10 Fun Facts About Marshmallow Peeps
Easter is almost here, and that means Peeps, those little marshmallow chicks and bunnies, will be adorning Easter baskets everywhere. Here are some fun facts about these popular Easter treats.
Easter is almost here and that means Peeps®—those little marshmallow chicks (or bunnies) coated in brightly colored sugar—will be adorning Easter baskets everywhere, as they have been doing for over 60 years. Here are some fun facts about Peeps, one of the most popular Easter treats in the United States.
10 Fun Facts About Marshmallow Peeps
1. Peeps were once made by hand, and it took roughly 27 hours to create (because the marshmallow had to cool). Now, with modern equipment, it takes about six minutes.
2. The first Peeps had wings! The candy’s manufacturer wanted to update their look, however, so the wings were “clipped.”
3. The first color was yellow—and yellow is still the most popular color. Yellow was followed by orange, pink, lavender, green, and blue.
4. According to the Just Born Candy Company, of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, the maker of Peeps, enough are produced each year that if they were all lined up, the line would circle the earth twice.
5. They also come in all sorts of shapes, including bunnies, Valentine’s hearts, and Halloween pumpkins. Even though other shapes are available, the traditional chick is by far the most popular.
6. The machine that makes Peeps, the Depositor, has remained unchanged for more than 50 years—and the recipe hasn’t changed, either. They are still made just as they always were, with a mixture of liquid and granulated sugars, corn syrup, gelatin, and vanilla.
7. They are the most popular non-chocolate Easter candy—and they’ve sat at the top of that list for more than twenty years. Every spring, more than 1.5 billion marshmallow Peeps are eaten.
8. Each chick has just 28 calories and is fat-free.
9. In Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where Peeps were born, the tradition is so large that for New Year’s Eve, the locals drop a giant Peep instead of a ball!
10. Surveys show that nearly two-thirds of people who eat Peeps bite the heads off first — but that’s not the only way to eat one. Other ways to eat them include letting them get stale first, microwaving them, freezing them, or putting them on pizza!
Fun Fact: the Just Born Candy Company, maker of Peeps, also invented “Jimmies” (some call them sprinkles), named after the employee who made them!
Not Everyone is a Fan of Peeps
Not everyone likes Peeps, however. “Haters” say they’re too sweet and have an unpleasant texture. There are Facebook groups dedicated to hating them, and the hashtag #PeepsMassacre can be found on Instagram, tagging photos of Peeps meeting their demise. It’s a hotly debated topic. What about you? Love ’em or loathe ’em? Tell us in the comments below!
Amber Kanuckel
Amber Kanuckel is a freelance writer from rural Ohio who loves all things outdoors. She specializes in home, garden, environmental, and green living topics.
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I purchased 8 boxes of peeps at Local Drug store, they were reduced to .75 cent a pack. My favorite…
Gotta try this! Toast a Peep or 2 eggs over a campfire. I’m not a big fan of them “raw” but toasted. OMG are they good! The sugar coating makes a delicate crispy shell. Let it cool a bit before eating… it’s like molten lava at first.
Ooey Gooey goodness with a delicate candy shell. ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
If you don’t like Peeps, why are you even on this page???!
PEEP LOVERS will always love peeps – the end
My Mom is 93 yrs old & she loves Peeps. We always make sure she gets her fill every year.
Great way to show mom you love her !♥?
I bite the eyes off first,TOO. I love my yellow Peeps Stale! Once around Easter, I saw a Peepmobile:a van with a large yellow peep chick on top. I was on my way to get my sons from school. I tried to follow it, but with Friday traffic and too many red lights, I could Not catch. (I had it in my mind they were passing out “Chick Whistles” and I Wanted One!) My sons did not believe my story until it showed up in the newspaper the next day!
Chick whistles? That sounds amazing! I like my peeps stale as well. Even better – cooked for a little bit in the microwave!
I have always loved Peeps but I keep thinking that I can taste little bits that are crunchy but not sweet and tonight I finally figured it out, it’s the eyes! The wax tastes like plastic so from now on it will be eyes removed before biting the head off! The colors make me smile when ever I find them and I love the half price sales after Easter. Go Peeps!
#PeepLover I make cupcakes and put Peeps on top of them. I first frost the cupcakes with homemade buttercream frosting that looks like grass, then put the peeps on top with some “eggs” in front of them. They are so stinking cute!!
I love them and even tho im a diabetic I still sneak to have my peeps when there available love all the colors
Ah yes, I always knew there was silliness in some candies.
I love the crunch from the sugar coating that the peeps have on the outside of them the sweeter the better?