Everything Easter Candy!

Easter is the second-best candy selling holiday in America (after Halloween).  Where did Easter candy come from?  One answer can be found in ancient times, with a celebration of the pagan Roman goddess Oestre.  As the goddess of springtime and fertility, legend has it that she transformed a cold, dying bird into a rabbit so that it would stay warm.  The rabbit kept laying eggs like a bird, which it decorated and gave to the goddess to thank her for saving it.  This contributed to the tradition of bunnies, chicks, and dyeing eggs.  The Easter bunny has been a symbol of Easter since the 1700’s.

Eggs have been associated with Easter for a long time because they are symbol for new life and for Jesus’ resurrection.  Chocolatiers in Europe started making chocolate eggs in the 19^th century, and they became an instant hit.  Soon the trend spread to America, and by the early 20^th century, chocolate bunnies, chicks and eggs of all shapes and sizes appeared in children’s Easter baskets.  Since then, Easter candy has far surpassed chocolate, exploding into candies of all types.

 

Chocolate Bunnies

These remain the most popular Easter candy to this day.  A majority of people eat a chocolate bunny’s ears first, according to polls.  Many people prefer hollow bunnies because the solid ones can take a long time to eat.  Extreme chocolate lovers may love the solid bunnies instead because they include way more chocolate, but hollow-bunny lovers will tell you that the first crunch of eating the ear is super satisfying.

 

Peeps

These sugary pastel marshmallow candies are the top-selling non-chocolate Easter candy, which seems odd because plenty of people don’t like them.  They were created in Pennsylvania by the company Just Born in the 1950’s.  The original Peeps were only yellow chicks and completely handmade, but now they come in bunnies as well.  In the 1950’s it took 27 hours to make one Peep, now it takes six minutes! 

You’ll find them in blue, purple, pink, and yellow, some dipped in chocolate, and some on lollipops.  Americans eat about 1.5 million Peeps during Easter.  If you don’t care for them and have too many, use them in S’mores.  Instant upgrade!

 

Jelly Beans

Although jelly beans have been around for a long, long time, they became associated with Easter in the 1930’s.  Over 16 billion jelly beans are made for Easter every year in the U.S.  You’ll find the Brach’s brand everywhere, but many feel they pale in comparison to Jelly Belly’s, Starburst and other more flavorful, unique brands.

 

Cadbury Crème eggs

More than 1.5 million of these are made every day, and they’re a traditional favorite.  The company that makes them is from the United Kingdom, however America came up with their own recipe, which is sugarier.  The U.K recipe is less sweet and creamier, but you won’t find that version in the states.

Many people love how cool they look when you open them—The crème filling looks like the inside of a real egg.  That crème is made out of fondant, which is actually a type of frosting.  No wonder they’re so sweet!  Other people don’t like how sweet and weirdly gooey the insides are.  They would probably prefer Cadbury Caramel eggs to these, which are filled with delectable—you guessed it—caramel.  To each his/her own!

 

Cadbury Mini Eggs

These eggs have pure chocolate inside, and have become extremely popular.  It could be how easily the chocolate seems to melt in your mouth, or maybe it's how the crunchy pastel coating tastes perfectly with the chocolate.  Regardless, it’s easy to see why these are a widespread hit.

 

Filled Eggs

Reeses peanut butter eggs are by far the most popular of all of the filled eggs.  If peanut butter is what you’re looking for, these are a must-have, because they contain mostly peanut butter, covered by only a thin layer of milk chocolate.  Other types of filled eggs include marshmallow, fruit, or different types of crème, but peanut butter wins the “most popular” prize.

 

Robin Eggs

Whoppers lovers, you’ll love these even more.  However, if malted milk candies aren’t your thing, give these eggs a hard pass.  Somehow the pretty, crunchy candy coating makes them a little more special than the traditional Whoppers.  Plus, a thin layer of chocolate hides just inside the speckled coating, but doesn’t take away from the light, airy middle that pretty much melts in your mouth.

 

Easter Candy Corn

These Halloween imposters got a pastel makeover for Easter, but they taste exactly the same.   They’re kind of like Peeps:  You either love ‘em or you hate ‘em.  Either way, they’re pure sugary-sugar.