Posted on 04/05/2026 7:39:28 AM PDT by Diana in Wisconsin
With Valentine’s Day chocolates down to the bottom of the box and Halloween candy many moons away, your sweet tooth might be aching a little extra. Luckily, Easter is right around the corner, bringing plenty of beloved springtime sweets to the table—or rather, basket.
Ever wonder how your Easter candy preferences compare to the rest of your state? You might be a Peeps fan, while your neighbors are reaching for Starburst—or perhaps your Easter candy soulmate lives beyond state lines. Either way, America picks favorites, and some are more surprising than others.
Ready to see how your taste stacks up? Using Google Trends data, Innerbody Research analyzed search patterns for Easter candy in the weeks leading up to the holiday to identify the most popular treats in each state in 2026, as shown on the map below.
When it comes to Easter candy, a few favorites clearly stand out in baskets across the country.
At the top of the list are the marshmallow treats everyone loves to debate: Peeps, which draw significantly more interest than any other Easter candy. Whether you love them or leave them alone, they dominate the conversation every spring. Behind the marshmallow chicks, more familiar favorites, like chocolate bunnies and jelly beans, round out the top tier, showing that classic Easter staples still hold strong.
Filling out the top five are a mix of chocolate and fruit-flavored favorites, including Reese’s Eggs and Swedish Fish, reflecting a balance between traditional Easter treats and more modern candy cravings.
Of course, these national rankings only tell part of the story. When you break it down state by state, those candy preferences start to look a lot more personal.
With an average of 5.5 million marshmallow chicks produced each day, it’s no surprise that Peeps take the top spot in many states. But which regions chirp the loudest for this quintessential Easter candy? A total of 17 states pick Peeps as their favorite, with strong pockets across the Midwest and beyond—from Kansas and Oklahoma up through Pennsylvania, where the treats have been made for decades. With their bright colors and unmistakable shape, they remain one of the most recognizable symbols of the season.
But Peeps aren’t the only candy showing up across the map. Jelly beans—both Starburst and Jelly Belly—hold strong in states like Georgia, North Carolina, and Minnesota, offering a fruit-forward option long associated with Easter traditions. Coastal states like Connecticut, New York, and Oregon also lean fruity, showing a preference for Swedish Fish over more chocolate-heavy options.
Chocolate still plays a major role, of course. Classic picks like Reese’s Eggs and Robin Eggs appear across multiple states—including Utah, Illinois, Kentucky, and Missouri—while Jordan almonds are the top pick in both California and Texas. And while chocolate bunnies rank as the No. 2 Easter candy nationally, only two states—New Jersey and Delaware—crown them as their top pick.
While many states follow broader trends, a few stand out with more unique favorites. From Cadbury Creme Eggs in Maine to Kinder Eggs in Mississippi, these outliers highlight just how much regional preferences can vary when it comes to Easter candy.
Taken together, the map shows that while a handful of candies dominate nationwide, Easter tastes are far from one-size-fits-all. Each state brings its own twist to the holiday, whether it’s a clear favorite or a mix of sweets that reflects local taste.
“Jordans nuts have never been in a single one.”
We have a bowl or two of the Jordan Almonds out at Weddings and Funerals up here in Wisconsin. Or those Pastel Mints. But not as an Easter Candy.
The Jordan Almonds ARE addictive. I can see people liking them. :)
I’ve never even HEARD of Sconza? What’s a “Sconza”?
Ditto in CA. Never heard that word / name before!
california chocolate
I believe anything made from Hersheys is truly America’s favorite Easter candy. In addition to candy under their brand name Hershey also owns the Cadbury and Reese’s brands too!
How anyone can like Peeps is beyond me. The only thing Sconza makes that are popular are Jordan almonds, which are almonds covered with a colored candy shell. They’re used a lot in party favors at weddings.
I love peeps especially stale. I never heard of this Sconza candy and I’ve lived in Florida for over 11 years.
Reese’s Peanut Butter Eggs.
(But when I was a kid, I liked those big sugar covered eggs with a scene inside, even though those aren’t eaten...)
"Candy BAAAD! Jesus GOOOD !!!"
That map is obviously wrong. They show “Swedish Fish” in Iowa but they don’t show “Somali Scam” in Minnesota. Our very sweet and tasty stolen tax dollars are everybody’s favorite candy in Minnesota. It has that just-right blend of creamy goodness inside a nearly-impenetrable shell.
A 4th generation company begun by an Italian family who arrived in the U.S. in 1922
My husband is a connoisseur of stale peeps. He says it’s the best way to eat them.
I’d disagree with your terminology. Peeps are properly characterized as “vile.” Creme eggs and that glop inside them are properly referred to with the lesser term “disgusting.” Everyone knows that Cadbury milk chocolate mini eggs are the best Easter candy, by far
I am from Hio and now live in Texas. Never heard of Sconza.
Why Hershey is swapping Reese’s ingredients — and what it means for how they’ll taste
By Taylor Herzlich
April 1, 2026
A lot of these features are just faked.
With AI people will be doing more of them with less effort and a clearer conscience.
Is the map courtesy of Sconza ? 🤔
I’ve never heard of them.
Swedish fish are good but I have never thought of them as Easter Candy.
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