"Are chocolate chips vegan?" is a question that many vegans ask at some point in their journey. That's why I've done the research for you! In this article I'll cover popular chocolate chip brands like Hershey's, Nestles and Ghirardelli. Plus, I'll cover all the variations that are out there like semi-sweet chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips and milk chocolate chips.
Jump to:
- Are Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Nestle Milk Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Nestle Dark Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- Are Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Vegan?
- So, Which Chocolate Chips Are Vegan?
- Comments
Spoiler alert: some chocolate chips are suitable for vegans, but some are not! It all comes down to the presence of dairy - some brands are dairy free, but many are not.
Read on for what to look for to make sure the chocolate chips are dairy free and are suitable for vegans.
Are Hershey's Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Let's start with Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips, since they're one of the most popular and readily available brands at the grocery store.
Hershey's semi-sweet chocolate chips contain:
- Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Chocolate
- Milkfat
- Natural Flavors
- Soy Lecithin
Because these semi-sweet chocolate chips contain milkfat, they are not vegan. Milkfat (also known as butterfat), is the natural fat of milk from which butter is made. So, if you see this ingredient listed on the label of any chocolate chip brand you're thinking of buying, they are not dairy free.
Are Hershey's Milk Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Hershey's milk chocolate chips are a popular choice amongst consumers, especially for baking. They contain:
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Skim Milk
- Cocoa Butter
- Lecithin (Soy)
- Natural Flavor
Milk chocolate is made with milk, milk powder or skim milk, so Hershey's milk chocolate chocolate chips are not dairy free, hence not suitable for vegans.
Are Hershey's Special Dark Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Hershey's special dark chocolate chips are another popular choice for baking. They contain:
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Cocoa Processed With Alkali
- Milkfat
- Lecithin
- Natural Flavor
- Milk
Unlike many dark chocolate chips, Hershey's chocolate chips contain Milkfat and Milk, so they are not dairy free and not suitable for vegans.
Are Nestle Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Nestle is one of the most popular chocolate chip brands out there, especially the semi-sweet variety which is favorite amongst bakers. They contain:
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Milkfat
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavor
Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chips are not dairy free as they contain milkfat. They are therefor not suitable for a vegan diet. The same thing applies to Nestle semi-sweet chocolate chunks.
Are Nestle Milk Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Nestle milk chocolate chips are another popular brand. But are they vegan? These chocolate chips contain:
- Sugar
- Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Nonfat Milk
- Milkfat
- Soy Lecithin
- Natural Flavor
Nestle milk chocolate chips contain nonfat milk and milkfat, which means they are not dairy free and are not suitable for a plant based diet.
Are Nestle Dark Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Dark chocolate does have a reputation for being dairy free. But are Nestle dark chocolate chips vegan? They contain:
- Chocolate
- Sugar
- Cocoa Butter
- Milkfat
- Nonfat Milk
As you can see, even those these chocolate chips are marked as "100% real chocolate" they do contain milkfat and nonfat milk, which means they aren't vegan.
Are Ghirardelli Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Here's another popular grocery store brand of chocolate chips. But, are they vegan?
Ghirardelli bittersweet chocolate chips contain:
- Bittersweet Chocolate
- Sugar
- Cocoa Powder
- Milkfat
- Soy Lecithin
Unfortunately these chocolate chips contain milkfat, which means that Ghirardelli Bittersweet Chocolate chips are not vegan.
Are Ghirardelli Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Vegan?
Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips used to be the go-to brand for vegans. They were "accidentally vegan." But, recently, the company has changed the ingredients in their semi-sweet chocolate chips. So, are they vegan?
Here's the ingredients you'll find in Ghirardelli semi-sweet chocolate chips:
- Cane Sugar
- Unsweetened Chocolate
- Cocoa Butter
- Whole Milk Powder
- Soy Lecithin
- Vanilla Extract
Disappointingly, Ghirardelli changed their semi-sweet chocolate chip recipe to include whole milk powder. So, these chocolate chips are not vegan. In fact, none of the Ghirardelli range of chocolate chips are vegan.
So, Which Chocolate Chips Are Vegan?
Don't despair vegans! There are dairy free chocolate chips out there. Here are a few of my favorite brands. These brands can usually be found in the allergen aisle at the grocery store.
Enjoy Life mini semi-sweet chocolate chips are nut free, gluten free, wheat free, yeast free, dairy free and certified vegan. Here's what they contain:
- Cocoa Liquor (Non-Alcoholic)
- Cocoa Butter
Evolved Chocolate Chips are organic, dairy free, soy free, gluten free and vegan. They have a range of different chocolate types, all vegan friendly .They are suitable for both Paleo and vegan diets. They are available to order online.These chocolate chips contain:
- Organic Cocoa
- Organic Cocoa Butter
Pasha makes multiple varieties of vegan chocolate chips to cater to different diets. All of their chocolate chips are certified vegan and organic.
Reviewers claim that Sunspires Semi-Sweet Dairy Free Chocolate Chips are melt-in-your-mouth-delicous and they are vegan! Available at Whole Foods.
Craving Vegan Chocolate Chip Recipes?
Now that you know which brands of chocolate chips are vegan, why not get baking?
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