When I think of Halloween, words like fun, costumes, and of course, candy come to mind, even decades after my trick or treating years have come to a close. But when it comes to special diets (dairy-free, vegan, gluten-free, nut-free, etc, etc, etc), which seem to be scarily common these days, Halloween treats can represent fear and envy more than sugary smiles.

But something began to happen about two years ago. Companies popped up, one by one, offering sweets touted as “for everyone.” In 2006 I published an article called No Tricks, Real Treats for a Non-Dairy Halloween, followed in 2008 by Halloween Just Keeps Getting Yummier for Dairy-Free Kids. You can see that things were starting to get more interesting last year, but it is nothing compared to the offerings for this year. In addition to our 2006 and 2008 Halloween Treat ideas (all of which are still available), enjoy this year’s top ten list (in no special order):

Please Note: For ALL of the following, always inquire with the manufacturer on ingredients and processes for allergen cross-contamination issues, particularly where severe food allergies are a concern. This is just our list of suggestions for items that were dairy ingredient free at the time of revew.

1. Chocolate Emporium –  I am in the process of plowing my way through a Halloween box of Chocolate Emporium chocolates, and all I can say is “Wow!” Beyond the obvious chocolate love, these intricately molded chocolate lollipops and chocolate bites (each individually wrapped) are too cute to pass up. Thus far my favorites are the Spider Pop with Orange-flavored Web and the Chocolate Covered Sandwich Cookie (with pumpkin décor), but my husband loved the Frankenstein's Monster Pop because it looked so angry. Men. 
Caters to: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free

2. Premium Chocolatiers - “Milk” Chocolate, need I say more? Yes, there are a few dairy-free companies venturing into this territory now, but this is the first I have seen with wonderfully molded and bite-sized “milk” chocolates. My husband finds the milk chocolate just a bit too sweet (he likes their dark / semi-sweet chocolate items better), but I have always had a weakness for white chocolate, which this “milk” chocolate heavily reminds me of. Excellent for sugar cravings.
Caters to: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free, Nut-Free

3. YummyEarth Organic Lolliipops – Okay, so I mentioned them last year. But this yummilicious manufacturer deserves another mention for a few reasons. One is their extremely allergen-friendly facility. Another is their individually-wrapped, bite-sized goodness. And finally, the ability to purchase jumbo bags of these all natural lollipops for an awesome price. Beyond Halloween, if you need treats for tots, look no further than YummyEarth. Amazon frequently has specials on these lollipops too (35% off, in addition to the already discounted price, this Halloween), and they seem to ship quickly!
Caters to: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and pretty much all of the most common food allergens

4. Clif ZBar Spooky Smores Bars - I keep spotting these bars at every single grocery store (for $.69 to $.79 a piece) and think they are a great idea for a slightly more nutritious Halloween treat.
Caters to: Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Wheat-Free (shared facility for all allergens)

5. Divvies Chocolate Ghosts and Halloween Jelly Beans – We love them for their cupcakes (which you can in fact order in festive Halloween colors), but who can overlook their Halloween-colored Jelly Beans, and the latest Divvies creation, cute Chocolate Ghosts! As always, Divvies runs a milk, egg, and nut-free facility, putting many moms’ minds at ease.
Caters to: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free (with candies), and Nut-Free

6. Surf Sweets Gummy Snack Packs -  - Though I was excited to find this all natural creator of gummy goodness, I wasn’t sure how they would fit into the Halloween scene. That is until I spotted their Sour Berry Bears and sugary Gummy Bears (both of which are also vegan / gelatin-free) in snack pack sizing.
Caters to: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and pretty much all of the most common food allergens

7. Glee Gum Mini Packs -  I confess, I was never a bubble gum fan, but some of my friends couldn’t get enough of it. Perhaps there was something to my hesitation, since several brands of gum do contain just a wee bit of a milk-based ingredient. But not Glee Gum. This allergy-friendly brand comes in small packs too, perfect for plunking into pumpkin baskets. It is also reported as “sustainable” and comes in several different flavors.
Caters to: Vegan, Gluten-Free, and pretty much all of the most common food allergens with the exception of corn

8. VeganSweets Gourmet Caramels and Ghostly Marshmallow Treats - You think I’m joking don’t you? Nope, they are back, individually wrapped, and ready to impress little goblins (in addition to ramping up that dairy-free holiday baking, but that is a post for another day). In addition to the caramels, the Pangea Halloween includes Marshmallow Ghosts from Sweet & Sara, and individually wrapped Pangea Halloween Cookies.
Caters to: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free

9. Endangered Species Dark Chocolate Halloween Treats -   - Another repeat mention, but I am a big fan of Endangered Species, and love that they have these simple, yet Halloween appropriate, bite-sized dark chocolates for giving to children (they are a relatively mild dark / semi-sweet chocolate) or filling bowls at Halloween parties for kids and adults. Keep in mind, all of Endangered Species chocolate is run on shared lines (you can contact them about cleaning policies), so cross-contamination with the milk line is always a possibility.
Caters to: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free

10. Sjaak’s Halloween Chocolate Bites - Another chocolate love of mine. They are offering their individually-wrapped PB-filled chocolate bites and orange chocolate bites (rumor has it the Halloween version of the orange bites is also vegan, but check to verify) in cute Halloween bags. But, if those two flavors don’t spark you, they have several other vegan “bite” flavors, all individually wrapped, to choose from, just in less Halloween-appropriate colors. Keep in mind, all of Sjaak’s chocolate is run on shared lines (you can contact them about cleaning policies), so cross-contamination with the milk line could be a possibility.
Caters to: Vegan, Dairy-Free, Egg-Free, Gluten-Free

Honorable Mention:

Go Max Go Candy Bars - I am petitioning them for mini versions of their awesome vegan candy bars. Our fingers are crossed for next year. In the meantime, honor those costume winners with a bag of these incredible candy bars.

Crispy Cat Bars - Granola bar meets candy bar in this full-sized item. Good if you only have a few trick or treaters to please since they are full-sized and usually $2 or more a piece.

For Will Foods Halloween Cookies - This is a smaller, allergy-free bakery with some cute special offerings. I wasn’t thrilled that they use hydrogenated oils, but the items are surely quite tasty.

Pure Fun - Another great all-natural, organic lollipop manufacturer. How can you go wrong?

Kateelayne Carefree Halloween Treats – Their Halloween (and daily) cupcakes and cookies are “Always Peanut-free, Nut-free, Dairy-free, Egg-free” and now they also have gluten-free offerings. Kateelayne currently only services the Nashville, TN area, but I mention them because I am sure they will be shipping their cute baked goodies nationally in the near future.

Chocolate Decadence - They have some fun new dairy-free chocolate offerings in witch, pumpkin, and ghost shapes. I am not sure if they are individually wrapped, but the cellophane-wrapped chocolate bags look like a great gift.

And, once again, see my suggestions from 2006 and 2008 for more sweet Halloween treat ideas.

Did I miss any? Feel free to email us with your suggestions.

This article was written by Alisa Fleming, author of "Go Dairy Free: The Guide and Cookbook for Milk Allergies, Lactose Intolerance, and Casein-Free Living" (also available internationally in ebook format) and founder of Go Dairy Free.