers contain undisclosed natural flavor that the company cannot guarantee isn’t animal-derived.

Vegan except for controversial ingredients

As mentioned above, many, not so strict, vegans will eat most varieties of Jolly Ranchers and consider them vegan because they do not contain any ingredients sourced from animal products (such as dairy or gelatin).

If you fall into this category, the following list of Jolly Ranchers that do not contain gelatin will be ok for you.

Jolly Ranchers that do not contain gelatin

Jolly Rancher Hard candies (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Lollipops (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Candy canes (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Stix candy (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Jelly Beans (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Gummies (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Misfits (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Bites (all flavors)

Jolly Ranchers that contain Gelatin

Most varieties of Jolly ranchers are vegan, but three are non-vegan and do contain gelatin.

Jolly Rancher Chews (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Bites (all flavors)
Jolly Rancher Jelly Hearts (all flavors)

Do Jolly Ranchers have Gelatin?

Most varieties of Jolly Ranchers are gelatin free! The varieties of Jolly Ranchers that are NOT gelatin free are Jolly Rancher Chew, Bites, and Jelly Hearts.

What is gelatin?

Gelatin is produced by processing animal cartilage, skin and bones. The process extracts collagen (a fibrous protein) and turns it into gelatin. Because of gelatins jelly-like nature, it is often used in jelly candies and desserts.

Are jolly ranchers dairy-free

Yes! All Jolly Rancher candies are entirely dairy-free!

Are jolly ranchers gluten free

Yes, but proceed with caution! Jolly ranchers do not contain any gluten-containing ingredients. However, they are not certified gluten-free. If you are highly allergic I would recommend reaching out to the company for more detailed information.

VEGAN SUBSTITUTE FOR JOLLY RANCHERS WITH CLEAN INGREDIENTS

Jolly Ranchers are a tasty treat, but at the end of the day, their list of ingredients (including food dyes, processed sugars, ect.) are not so desirable. Luckily there are companies out there that have created much cleaner versions of fruity, delicious candy.

YumEarth has a variety of fruity, delicious candies that come in hard and chewy varieties! YumEarth candies are: