Where can I find Dairy-Free and Vegan Butterscotch Chips?

Q: Angie – I saw the recipe for butterscotch scones on your site, and am wondering, where can one find milk-free and egg-free butterscotch chips? My allergic six year-old would love his first chocolate scotcheroo if I could figure this out!

A: Alisa – Most brands of butterscotch chips are generics, so they can be tricky to find. But they do exist! Here is the information I have on butterscotch chip brands:

Lieber’s – This is a kosher pareve brand of butterscotch chips, and they are reportedly quite tasty. Also, they have a very high heat tolerance, helping them to hold their shape rather than melting into the cookies. I suggest looking for them in the kosher section of grocery stores, or simply purchasing them online from Amazon. They are also sold online via kosher supermarkets, but those seem to come and go.

Generics – It has been reported by various vegan food bloggers that the butterscotch chips from Food Club, Price Chopper, and Food Lion are all dairy-free / egg-free [update: I was informed that the Price Chopper chips may no longer be dairy-free / vegan – be sure to check the ingredients!]. All of these stores are in the East. I have yet to locate any generic butterscotch chips that are non-dairy in the West.

A few quick notes of caution on all of the products noted above:

• Always check the ingredients prior to purchasing, as the ingredients and processes are subject to change at any time by the manufacturer. These brands may be dairy-free today, but it is possible that the company will add nonfat milk powder and/or whey to their butterscotch chips tomorrow.
• If trace amounts of milk are a concern for you (typically for severe or life-threatening food allergies), watch for the “made on shared equipment” labels and contact the company to find out if there are any cross-contamination issues in the production runs for these chips.
• Most brands of butterscotch chips, non-dairy or not, are made with hydrogenated oils.