In other words, ranked from “will sit in the candy bowl for months” to “gonna pillage my kid’s Easter basket for every last one.”
Easter candy is the best of all the seasonal sweets. Controversial statement? Maybe. But think about it: Aren’t Reese’s Eggs superior to Reese’s Santas? Don’t pastel jelly beans taste better than those orange and black ones they roll out at Halloween? And, love it or hate it, no other holiday candy is quite as iconic as Peeps.
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Still, not all Easter candies are created equal. For instance, few things in life are more disappointing than a generic, solid chocolate Easter bunny. Read on for our Easter candy rankings, from I’ve-had-better to the very best, and start filling your kid’s Easter baskets accordingly.
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Generic jelly beans taste like disappointment. These mysterious gummy treats tend to be rock-hard, and if they have any flavor to speak of, it can best be described as fake. The Easter Bunny would never approve of these sad treats.
Admit it; every year, you buy one of these, hoping it will taste as good as you remember from your childhood, and every year it lets you down. The chocolate is too basic, the marshmallow is too sweet, and the whole experience leaves your middle-aged stomach feeling slightly queasy. But when you were a kid, these babies were the Easter treat you always talked your parent into buying you at the supermarket checkout counter, so there’s no use trying to shake the nostalgia.
Peeps are divisive. You either love them or hate them, and the older you get, the more likely it is that you’ll hate them. While they’re visually appealing, these little sugar bombs are sticky and sickly sweet. They also possess a truly alarming amount of Peeps dust (which is just more sugar, but it’s still weird).
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Aside from the fact that they always have haunting eyes, solid chocolate bunnies are just novelty-shaped stomachaches waiting to happen. In addition to being made out of waxy, low-quality chocolate, these monstrosities are hard enough to crack a tooth.
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Over the years, Cadbury Creme Eggs have gotten smaller and the quality of the chocolate shell has gone downhill. However, these classic Easter favorites aren’t just nostalgic — they’re still yummy, too. While you wouldn’t want to eat them year-round, nothing beats biting the top off, licking out the creamy “yolk,” and then devouring the chocolate shell before it has a chance to melt all over your hands.
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Now, these are the jelly beans you’re looking for at Easter. For jelly bean connoisseurs, the classic flavors and bright colors make these a forever favorite (and the pinks one are the best; that’s just facts). Sure, you can spring for fancier jelly beans, but on Easter, nothing hits quite like Brach’s.
They may not be the most exciting candy in the Easter basket, but hollow chocolate bunnies are the workhorses of the candy world. They’re light enough to eat in one sitting without worrying about making yourself sick, and they have a smooth, satisfying chocolate flavor. Best of all, if your kid doesn’t eat them, you can always crack them up and toss them into brownies later, guaranteeing no chocolate goes to waste.
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Let’s give Whoppers a round of applause for creating Robin Eggs. Yes, they’re almost too crunchy, but those speckled shells look like spring in a bag. In addition to being aesthetically pleasing, the centers basically melt in your mouth. The end result is a sweet treat that feels light and takes you right back to your Easter egg-hunting days.
There are a lot of jelly beans on the market, but the Starburst Jelly Beans are quite possibly the best. They are arguably even better than actual Starbursts. These fruity, chewy treats are satisfying, with just the right balance of sweet and sour fruity flavors to keep your mouth happy.
No disrespect to Creme Eggs, but Cadbury Chocolate Mini Eggs are the superior Cadbury Easter treat. The colorful shells wrap around a solid chocolate center to create a satisfying crunch that quickly gives way to silky, smooth chocolate goodness. These egg-shaped confections are one of the best parts of the holiday (especially if you’re a chocolate fan).
Somehow, Reese’s found a way to improve on Reese’s Cups. Reese’s eggs should essentially taste the same, and yet, they have a distinct flavor all their own. In the end, it comes down to the texture. The soft chocolate envelops the smooth peanut butter to create a next-level candy experience. From the whimsical shape to the soft peanut butter center, Reese’s eggs are hands down the best Easter candy of them all.