I’ve never seen a more hotly contested topic on dairy ingredients than the Reese’s Pieces debate! I originally posted the news about Reese’s Pieces going dairy free on social media. It seemed like a good friendly alert to share. But it caused so much disturbance, I’ve decided to provide more information. This post covers ingredients, past and present, and answers all of your questions and concerns.
Reese’s Pieces: The Dairy to Dairy-Free Transition
It’s true! Reese’s Pieces is joining the ranks of dairy-free candy. Here is what The Hershey Company (makers of Reese’s Pieces) has been sending this past week to those of us who have contacted their customer service directly:
We appreciate your interest in our product and would like to share that the recipe for Reese’s Pieces Candy has been reformulated and no longer contains milk. The packaging has been updated to remove milk from the ingredients and the “Contains” statement on the label; however, it is possible that the product in both packages was on the market during the transition. Please review the label on the specific package before purchasing. This label is accurate for the product inside.
I know many of you are wondering, what has changed. Well, not much! Quite literally, two minor ingredients were removed. I’ve outlined the prior and updated formulas for the U.S. below, and have bolded the removed ingredients in red.
New Ingredients (starting mid-2025): sugar, partially defatted peanuts, hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel oil, soybean oil), corn syrup solids, contains 2% or less of: palm kernel oil, corn syrup, salt, artificial color (including yellow 6 lake, yellow 5 lake, red 40 lake, blue 1 lake), modified cornstarch, confectioner’s glaze, lecithin (soy), vanillin (artificial flavor), carnauba wax. contains: peanuts, soy.
Old Ingredients: sugar, partially defatted peanuts, hydrogenated vegetable oil (palm kernel oil soybean oil), corn syrup solids, dextrose, contains 2% or less of: palm kernel oil, corn syrup, salt artificial color (including yellow 5 lake, yellow 6 lake, red 40 lake, blue 1 lake), modified cornstarch, confectioner’s glaze, lecithin (soy), vanillin (artificial flavor), carnauba wax, milk. contains: peanuts, milk, soy.
Yes, that’s it! No additions have been made. They merely removed dextrose and milk, which was the very last ingredient on the 2% or less list. Which means, it was a very tiny amount of milk anyway.
Reese’s Pieces FAQs: Answers to Nearly Every Concern
I know many of you still have questions! We’ve been fielding them like crazy on social media. But it’s time to put them all in one place.
Why Hasn’t Reese’s Announced the Change?
It’s quite common for companies to quietly reformulate their products without an immediate public announcement. There are some strategic reasons for this. If a formula change is minor and doesn’t introduce any top allergens, an announcement might be deemed unnecessary. Companies often try to avoid disrupting their loyal customer base. The mere idea of a change can sometimes trigger negative feedback, even if the customers wouldn’t have noticed the difference on their own. Additionally, a formal announcement might be postponed until after the updated product has been rolled out or when a larger marketing plan is set in motion.
Will the Recipe Change Effect the Taste of Reese’s Pieces?
The reports so far are no. It is a very minor change, simply removing two small ingredients. There hasn’t been a rush of customers who have noticed the subtle change as it’s slipped into the market.
Haven’t Reese’s Pieces Always Been Dairy Free?
In the U.S., milk has been on the label for as long as I have been writing dairy-free articles. And we haven’t been able to find any evidence that they were ever dairy free (looking at past formulas, the original concept, etc). Some people argue that the “milk” in the ingredients was put there only due to cross contamination risk, and that it was never really an added ingredient. This was not something media relations or customer service could ever verify for us. And we can only go by the ingredients and “contains” statement, which have stated milk. So no, they have contained dairy for quite some time, at least in the U.S. and Canada. (Hint: not in the U.K.!)
Why Does it Still Show Dairy in Reese’s Pieces Online?
Companies, grocery stores, and other retailers won’t typically change the ingredients and packaging images online immediately. It often happens when a rollout is complete or when they allot resources to make the change. Right now, there are still a lot of Reese’s Pieces on store shelves with the old recipe. Changing the information online is premature, and could cause some consumers to get packages that contained dairy when they thought they were buying dairy-free ones.
Are the New Reese’s Pieces in Stores Now?
They are in some stores. The new recipe is what’s in production now, but it will take time for older inventory to sell through. The new formula has been spotted at Costco and some other grocery stores regionally. Remember, always read the label! It can easily take years for all older inventory to sell through on shelf-stable items.
Why do the Holiday Reese’s Pieces Contain Milk?
Seasonal products are planned and sometimes even produced well in advance of the season. For example, the Halloween bags of Reese’s Pieces do contain milk even though some of the milk-free Reese’s Pieces are already appearing in stores (in August).
The Packages Still Have a Kosher Dairy Label. Doesn’t that Mean they Contain Dairy?
No, kosher labeling is very different from allergen labeling. In this case, the D indicates some sort of presence of dairy, either in the facility or on the line. It is not OU-D due to ingredients, and it is not an indicator of the level of allergen protocols used in production. See our Kosher Label Guide for more details. If concerned about potential cross-contamination with an allergen, always contact the company to discuss their allergen protocols. Never rely solely on the label.
Do the New Reese’s Pieces have Milk Cross Contamination Risk?
All food products have some degree of risk for cross contamination with allergens. Our food isn’t grown, shipped, produced, and packaged in a bubble. There isn’t a “may contain” statement on the packages we have seen. But if you are concerned about potential cross contamination of any allergen, you must contact the company to learn about their allergen protocols. Only you can decide what’s safe for your needs.
Are Reese’s Pieces Vegan Now?
All signs point to no. They still contain a small amount of confectioner’s glaze in the candy coating, which is non-vegan. Also, the sugar used in this type of candy could be non-vegan. It isn’t specified by the company. The specific dyes used are note mad with animal products, but they might have been tested on animals previously to determine safety.
Are Reese’s Pieces Gluten Free?
According to my gluten-free counterpart, Jules, Reese’s Pieces have been gluten free for quite some time. Nothing appears to have changed in terms of the gluten-free status, but always check with the company to ensure they are safe for your needs.
Will there Be the Classic Version and a Dairy-Free Version?
It does not appear so. This is just a minor reformulation of the original Reese’s Pieces. There is no formal “dairy-free” branding and they are not considered “plant-based.”
Are Reese’s Pieces Going Dairy Free in Canada?
The original Reese’s Pieces recipe is identical in the U.S. and Canada, so I assume the new dairy-free recipe will also take hold in Canada. But I don’t have any confirmation on this. Just keep checking those labels my Canadian friends!
Are they Going Dairy Free in Other Countries?
Believe it or not, Reese’s Pieces are already dairy-free in the U.K.! So to the best of my knowledge, there is no formula change happening in the United Kingdom. However, a formula change can happen at any time, and I can’t speak to other countries.
For More Treats, Enjoy Our Dairy-Free Candy List!
8 Comments
Thanks for the update! I’m so excited!
What is labeled as “Confectioner’s Glaze” can be from corn or from an insect. If from insect it is not one of the few that are kosher. So the kosher designation implies vegan but you have to write to Hershey’s if you want to be sure. I’m just happy to splurge on Reese’s Pieces and not reach for a lactase pill.
This is an interesting point, so I looked into it. Because shellac is more akin to honey, it is considered kosher. I think that’s a key point though, too. Shellac isn’t insects, as many keep commenting on social media. It is a byproduct from an insect, just like honey is from a bee. But as you say, it could also be derived from a plant-based source. I think if anyone is concerned about this, they should contact Hershey’s. Thank you!
Great, now if they can just remove the gross, unnecessary confectioners glaze, they’d be golden.
Could you talk more about the non-vegan component of the confectioners glaze? Basically what is it and what animal is it derived from? Some more allergies to deal with along with dairy. Feel free to email vs. hard post. If people get upset about non-dairy, they definitely don’t want to know about animal properties amd procedures! Thanks so much for the work you do!!!
Hi Barbra, I completely respect and understand your concerns, but we are a dietary website. While we love sharing things for our vegan friends, and I always do my best to alert to non-vegan issues (as I did in this post), we are dairy-free specifically. And we do not break down what type of dairy is in any products, let alone break down other ingredients. We’re about sharing what people can have, not about digging into why they can’t have something. Fortunately, there are many vegan websites who do cover Reese’s Pieces in more detail for vegans who want to know.
Oh man, I can’t tell you how excited, and then how disappointed I was, in the span of just a few minutes. They were SO close to making it vegan! I mean come on, what’s the hold up? Happy for all the dairy-free people and it’s a step in the right direction, but… Ugh!
I know, so frustrating! I’m not even sure if they meant to go dairy free, or if it was an allergen reducing issue. But perhaps they have a plant-based formula in the works for a new version!