Let’s face it: living gluten-free has its obvious challenges - especially when it comes to indulging in sweets and desserts. But, here’s the good news: while not all sweet options are gluten-free, there are plenty of gluten-free chocolate options (...you just have to know what you are looking for!) 

Is chocolate naturally gluten-free? 

YES - pure chocolate is naturally gluten-free. 

Think cocoa powder, cocoa chips, cocoa butter, mixed with a little sugar. This type of chocolate does not contain gluten. Unfortunately, most chocolate products out there aren’t made with those few simple ingredients. The issue usually comes with extra added ingredients (things like flavorings, cookies, crispy rice, etc.) that most of the chocolate bars and snacks you’ve heard of (and maybe love) are made with. And even if all of the ingredients in a chocolate bar appear to be gluten-free, a big concern still is cross-contamination during the production process from equipment in facilities that handle ingredients containing gluten.

Ingredients That Could Make Chocolate “Unsafe” 

Not all chocolate is gluten-free, so it’s smart to always keep an eye out for chocolate products to include any of these common gluten-containing ingredients: 

• Barley Malt (typically added to chocolate as a sweetener)
• Wheat Flour (Chocolates containing “crunchy” fillers like pretzels, cookie-bits or wafers)
• Chocolates that have caramel fillings with gluten thickeners
• Crisped Rice or Rice Crisps
• Graham Crackers
• Cookie Dough/Cookie Pieces
• Pretzel Pieces
• Caramel fillings
• Natural Flavors 

What about Milk Chocolate, White Chocolate or Dark Chocolate? 

Milk Chocolate 

• Milk chocolate is naturally gluten-free chocolate, but the added ingredients are what cause an issue. (Hint hint: Anything from that list you just read!) 

White Chocolate 

• White chocolate in its purest form (cocoa butter, sugar, and milk) is gluten-free. However, most white chocolate has other ingredients that may contain gluten that have been added to punch up the flavor. 

Dark Chocolate 

• Most high-quality dark chocolate varieties you will find are gluten-free, but you have to be careful to read labels as some products include gluten-based additives or could have been cross-contaminated during production. 

• The good news is it’s fairly easy to find pure, quality, gluten-free dark chocolate on-shelf…and it’s considered healthy as well (more on that later!) 

How To Tell if Your Chocolate is Truly Gluten Free 

There are a few smart shopping tips to make sure the chocolate you are buying is totally gluten-free:

• Carefully read ingredient labels and look out for additives that may contain gluten 

• Choose brands that test for gluten or use dedicated gluten-free facilities (like we do at Bobo’s!!) 

• Look for the “certified gluten-free” icon on the front of packaging 

Pro Tip: At Bobo’s we make it easy - ALL of our products (including the chocolate ones!) are certified gluten-free! 

Is Chocolate Safe For People with Celiac Disease or Gluten Sensitivity? 

For anyone who has celiac disease or a gluten sensitivity, making sure to pick chocolates and products that have the “certified gluten-free” mark on the front of the packaging is the only real guaranteed safe option! You can also chat with your healthcare provider to see what some good options would be. [would love dietician quote here] 

Best choice: Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate 

Dark chocolate is not only rich and decadent, but it is also high in polyphenols, which are great for supporting a healthy gut and microbiome! (Especially safe chocolate for celiac disease!) [would love dietician quote here] 

Bobo’s Tip: Some Chocolate Snacks You Can Trust

At Bobo’s, we’re proud to say ALL of our products are certified gluten-free, including all of our  delectable options made with chocolate! A few fan favorites include our Chocolate Chip Oat Bar , our Chocolate Almond Butter Stuff’d Oat Bar and our Dipp’d Chocolate Oat Bar + Dark Chocolate. 

AND when we’re feeling a little extra in the kitchen, we LOVE to whip up these delicious gluten-free dark chocolate almond butter oat cups, made with gluten-free dark chocolate and Bobo's Chocolate Chip Oat Bites. YUM!! 

Quick Gluten-Free Chocolate Checklist 

✅ It is best to always check the ingredient list on the label if the brand isn’t clearly labeled as gluten-free 

✅ If you don’t see the “certified gluten-free” mark on the packaging, a couple of ingredients containing gluten to look out for are: 

• Barley Malt 

• Wheat Flour 

• Crisped Rice or Rice Crisps 

• Graham Cracker Pieces 

• Cookie Dough/Cookie Pieces 

• Pretzel Pieces 

• Caramel fillings 

• Natural Flavors 

✅ A few brands who have certified gluten-free chocolate products are: 

• Bobo’s (Hi there! 👋) 

• Toblerone 

• Reese’s

• Hershey’s (Signature Bars & Kisses)