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.
No idea.
Ohio’s favorite is probably the Reeses egg.
Whoppers Robins Eggs for me, and I had a really hard time finding them this year.
I never heard of Sconza.
My faves are Cadbury chocolate eggs. They used to have them with a nougat filling but I haven’t seen them in years.
Peeps = gross.
They might be OK next to chocolate squished between Graham Crackers and warmed. 😋
There's a bad word in Italian that sounds a lot like that.
Jordan Almonds. Yum. I used to buy them at Joann’s.
Sconza makes the woldly popular Milk Chocolate Covered Raisins and Boston Baked Beans for other candy companies.
Sconza has a Private Label as a manufacturer for other brands or bulk distributors.
Other candies are frequently marketed for weddings, parties, and snacking......available in bulk through distributors like Candy Korner.
Lutefisk? Would hate to have that turn up in my Easter basket!
I like Cadbury eggs and jelly beans. Hard to believe so many people had peeps as their first choice.
Sweet Tarts Jellybeans!
I do so love those Starburst jellybeans.
I’m not very fond of Peeps either.
True.
When we were younger, my sister and I would eat all of the sugar coating off and leave behind a disgusting wet blob of marshmallow! Our favorites are the robins eggs malt balls but I have not been able to find those anywhere for the past five or six years.
I’ve lived in TWO states on the map that shows Sconza as favorite candy and never heard of it, either.
yeah, i think that many people liking Peeps is bs.
i’ve never heard of Sconza either.
I’ve been in FL since 1995 and have never heard nor seen sconza brand products anywhere, let alone being most popular.
I predict sconza had a hand in drawing the map.
LOL!
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