Not sure how to satisfy your sweet tooth on the keto diet? Don’t worry — there are plenty of keto-friendly options out there.
We rounded up the best keto candy to help you kick your craving without kissing keto goodbye.
The 15 best keto candy substitutes
Satisfy your sweet tooth without the sugar by swapping these keto-friendly treats with your favorite candy.
- If you like Reese’s: Go Better Keto Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups
- If you like Jolly Ranchers: Stevita Naturals Hard Candy
- If you like Peanut M&Ms: Atkins Endulge Chocolate Peanut Candies
- If you like peach rings: SmartSweets Peach Rings
- If you like Dum Dums: Koochikoo Sugar-Free Organic Lollipops
- If you like classic M&Ms: Atkins Endulge Chocolate Candies
- If you like Haribo Gummy Bears: Brach’s Sugar Free Assorted Gummy Bears
- If you like Almond Joy: Lily’s Sweets Salted Almond & Milk Chocolate Bar
- If you like classic Hershey’s: Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolates
- If you like Sour Patch Kids: SmartSweets Sour Gummy Bears
- If you like Swedish Fish: SmartSweets Sweet Fish
- If you like Snickers: ChocoRite Crispy Caramels
- If you like Snickers Pecan: ChocoRite Diet Milk Chocolate Pecan Clusters
- If you like Warheads: Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets Sugar Free Signature Sours Hard Candy
- If you like Andes Chocolate Mints: SlimFast Keto Mint Chocolate Fat Bombs
What even is keto candy?
If you follow a keto diet, you already know that sugar and too many carbs are off the menu when you’re trying to reach ketosis, the fat-burning state.
Although there’s no strict definition, keto is all about that super low carb, high fat life. In general, people on the keto diet shoot for no more than 20 to 50 grams of carbs a day and zero added sugars.
That means keto candy is sugar-free and sometimes high in fat. But how can candy possibly taste sweet without a little glucose, you ask?
Instead of that glycemic-spiking stuff from sugarcane, keto candy uses sugar substitutes like erythritol, stevia, and monk fruit so you can enjoy a sweet treat now and then without messing with your keto #goals.
How to tell if candy is keto-friendly
If the candy aisle’s got you asking “Is butter a carb?,” don’t stress, Regina. Essentially, you’re looking for ingredients that won’t raise your blood sugar and kick you out of ketosis.
When perusing the ingredient list on the back of every candy pack, here’s what to look for:
- Total carbs: How many carbs you consume each day is a personal choice, and carb content will be labeled clearly on the packaging. But in general, for keto-approved candy, you’ll want to look for options with less than 30 grams of carbs per serving.
- Net carbs: This is how you find out how many carbs your body is going to digest from what you’re eating. You’ll subtract total fiber (which includes some sugar substitutes) from total carbs. For the keto diet, try to keep this number under 10 grams per serving, although it isn’t always labeled clearly.
Spotlight on sweeteners
You’ll want to look for zero grams of added sugar, but don’t stop there. Your body doesn’t process all sugar substitutes the same way, so some are more keto-friendly than others.
- No carbs:
- erythritol
- sucralose
Your body can’t digest these sugar subs, so you can subtract the full amount from the total carbs to get the net carbs.
- Some carbs:
- sorbitol
- xylitol
- mannitol
These sugar alcohols will provide some calories because your body will digest about half the sugar, so you can only subtract a portion to find the net carbs.
The 15 best keto candy substitutes
Keep on scrollin’ to get the lowdown on all our top picks, including nutritional content, price, and available flavors.
Pricing guide
Score some sweets without breaking your budget.
- $ = under $2.00 per serving
- $$ = $2.00–$2.75 per serving
- $$$ = over $2.75 per serving
1. If you like Reese’s: Go Better Keto Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups
Price: $
Nutrition per serving:
- 7 grams total carbs
- 1 gram net carbs
- 5 grams dietary fiber
- 10 grams fat
Sweetened with: Allulose and monk fruit
New nutty-chocolaty cup, who dis? If you’re a Reese’s lover, consider converting to these dark chocolate keto cups.
Made with hazelnut butter instead of PB, this healthier alternative (filled with organic cacao butter and topped with Himalayan sea salt) should def satisfy your cravings. It also comes in almond and coconut butter flavors if hazelnut isn’t your jam.
Buy Go Better Keto Dark Chocolate Hazelnut Butter Cups.
2. If you like Jolly Ranchers: Stevita Naturals Hard Candy
Price: $
Nutrition per serving:
- 1.5 grams total carbs
- 0 grams net carbs
- 0 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: Stevia
If you’re feeling a little less jolly without your Jolly Ranchers, consider trying these non-GMO stevia-sweetened substitutes. Packaged in cute little tins and available in orange, strawberry, cherry, or grape flavor or in a variety pack, they’re proof that keto doesn’t have to mean #FOMO when it comes to candy.
Buy Stevita Naturals Hard Candy.
3. If you like Peanut M&Ms: Atkins Endulge Chocolate Peanut Candies
Price: $
Nutrition per serving:
- 18 grams total carbs
- 8.5 grams net carbs
- 2 grams dietary fiber
- 10 grams fat
Sweetened with: Maltitol
They look like peanut M&Ms, they taste like peanut M&Ms… but, thankfully for your keto diet, they’re not peanut M&Ms. Reviewers say these maltitol-sweetened treats taste super close to the real thing, without all the sugar and carbs.
Just keep in mind that while the label lists 1 gram of net carbs, you can subtract only half the carbs from maltitol, meaning you’ll get 8.5 grams of net carbs per serving.
Buy Atkins Endulge Chocolate Peanut Candies.
4. If you like peach rings: SmartSweets Peach Rings
Price: $$$
Nutrition per serving:
- 42 grams total carbs
- 18 grams net carbs
- 13 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: allulose, stevia, and monk fruit
Embrace sugar-free peachy sweetness with these yellow-orange crystalline Os.
OK, so apparently they don’t taste exactly like the real thing, and they contain tapioca fiber, which is considered a no-no for some hardcore keto abiders. (Totally your call. Technically, it’s a keto-friendly, naturally occurring dietary fiber.) On the bright side, they’re free of artificial sweeteners.
5. If you like Dum Dums: Koochikoo Sugar-Free Organic Lollipops
Price: $
Nutrition per serving:
- 11 grams total carbs
- 2 grams net carbs
- 9 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: Natural flavors and tapioca fiber
If you need a pick-me-up, these naturally sweetened lollipops just might be it. These little lollies are gluten-free, vegan, and kosher. They do contain tapioca fiber, though, which some keto followers avoid due to its potential to cause a glycemic spike (but technically it’s keto-friendly).
Buy Koochikoo Sugar-Free Organic Lollipops.
6. If you like classic M&Ms: Atkins Endulge Chocolate Candies
Price: $$
Nutrition per serving:
- 19 grams total carbs
- 8 grams net carbs
- 4 grams dietary fiber
- 7 grams fat
Sweetened with: Maltitol and sucralose
Calling all lovers of classic M&Ms: Atkins strikes again with this believable dupe.
This product is sweetened with maltitol, which has some carbs, so despite what the package says, you can’t subtract all 14 grams of sugar alcohol to get the net carbs. Instead, these chocolates will provide 8 grams of carbs once they’re digested.
Buy Atkins Endulge Chocolate Candies.
7. If you like Haribo Gummy Bears: Brach’s Sugar Free Assorted Gummy Bears
Price: $$
Nutrition per serving:
- 22 grams total carbs
- 11 grams net carbs
- 0 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: Maltitol and apple juice from concentrate
Haribo who? These adorable gummy bears look as cute as the real thing and taste pretty dang good too.
Just keep in mind that despite what the label claims, these don’t technically have 0 grams of net carbs because they contain maltitol. With 11 grams of net carbs, these are best saved for when you’re looking for a special treat rather than a go-to snack.
Buy Brach’s Sugar Free Gummy Bears.
8. If you like Almond Joy: Lily’s Sweets Salted Almond & Milk Chocolate Bar
Price: $$
Nutrition per serving:
- 21 grams total carbs
- 4 grams net carbs
- 11 grams dietary fiber
- 14 grams fat
Sweetened with: Stevia and erythritol
While it’s not a perfect swap for Almond Joy, this bar should satisfy your salty chocolate-almond cravings. Sweetened with stevia and erythritol and made with fair trade, gluten-free, and non-GMO ingredients, these bars also have seriously rave reviews.
Buy Lily’s Sweets Salted Almond & Milk Chocolate Bar.
9. If you like classic Hershey’s: Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolates
Price: $$$
Nutrition per serving:
- 24 grams total carbs
- 11 grams net carbs
- 3 grams dietary fiber
- 13 grams fat
Sweetened with: Maltitol
Thanks to Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolates, you don’t even have to betray your favorite candy bar brand to go keto. According to reviewers, they’re so delish that even your non-keto friends might want in.
Since they’re sweetened with maltitol, though, you can’t subtract the full amount of sugar alcohol. Plus, eating too much of a product with sugar alcohols could give you an upset stomach.
Buy Hershey’s Sugar-Free Chocolates.
10. If you like Sour Patch Kids: SmartSweets Sour Gummy Bears
Price: $$$
Nutrition per serving:
- 36 grams total carbs
- 18 grams net carbs
- 9 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: Allulose, tapioca fiber, and natural flavors
If you’ve been missing gummies that make your lips pucker, SmartSweets Sour Gummy Bears might be for you. Like other gummy alternatives, they’re def not the lowest-net-carb option out there, but they’re a good option to enjoy every now and then.
Some reviewers complain about the teeny-tiny bag size, but given the carb content, the portion is pretty realistic if you want to keep things keto.
Buy SmartSweets Sour Gummy Bears.
11. If you like Swedish Fish: SmartSweets Sweet Fish
Price: $$$
Nutrition per serving:
- 42 grams total carbs
- 18 grams net carbs
- 13 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: Allulose and natural berry flavor
SmartSweets strikes again with this alternative to your fave Scandinavian fish. With 18 grams of net carbs, these are likely an occasional, single-pack indulgence for most keto followers, but there just aren’t any lower-carb gummies on the market. And sometimes, you just gotta satisfy those sweet, sweet Swedish fish cravings.
12. If you like Snickers: ChocoRite Crispy Caramels
Price: $$
Nutrition per serving:
- 19 grams total carbs
- 2 grams net carbs
- 13 grams dietary fiber
- 6 grams fat
Sweetened with: Erythritol
Saying goodbye to Snickers is tough, but saying hello to ChocoRite Crispy Caramels isn’t. They’re free of artificial sweeteners, and reviewers say the hardest part is eating just one. Compared to keto chocolate competitors, these are supposedly especially *convincing.*
Buy ChocoRite Crispy Caramels.
13. If you like Snickers Pecan: ChocoRite Diet Milk Chocolate Pecan Clusters
Price: $$
Nutrition per serving:
- 21 grams total carbs
- 2 grams net carbs
- 15 grams dietary fiber
- 7 grams total fat
Sweetened with: Erythritol
In case you missed it, Snickers Pecan was a limited-edition version of the candy bar staple that sold out in 24 hours. Fortunately, you can still get a taste of (keto-approved) chocolate-pecan flavor with these nut clusters. They’re free of artificial sweeteners, and reviewers say they’re tasty and easy on the tummy.
14. If you like Warheads: Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets Sugar Free Signature Sours Hard Candy
Price: $
Nutrition per serving:
- 18 grams total carbs
- 5 grams net carbs
- 10 grams dietary fiber
- 0 grams fat
Sweetened with: Xylitol and erythritol
These aren’t quite as sour as Warheads, but that might be a blessing in disguise for anyone who used to down those bad boys until their tongue went raw. Vegan, gluten-free, dairy-free, kosher, and sweetened with natural flavors, these just might become your go-to desk candy.
Buy Dr. John’s Healthy Sweets Sugar Free Signature Sours Hard Candy.
15. If you like Andes Chocolate Mints: SlimFast Keto Mint Chocolate Fat Bombs
Price: $
Nutrition per serving:
- 7 grams total carbs
- 1 gram net carbs
- 4 grams dietary fiber
- 8 grams fat
Sweetened with: Erythritol
Mint-chocolate-loving keto peeps, rejoice: These “fat bombs” truly are the bomb. Though some reviewers complain about the price, if you have a mint-chocolate craving, these are for you.
Buy SlimFast Keto Mint Chocolate Fat Bombs.
How we picked the best keto candy substitutes
We scoured the internet for the best keto candy so you don’t have to. Here’s how we picked the best of the best:
- Keto-approved. We did the math on those net carbs to ensure these picks passed the test. Remember: Net carbs = total carbs – total fiber (which includes some sugar subs). Anything with more than 30 grams of net carbs didn’t fly, and many picks are under 5 grams.
- Tasty. Obvs, keto candy is no good if it doesn’t taste like candy. While most people can tell the difference between regular and sugar-free options, we chose the tastiest substitutes we could find based on consumer reviews.
tl;dr
Keto candy: not so different from your everyday candy — except, of course, that it’s low carb and sugar-free and won’t knock you out of ketosis. While eating too much of the stuff still won’t help your health, it serves as an ideal occasional keto-friendly treat to soothe your sweet tooth.
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