Spring has officially sprung, and with that comes warmer days, blue skies and a rainbow of jelly beans. That’s right, while Halloween and Valentine’s Day try to corner the market as the ultimate candy-centered holidays, the Easter season has plenty of delectable treats to choose from for anyone with a sweet tooth. With the Easter bunny on its way in just a few days, the Life section decided to come together and decide what treats they hope to find in their Easter baskets this Sunday. So, without further ado, let’s hop to it!
Amy O’Rourke, CC
Hands down, no question about it: The most delicious Easter candy is mini Reese’s peanut butter eggs. Don’t mistake these for the individually wrapped in plastic ones similar to the Reese’s trees around Christmas time — I’m talking about the bagged, tin-foiled wrapped, one-bite half moons. The outer shell’s crunch and the rich creamy peanut butter filling is like no other. I have no idea why the shape makes such a difference, but it truly makes or breaks it for me. This is my top pick of Reese’s shapes, and my top pick for Easter candy.
Sadly, I can no longer enjoy all the deliciousness Reese’s eggs have to offer, but I have found a close second: Justin’s mini dark chocolate peanut butter cups. Although they are not specifically Easter themed, they’re vegan and gluten free, and their melty, creamy flavors are unmatched.
Gino Giansanti, ALE
While I agree with Amy that Easter is a holiday for chocolate lovers, I think Reese’s will have to sit this one out, because springtime belongs to the Cadbury company. While I can buy a peanut butter cup or Hershey bar any time of the year — and pay considerably less to do so without the themed pastel-colored wrapping — Cadbury eggs only come out once a year, so you need to grab them while you can.
The Cadbury Mini Eggs, the undisputed, best overall, star of the Easter season, is the one candy that I could not celebrate Easter without. In theory, the concept is so simple: a milk chocolate center formed into a tiny egg and covered by an ultra-thin, crispy chocolate shell. They say less is more, and in this case, it certainly is. Not to be confused with the much larger, individually-wrapped Cadbury Creme Eggs — those are frankly disgusting. While the egg looks inviting, the yellow-ish creme filling is a stomach ache waiting to happen, so my advice is to stick to the less rich, more basic Mini Eggs. Plus, the smaller size allows you to pop them in your mouth all Sunday long without the same guilty feeling as finishing off an entire chocolate bunny. But I will say, I do that sometimes too.
Emma Morgan, CC
While I don’t mean to harsh anyone’s mellow, I must say that Easter is hardly my favorite time of year when it comes to candy. Sure, the weather is nice, and I suppose the pastel colors are cheerful — of course, part of me thinks that the entire month of April feels like a tacky baby shower — but my biggest gripe with Easter is the return of my least favorite candy: Peeps.
Call me crazy, but Peeps are far too overrated for my liking. You either love them or you hate them, and in this case I must argue the latter. Marshmallows are one thing, but you’d think with all that pink and yellow sugar coating that they’d at least have a little more flavor — but nothing! You would think that the so-called “chocolate-flavored eyes” would add something exciting — still nothing. Essentially, Peeps leave me eating a tasteless, chewy mess that gives me a stomach ache and ruins my appetite for Easter brunch. The only positive I’ve found is placing them inside a microwave for a couple of minutes and watching them explode. Plain white marshmallows have far more flavor, so I don’t understand what the hype is about. To be honest, I’m ready to bypass spring and head straight to campfire s’mores in July and August. At least summer knows how to make a real marshmallow.
Happy Easter and happy eating from the Life section!
