Home / Allergy Friendly Chocolate Chips / Ultimate Guide to Gluten Free Chocolate Chips: Safe Choices for Celiacs
Understanding the importance of dietary choices, especially for those with gluten sensitivities or celiac disease, is crucial in today's culinary landscape.
As we delve into gluten-free chocolate chip options, it is essential to recognize the growing need for such alternatives.
Celiac disease affects 1 in 100 people worldwide
According to the Celiac Disease Foundation, celiac disease affects 1 in 100 people worldwide, underscoring the importance of accessible gluten-free options in everyday foods, including treats like chocolate chips (Celiac Disease Foundation, n.d.).
Verified by Sumit Chhabra, B.S. Pharm, M.S., RPh
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For the latest information on allergy-friendly chocolate chips, please visit Food Allergy App by Flappd.
This article aims to be your guide through the world of gluten-free chocolate chips, spotlighting brands dedicated to creating safe, delicious options for those avoiding gluten. Before discussing brands, let's cover the basics of gluten-free chocolate chips and their labelling. Understanding these differences is crucial for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities to make informed choices. Here's a structured breakdown:
- Chocolate Chips Without Gluten-Containing Ingredients:
These chocolate chips are made without ingredients that naturally contain gluten, such as wheat, barley, or rye. However, these are not specifically marketed as "gluten-free" and may be produced in facilities that also process gluten-containing products, posing a risk of cross-contamination. - Marketed Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips:
These chocolate chips are marketed as "gluten-free" on their packaging. According to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), foods labelled "gluten-free" must contain less than 20 parts per million (ppm) of gluten. This standard aims to protect consumers by ensuring that "gluten-free" labelled products are safe for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivities (FDA, 2013). Notably, some manufacturers dedicated to allergy-friendly products produce these chips in facilities entirely free from gluten-containing ingredients (gluten-free facility), minimizing the risk of accidental cross-contact. - Certified Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips:
Certified gluten-free chocolate chips go a step further. They not only meet the FDA's requirement of less than 20 ppm of gluten but also undergo rigorous testing and certification by third-party organizations. These certifications provide an extra layer of assurance regarding the product's gluten-free status, often involving audits of the manufacturing process to minimize the risk of cross-contamination.
It's essential to understand these distinctions to choose chocolate chips that align with your dietary needs and level of sensitivity to gluten. While chocolate chips without gluten-containing ingredients may be suitable for those avoiding gluten out of preference, those with celiac disease or severe sensitivities might opt for products that are specifically marketed or certified as gluten-free for greater safety.
This article exclusively features chocolate chip brands either marketed as gluten-free or certified as such, with special attention paid to whether these products are manufactured in gluten-free facilities.
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Certified Gluten-Free Chocolate Chips
Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips
Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are recognized for their allergen-friendly properties, catering especially to those with dietary restrictions. Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips are known for being free from 14 common allergens including wheat, peanuts, tree nuts, dairy, casein, soy, egg, sesame, mustard, lupin, added sulphites, fish, shellfish, and crustaceans. These chips are also Certified Gluten-Free by the Gluten-Free Certification Organization (GFCO), Certified Kosher Pareve, and non-GMO verified. These are available in the USA, Canada, UK, and Australia.
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mini Chips | ✓ |
| Enjoy Life Semi-Sweet Mega Chunks | ✓ |
| Enjoy Life Dark Morsels | ✓ |
| Enjoy Life White Mini Chips | ✓ |
Pascha Chocolate Chips
Pascha brand offers six different kinds of chocolate chips with cacao content ranging from 55% to 100%. All chocolate chips are free from major allergens including dairy, fish, crustaceans, soy, celery, peanuts, mustard, tree nuts, sesame, eggs, lupins, wheat, gluten, and sulphites. Additionally, all the chips are certified vegan, organic, and gluten-free by GFCO. For individuals focused on keto-friendly diets and diabetes, Pasha offers Organic bitter-sweet chips and unsweetened chocolate chips. The bitter-sweet variety is sweetened using Stevia. These are available in the USA and Canada.
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Pasha 100% Cacao Organic Vegan Unsweetened Dark Chocolate Chips | ✓ |
| Pasha 85% Cacao Organic Vegan Extra Bitter-Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips | ✓ |
| Pasha 70% Cacao Organic Vegan Bitter-Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips with Organic Stevia | ✓ |
| Pasha 55% Cacao Organic Vegan Semi-Sweet Dark Chocolate Chips | ✓ |
| Pasha Organic Vegan No Milk Baking Chips | ✓ |
| Pasha Organic Vegan White Baking Chips | ✓ |
Lily's Chocolate Chips
Lilly's, a US-based brand, is known for their gluten-free chocolate bars and chips. All Lilly's chocolate chips are Certified Gluten-Free by GFCO and certified Kosher Dairy. A unique aspect of Lilly's brand includes the number of seasonal flavours offered ranging from Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Baking Chips for Halloween baking to Peppermint Flavor White Chocolate Style Baking Chips for Christmas baking. Most of Lilly's baking chocolate types are available in different-sized bags ranging from 4 to 9 oz. Similar to Pascha chocolate chips, Lilly's offers Stevia (Erythritol) sweetened baking chips. The available information does not specify whether Lily's products are made in dedicated gluten-free facilities. For individuals with concerns about cross-contamination, it's advisable to contact the manufacturer directly for more detailed information. Lilly's chocolate chips are easily available in the USA, UK, and Canada.
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Lilly's Butterscotch Flavor White Chocolate Style Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Chocolate Cinnamon Flavor Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Chocolate Espresso Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Chocolate Mint Flavor Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Chocolate Salted Caramel Flavor Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Dark Chocolate Style Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Hot Cocoa with Marshmallow Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Milk Chocolate Style Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Peanut Butter Flavor Baking Chips | ? |
| Lilly's Peppermint Flavor White Chocolate Style Baking Chips | ? |
Hu Baking Chips
Unlike other chocolate chip brands, Hu brand offers only one kind of chocolate chip - Semi-sweet chocolate chips with 60% cacao. Hu Semi-sweet chocolate chips are unique as these are made using simple ingredients. These chips have no added sugars or sugar alcohols (like Stevia) and organic dates are used as sweetening agents. Hu chocolate chips have quite a few certifications including Certified Gluten Free, Certified non-GMO, Certified Paleo, Certified Keto, and Certified Vegan making these a strong contender for people looking for healthy chocolate chips.
According to Hu Kitchen's website, their "chocolate chips are produced with attention to allergen cross-contamination, they are made on equipment that also processes tree nuts, soy, milk, and wheat." Therefore, individuals with multiple food allergies should look for alternative allergy-friendly chocolate chips that fit their food allergy needs.
These are easily available in the USA and Canada. Hu Kitchen UK does not offer chocolate chips.
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Hu Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Chips | ? |
Chocolate Chips Marketed Gluten-Free
Healthy Crunch Chocolate Chips
Healthy Crunch provides a selection of five distinct varieties of certified vegan chocolate chips, produced in a facility free from peanuts, tree nuts, and gluten, ensuring a safe option for those with common food allergies. Among these offerings, the Coconut Sugar dark chocolate chips, boasting a 70% Cacao content, cater specifically to individuals pursuing a sugar-free lifestyle; however, this variety is exclusively available in Canada. These chocolate chips are readily accessible for purchase through the Healthy Crunch website and are prominently marketed for their allergen-friendly credentials—being free from the top 8 allergens in the USA and the top 11 allergens in Canada.
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Coconut sugar chocolate chips | ✓ |
| Semi-sweet chocolate chips | ✓ |
| Vegan white chocolate chips | ✓ |
| 70% dark chocolate chips | ✓ |
| Mocha chocolate chips | ✓ |
Guittard Chocolate Chips
The Guittard Chocolate Company is an American-based chocolate maker that manufactures eight different kinds of chocolate chips ranging from traditional semi-sweet chocolate chips to unique chips like Sante Dark chocolate chips made with coconut sugar making them Keto & Paleo Friendly. Based on the alleged policy on their website, Guittard Chocolate chips are marketed as peanut-free, tree nut-free and gluten-free. Selected varieties of Guittard chocolate chips are not only free from the top 9 allergens, as defined by the US FDA, but are also "made in a segregated processing area that does not contain any of the 9 major allergens." Please refer to our reference section for a hyperlink to Guittard's allergen policy. Guittard chocolate chips are easily available in the UK, USA, and Canada
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Guittard Santé 72% Cacao Made With Coconut Sugar | ? |
| Guittard Akoma Organic Extra Semisweet Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Guittard Butterscotch Baking Chips | ? |
| Guittard Choc-Au-Lait™ Baking Chips | ? |
| Guittard Extra Dark Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Guittard Green Mint Baking Chips | ? |
| Guittard Milk Chocolate Baking Chips | ? |
| Guittard Semisweet Baking Chips | ? |
| Guittard Super Cookie Chips™ | ? |
Nestle Toll House Allergen Free Chocolate Chips (Morsels)
Nestlé Toll House offers two allergen-friendly chocolate chip varieties: Allergen-Free Dark Chocolate and Semi-Sweet Morsels. These are not only gluten-free but also free from the top 9 allergens identified by the FDA, including peanuts, tree nuts, egg, milk, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish, and sesame.
Produced in a dedicated allergen-free facility, these morsels ensure safety against cross-contamination. It's crucial to note that this allergen-free assurance applies exclusively to the Allergen-Free range, as confirmed by Nestlé's customer service. Other chocolate chips and morsels by Nestlé Toll House, including plant-based options, do not share the same allergen-free status.
It's crucial to note that this allergen-free assurance applies exclusively to the Allergen-Free range, as confirmed by Nestlé's customer service. Other chocolate chips and morsels by Nestlé Toll House, including plant-based options, do not share the same allergen-free status.
The Allergen-Free varieties are also Certified Organic, Vegan, and Kosher, catering to a wide array of dietary preferences and requirements. For more detailed insights into Nestlé Toll House's allergen-free offerings, you can read our in-depth post here: "Understanding Nestlé Toll House's Allergen-Free Chocolate Chips". Nestle toll house allergen-free chocolate chips are available in the USA only.
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Nestle Toll House Allergen-Free Dark Chocolate Morsels | ✓ |
| Nestle Toll House Allergen-Free Semi-Sweet Morsels | ✓ |
Hershey's Chocolate Chips
Hershey's offers a variety of chocolate chips in the United States, some of which are marketed as gluten-free according to their website. However, it is important to note that the availability of dedicated gluten-free manufacturing facilities for these products is not clearly stated on Hershey's website or through their customer service channels. Below is a list of Hershey's chocolate chips that are labeled as gluten-free:
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Hershey's Cinnamon Chips | ? |
| Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Hershey's Cream Cheese Chips | ? |
| Hershey's 25% Less Sugar Special Dark Mildly Sweet Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Hershey's 25% Less Sugar Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Hershey's Sugar-Free Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Hershey's Mini Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips | ? |
| Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips | ? |
Chipits Chocolate Chips (by Hershey's)
In Canada, Hershey's offers a variety of chocolate chips under the Chipits brand, available in package sizes ranging from 200 grams to 1.45 kilograms. These products are widely accessible in retail chains and provide a cost-effective option for consumers, particularly those navigating food allergies. Based on the information available on their packaging and official website, all Chipits chocolate chips are labeled as gluten-free and kosher. However, the specifics regarding gluten-free manufacturing facilities remain uncertain.
Below is a table listing the Chipits chocolate chip varieties confirmed as gluten-free according to their website as of March 6th, 2024:
| Name | Gluten-Free Facility |
|---|---|
| Hershey's Chipits butterscotch chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits cream cheese flavoured chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits dark chocolate chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits dark chocolate chunks | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits milk chocolate chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits mini Kisses milk chocolate chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits mini Reese's pieces peanut butter candy baking pieces | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits minis semi-sweet chocolate chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits mint chocolate chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits pure semi-sweet chocolate chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits Reese's peanut butter chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits sea salt caramel chips | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits Skor toffee bits | ? |
| Hershey's Chipits white creme chips | ? |
About the Author
Sumit Chhabra, B.S. Pharm, M.S., RPh
Founder & CEO, Flappd
Sumit Chhabra is the founder of Flappd, a leader in the food allergy and intolerance sector. His background in pharmacy and role as a father to a child with multiple food allergies give him a unique dual perspective. Sumit combines his scientific knowledge with real-life insights to drive Flappd's mission. He aims to connect consumers with dietary restrictions to safe, suitable products. His personal and professional experiences shape Flappd's commitment to an inclusive and informed marketplace for those with food allergies.
Disclaimer
This post is for informational purposes and reflects research up to the last update. Flappd verifies the allergen control policies of affiliated manufacturers, marking such products with a "verified manufacturing" label on images. However, liability for product safety and labelling remains with the manufacturers.
Always consult healthcare providers and review product labels before consumption. We do not endorse the mentioned brands and cannot guarantee complete allergen safety.
The content may undergo updates to reflect verification changes. Utilize the provided information at your own risk.
References
- Celiac Disease Foundation. (n.d.). What is Celiac Disease? [Fact sheet]. Retrieved from https://celiac.org/about-celiac-disease/what-is-celiac-disease/
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2013). "Gluten-Free" Labeling of Foods. Retrieved from https://www.fda.gov/food/food-labeling-nutrition/gluten-free-labeling-foods
- Enjoy Life Foods. (n.d.). Dairy-free chocolate bars and chocolate chips from Enjoy Life. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://enjoylifefoods.com
- Pascha Chocolate Co. (2024). Pascha Chocolate Co.. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://paschachocolate.com/
- Lily's. (2024). Home. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://www.lilys.com/
- Guittard Chocolate Company. (2023, October 12). Guittard allergen policy. https://www.guittard.com/assets/images/Guittard-Allergen-Policy-2023-10-12.pdf
- Hu Kitchen. (n.d.). No Added Sugar Keto Baking Chocolate Chips. Retrieved March 5, 2024, from https://hukitchen.com/collections/baking-chocolate
- Hershey's. (n.d.). Products: Chips. Retrieved from https://www.hersheyland.com/products?brand=Hershey%27s&category=Chips&dietaryNeeds=Gluten%20free
- Hersheyland Canada. (2024). Products: Hershey's Chipits. Retrieved from https://www.hersheyland.ca/en_ca/products?brand=Hershey's%20chipits&dietaryNeeds=Gluten%20free.
- Healthy Crunch. (n.d.). FAQs. Retrieved from https://us.healthycrunch.com/pages/faqs.
- Healthy Crunch. (n.d.). FAQs. Retrieved from https://healthycrunch.com/pages/faqs.
