Is White Chocolate Gluten-Free? The Answer Is Complicated

White chocolate is both beautiful and a little mysterious; no one is quite able to pin it down. Is white chocolate actually real chocolate? Is it something else? And importantly for some: Is white chocolate gluten-free? Unfortunately, there's not a simple answer. If you're going to enjoy some confections that include white chocolate and you need to be eating gluten-free, we have the answers you need.

White chocolate, in its most basic form, is made from cocoa butter, sugar, and milk solids, all of which are gluten-free ingredients. So, in theory, white chocolate should be gluten-free. But as many people who eat gluten-free know, many foods that seem like they should be gluten-free turn out not to be.

There are also often ingredients added to white chocolate to enhance the flavor, and these may contain gluten. Some of these ingredients include wheat starch, malt extract, or barley malt. Malt is a sweetener made from grains that are partially germinated. During this process, the starches in those grains begin to convert to sugar. But those grains, unfortunately, contain gluten. Malt powder is a delicious flavoring sometimes added to confections like milkshakes, waffles, and chocolate — and white chocolate, it turns out. So if you're gluten-free and you want to partake in some white chocolate, it's best to check the labels because some brands are clearly labeled while others have gluten-containing ingredients.

There are lots of desserts that are made better with white chocolate, like some white chocolate blondies, so even if you're gluten-free, you should be able to bake with it. When it comes to chocolate, one brand that is always reliably free of gluten as well as dairy and some other major allergens is Enjoy Life. Its white chocolate baking chips say on the packaging that they're made in a gluten-free facility. Additionally, Lily's is certified gluten-free, meaning that not only does the company claim its product is gluten-free but it's actually third-party tested and independently verified.

Hershey's chocolate is generally reliably gluten-free and labeled as such, and Hershey's white chocolate chips are no exception. However, white chocolate bars like the Cookies 'n' Creme are not gluten-free, so make sure to double check the product labels. Guittard Choc-au-Lait Vanilla Baking Chips also specify that they are gluten-free and made in a gluten-free facility.

There are some questionable brands that don't necessarily contain obvious gluten ingredients, but also don't label their white chocolate gluten-free, possibly due to cross-contamination or shared equipment. Among these are Ghirardelli, Lindt, and Tony's Chocolonely, which actually says it may contain wheat. Whether or not you're comfortable consuming these brands that don't specify is up to you.