The History Behind Peeps

Every Easter, Peeps line grocery store shelves with their dotted, dead-ish eyes looking outward. Ranging in colors from highlighter yellow to Pepto Bismol pink to too-much-chlorine blue, these sugar-covered confections are both loved and hated by people worldwide; there is no in-between. Perhaps you're one of the folks who enjoy them straight out of the package — soft, pliable, and saccharine-sweet. Or, maybe you're one of the people who buys a pack, opens them, then leaves them on the counter for a week or so, until a good, solid crunch becomes part of the overall makeup of these confections. 

Peeps likely live in your psyche year-round, particularly come spring. They've been a mainstay of Easter baskets since the 1960s, and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. But where did these arguably unholy treats get their start? How popular are they? Let's explore the history behind everyone's most loved or hated marshmallow and sugar treat.

Let's fast-forward about 300 years from the life-size sugar sculpture creations honoring kings and queens across Europe. Sam Born, a 19-year-old Russian-Jewish immigrant from France, arrived in New York City in 1910. He's already a fountain of knowledge when it comes to confectionary arts including sugars, caramels, and chocolate-making, where he excelled. In 1916, the city of San Francisco honored him — awarding him the keys of the city — for inventing a machine that put the sticks into lollipops (called the Born Sucker machine). This modern-day Willy Wonka also invented a new process for the creation of chocolate sprinkles — or "jimmies" — and for the hardened chocolate shell on the outside of Eskimo pies. Thanks to his prowess in candy and chocolate technology, Born eventually earned himself enough money to open his own candy shop in Brooklyn, New York around 1923.

After several successful years in New York, Sam Born moved the now aptly named Just Born company to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. There, the company was able to produce more products and, namely, more candy. Just Born also began to acquire other smaller candy companies in the area and became a booming source of employment in a locality that had traditionally relied on steel manufacturing. Some of the better-known companies acquired by Just Born included Mike and Ike Original Fruits in 1940 (yes, those Mike and Ikes) and Hot Tamales in 1950 — another product that's still around today.

The initial way that Peeps were made at the Rodda Candy Company was shockingly labor-intensive and inefficient. As many as 80 confectioners were needed to craft fresh marshmallows — created from a concoction of egg whites and sugar. The mixture was then loaded into steel fluted-tipped pastry bags and each animal was hand-created. Then, the marshmallow mixture was left to air dry. Overall, the process took up to 27 hours, not to mention multiple hands and labor time. The chicks at this time also had hand-piped wings and more defined features, so the extra details added to the time-consuming process. Even the little black dead eyes were placed by hand.

Once Just Born took control of Rodda Candy Company and, consequently, the Peeps-not-yet-called-Peeps operation, the time-consuming process changed significantly. Sam Born's son, Bob Born, who had joined the company back in 1946, built what came to be known as "The Depositor." The machine automated the Peeps process, allowing a series of tubes to deposit six rows of Peeps at a time, instead of waiting for confectioners to painstakingly flute them one by one. So, now, instead of 27 hours, the process of making Peeps took 6 minutes. Because of the machine's design, though, the Peeps lost their wings, sporting a sleeker shape — the one we know and love (or hate) today. Bob earned the moniker "Father of Peeps" for this invention.

With all those flavors, colors, and shapes, you may be curious as to what goes into the making of a Peep today. According to the ingredients panel on the average Peeps, these marshmallow confections contain a combination of sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, and less than 0.5% potassium sorbate, natural flavors, colorings, and carnauba wax (for the dead eyes). The ingredients and recipe are virtually unchanged since Peeps' first inception nearly a hundred years ago, save the flavorings added for the more interesting and new flavors.

Nutritionally, each Peep clocks in at around 28 calories with zero grams of fat and very little sodium. Before you get excited about working these into your diet regimen, know that the sugar content is nearly 5 grams per Peep — rather on the high side and no better than any other candy. There are sugar-free varieties made with maltitol and isomalt which arrived on the scene in 2007, too, but we'd rather just stick to the original and break our calorie-counting rules for the day. As a note, too, Peeps are not vegan, due to their containing gelatin, which is derived from animal hooves, bones, and collagen after being boiled down.

Although you may be anti-Peep, you have to admit that these creative little marshmallows do add a touch of whimsy to their respective holiday seasons. And while many folks enjoy eating them fresh out of their packs — or stale out of their packs (raises hand slowly) — they can actually have a place in your marshmallow-laden recipes throughout the year.

At their core, Peeps are just marshmallows coated in sugar. So, working them into dishes and desserts that utilize regular white marshmallows is an easy swap. Take s'mores, for example. There's no reason you can't roast a Peep over the fire, smother it with chocolate, and smoosh it in a graham cracker. Plus, you have the added bonus of potentially setting a Peep on fire. You could also swap them in for marshmallows in classic Rice Krispie treats. We'd recommend sticking with one color so as to not create a tie-dyed mess, but a batch of bright pink or lavender Rice Krispie treats around Easter could become a new Easter tradition. You can also use Peeps to adorn an Easter or springtime cake, pie, or quickbread. Although they may be picked off quickly by Peep-haters, no one can argue about their ability to add a festive and springy touch to a dish.

With more than 2 billion Peeps created every year (you could literally circle the Earth twice with them), you'd think they'd be less divisive than they actually are. In fact, according to a 2022 survey, more than 65% of Americans will have had a Peep before their 9th birthday. That's likely why they've stayed the number one non-chocolate Easter treat for more than 20 years, too. But hatred for them abounds — with plenty of Facebook groups dedicated to bashing the fluffy treats. According to a recent survey, 25% of Americans said they loved Peeps, while 16% said they vehemently hated them. Everyone else fell somewhere in the middle.

But why do people hate them so much? The texture is off-putting for many; it's the combination of a crunchy sugar exterior and a gooey, gelatinous interior. Another reason is that they're overloaded in terms of sugar. A marshmallow is basically just sugar and egg whites, and with Peeps, there's even more sugar on top. It's too much for some. And perhaps the simplest reason is that many people simply don't like the way they taste. The argument is compounded by the fact that many folks prefer them after they've gone stale which — usually — is not the hallmark of a good eat.