The best gluten free pretzels are crispy, crunchy, and the envy of even those who can eat gluten. Here are 8 brands to try when you're looking for a snack.
Are pretzels gluten free?
No! Unless they are specifically made to be gluten free, pretzels contain gluten, usually in the form of wheat flour. If you want pretzels on a gluten free diet, you'll need to buy gluten free pretzels. But good news! There are gluten free pretzels nearly everywhere now. Let's get started!
Why I'm reviewing packaged gluten free pretzels
Unlike potato chips, pretzels, by their very nature, have gluten unless they're specifically gluten free. That means a few things, some more relevant if you're a self-conscious teenager who hates being singled out like my son.
Many of these brands also make gluten-containing pretzels, so be careful when you make your selection that you're picking up the gluten free variety. Unfortunately, it's that “GLUTEN FREE” designation that makes my teenage gluten free son uncomfortable and more likely to get hassled.
For that reason, he'd rather bring Lay's potato chips to school for lunch than pretzels. That, and he also happens to love chips with astounding devotion, but you get the idea.
Since they're specifically made gluten free but are otherwise gluten-containing, gluten free pretzels have to be manufactured with generally less-available ingredients and in a dedicated or super ‘clean' environment. That means that these pretzels are generally more expensive than their conventional counterparts.
Much like dried gluten free pasta, these manufacturers are sort of reinventing the wheel, too, which leads to varying quality, taste, and texture. That's the real reason I'm doing this roundup of the best gluten free pretzels.
Each time I do agluten free product review, my intention is to help you spend your hard-earned money wisely. On this post, I've included affiliate links where appropriate (see the disclosure below), but that's not the reason for this post. You can purchase these products wherever you like, or not at all.
Ever since I did that first mass taste test for the best gluten free bread brands, whenever my children see me amassing a bunch of one type of packaged gluten free product, they give me the side eye ?and ask if I'm “testing” more brands.
My 15 year old son ? is my most enthusiastic tester, but I think that's because he likes to criticize. In this one instance, it works for me. ? Of course, he'd always prefer fresh, soft gluten free pretzels, but that's just not always a practical choice.
Who this list is for
This list of 8 brands of the best gluten free pretzel brands is made up of products available primarily to United States residents. The prices and other details referred to are for the products available the U.S., since that is where I live and spend money.
I am actually able to find all but one of these brands in a local brick-and-mortar grocery or natural foods store near me. But I live in a major metropolitan area. All but the ALDI brand, Live GFree, are available from Amazon.com. I didn't include anything that was just too difficult to source in the U.S.
Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. I'm a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. Feel free to shop around, though, as always.
Snyder's, Glutino, Snack Factory, and Utz
Group 1 has the top 4 brands, in descending order. All but Glutino have conventional varieties that came first, so be careful that you're buying the GF package.
Our family's number one best gluten free pretzel brand, Snyder's gluten free pretzels are available everywhere and have the best taste and texture of them all.
They're our favorite because they're the pretzels everyone wants—whether they're gluten free or not. I personally know families who eat Snyder's gluten free pretzels but who couldn't care less about their gluten free-ness. They just like them best.
Snyder's pretzels look the same on the package as they do in real life. They're pleasantlyshiny and dark on the outside. Plus, they have the salt-to-pretzel ratio just right. Oh and they're crispy as can be. *chefkiss*
Luckily, since there are many brands of gluten free packaged pretzels available now, a nationwide brand like Snyder's has great market penetration—and is relatively inexpensive. Honestly, though, I've been buying only gluten free products for so many years that I have no idea what ‘regular' pretzels cost.
Not to beat the Snyder's love to death, but they also have tons of great flavors like honey mustard sticks, and cinnamon brown sugar and hot buffalo wing pretzel “pieces.”
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 8 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $2.70
- Ingredients: Corn starch, potato starch, tapioca starch, palm oil, cellulose gum, water, dextrose, salt, baking powder (sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, corn starch, monocalcium phosphate), soy lecithin, yeast, citric acid, soda.
- My family's taste and texture notes: Snappy, crispy, tasty, salty perfection.
Glutino gluten free pretzels are some of the best packaged brands made, and they're widely available across the United States. Years ago, Glutino was one of the only brands of packaged gluten free products, and frankly they weren't very good at really anything. But the years have been kind to this brand.
If you wander around the virtual aisles of Amazon's Glutino products, you'll find cookies, crackers, pretzels, and pretty much anything snacky that you'd expect to have gluten. They do a great job of filling a need, and I'm pretty sure they've bought up other brands along the way so they do it all pretty well.
Glutino makes a bunch of gluten free pretzel shapes, too. And there's even a chocolate-covered variety. Grab whatever bag you see, since they only make gluten free products. It's kind of in the name.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 14 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $4.48
- Ingredients:Corn starch, potato starch, palm oil, soy flour, sugar, sea salt, carboxymethilcellulose, sodium bicarbonate, sodium pyrophosphate, soy lecithin, yeast extract, sodium hydroxide. May Contain: Traces of sesame.
- My family's taste and texture notes: My son loves these pretzels. They're a close second to Snyder's.
Snack Factory brand gluten free pretzel crisps are different than the other gluten free pretzel brands, but they're a favorite of my family. They have great flavor varieties, too.
They're fun, but the package is small so the per-ounce price is pretty high. I tend to see these on sale quite often, sometimes at the drug store (?). Keep your eye out, since they're a nice treat.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 5 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $2.99
- Ingredients:Corn starch, potato starch, long grain white rice flour, corn fiber, palm oil, sugar, salt, cellulose gum, sunflower lecithin, yeast extract, baking soda, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, chicory root extract.
- My family's taste and texture notes: My son likes these little pretzel crisps, but his favorite is the “Everything” flavor that has everything bagel seasoning.
Utz brand gluten free pretzels have the perfect crispy pretzel texture. They're a little on the sweet side, but they're still a solid choice.
Since they're a conventional brand, Utz is sold everywhere. And they're often sold right next to the gluten-containing variety and not in the sad little gluten free section of the grocery store. Sometimes that makes me happy, like we've arrived. Sometimes, it makes me afraid, like we're going to be cross-contaminated. Mostly it makes me happy.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 10 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $3.99
- Ingredients:Whole grain brown rice flour, potato starch, corn starch, soluble corn fiber, canola oil, sugar, salt, cellulose gum, sodium bicarbonate, soy lecithin, sodium acid pyrophosphate, monocalcium phosphate.
- My family's taste and texture notes: A bit sweet, so they're not a universal family favorite, but my husband really likes these best. Go figure.
Gratify, Good Health Enjoy Being Good, Live G Free, and Quinn
Group 2 has the final four brands of gluten free pretzels I think you should try. They're also listed in descending order of preference.
Gratify gluten free pretzels hit all the right texture and taste notes, although they could benefit from a bit more flavor intensity.
I tend to like the pretzels that are a little thicker, like these Gratify brand pretzels, because they shatter a bit more when you bite them. For me, that's a plus.
These pretzels could use a bit more salt, though. You can see in the photo that they're a bit bare.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 10.5 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $3.99
- Ingredients:Corn starch, palm oil, potato starch, sea salt, sugar, cellulose gum, soy lecithin, sodium bicarbonate, yeast extract, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid, sodium hydroxide.
- My family's taste and texture notes: I personally really really like these pretzels, but my son says they taste “like nothing.” I think he probably ate them after he ate his heart's desire (Snyder's or Glutino), and judged harshly.
Live GFree brand gluten free pretzels are the house brand from Aldi stores, so you can't beat the price. They are on the sweeter side, but the texture is perfect.
The whole Live GFree line is a house brand at Aldi's, a warehouse-style grocery store. They have a lot of packaged gluten free products in the line, and they're all good and well-priced. They're not amazing, but they're a good, solid choice.
Trader Joe's stores, the Aldi's cousin, also have their own house brand of gluten free pretzels, but they taste burnt and just plain awful. The best thing about them is their price, so they're not included in this list.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 8 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $2.29
- Ingredients:Corn starch, potato starch, long grain rice flour, soluble corn fiber, palm oil, sugar, salt, cellulose gum, sunflower lecithin, yeast extract, chicory root extract, sodium bicarbonate, sodium acid pyrophosphate, citric acid.
- My family's taste and texture notes: My son will eat these, but they're not his absolute favorite. We don't have an Aldi's store very close to where I live, so we don't buy these very often.
Good Health Enjoy Being Good brand gluten free pretzels are extra crispy and have a great whole grain taste. They only seem to be available in a larger twist size.
I have this deep and abiding love of the “veggie chips” that this company makes. I am so obsessed with them that I refuse to share them with anyone in my family. They can have some of the “straws” variety, but the chips are all mine. I felt the need to unburden myself of that fact.
Do take note of the “proprietary blend of vegetables” that make their way into these pretzels. Maybe it's for the umami flavor? They are flavorful pretzels, and I like their shattery texture.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 8 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $3.99
- Ingredients:Whole grain brown rice flour, corn starch, potato starch, soluble corn fiber, whole grain sorghum flour, canola oil, cane sugar, sea salt, sodium acid pyrophosphate, sodium bicarbonate, mono calcium phosphate, cellulose gum, sunflower lecithin, bamboo plant fiber, proprietary blend of vegetables (spinach, broccoli, carrot, tomato, beet, shiitake mushroom).
- My family's taste and texture notes: My kids aren't so into these. They'll eat them, but I think they're more into the smaller sized twists.
Quinn brand gluten free pretzels are undoubtedly the strangest choice of the bunch, but they're a personal favorite of mine for their whole grain goodness and extra-snappy texture.
They do have something of an unpleasant aftertaste, so consider yourself warned. And I recommend you stay far, far away from their stranger flavors (like cauliflower).They're also super pale in color, which they try to obscure by a much darker, more appetizing picture on the package.
I'd be more inclined to eat them privately rather than serve them to a group. They're private pretzels? I realize I'm not really selling them, but that's the beauty of an unsponsored product post: I don't have to sell them.
Here are the other details:
- Size of package: 7 ounces
- Price you should expect to pay: $4.99
- Ingredients:Whole grain sorghum flour, brown rice flour, tapioca flour, potato flour, potato starch, organic palm oil, salt, cane sugar, xanthan gum, organic honey, apple cider vinegar, sodium bicarbonate, sea salt, sunflower lecithin.
- My family's taste and texture notes: My husband and I like these. Our children … do not. I have to repeat my advice toavoid the other weirdo varieties. Seriously. This is my serious face: ?
What's next in gluten free product reviews
You know you can trust my reviews to be honest. I did only share those pretzels that I really love, since I don't want to trash any companies. But I also told you their weak points, so you can decide for yourself.
I'm thinking about doing gluten free crackers (the packaged kind)for my next product review. I've started to accumulate some, but it's very hit or miss. Better I waste my money than you waste yours, though!
