Dairy Queen Gluten-Free Menu: What’s Safe in 2026

Dairy Queen offers limited gluten-free options focused on ice cream treats and beverages. The safest choices are pre-packaged items like Dilly Bars, Buster Bar Treats, Fudge Bars, Vanilla Orange Bars, and Starkisk Bars, which come sealed from the factory with minimal cross-contact risk. This guide identifies safe menu items, explains cross-contamination risks, and provides ordering tips for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity

This information is for general guidance only and does not constitute medical advice. If you have celiac disease or severe gluten intolerance, always verify current ingredients and preparation methods with Dairy Queen staff before ordering. Cross-contamination risks exist at all locations. Consult your healthcare provider for personalized dietary advice.

Dairy Queen gluten-free menu featuring soft serve ice cream and packaged treats

Is Dairy Queen Safe for Gluten-Free Diets?

Dairy Queen is partially safe with major limitations. Not recommended for celiac disease.
Dairy Queen is not a gluten-free facility. Dairy Queen restaurants are very busy and cross-contamination may occur between ingredients, with a 100% confidence level unable to be guaranteed. While some menu items don’t contain gluten ingredients, shared equipment creates significant risks.

Key limitations

  • The Blizzard machine is used for all flavors, so cross-contamination may occur on any flavor Blizzard
  • Shared fryers, grills, and topping stations mean you’re never far away from cross-contamination risks
  • No dedicated gluten-free prep areas or equipment
  • Blizzard mixers are not sanitized between uses, and food particles are in the air during busy times

Safety recommendations

  1. Celiac Disease: Stick with packaged items only, if you have celiac disease, don’t risk it
  2. Gluten Sensitivity: Plain soft serve in cup may be tolerable with staff precautions
  3. Gluten Preference: Most ice cream treats acceptable

Dairy Queen recommends asking your local restaurant for ingredient listings and letting them know of your special needs.

Cross-Contamination Risks at Dairy Queen

Dairy Queen is not a gluten-free facility. Everything is prepared in the same kitchen with multiple contamination sources.

Main Contamination Sources

  1. Blizzard Machines: Used for all flavors without sanitizing between orders. Mixers contain residue from Oreo, cookie dough, and brownie Blizzards. Some locations have dedicated gluten-free blenders, but this is not standard.
  2. Shared Equipment: The same scoops, utensils, and soft-serve nozzles are used for all items. Staff may handle gluten-containing toppings then prepare your order without changing gloves.
  3. Airborne Particles: During busy times, food particles are in the air, this creates risk even for packaged items.
  4. Cooking Equipment: Fryers and griddles are shared for all food items. Fries are cooked in the same oil as gluten-containing foods.

How to Reduce Risk

Inform staff of your allergy and request:

  1. Fresh gloves and cleaned scoops
  2. Wiped soft-serve nozzle
  3. Cleaned Blizzard machine (if ordering one)

Safest option

Pre-packaged items (Dilly Bars, Fudge Bars, Starkiss Bars, Vanilla Orange Bars, Buster Bar Treats) are made in a facility with limited cross-contact risk according to Dairy Queen’s website.

Item Type

Cross-Contact Risk

Safe For

Pre-packaged sealed items

Low

Celiac disease

Soft serve in cup

Medium-High

Gluten sensitivity only

Blizzards

Very High

Not recommended

All food items

Very High

Avoid entirely

Gluten-Free Ice Cream & Frozen Treats

Dairy Queen offers several gluten-free ice cream options, though cross-contamination risks vary by item type.

ItemGluten StatusNotes
Vanilla Soft ServeGluten-FreeBase ingredient is safe
Chocolate Soft ServeGluten-FreeMade without gluten ingredients
Dilly BarsGluten-FreeChocolate-coated ice cream bar
Fudge BarsGluten-FreeNo gluten ingredients
Starkiss BarsGluten-FreeFruit-flavored frozen treat
Vanilla Orange BarGluten-FreeCreamsicle-style option

Manufactured Novelties

These items come factory-sealed in plastic wrappers and are made in facilities with limited cross-contact risk according to Dairy Queen:

  1. Dilly® Bars – Chocolate-coated vanilla ice cream bar
  2. Buster Bar® Treats – Peanut and fudge-topped ice cream bar
  3. DQ® Fudge Bars – Chocolate fudge bar
  4. DQ® Vanilla Orange Bars – Orange and vanilla creamsicle-style bar
  5. Starkiss® Bars – Fruit-flavored frozen bar
  6. Non-Dairy Dilly® Bar – Coconut cream base with dairy-free chocolate coating

These are the safest options for celiac disease.

Non-Dairy Options

Dairy Queen offers a Non-Dairy Dilly® Bar that is both gluten-free and dairy-free. Made from coconut cream with a dairy-free chocolate coating, it comes factory-sealed to reduce cross-contamination risk. Contains no milk, eggs, or gluten ingredients. Manufactured in facilities that process milk and wheat, verify sealed packaging is intact before opening.

Beverages

Most drinks are gluten-free by ingredients, including soft drinks, slushies (Arctic Rush, Misty), smoothies, Orange Julius drinks, and MooLattés. Avoid all malts because they contain wheat flour.

Foods to Avoid

Food Item

Why to Avoid

Burgers

Buns contain wheat; patties cooked on shared griddles with buns

Hot Dogs

Buns contain wheat; cooked on shared surfaces

Chicken Strips

Breaded with wheat flour; fried in shared oil

Fries

Cooked in fryers shared with breaded chicken and onion rings

Onion Rings

Breaded with wheat flour; shared fryers

Pretzel Sticks

Made with wheat flour

Texas Toast

Contains wheat

All Sandwiches

Buns and bread contain wheat

Blizzards

High cross-contamination risk from shared blenders and scoops used for gluten-containing mix-ins (Oreos, cookie dough, brownies)

Conclusion

Dairy Queen’s gluten-free options are limited but manageable for a quick treat. For celiac disease, order only factory-sealed items (Dilly Bars, Fudge Bars, Starkisk Bars). For gluten sensitivity, plain soft serve in a cup is possible with staff precautions, though risk exists. The entire food menu should be avoided.
Before visiting, call ahead to ask if your location has dedicated gluten-free equipment. Request to see Dairy Queen’s allergen guide at the restaurant. For the most current information, visit Dairy Queen’s official allergen menu.

FAQs

Yes, both vanilla and chocolate soft serve are gluten-free. Always order in a cup because the cones contain gluten.

Pre-packaged items like Dilly Bars, Buster Bars, Fudge Bars, Vanilla Orange Bars, and Starkiss Bars are the safest options. They come sealed from the factory with less risk of cross-contamination.

No. The fries are cooked in shared fryers with breaded items, making cross-contamination highly likely.

The patties themselves are gluten-free, but they’re prepared on shared surfaces. If you have celiac disease, it’s best to skip them.

No. Even with gluten-free mix-ins, Blizzards are blended on equipment shared with gluten-containing items like Oreos and cookie dough.

Most drinks are safe, including soft drinks, slushies (Arctic Rush, Misty), smoothies, Orange Julius drinks, and MooLattés. Avoid all malts because they contain wheat flour.

Yes, the Non-Dairy Dilly Bar is both dairy-free and gluten-free.

Yes. Safe options include plain soft serve in a cup, Dilly Bars, bananas, applesauce, milk, and bottled water. Skip the fries and chicken strips.