We Hired a Peeps Superfan to Rank the Best (and Worst) Flavors — Here’s What She Said

From chocolate bunnies to jelly beans, Easter is full of sweet traditions, Yet, few treats spark stronger opinions than Peeps. Some people love their sugary sweetness, while others proudly claim they can't stand them.

With such strong opinions on both sides, we wanted to put Peeps to the test. Are some flavors actually better than others? And which ones are truly worth adding to your Easter haul?

To find out, our team at FinanceBuzz launched a nationwide search for a Chief Peeps Officer – someone willing to taste and rank some of the most popular Peeps flavors on store shelves.

The goal: turn a classic holiday debate into a fun experiment and help shoppers save extra money on their baskets this year.

After reviewing thousands of applications from people who love Peeps (and plenty who love to hate them) we selected our Peeps Officer: Emily Murphy, a Boston-based writer, editor, and branded content expert.

Her work has appeared on Spoon University, and as a self-proclaimed Peeps enthusiast, she was more than peep-pared to put some unique flavors to the test.

When I applied to be the Chief Peeps Officer — a fun side project I was excited to work on with the FinanceBuzz team — I figured that I'd try a few of my childhood favorites, and write some reviews about the fluffy, sugary, nostalgic candy that I've loved for decades. The PEEPS® I had in mind (which I'm sure are the same PEEPS® you're envisioning, too) were the colorful classics my parents put in my Easter basket every year.

In addition to eating and rating those delish OGs during my time as CPO, I also tried devoured an additional nine types of Peeps, ranging from party flavored PEEPS® to gummies to PEEPS® collabs with big brands like Dr Pepper and Kellogg's Rice Krispies Treats.

Even though I would consider myself proficient in PEEPS® now, before starting this project, I always thought of PEEPS® as an Easter candy people only ate once a year — but that's totally wrong. There are PEEPS® for almost every occasion (yes, there are even Christmas tree PEEPS®!) To be honest, if there isn't one for a holiday or moment you want to celebrate, you can simply make PEEPS® fit into it. Sure, they may be a bit divisive, but boy, are they versatile.

I have a few dozen more PEEPS® to eat (LOL, thank you FinanceBuzz!), but moving forward, I'll probably use my free will as an adult and start purchasing this candy to enjoy throughout the year. That being said, some of these PEEPS® flavors definitely won't be on my grocery cart (or in my mouth) anytime soon.

Want to know which ones are worth the sugar rush and which are best left on the shelves? Peek at my reviews of these PEEPS® below! (But be warned: your stomach may start growling!)

Despite how much I love the classic PEEPS®, I'm a sucker for anything cake flavored — so I opted to try the Party Cake PEEPS® first. When I opened the package, I was hit with a surprisingly non-artificial scent of vanilla, giving me high hopes about this treat. And, I certainly wasn't let down! These PEEPS® would be delicious paired with a hot coffee or hot cocoa during a snowy day, on top of a cupcake (they're literally so cute!), or simply by themselves for a mid-day pick-me-up. I would have rated these higher, but they don't have a strong vanilla taste like their vanilla smell, so that was a bit of a bummer and contributed to how I ranked them.

For the peeps who grew up with PEEPS®, I don't need to explain this to you. But for those who aren't as familiar with the marshmallow candy? The classics are *chef's kiss.* They're fluffy, perfectly gooey and chewy, pull apart beautifully, and have the exact right amount of sugar: enough that you can taste it when you're eating it, but not so sugary that an immediate handwash and teethbrush is needed after finishing. If you're not keen on snacking on them, engage in a fun DIY craft and create a thoughtful marshmallow bouquet for Valentine's Day with the pink PEEPS® for your partner! Or, use the yellow PEEPS® to outline a chocolate cake, making it look like a sunflower for a summer birthday. No matter what, the classic PEEPS® will always be there to bring us back to our childhoods.

I'm a Coca-Cola type of girl, so I was low-key already dreading eating this flavor — and then, the dread grew once I opened the package. The first thing I noticed after opening it was how spot on the smell was to the Dr Pepper drink itself. Even though that grossed me out because I'm a (proud) Dr Pepper hater, I figure that if you're a fan of the soda, you'd probably be pumped to try it. It's not doing it for me. If I had to say one nice thing about this flavor of PEEPS®, I'd compliment their fluffiness. But I'm a hater, so a 0/10 rating it is! I will literally never eat these again, and can't in good conscience recommend these for you to buy. Even if you like Dr Pepper, they're disgustingly sweet and overly sugary. In a nutshell? Save your money.

I can't remember the last time I had something so neon! (Just kidding, it was five minutes ago when I ate the classic PEEPS®) These very green Marshmallow Trees aren't just cute (and slightly shocking in color), but they're also really squishy, which is important to the experience for me. That, plus the plain, classic flavor of the trees, led me to rate this flavor/style of PEEPS® a 9/10. I'll definitely keep these in mind when I'm shopping for the holidays this year — and recommend you do the same. Wouldn't it be an adorable (and delish) stocking stuffer?! 

The more variety of PEEPS® I try, the more I appreciate the classics. Unfortunately, these PEEPS® Gummies were a letdown, hence the rating. They smell like a candle, stuck to my teeth, and had an artificial taste. I usually love gummy candies (like bears, worms, and sharks), but I wouldn't buy PEEPS® gummies. That being said, they were the perfect addition to my PEEPS® Board! I scattered them across the top of the marshmallows, just as I do with cashews when making a cheese board. They're aesthetic for photos, but not so cute for your tastebuds. I think I'll stick to the classics, and suggest you do the same.

Even though I'm a self-proclaimed PEEPS® lover, I crave chocolate almost daily. So, my rating of 9/10 may be skewed since I simply drool over anything chocolate. But the fact that this was melted when I opened it and it was still good says a lot about the product, and kind of validates my scoring. I didn't taste any marshmallow flavoring like the package claims, though, so unless you'd be happy enjoying this plain, bunny-shaped milk chocolate candy, you can probably get something similar that's easier to eat, tastes more like marshmallow, and isn't as pricey.

I can't lie: I expected this type of PEEPS® to be gross after I got a whiff of their artificial scent. But there won't be any Snap, Crackle, or Pop slander from me today! I'd happily purchase and snack on this flavor again, and would be curious about using it in a recipe for homemade Rice Krispies Treats® bars. (I have a feeling it would really enhance the flavor!) On that note, I don't have much else to say here. These are solid! If you spot them in the store, grab some to try for yourself and see if you agree with my score.

Did these taste like cotton candy at all? No. But did I care? Also, no! Knowing how sweet cotton candy flavored foods are (including cotton candy, itself!), I was shocked when I bit into this marshmallow and found it wasn't offensively sweet like I originally assumed. I was also surprised that I (somewhat) enjoyed it! The reason for my lower rating, despite these things, is that it feels like it was falsely advertised. Like, at least the Dr Pepper® ones tasted like Dr Pepper®. These are just regular pink PEEPS® that cost a little more. So, if you ever find yourself deciding between the two of them, go for the classic.

PEEPS® are good. Chocolate is good. So, it's no surprise that these PEEPS® are delicious. Out of all of the PEEPS® I tried today, I'm most likely to pick these up when I see them in the store and treat myself. The balance between the two candies works really well together, and one flavor doesn't overpower the other. When I tried these, they were a little melted, which was obviously amazing, but I bet they'd be really great refrigerated or frozen, too. I have a feeling that my sweet treat of the summer is going to be these PEEPS®.

You would think that because these PEEPS® on a stick are the classic PEEPS®, that they'd be good, right? Well, they're not. Unfortunately, they seem to have lost their sugary coating, and by the time I tried to take each individual chick off, they got mangled and squished. Additionally, I don't really see the point of this product. They're harder to eat, your lips get stickier, and you get way too big of a mouthful. I think I'll leave these on the shelf.

Overall, I've rediscovered my love for PEEPS®, and am so happy that the classic PEEPS® that I grew up with still hits the same way. How likely am I really to purchase any of these in the future? Only time will tell, but until then, I'll be enjoying the remainder of my PEEPS® haul and sharing the love.

Responses were lightly edited for length and clarity.

Spring sweets are a staple of many Easter celebrations and Peeps are an easy way to add a little fun to the table. But depending on where you shop, those marshmallow bunnies and chicks can come with surprisingly different price tags, so it helps to shop strategically.

Using one of the best credit cards for buying groceries can give you a little something back, and a simple budgeting app can help make sure your Easter sweets and spring treats fit comfortably into your holiday spending plan.