I Tried 15 Different Peeps Flavors and the Winner Was a Wild Card

Peeps ranked

At this time of year, it’s virtually impossible to ignore Peeps. The marshmallow treats, which have been an Easter tradition for decades, are seemingly everywhere. But did you realize that the quintessential Easter candy has broadened its reach way beyond pastel chick- and bunny-shaped marshmallows? They're now available in tons of different flavors (more about that below) and shapes and pop up for holidays outside of Easter.

After seeing so many Peeps options, we thought it was high time for a taste test. We grabbed as many varieties as we could find, which ended up being 15, if you can believe it, to create our list of the best Peeps flavors, ranked.

What are Peeps?

Before we get into the tasting, let's set the Peeps scene for anyone unfamiliar with the candy. Peeps are a marshmallow treat produced by the Just Born company at a factory in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Peeps were born almost 70 years ago and over those years have become an American candy icon.

People love to put Peeps in the microwave to see what happens, use them to make next-level s'mores and eat them by the handful during Easter and other times of the year.

Most of the marshmallow-only Peeps are gluten-free, fat-free and have around 30-40 calories each (the ones that are dipped or coated in chocolate have a higher calorie content).

The Best Peeps Flavors

We’re a Peeps-loving family, so I enlisted my son John, who is a lifelong Peeps fan, to help with the taste-testing to determine our picks for the best flavors in the bunch.

One note: Just Born is constantly unveiling new products and flavors and has some recurring seasonal or themed flavors that are usually available only around certain holidays, such as Halloween or Christmas. For this roundup, we focused on permanent/year-round flavors and the Easter varieties that are available right now.

Related: America’s Favorite Easter Candy Was Just Named—And It Might Not Be What You Expect

15. Peeps Rice Krispies Treats

These Peeps are inspired by Kellogg’s Rice Krispies Treats. We ranked them as our least favorite not because the flavor was bad – but more because we could barely detect any flavor at all. That kind of makes sense, though, because Rice Krispies cereal also has a subtle taste. Maybe it would be better to use the peeps to make Rice Krispies treats? We might need to test that idea.

14. Peeps Sour Strawberry Chicks

These Peeps definitely have a sour element, but the strawberry flavor isn’t as strong as you find with the Strawberry Delights variety (see #6). Whether you consider the mildness of the strawberry taste here to be a good or bad thing will depend on how much you enjoy strawberry flavor. They’re sold in-store exclusively at Kroger, but you can also find them online at Amazon.

13. Peeps Cotton Candy Flavored Marshmallow Chicks

This is another mild variety, with a very slight cotton candy taste. We got the feeling they focused more on the texture with this one, as it does have a consistency that makes you feel like you’ve got a mouth full of cotton candy.

12. Peeps Mike And Ike Flavored Pop

Here’s a fun way to enjoy multiple (tart) flavors of Peeps on the go. You get chicks of four different Mike and Ike flavors all layered on a stick. The strawberry, lemon, lime and orange all have a strong, tart flavor similar to Mike and Ike candies. Fun fact: Peeps and Mike & Ike are both owned by the Just Born company, so this is a family collab.

Related: The 40 Best Easter Cookies Perfect for Baskets and Spring Brunch Tables

11. Peeps Dr. Pepper Flavored Marshmallow Chicks

This variety smells and tastes like Dr. Pepper, so obviously your opinion of this flavor will depend largely on whether you’re a fan of that soda. We happen to fall into the pro-Dr. Pepper category and enjoyed the cinnamon and vanilla flavors we detected in these Peeps.

10. Peeps Classic Marshmallow Bunnies and Chicks

These classic original Peeps are available in two shapes—bunnies or chicks—and four colors (yellow, pink, lavender and blue) but all have the same standard flavor. They score points just for the nostalgia factor alone. They’re an Easter basket staple and we love them for being reliable and familiar. That said, with all of the new and interesting flavors now available, some people may not find this traditional flavor exciting enough anymore.

9. Peeps Sour Watermelon Flavored Marshmallow Chicks

The scent of this flavor hits you as soon as you open the package. It smells like a watermelon Jolly Rancher candy, and has a sour, tangy flavor that we enjoyed – but felt like we’d max out after one or two in a single sitting. Maybe that's ok, though.

8. Peeps Party Cake Flavored Marshmallow Chicks

This variety doesn’t have the robust flavor of some of the others, but while the flavor was somewhat subdued, we still found it enjoyable. As the name suggests, it's similar to a birthday cake or a vanilla cupcake. The speckles add a festive sprinkle-ish vibe.

7. Peeps Fruit Punch Flavored Marshmallow Chicks

This flavor hits you with the fruit punch flavor. John noted an aroma similar to a fruit-scented air freshener as soon as we opened the package, which had us a little concerned. Luckily the flavor redeemed this one. It has a sweet, zippy taste that's very close to fruit punch—or could also be described as a fruit salad mix.

Related: Easter Bunny Cake Recipe

6. Peeps Strawberry Delights Dipped in Milk Chocolate

This variety consists of strawberry Peeps chicks dipped in chocolate. The taste combination reminded us of strawberry and chocolate ice cream blended together, which is a combo we like a lot.

5. Peeps ICEE Blue Raspberry Chicks

They got the flavor just right with this Target-exclusive flavor—it tastes exactly like a blue raspberry ICEE. We happen to love ICEEs, but some people may find the sweetness to be a bit overpowering.

4. Peeps Sparkly Wild Berry Flavored Marshmallow Bunnies

This variety has lots of strong flavors that include a mix of different fruits. The bunnies are also enhanced with some sparkly confetti. While I couldn’t quite put my finger on exactly which fruit flavor was the dominant one here, it did give me a nostalgic feeling because the taste reminded me of a brand of bubble gum I used to enjoy as a kid.

3. Peeps Delights Marshmallow Chicks Dipped in Milk Chocolate

Available in a 3-count or 4-count package, these treats are exactly what they sound like. We think chocolate and marshmallow is one of the all-time best candy flavor combinations, and these don’t disappoint. They’re more filling than a regular Peeps candy, so one will probably satisfy you.

2. Peeps Milk Chocolate Covered Marshmallow Chicks

This variety also has the popular chocolate-and-marshmallow pairing – but this time, the chocolate component is heavier, coating the entire yellow Peeps chick inside. Sold in single-serving packages, they are the perfect treat.

1. Peeps S’mores Flavored Delights Dipped in Milk Chocolate

This S’mores Delights variety is one of the newest flavors, so many people may not have tried them yet—but I’d urge you to try and get your hands on them, as they're something you don’t want to miss. The tempting s’mores smell hits you as soon as you open the package. The combination of the graham cracker-flavored marshmallow and the milk chocolate layer is fun and delicious. John noted that even people who don’t normally consider themselves a Peeps fan would probably enjoy this variety very much.

Next up, check out these 20 easy and adorable Easter treats for kids that go beyond Peeps.