Just Born introduced Chocolate Covered Peeps for Easter 2010. They also made an appearance in the pumpkin shape for Halloween. But the most interesting of their new chocolate covered version of the marshmallow shapes is the Christmas introduction of the Peeps Dark Chocolate Covered Mint Flavored Marshmallow.
The candies come individually wrapped and weigh 1 ounce exactly. (There’s also a milk chocolate version, but both that I bought were crushed & sticky so I’ll have to find more.) Like the other chocolate covered versions before, they’re not just a chocolate covered classic Peep, they lack the sugar crust so the chocolate is the cloak it gets instead of the grainy coating.
The tree shaped minty Christmas Peep is just shy of three inches long and pretty tall at about an inch thick. The dark chocolate shell contains a bit of milkfat but is otherwise has a pleasing dark sheen and makes a convincing tree shape. The package says that they’re gluten free, but of course aren’t vegan (gelatin & milk) and may contain peanuts, tree nuts, eggs and coconut.
They actually smell more like sweet dark chocolate out of the package than mint, which I thought was a good sign after the overly sweet and underwhelming Easter and Halloween versions.
Biting into it, I found what I expected, which was a bright green, soft and moist marshmallow flavored with peppermint. The marshmallow is interesting, it’s fluffy without being foamy or latexy. The mint flavor is appropriately strong - strong enough to have a distinctive taste but not so strong to overwhelm the chocolate chip qualities of the dark coating. The smooth dissolve of the marshmallow is better than the slightly grainy and chalky chocolate.
I don’t generally get an aftertaste from green food colorings (blue & yellow), so my repulsion at the color was aesthetic, not technical. It did go far to convince me that this was something flavored like Creme de Menthe.
The product idea is sound, a flavored marshmallow in a festive, seasonal shape covered in chocolate. There aren’t any other mass-marketed candies like that. I still question the necessity of the strong food colorings (and maybe some sprinkles on there would serve a similar purpose of the tree “decoration.” I’m still not much of a marshmallow fan, so these don’t suit me, but I’m sure there are some fans who will enjoy these. They could benefit from higher quality chocolate and eschew the strong colors.
Related Candies
- Russell Stover Giant S’mores Bar & Mint Dream
- Chocolate Covered Peeps
- Pete’s Gourmet Confections: Marshmallows
- Christmas Mint Round Up
- Peeps Chocolate Mousse (Bears & Bunnies)
- Peeps inside a Milk Chocolate Egg
- Peppermint Peep Stars
I’m a marshmallow lover but these were a big disappointment; I couldn’t get past the poor quality of the chocolate. I think I was also spoiled by the Trader Joe’s dark-chocolate-covered mint marshmallows. They are perfection!
I agree with Heather on the TJ’s dk choc mint marshmallows. They’re our family’s favorite holiday treat this year! Totally worth checking out!
I was going to skip these after my disappointment with both the Easter and Halloween offerings, but the mint has me intrigued.
Wow, that green is GREEN! That hurts my eyes. Never ever been a fan of Peeps in any form whatsoever. I dont get them. I’ve tried. Just don’t get it.
oh i love marshmallow… i have to try these things!
and i like the green on the inside… it’s in keeping with the wacky peep colors, and it gives it an extra something fun.
I happen to love these! I have a hard time finding them because they are sold out in my area. I am not a big marshmallow fan unless it’s in my hot chocolate but I do love these as well as the chocolate dipped chocolate peeps which are also hard to find. Usually only at Publix.
Next entry: Jelly Belly Chocolate Dips
Previous entry: Brach’s Christmas Nougats