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Easter is just a few weekends away, which means that if you haven’t already raided the seasonal aisles at your grocery store, CVS or Target, now is the time to do so. If you’re overwhelmed by all the options available in 2026 — I’m pretty sure Easter options used to be just basic jellybeans, Peeps and chocolate eggs — you’re in luck.
It’s time for Snackology’s annual roundup of Easter candy.
Grab a shopping cart, toss a ridiculously oversized Easter Squishmallow into it and let’s take a stroll through the candy you should and shouldn’t buy this year ...
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Starburst Jellybeans Spring Berry Burst
What it costs: A 14 oz. bag is $4.19 at Target.
My thoughts: The classic version of Starbursts Jellybeans took the top spot on Snackology’s rankings last year, so I was curious to see if Spring Berry Burst would live up to that lofty reputation. They do! You get strawberry, raspberry, blackberry and blueberry in this mix, and they’re all welcome additions to the Starburst Jellybeans family.
What it costs: A 12 oz. bag was $3.99 at Harris Teeter.
My thoughts: As longtime Snackology readers know, I’ve been on a sour candy tear the past few months. My hopes were high for Trolli Sour Brite Jellybeans, but none of the flavors really stood out. They’re good, but they can’t recapture the flavor combos of the actual gummi worms.
What it costs: A 4 oz. bag was $1.99 at Michael’s.
My thoughts: I picked up a bag of Peeps Jellybeans on a whim while we were standing in line at Michael’s, and I’m glad I made that impulse purchase. These are a dark horse candidate for the top tier of jellybeans. There’s a marshmallow flavor!
What it costs: A three-pack of 12 oz. bags were $8 via the Frankford Candy website.
My thoughts: When I ordered the nightmarish KFC Colonel’s Favorite Jellybeans, I added a few bags of Dunkin’-branded jellybeans to my order, knowing they’d come in handy down the road for this roundup. The Dunkin’ Refreshers Jellybeans are bright while still offering something different from your standard flavors of jellybeans.
What it costs: A three-pack of 12 oz. bags were $8 via the Frankford Candy website.
My thoughts: The Dunkin’ Iced Coffee Flavored Jellybeans, on the other hand, are not great. While these flavors work as iced coffee options, they don’t make for good jellybeans. The hazelnut flavor was the closest I got to one that I’d eat again, but overall, I’m skipping these in the future.
My thoughts: Reese’s Peanut Butter Bunnies, though, are full of the classic peanut butter filling that you expect when you bite into a Reese’s Cup. The chocolate shell on these bunnies delivers a super satisfying bite too.
My thoughts: I know that some folks believe that Reese’s Pieces are superior to Peanut Butter M&M’s — hi, E.T.! — but I prefer the latter. The egg-shaped Reese’s Pieces are fun and offer something different from the traditional M&M’s lineup if you’re looking to shake up your Easter basket.
My thoughts: I reviewed M&M’s White Chocolate Easter Marshmallow Treat candies last year when they were called M&Ms Marshmallow Crispy. Back then they were a Target exclusive, but now they’re available at pretty much any store selling Easter candy. I gave them a hesitant “buy” last year (this was before the modern Snack Score system), but I’m all in on them this year. If you love white chocolate M&M’s, you’re gonna want to pick up a bag or three.
My thoughts: Reese’s Pieces aren’t the only chocolate-and-peanut butter candy that can adopt an egg shape for Easter. M&M’s Peanut Butter Eggs are your standard Peanut Butter M&M’s but in, well, egg shape.
My thoughts: I reviewed these earlier this year when they first appeared on shelves, and I tore into my backup bag for this roundup. They’re still great. But there still aren’t enough in each bag. C’mon, Cadbury, six Mini Creme Eggs isn’t enough.
My thoughts: Is the Dubai chocolate craze still going on? It feels like every candy company is just now catching up with the phenomenon as people are moving on. (I did very much enjoy Hershey’s limited-edition entry into the world of Dubai-style chocolate, though.) I wanted a bit more crunch out of the Russell Stover Dubai Style Chocolate, but it’ll still make a fun addition to your Easter basket.
What it costs: An 8.85 oz. bag is $5.29 at Target.
My thoughts: It doesn’t matter if they’re shaped like bunnies, vampires or bears, this form factor continues to be a huge hit for Kit Kat. My apologies to everyone who swears by the classic two-stick form, but I need my Kit Kats shaped like a cute animal now.
Tony’s Chocolonely Egg-stra Special Assorted Chocolate Eggs
What it costs: A 5.29 oz. carton is $6.49 at Target.
My thoughts: Tony’s Chocolonely is usually a chocolate bar I reserve for buying right as I’m ready to pay at Whole Foods and am about to succumb to hunger. Each carton of Egg-stra Special Assorted Chocolate Eggs comes with five flavors: Hazelnut, milk chocolate, dark chocolate, caramel sea salt and almond sea salt. “With 5 tasty chocolate flavors, there’s an egg-stra special treat for everyone,” Tony’s Chocolonely writes. “12 eggs divided by 5 flavors? That’s ehh ... not equal! This carton is un-egg-ually divided, just like our bars — to illustrate the inequality in the chocolate industry.”
Snack Score
4.0
Out of 5
Tony’s Chocolonely Egg-stra Special Assorted Chocolate Eggs
What it costs: A 10 oz. bag is $3.99 at Harris Teeter.
My thoughts: If you need a bit more variety in your Sour Patch Kids selection, the Sour Patch Kids Bunnies come with not just orange but also lime, lemon and redberry.
What it costs: An 8.37 oz. bag is $4.19 at Target.
My thoughts: I didn’t break out the blacklight for this bag of Sour Patch Kids Glow Ups Eggs, but this Easter variety is the latest installment in the growing collection of Sour Patch Glow Ups candy that uses the magic of turmeric extract to deliver a candy that glows underneath special lighting. For the Easter variety, you get three flavors: Strawberry-watermelon, lemonade and blue raspberry.
What it costs: A 12 oz. bag is $4.49 at Harris Teeter.
My thoughts: Wow, were these a throwback. I guess I had forgotten that SweeTARTS are just tiny chunks of pure flavored sugar. These chicks, ducks and bunnies pack all the puckering punch that you possibly also forgot comes with a handful of SweeTARTS.
My thoughts: Haribo Happy Chicks are the high quality gummi candies you expect to get when you open up a bag of Haribo, only in fun chick-related shapes.
My thoughts: The Albanese Milk Chocolate Covered Valentine Gummy Bears were probably the highlight of my roundup of Valentine’s Day candy, so I was excited to see what the company had in store for Easter. Unfortunately, these Cottontail Gummies are way too reminiscent of the off-brand gummies you might’ve gotten in your lunchbox back in the 1990s. I don’t enjoy the milky colors. I guess I’ll stick to Albanese’s gummi worms that stay chewy in ice cream.
The Omnicosm founder. Snackology, Popculturology and The Cold Open writer. A Rochester, N.Y., native now living in the Washington, D.C., area. Won’t pass up a Genny Cream Ale.
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