15+ Sugar Free Christmas Candy Recipes (2024)

FAQs

Can we make candy without sugar? ›

Which Ingredients Are Used To Make Sugar-Free Candy? For this sugar-free hard candy recipe from Sweet Smarts, we'll be using the following ingredients: ¼ teaspoon plant-based flavoring oil. 1 ½ cups of erythritol.

The formula of sugar-free hard candy is by weight percentage: Crystal maltose alcohol 50%, xylitol 8%, isomalt 40%, Mint Essence 0.2%, menthol 0.2%, vanillic aldehyde 0.1%, food coloring 0.01%, monoglyceride 0.001%, surplus is water.

sugar-free. However, it is not calorie-free. Sugar-free candy has as many calories as regular candy, but those calories do not enter the bloodstream as glucose and elevate blood sugar readings. Sugar-free candy does not contain sugar, but instead sugar alcohols.

When sugar cravings strike and you really want something sweet, experts agree fruit is your best option. Try dates, raisins, figs, berries, pears, and really any other delicious fruit. Fruit-based purees and jams and sauces, such as applesauce, with no added sugars can also bring a big sweet reward to your treats.

Overall, allulose is the closest to processed sugar in both taste and texture while holding less calories. Erythritol has a taste very similar to sugar with no aftertaste but can create a cooling sensation in the mouth.

Stevia is a non-alcohol, non-artificial sugar substitute made from the leaf of a sweet plant. Saccharin, aspartame, stevia, and sucralose are calorie-free and carb-free. Sugar alcohols contain some carbohydrates. You're especially likely to encounter sugar alcohols in sugar-free candies, so be sure to check labels.

Natural plant sources, such as stevia and monk fruit, or artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, acesulfame potassium, or sucralose, can be used. Common bulking agents that are used with plant-based sources include erythritol, allulose, fiber, and maltodextrin.

There are a few reasons why there may not be as much choice for sugar-free sweets in the supermarket: Production costs: Sugar-free sweets often require the use of artificial sweeteners or alternative sweetening methods, which can be more expensive to produce than traditional sugar-sweetened products.

Sugar-free candies that use sucralose most likely have a bunch of other stuff in them that is the "hard candy" part, and the sucralose is only the sweetener. Splenda does not work for making hard candies, I learned this the hard way.

Why use isomalt instead of sugar? ›

Isomalt is completely sugar-free and therefore can be ingested by diabetics and won't cause tooth decay. Isomalt also has about half of the sweetness that sugar does and is lower in calories. Isomalt has a much higher resistance to crystallization and humidity when compared to sugar.

sorry, but no. Moderation is still important. That said...if you're going to help yourself to a few pieces of sugar-free candy (and def feel free!), just know that you'll want to factor those carbs, grams of fat, and calories into your recommended daily intake.

If you prefer hard candy over chewy, grab a bag of Dr. John's hard candy. These sugar-free candies are tooth-friendly and a great choice for those with diabetes (as are these chocolate recipes you won't believe are diabetic-friendly). These candies are also allergy-friendly, so everyone can enjoy them.

Sugar-free candy is so delicious that it's tempting to eat piece after piece. However, consuming large quantities of sugar alcohols exacerbates stomach upset due your body's inability to properly absorb it. For example, sorbitol likely causes stomach pain and diarrhea with a 20-gram intake rather than a 10-gram amount.

Some people may find that the taste of sugar-free hard candies is similar to regular hard candies, while others may find that the taste is slightly different. Some sugar-free hard candies may contain artificial sweeteners such as aspartame, which can have a slightly different taste than sugar.