Best Sugar Free Hard Candies [2024]

The best hard sugar-free candy is made of isomalt that has been sweetened with the sweetener stevia, such as the Jolly Rancher or Werther’s amongst many more. The most widely used alternative is healthy and contains only half the calories, and is deliciously sweet and tasty.

Like many others, we’ve concluded that we must completely cut it out or come up with a different version that is healthier.

That is what brings us to our current article Sugar-free hard candy! If you’ve never heard of this kind of candy, then you’re going to love us more!

There are a lot of sugar-free sweets on the market alongside some of the best sour candies. They are created from various sugar substitutes. They are available in a range of flavors and can be purchased in our sweet hampers.

In this article, we’ll review the best sugar-free hard candies that are all easily found on the internet! At the bottom of this guide, you can explore hard candies and how they’re made into sugar-free sweets.

Each product has many pros and cons but as we’ve always said that at the end of the day, the product you select is dependent on your requirements for your diet and lifestyle.

1. Jolly Rancher

Jolly Rancher is one of the well-known candy companies destined to join the sugar-free race.

This specific sugar-free item of theirs is possibly the most well-known sugar-free hard candy on the market!

This mix pack of hard candies contains the most popular flavors, like Green Apple, Watermelon, Cherry, Grape, and Blue Raspberry.

We would recommend purchasing larger bags since they tend to work out more efficiently and will last longer.

These sugar-free hard candies are made of sugar cane and have flavorings and colorants, as most candies do.

This candy is on our top list! They’re delicious, make the perfect snack, and are easily transported since they’re all individually wrapped.

2. Werther’s

We’re a huge fan of caramel candies, and naturally, one of the largest and most reliable producers of these is Werther’s.

The brand has developed caramel-flavored hard candies through the years and is now expanding into the sugar-free market.

This is a wonderful example of an isomalt-based candy. It also contains additional ingredients such as salt as well as butter cream creating the classic caramel deliciousness.

Each candy is wrapped in a unique way, making them convenient to share, add to your children's lunch boxes, and store.

3. Brach’s Mixed Fruit

The sugar-free hard candy is a little different from the Jolly Rancher.

Although they may appear similar, these mixed fruit hard candy candies from Brach’s are made of isomalt.

However, it comprises citric acid (a stabilizer and flavor enhancer), colorants, and flavorings.

The candies have around 40 percent less sugar when compared to conventional sweets, and each has an average of about 35 calories. This is quite an improvement and makes them a great option for those seeking to eliminate sugar.

We generally prefer mixed packs when trying out new items because you can easily determine what flavors you prefer or dislike. The mix packet includes flavors like Lime, Lemon, Grape, Orange, and Cherry.

4. Brach’s Cinnamon

We had to pick out this particular flavor of sugar-free candy from Braches.

We are a sucker for cinnamon-flavored candies, and this one isn’t disappointing.

In general, it’s either a well-balanced flavor or is not edible.

Naturally,  we like it because it is extremely balanced in cinnamon flavor. It has just enough cinnamon to let its presence be known and not irritate or overpower your taste buds.

The candies are created out of isomalt and are sweetened by Splenda. Splenda is a huge name in sugar replacements. It is around 600 times sweeter than regular sugar.

Naturally, you’ll require less effort to make a delicious product, and with lower calories.

5. Dr. John’s

From the moment we tried our first taste of Dr. John’s sugar-free candies, we could tell we were in love from the first bite!

We recommend purchasing this mixed bag to better identify the flavor you like best. This bag comes with Strawberry, Watermelon, and Green Apple.

They are made of Xylitol, a different kind of sweetener sweeter than regular sugar, and therefore will require less effort to make it.

6. Life Savers

Everybody needs a refreshing sweet treat now and again, and choosing one that will give your breath a minty taste is especially important!

LifeSavers have launched a no-sugar hard candy that retains its distinctive crisp and delicious taste but has lower sugar levels.

The hard candy is made of sorbitol, one of the sugar alcohols found naturally in fruit.

They contain aspartame and other flavorings that give their minty, refreshing flavor.

7. LaetaFood

It’s another kind of hard candy with a minty flavor we’ve added because of its decorative qualities.

The peppermint pinwheel candy is often used to flavor desserts and even as decorations.

They are great for events like birthday parties or at Halloween, Christmas, or just for a quick and simple snack for on-the-go!

The refreshing candies are created from a mixture of polyglycerol syrup and Isomalt. One thing we like the most is that it is made of pure peppermint oil that is not manufactured!

8. Dad’s Root Beer Barrels

We’ve seen several conflicting opinions regarding the sugar-free root beer barrels manufactured by Fruidles, but we cannot get enough of these!

They are available on Amazon in various sizes for your convenience.

Each candy is wrapped in a bag that can be re-sealable to make it easy to store and even to split to eat lunch.

These candies made of root beer are made of an isomalt mixture and sucralose and contain flavors and colorants.

9. Stevita

Many people enjoy these Stevita hard candies, with our favorite being outrageous orange. Outrageous ORANGE flavor.

It’s undoubtedly a product that has modern packaging. It is packaged with a stylish pop-up tin.

Stevita sugar-free hard candy is keto, vegetarian, and paleo-friendly. They’re gluten-free and do not have any GMOs or artificial ingredients.

Not only are you getting a treat that’s not high in sugar, but it also offers many other advantages!

10. Confections from Coastal Bay

If you’re looking for an affordable, sugar-free sweet, we highly recommend these products from Coastal Bay.

The mixed fruit packs come in a 3-ounce container  with individually wrapped candies to make it easier for you.

They are made of isomalt, but they contain citric acid that enhances the flavorings used. This is another hard candy made of sugar that uses Splenda to provide a lot of sweetness, without adding a lot of calories.

11. Russell Stover

Our last sweet, sugar-free sweet tooth of the day is this one by Russel Stover.

The candies are created using Maltitol syrup. They also include a mix of artificial and natural flavorings added with citric acid.

The sweetener used to create sweetness without calories comes from Stevia extract, as we’ve previously discussed.

This mix pack contains flavors like Lime, Lemon, Watermelon, Grape, Orange, and Cherry! An enormous assortment of flavors, all wrapped conveniently for you to use.

What could make this product better is its availability at a highly affordable cost!

What Are Hard Candies?

Hard candy is a kind of candy that is made of primary sugar. Sugar syrup is heated to  320 degrees F, then molded into particular forms and cooled.

After cooling, the syrup solidifies and creates what I know as hard candy.

They are made from various sugar syrups like fructose, glucose, and sucrose. Each syrup is made in the same way; however, they differ in chemical structure and even their origins.

They are often flavored with various liquid essences or concentrates and be colored using powder, gel, or even liquid food coloring.

Nearly all kinds of candies are made with a majority of their volume ( meaning they consist solely of sugar). Other ingredients that are often added include flavors, colorants, and preservatives.

Another fascinating aspect of candies is they are coated with coarse particles. Sometimes, they are coated with the form of castor sugar or a different kind of sugar that is flavored. Sometimes, they also have an acidic or slightly sour coating.

As time passes and new ingredients have been identified or invented, we’ve created many more sugar-free recipes, including sugar-free candy!

What Are Sugar-Free Hard Candies?

Sugar-free candy is made without sugar or, at most, sugar granulated. Instead, they are made of other ingredients, which can be considered sweet.

Typically, they are created by isomalt to substitute for regular sugar. Isomalt is a sugar alcohol commonly used as a substitute for regular sugar. This is due to its properties being very similar to sugar.

The major distinction between them is that isomalt does not affect your body the same way that regular sugar can. It doesn’t impact blood sugar levels but can affect insulin levels; it’s also calorie-laden.

To produce the intense sweetness typical of hard candy, artificial sweeteners are added, such as saccharin and aspartame, or sucralose. In addition, more sweet sugar alcohols can also be added to create a sweeter taste, such as sugar alcohols like xylitol.

Isomalt has similar properties to regular sugar in terms of melting and hardening, meaning that using it doesn’t mean an additional set of steps.

Buying Sugar-Free Hard Candy Guide

You’ve now learned there are sugar-free and delicious candy alternatives available. What are you going to do? Where do you begin looking? Are there any good or bad choices? What are the best things to look for?

Don’t fret anymore! We’ve got the complete buying guide for sugar-free hard candy to weigh the benefits and disadvantages and select the one that will meet your requirements.

Nutrition

It is crucial to discuss all these sugar-free sweets' nutritional benefits. Of course, many people eliminate sugar from their diets to live healthier lives; however, some of these candy items are slightly less healthy.

When choosing a sweet, make sure you know the materials it is made of. It’s also helpful to be aware of the way you react to the items.

Some brands also include many harmful artificial flavorings, colorings, and preservatives. It is sometimes best to have real sugar candy instead of a heavily processed version.

It is also evident that a lot of hard candies are made from fruit juice that is usually deemed healthier due to the kind of sugar they are made of.

All it comes down to what you need and what your objectives are.

Calories

A common misconception regarding sugar-free hard candies are the claims that they’re low in calories. This isn’t the truth, and many sugar-free options are the same in calories.

This is due to the size of the candies. If you compare the size of sugar-based hard candies with sugar-free ones, you will notice that sugar-free candies tend to be larger.

If they were to be one-to-one (same dimensions and weight), sugar-free candy would typically be lower in calories. However, with larger sizes, the calories are balanced out and eventually end with the same.

If you are looking to reduce your intake of calories, it is advisable first to do some math. You could eat smaller portions of larger candies or buy smaller varieties if possible.

Ingredients

The most popular sugar-free ingredients of hard candy are made from sucrofolate, aspartame saccharin, stevia, and various sugar alcohols, such as xylitol lactitol, and sorbitol.

Each comes with its own pros and cons, and it is crucial to understand how each affects your situation.

Some people have severe intolerances or sensitivities to certain sweeteners, and some simply don’t enjoy the taste.

Knowing what you’re taking into your body is essential, particularly when you want to become healthier.