Peep this: Americans apparently love the nostalgic colorful sugar-coated marshmallows that spring up in the fake grass of Easter baskets every year (or at least are curious enough about Peeps to Google them).
While Instacart’s 2025 Easter candy report showed clutched the title of top Easter treat, and the National Confectioners Association (NCA) confirmed that ranked as the holiday’s favorite candy, Google search data suggests that Peeps reign supreme.
About nine in 10 Americans who plan to celebrate Easter will do so with chocolate and candy, according to the NCA. The holiday, which falls on April 20 this year, is considered among the “big four” candy seasons, which also includes Valentine’s Day, Halloween and winter holidays.
Top candy choices vary by state, according to Google’s data, but the majority of states are on team Peeps, according to this search map.
Even if you don’t love the sweet, spongy candy, you’ve got to admit, they’ve inspired a lot of cute collaborations, like these sweet Peeps and Chicks and this from Betsey Johson that says “egg hunt, but make it fashion.”
There’s even Peeps-flavored soda and scented candles now—proof that their influence stretches far beyond just the candy aisle. Like it or not, Peeps are a pop culture phenomenon
Here’s the Google Trends map that plots top candy searches by state leading up to Easter:
Peep this: The sugary pastel marshmallow treats are the top Easter candy in most states.
As a Coloradan, I had to laugh when I saw that “gummies” were the most searched Easter candy in 2025. I’m not sure if people are searching for actual Easter candy or if they’ll be celebrating at the Mile High 4/20 Festival with marijuana gummies.
Peanut butter eggs, Instacart’s top candy, did appear as the most favored candy in Kansas and North Dakota. Skittles, lollipops, jelly beans and M&Ms were also among the top-searched candy in the past month.
As for Peeps, the candy originated in 1953. Before Just Born, the maker of Peeps, mechanized the marshmallow forming process in 1954, it took 27 hours to produce one marshmallow chick by hand, with a pastry tube. Today a Peep can be formed in a fraction of that time at just six minutes.
Google Search Trends also revealed some more fun Easter trends, including the top Easter basket themes by state that range from Hello Kitty to baseball, as well as the top types of Easter hunts in every state.
From Hello Kitty to Spiderman, these are the top themes for Easter baskets across the country.
A map of the top Easter egg hunt themes across the United States.
What Easter candy are you most looking forward to this Easter?