Every spring, Americans face a very serious, very sugary question: What’s the best Easter candy? After all, you want to please as many bunnies as possible when filling up those plastic eggs and Easter baskets. Well, a recent study has cracked the (chocolate) shell on the mystery—and the results might surprise you.
According to a nationwide candy consumption study conducted by Instacart, America’s top Easter treat isn’t the marshmallow-y magic of Peeps or even the classic chocolate bunny. Nope, the festive first place prize goes to Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs. Surprise! The beloved combo of peanut butter and chocolate crushes the Easter competition. In fact, regular ol' Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups take the second spot, too.
To get these results, Instacart calculated the number of items purchased for products in the candy category between March 29, 2024 and March 31, 2024. Take a look at the full list below!
As for the rest of the top five, rolling into third place is Cadbury Chocolate Mini Eggs. The iconic milk chocolate eggs coated in a colorful, crunchy sugar shell are perfectly bite-sized, so it's no wonder they earned this accolade. Cadbury also takes fifth place with its Creme Eggs, which are the ultimate Easter indulgence.
Going back to fourth place, you'll find classic Hershey’s Milk Chocolate. This rich treat has been delighting candy lovers for generations and is a continued staple in Easter celebrations everywhere. Sour Patch Kids, Lindt Milk Chocolate Bunny, Starburst, Hershey's Milk Chocolate Candy Eggs, and Kinder Chocolate Candy Eggs make up the remaining spots in the top ten.
Are you shocked that Peeps and jelly beans didn't make the list at all? Well, despite the marshmallow treat missing the top ten mark on a national level, they are a local favorite in Boston, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. According to Instacart, purchases for the sweet bunny and chick confections spiked 150%, 97% and 111%, respectively during Easter weekend. Additionally, 35% of Americans say that jelly beans are among the treats they enjoy most.
So, whether your favorite Easter candy hopped into the top spot or remains a personal pick, one thing is for sure: No matter your treat of choice, the holiday wouldn't be the same without a big egg hunt followed by a little sugar rush!
Macie Reynolds is the assistant editor of E-Commerce and SEO for The Pioneer Woman.
