Candy canes start popping up everywhere once the holiday season begins, but are these red and white striped canes of peppermint-flavored condensed sugar vegan?
Isn’t there a song that says, “when the weather outside turns frightful, candy canes are so delightful,” or something like that? No? Not quite? Well, even if that isn’t exactly how the lyrics go, it’s still the truth. Candy canes are a yearly tradition that goes back to our earliest childhood memories. In fact, they go back further than that.
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Candy canes – peppermint sticks – may go back as far as the 17th century, but they weren’t massed produced until the mid-1900s. Ever since then, the recipe has remained pretty much the same. But, is that recipe conducive to a vegan lifestyle? Well, look no further because we’ve got the answer to your question right here. And it’s sure to bring a smile to your face.
Basic red and white striped peppermint candy canes are vegan, as well as most other colors and flavors. However, gourmet candy canes that are dipped in or filled with chocolate, butterscotch, and/or other toppings/fillings are likely to contain dairy and/or other animal derivatives. So either stick with the traditional varieties of candy canes or, if you choose to go with a gourmet option, make sure you remember to check with the manufacturer for ingredients if you are unsure. They’ll be able to let you know if their product is safe for a vegan diet or not.
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Candy Cane Ingredients
The formula for commercial candy canes is pretty basic and it hasn’t chenged very much over the years. This traditional candy recipe consists of the following ingredients: sugar, corn syrup, peppermint flavoring (natural flavoring), and food coloring (Red 40 and/or other petroleum-based dyes).
What to know if other candies are vegan? Check out our Is It Vegan? category.
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