Are Auntie Anne’s Pretzels Vegan and Cruelty-Free? The Salty Truth

May 23, 2023

If you love to hit the local food court for some delicious pretzel action, but you follow a strict vegan diet, you may be wondering if your Auntie Anne’s pretzel is vegan.

Pretzels often contain many ingredients and some of them may be of animal origin, which can make it difficult to stick to a vegan diet.

To make sure that you are only consuming food that aligns with your vegan diet and ethics, I’ve looked into the ingredients and production process of Auntie Anne’s.

Here’s what I found.

Are Auntie Anne’s Pretzels Vegan?

No. Auntie Anne’s is not vegan.

The pretzel dough itself is vegan because it is made with water, wheat flour, yeast, and salt. However, sugar and butter are added to the dough, which makes it non-vegan. The original variety gives you the option to order it butterless but there’s still the sugar to worry about.

Sugar is plant based, but most sugar in the US is processed with animal bone char to achieve its white color.

Butter is, of course, a dairy product made from cow’s milk, so it is not vegan.

To be on the safe side, I would recommend avoiding Auntie Anne’s if you are following a vegan lifestyle.

Is Auntie Anne’s Cruelty-Free?

Yes! Their pretzels are cruelty-free.

The pretzels are not tested on animals at any step of production. It also does not contain ingredients that are tested on animals, such as artificial coloring or flavoring.

Animal testing is a gruesome and outdated practice that often leaves innocent animals disfigured, maimed, or dead.

I’m glad to see that this company has made the conscious decision to not contribute to this cruelty.

What Are Auntie Anne’s Pretzels Made Of?

Here are the ingredients of the original pretzel:

  • Enriched flour (wheat flour, niacin, reduced iron flour, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, malted barley flour)
  • Water
  • Brown sugar (sucrose, invert sugar, cane molasses)
  • Yeast
  • Dough conditioner (gum arabic, wheat flour, mono- and diglycerides, salt, contains 2% or less of the following: soybean oil, cellulose gum, guar gum, enzymes)
  • Salt
  • Calcium propionate natural flavor (water, propylene glycol, natural flavors, xanthan gum, citric acid, sodium benzoate, annatto)
  • Carbonates and bicarbonates of soda
  • Butter packet
    • Anhydrous milkfat
    • Natural flavor (whey, butter oil, corn syrup solids, salt, guar gum, annatto, and turmeric color)
  • Salt packet
    • Salt

Let’s break down each ingredient:

Enriched flour

Enriched flour is used in pretzels and is made by adding vitamins and minerals to the flour. This type of flour has been enriched with niacin, thiamine, mononitrate, riboflavin, folic acid, reduced iron flour, malted barley flour, and wheat flour. It is vegan.

Water

Water is a key ingredient in all types of bread dough, including pretzel dough. It helps to hydrate the flour and make the dough more pliable. It is vegan.

Brown sugar

Brown sugar is used as an ingredient in pretzels and is made by adding molasses to white sugar. It is enriched with sucrose, invert sugar, and cane molasses. It is very likely not vegan because most sugars are filtered with animal bone char.

Yeast

Yeast is used in pretzels and helps to leaven the dough, making it light and fluffy. It is a microorganism that is used to make bread and other baked goods rise. It is vegan.

Gum arabic

Gum arabic is a type of gum that is made from the sap of acacia trees. It is used as an emulsifier, thickener, and stabilizer in food. It is vegan.

Mono- and diglycerides

Mono- and diglycerides are fats that are used as emulsifiers in food. They help to keep the ingredients in food from separating. They can be made from vegetable or animal sources. The animal-sourced glycerides are much more common and are not vegan.

Soybean oil

Soybean oil is a type of vegetable oil extracted from soybeans. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Cellulose gum

Cellulose gum is a type of dietary fiber derived from plant cell walls. It is used as a thickener and emulsifier in food. It is vegan.

Guar gum

Guar gum is a type of dietary fiber that is derived from the guar bean. It is used as a thickener and emulsifier in food. It is vegan.

Salt

Salt is a key ingredient in all types of bread dough, including pretzel dough. It helps to flavor the dough and also acts as a preservative. Salt is vegan.

Calcium propionate

Calcium propionate is an artificial preservative used in some baked goods, including pretzels. This ingredient is enriched with water, propylene glycol, natural flavors, xanthan gum, citric acid, sodium benzoate, and annatto. These are all vegan-friendly ingredients.

Propylene glycol

Propylene glycol is a type of alcohol used as a solvent in food. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Xanthan gum

Xanthan gum is a type of dietary fiber derived from plant cell walls. It is used as a thickener and emulsifier in food. It is vegan.

Citric acid

Citric acid is used as a preservative in food. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Sodium benzoate

Sodium benzoate is a type of salt used as a preservative in food. It is a vegan-friendly ingredient.

Annatto

Annatto is a type of plant used as a coloring agent in food. It is vegan.

Carbonates and bicarbonates of soda

Carbonates and bicarbonates of soda are used in pretzels and help to leaven the dough, making it light and fluffy. They also regulate the acidity of the dough. These are vegan-friendly ingredients.

Butter

The butter in Auntie Anne’s Pretzels is enriched with anhydrous milk fat and natural flavors such as whey, butter oil, corn syrup solids, salt, guar gum, annatto, and turmeric color. Butter is an animal product.

Why Aren’t Auntie Anne’s Pretzels Vegan?

Auntie Anne’s is not vegan because all varieties contain refined sugar while others have butter. Vegans avoid sugar because most refined sugar in the US is filtered with animal bone char. Unless the sugar is explicitly labeled “organic,” “raw,” or “unrefined,” it is likely not vegan.

Butter is an animal product made from milk fat. While some brands of butter are vegan, Auntie Anne’s is quite obviously not.

If you’re in the mood for a pretzel but are following a vegan diet, you’re out of luck. Auntie Anne’s does not currently offer any vegan pretzel options. However, there are many other places where you can find vegan pretzels. Some grocery stores sell vegan pretzels in the frozen section, or you can make your own at home with many recipes available online.

Is Auntie Anne’s Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel Vegan?

No. Auntie Anne’s Cinnamon Sugar Pretzel is not vegan because it contains sugar and butter.

This pretzel is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is Auntie Anne’s Sweet Almond Pretzel Vegan?

No. Auntie Anne’s Sweet Almond Pretzel with toasted almond crunch is not vegan because it contains sugar and butter.

This pretzel is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is Auntie Anne’s Pepperoni Pretzel Vegan?

No. Auntie Anne’s Pepperoni Pretzel is not vegan because it contains sugar, butter, and pepperoni.

This pretzel is not safe for vegan consumption.

Is Auntie Anne’s Jalapeño Pretzel Vegan?

No. Auntie Anne’s Jalapeño Pretzel is not vegan because it contains sugar.

This pretzel is not safe for vegan consumption

Is Auntie Anne’s Raisin Pretzel Vegan?

No. Auntie Anne’s Raisin Pretzel is not vegan because it contains sugar.

This pretzel is not safe for vegan consumption.

Vegan Alternatives to Auntie Anne’s

If you’re partial to Auntie Anne’s salty pretzel but are looking for a vegan, dairy-free alternative, there are many vegan options available. Here are some of my favorites dairy-free pretzels:

If you enjoy experimenting and exploring, you can try these dairy-free recipes at home. With a few ingredients like baking soda, water, and vegan butter, you can make delicious pretzels without any animal products.

All these delicious options will let you enjoy the delicious taste and vegan goodness of pretzels without having to worry about contributing to animal exploitation and cruelty.

Final Words

So there you have it! Auntie Anne’s Pretzels menu options are not vegan because all their varieties contain either sugar or butter. While this may be disappointing, there are many other delicious vegan options available on the market. With vegan recipes and vegan pretzel nuggets widely available, it has never been easier to find a delicious and cruelty-free snack that everyone can enjoy.