Chewy and sweet, everyone loves salt water taffy! It is an iconic penny candy in many bright colors and fun flavors. You can find it for sale online and in many candy stores. Is saltwater taffy gluten free?

A hand holding wrapped salt water taffy pieces.

What Is Salt Water Taffy?

Salt water taffy is a candy that originated around 1817. It is a boiled candy that is made on large taffy-pulling machines. These machines pull the taffy, stretching it with butter and adding air into the candy. This air makes the candy lighter and chewier by stretching the candy out.

Salt water taffy is said to have got its name when a candy store in Atlantic City was flooded by salty ocean water. The store owner made a joke about only selling saltwater taffy, and it seems that name stuck. Today, you can buy salt water taffy, though it is good to know that salt water taffy doesn’t use ocean water.

As a child, I remember walking past candy stores in Maine. They had incredibly big taffy-pulling machines in the windows. They would pull taffy to lengths over 5 feet long! Stores would have wooden barrels filled with different flavors of salt water taffy.

If you love sweets as much as I do, check out all of my research to see what candy is gluten free.

Answer: Is Salt Water Taffy Gluten Free?

I am happy to say salt water taffy is gluten free! It shouldn’t have any cross-contamination because nothing but taffy is made on the machines. Just to be safe, I do recommend you always check the ingredients.

Red flag ingredients to look out for include caramel color, anything labeled cookie dough, apple pie, etc, that could have hidden gluten ingredients.

Salt water taffy is typically made with glycerine, sugar, corn syrup, corn starch, butter, salt, flavoring, and coloring. In many beach towns, you will often see fresh salt water taffy for sale on the East Coast.

  • Taffy Town – You can even request custom flavors.
  • Shrivers – One of the oldest taffy makers.
  • Fralingers Salt Water Taffy
  • Half Moon Bay Taffy
  • Steel’s Fudge
Bins of salt water taffy.

Recipes To Make Salt Water Taffy:

Salt water taffy can be fun to make. It would make a great summer project with the kids! Here are two easy recipes to try:

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