Easter 2020: Peeps Flavors Ranked From Best to Worst

Easter is upon us, and with it, baskets full of candy you can only find once a year. That includes Peeps, the enigmatic marshmallow treats that have been stuffing Easter baskets since 1953. In that time, they have grown from a simple sugary confection into a small candy industry.

Peeps have come a long way since their creation nearly seven decades ago. According to a report by Thrillist, it originally took 27 hours to create a single Peep, making them a rare treasure. These days, they are produced in a small factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, called Just Born Quality Confections. They come in 17 total flavors now, and writer Kat Thompson took on the task of ranking each of those flavors from worst to best.

The results are actually somewhat surprising, and may cause some controversy if your family is digging into a basket of Peeps this year. On the other hand, it may serve as a buying guide if you are hoping to score some excess candy when the season is over.

Like so many other companies, Just Born closed down its production facilities last month due to the coronavirus pandemic. Thankfully, according to a report by local NBC News affiliate WNDU, they had already produced and shipped this year’s entire stock of Peeps, so there should be no fear of a shortage. Here is the definitive ranking of Peeps flavors for the 2020 Easter season.

Honorable Mentions

First of all: there are seven flavors that sadly did not crack the top 10. In order from worst to best, they are: fruit punch, sour watermelon, blue raspberry, raspberry dipped in fudge, root beer float, sugar free and Froot Loops.

In general, Thompson seems to argue that Peeps do not lend themselves well to fruity flavors. This makes some sense, though a few stand-outs rose to the top later on. Still, it says a lot that five flavors came in worse than the dreaded “sugar free” candy.

10 – Pancakes and Syrup

Pankcakes and syup-flavored Peeps came in at number 10, lauded for their subtle yet specific taste. With many kids digging right into candy first thing in the morning, it makes sense that these would be a big hit.

9 – Original Peeps

All things considered, it’s a little sad that the original Peeps flavor landed so low on the list. The original flavor comes in a variety of colors, and it does not stand out much among some of its newer counterparts. Still, for the full Easter experience, you will want to throw at least one of these in there.

8 – Cotton Candy

Cotton candy and peeps together make a lot of sense, at least on a textural level. The combination is almost universally loved, with a sugary taste that is hard to argue with.

7 – Hot Tamales

Hot Tamales-flavored Peeps get a lot of points for being surprising, as most consumers expect them to be unpleasant. Instead, it turns out to be a pretty good application of the cinnamon-spicy form of candy. Of course, this is taking into account candies like Hot Tamales themselves, not just other Peeps flavors.

6 – Original Dipped in Milk Chocolate

As with most things, the original Peeps flavor is made even better when it is dipped in milk chocolate. Many fans particularly like the crunch that dipped chocolate adds to the generally soft marshmallow treats.

5 – Party Cake

Party cake Peeps are another flavor that gets praise for how similar it is t othe real thing. Each one is like a bite-sized piece of cake on its own, made more manageable by the soft marshmallow containment. It helps that this one is also one of the most distinctive to look at.

4 – Chocolate Pudding

Chocolate pudding is one of the newest flavors in the Peep line-up, and for a first time out, they came in surprisingly high on the list. They get a lot of points for nostalgia-value, as they somehow pack in the warmth and comfort of real chocolate pudding without any preparation.

3 – Coconut Dipped in Dark Chocolate

Coconut-flavored Peeps probably wouldn’t score so high on their own, but paired with a crunchy dark chocolate shell, they manage to crack the top three. Fans of candy like Almond Joys and Mounds should pay particular attention here, but these Peeps also welcome newcomers to the coconut candy phenomenon.

2 – Strawberry Dipped in Fudge

Perhaps the epitome of Peep flavor combinations, strawberry dipped in fudge delivers the full ice cream sundae experience in each small, fluffy bite. This one even gets points for smelling good — an added bonus no one really expects from these marshmallow confections.

1 – Chocolate Caramel Swirl

Finally, the top spot for Peeps in 2020 goes to chocolage caramel swirl, a flavor that elevates the Peeps genre itself. At the end of the day, it is the simplicity of putting a beloved sweet treat into marshmallow form that shows what Peeps are truly capable of. Be sure to check the seasonal aisle for chocolate caramel swirl Peeps on your next grocery store trip or delivery order.