Best Sugar Free Hard Candies [2023]
Norah Clark
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.
| Candy Brand | The Best Feature |
|---|---|
| Jolly Rancher | Best overall sugar-free hard candy |
| Werther’s | Best caramel sugar-free hard candy |
| Brach’s Mixed Fruit | 40% less sugar compared to regular candies |
| Brach’s Cinnamon | Best cinnamon sugar-free hard candy |
| Dr. John’s | Includes strawberry, watermelon, and green apple flavors |
| Life Savers | Best sugar-free mint |
| LaetaFood | Best sugar-free peppermint |
| Dad’s Root Beer Barrels | Best root beer flavored sugar-free hard candy |
| Stevita | Best orange flavored sugar-free candy |
| Coastal Bay Confections | Affordable sugar-free hard candy |
| Russell Stover | Lemon, lime, watermelon, grape, orange, and cherry flavors |
1. Jolly Rancher
Jolly Rancher is one of the well-known candy companies that was destined to join the sugar-free race.
This specific sugar-free item of theirs is possibly the most well-known sugar-free hard candies 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 do have flavorings and colorants, as most candies do.
This candy is on our top list! They’re delicious and make the perfect snack and they 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 as well as cream to create the classic caramel and create an amazing taste.
Each candy is wrapped in a unique way making them convenient to share, to add to the lunch boxes of your children, and convenient to store.
3. Brach’s Mixed Fruit
The sugar-free hard candy is different in comparison to the Jolly Rancher one a little.
Although they may appear similar, these mixed fruit hard candy candies from Brach’s are made of isomalt.
However, it does comprise citric acid (a stabilizer and flavor enhancer) along with colorants and flavorings.
The candies have around 40 percent less sugar when compared to conventional sweets and each has an average of around 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 we are trying out new items because you will be able to 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, this particular favor is either a well-balanced flavor or is not edible.
Naturally, that’s why we like it because it is extremely balanced in cinnamon flavor. It’s got just enough cinnamon to let its presence be known and not irritate your taste buds or overpower it.
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 when we tried our first taste of Dr. John’s sugar-free candies, we were able to tell we were in love from the first bite!
We recommend purchasing this mixed bag for a better way to 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 it’s especially important to choose one that will give your breath a minty taste!
LifeSavers have launched a no-sugar hard candy that retains its distinctive crisp and delicious taste, but with lower sugar levels.
The hard candy is made of sorbitol, which is one of the sugar alcohols which is found naturally in fruit.
They contain aspartame as well as other flavorings that give their minty, refreshing flavor.
7. LaetaFood
Another kind of hard candy with a minty flavor that 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 out of 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
A lot of people enjoy these Stevita hard candy candies, with our personal favorite being outrageous orange. Outrageous ORANGE flavor.
It’s certainly a product that has modern packaging. It is packaged with a stunning, 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 sugars, 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 and come with individually wrapped candies to make it easier for you.
They are made of isomalt, but they do contain citric acid that enhances the flavorings that are used. This is another hard candy made of sugar that makes use of Splenda to provide a lot of sweetness, without the addition of 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 that are then added with citric acid.
The sweetener that is used to create sweetness without calories comes from Stevia extract that we’ve previously discussed.
This mix pack contains flavors such as Lime, Lemon, Watermelon, Grape, Orange, and even Cherry! An enormous assortment of flavors, all wrapped in a convenient way for you to use.
What could make this product better is the fact that it’s available at an extremely affordable cost!
What Are Hard Candies?
Hard candy is a kind of candy that is made of primary sugar. Sugar syrup is heated to the temperature of 320 degrees which is then molded into particular forms, and let cool.
After cooling the syrup solidifies and creates what I know as hard candy.
They are made from various sugar syrups like fructose, glucose as well as 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 kind of sugar alcohol that is commonly utilized as a substitute for normal sugar. This is due to its very similar properties similar to sugar.
The major distinction between them is the fact that isomalt does not affect your body the same way that regular sugar can. It doesn’t impact the levels of blood sugar and can affect the levels of insulin, and is also rich in calories.
To produce the intense sweetness that is typical of hard candy, artificial sweeteners are added, for example, saccharin and aspartame, or sucralose. In addition, more sweet sugar alcohols can be also added to create a sweeter taste, such as sugar alcohols like xylitol.
Isomalt has similar properties in terms of melting and hardening to regular sugar, 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 for you to weigh the benefits and disadvantages, and select the one that will meet your requirements.
Nutrition
It is crucial to talk about all the nutritional benefits of these sugar-free sweets. Of course, many people eliminate sugar from their diets to live healthier lives; however, some of these candy items are slightly less healthy.
When you are choosing a sweet, make sure you know the materials that 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 as well as preservatives. It is sometimes best to have the real sugar candy instead of a heavily processed version.
It is also evident that there are a lot of hard candies made from fruit juice that is usually deemed healthier due to the kind of sugar that they are made of.
All it comes down to what you need and what your objectives are.
Calories
A common misconception regarding hard candies that are sugar-free 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 is typically 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 to first do some math. You could either eat smaller portions of larger candies or buy smaller varieties if it is possible.
Ingredients
The most popular sugar-free ingredients of hard candy are made from comprising sucrofolate, aspartame saccharin, stevia, as well as various sugar alcohols, such as xylitol lactitol, and sorbitol.
Each one comes with its own set of 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 people simply don’t enjoy the taste.
It is essential to know what you’re taking into your body, particularly when you want to become healthier.
