We Tried Every Peeps Flavor — And the Best 5 All Have One Thing in Common
As iconic Easter candies go, Peeps rank pretty high on the list — some, including several people at The Kitchn, would place Peeps firmly in spot number one. In the more than 70 years since the Classic Marshmallow Chicks hatched — err, launched — into our lives, the Peeps litter has expanded into fun new colors, shapes, holidays, and flavor profiles. Come Halloween or Christmas you can score white marshmallow ghosts or orange pumpkins and brown gingerbread-flavored gingerbread men.
Springtime, by all accounts, is the season of Peeps. You’ll find no less than 16 different flavors on shelves right now (more than double what’s available during any other time of year). There are sour Peeps, fruity Peeps, and Peeps dipped or covered in chocolate. Peeps have even partnered with some other equally iconic brands (hello, Rice Krispies Treats and Dr Pepper).
With so many (mostly) pastel-hued packages of Peeps up for grabs, we wanted to know which ones we should add to our carts and our Easter baskets, first. So we tasted them all — starting with the classic, as a control — and ranked them. Opinions were shared. Trueness of flavors and coarseness of sugars were dissected. In the end, a consensus was formed. Turns out, the top five all have one thing in common: #TeamFruity.
16. Party Cake Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
The sprinkle-esque specks and pale-hued chick practically scream “MAKE A WISH.” The confetti-zation is “adorable,” as Rachel, our culinary producer, sums up so accurately (and succinctly) and an instant giveaway that this should taste like a birthday party cake. Unfortunately that classic boxed-mix flavor was overpowered by the sweetness of the sugar-dusted marshmallow.
Buy: Peeps Party Cake Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
15. Rainbow Pop
This Peeps pack is a colorful mix of classic-flavored chicks — yellow, green, pink, and blue — served up on a stick. It’s giving “State Fair,” according to our Senior Editor, Mara. While the flavor is very much identical to OG Peeps, the texture was, surprisingly, tougher than we expected. We think it may have something to do with the stick piercing through the coating in combo with less-than-airtight packaging.
Buy: Peeps Rainbow Pop, $2.24 for 4 chicks at Walmart
14. Milk Chocolate Delights Marshmallow Chicks
Similar to the above, these yellow “Delights” are classic Peeps whose base is dipped in a thin chocolaty coating. Don’t they look statuesque? While all tasters were into the idea of adding chocolate to the mix, some felt this particular combo wasn’t as delightful as others on the list. A fudgier chocolate — and more of it — would definitely help here.
Buy: Peeps Milk Chocolate Delights Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
13. Cotton Candy Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
Several tasters dubbed these blue-speckled pink Peeps the cutest of the flock, and one whiff will instantly transport you back to an outdoor carnival where a kind stranger is hand-spinning sugary clouds around a paper cone. “I love how nostalgic this is,” says Ivy, our brand innovation & strategy manager. The only reason it didn’t rank higher? Tasters wanted more cotton candy flavor to come through.
Buy: Peeps Cotton Candy Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 3 chicks at Walmart
12. Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Chicks
This is one of only two Peeps that received a five — the highest rating — from Quinn, our lifestyle editor, for flavor. (She loved the ratio of chocolate to marshmallow). The yellow interior is extra “light and fluffy,” likely from the chocolate that doubles as a protective coating. The remaining tasters also love the idea of a marshmallow completely covered in chocolate, but want a richer chocolate flavor to balance out the sweetness.
Buy: Peeps Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Chicks, $8.19 for 3 chicks at Amazon
11. Rice Krispies Treats Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
Next to the other brightly hued Peeps, these beige chicks look a little, well, beige. The flavor was “nice, light, and sweet,” says Quinn, but we all wanted a bit more of that toastiness and butteriness you get in a freshly made batch of Rice Krispies Treats. We would certainly use them in the recipe, though.
Buy: Peeps Rice Krispies Treats Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
10. Strawberry Flavored Delights Dipped in Milk Chocolate
The “pretty” pink hue and “cute little chocolate skirt,” says Quinn, make these Peeps one of the more stylish (and sturdiest!) in the group. We think they have real place-card-holder potential for Easter brunch. Where tasters split, though, was flavor: Most felt the chocolate-covered strawberry effect wasn’t coming through loudly enough.
Buy: Peeps Strawberry Flavored Delights Dipped in Milk Chocolate, $2.69 for 4 chicks at Target
9. Dr Pepper Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
If you like Dr Pepper, you will not be disappointed by these maroon-colored Peeps. (Does the deeper hue feel more sophisticated to you too?) True to its inspo, one whiff of these chicks and we could hear the pops of soda tabs and release of fizz. They really do have that “tangy soda smell,” says Ivy, and a shockingly accurate Dr Pepper flavor.
Buy: Peeps Dr Pepper Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
8. Sour Strawberry Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
The first of two sour-sweet flavors, Rachel loves how “festive” these strawberry-red chicks look. They are slightly chewier than others on the list and the precise fruity flavor was hard to pinpoint in a blind tasting. The “light, sweet and sour taste,” says Quinn, comes through the strongest in the sugar coating. Allow this one to linger on your tongue a little longer.
Buy: Peeps Sour Strawberry Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.79 for 10 chicks at Kroger
7. Classic Marshmallow Chicks (or Bunnies)
Were you wondering where the Peeps that started it all would land? Well, their moment has arrived. This chick is every bit the classic we imagined it would be. The sugar-crusted coating adds texture and extra sweetness to the pillowy marshmallow. (“It’s fluffier than a plain marshmallow,” says Rachel.) You cannot go wrong adding a box of these lemon-colored chicks in your Easter basket.
Buy: Peeps Classic Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
6. Delights S’mores Graham Cracker Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
More s’mores-inspired snacks are popping up on shelves, and we get why. The classic campground treat is not only dripping with nostalgia — it’s also dripping with melted chocolate and gooey marshmallow in a uniquely packaged crunchy cracker. These chicks do a solid job of recreating those memories. Quinn calls them, “very s’mores-y” and loves the “crunch of the chocolate.” They are admittedly light on the graham flavor, so take that as a cue to roast and sandwich them between two cracker squares.
Buy: Peeps Delights S’mores Graham Cracker Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 3 chicks at Walmart
5. Fruit Punch Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
We love an element of surprise. The fiery red exterior, which has a pleasant crunch and (is that a hint of sour?) gives way to a pink interior. “The colorway is super cute,” says Quinn, and the flavor is “very much like fruit punch,” adds Ivy. It reminds her of a glass of Hawaiian Punch, to get specific.
Buy: Peeps Fruit Punch Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
4. ICEE Blue Raspberry Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
The ICEE blue color is so alluring, the PEEPS peeps (LOL) just went with it. That’s right — the inside is the very same shade of blue, and we “love a monochromatic look,” says Rachel. The blue raspberry flavor is strong in this one; we only wish it was just a touch more sour. Still, the “slushie vibes,” says Quinn, are undeniably on point (so much so, that if you close your eyes you can almost feel the brain freeze).
Buy: Peeps ICEE Blue Raspberry Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $2.69 for 15 chicks at Target
3. Mike and Ike Flavored Pop
PEEPS and MIKE AND IKE candies are owned by the same company, so it should come as no surprise that this collaboration really nails the fruity, chewy candy flavors — plural. The unexpectedly thick, but very welcomed, sugar coating comes in four colors (red, orange, yellow, and green) and corresponding flavors (strawberry, orange, lemon, and lime). Once again, the marshmallows were slightly tougher (likely due to them being pierced with a stick), but the extra crunch from the crust more than made up for it.
Buy: Peeps Mike and Ike Flavored Pop, $2.69 for 4 chicks at Target
2. Sour Watermelon Flavored Marshmallow Chicks
Like its fruit namesake, beneath the lime-green exterior of these chicks you’ll find bright pink flesh. But beyond the “inventive color story,” says Rachel, the balance of sour and sweet was “perfection,” adds Quinn. The flavor is very reminiscent of the best sour-watermelon candies (looking at you, Sour Patch) and has sneak-into-the-cinema energy.
Buy: Peeps Sour Watermelon Flavored Marshmallow Chicks, $1.47 for 10 chicks at Walmart
1. Wild Berry Flavored Marshmallow Bunnies
These are the only other bunnies on the list, but that’s not the only reason they stand out. The lavender hue, while more subdued than many others on this list, gets some sparkly flair from the red confetti. And as it turns out, that confetti is not just for show — they crunch and pop in your mouth (a la Pop Rocks). The marshmallow has a soft chewiness and a subtle sour flavor that helps break up the sweetness. If you spot them in stores, grab four.
Buy: Peeps Wild Berry Flavored Marshmallow Bunnies, $2.19 for 8 bunnies at Instacart
Do you agree with our ranking? Tell us about it in the comments below.