Is Butterfinger Vegan?
Not Vegan
Not certifiedButterfinger is not vegan. Both the crispy peanut butter core and the chocolate-flavored coating contain dairy ingredients. The current Ferrero formulation, which replaced the Nestle recipe in 2019, actually added more milk to the product, not less. Milk and nonfat milk appear on the label, and the product is marketed as "milk chocolate peanut butter" at retail.
The catch: The 2019 Ferrero reformulation increased milk content as a selling point, making the bar less vegan-friendly than its already non-vegan predecessor.
Category
Candy
Verdict
Not Vegan
Brand
Ferrero (formerly Nestle)
Butterfinger has been owned by Ferrero since 2018, and in early 2019 they relaunched the bar with a reformulated recipe that removed hydrogenated oils and TBHQ but leaned harder into dairy, using more cocoa and more milk in the chocolate coating. The current ingredient list reads: corn syrup, sugar, peanuts, vegetable oil (palm kernel and palm oil), peanut flour, nonfat milk, less than 2% of cocoa, milk, salt, soy lecithin, natural flavor, annatto color.
Two separate dairy entries appear: nonfat milk in the peanut butter core and milk in the coating. There is no vegan variety of the standard Butterfinger bar sold in the US as of 2025-2026.
The coating is technically a "chocolate-flavored" coating rather than real chocolate because it contains no cocoa butter, but that distinction does not help vegans since milk is still present. Butterfinger Baking Bits and Butterfinger Minis carry the same dairy-containing formula.
If you have seen online claims that Butterfinger is vegan, they are either outdated references to pre-2019 formula speculation or errors. The bar is also not suitable for people with dairy allergies.
What makes it non-vegan
- ✕milk
- ✕nonfat milk
Vegan alternatives
- ✓ Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (vegan)
- ✓ Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (vegan)
- ✓ No Whey Foods Peanut Butter Cups (vegan)
- ✓ Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (check label, typically vegan)
- ✓ Homemade vegan Butterfinger bars (cornflakes + peanut butter + dairy-free chocolate)
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Looking to make your own? Browse our vegan swaps.
Other candy
Frequently asked
Is Butterfinger Vegan?
Butterfinger is not vegan. Both the crispy peanut butter core and the chocolate-flavored coating contain dairy ingredients. The current Ferrero formulation, which replaced the Nestle recipe in 2019, actually added more milk to the product, not less. Milk and nonfat milk appear on the label, and the product is marketed as "milk chocolate peanut butter" at retail.
What is the catch with Butterfinger?
The 2019 Ferrero reformulation increased milk content as a selling point, making the bar less vegan-friendly than its already non-vegan predecessor.
What can I use instead of Butterfinger?
Vegan options include Justin's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (vegan), Unreal Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (vegan), No Whey Foods Peanut Butter Cups (vegan), Trader Joe's Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Cups (check label, typically vegan).
Is Butterfinger certified vegan?
Butterfinger does not carry a third-party vegan certification, so the verdict here is based on its current ingredient list and manufacturer information.
Sources
Last verified June 20, 2026. See how we verify. Always confirm on the current product label, since recipes change. Product photo via Open Food Facts.
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