Our Least Favorite Peanut Butter Candy In Stores Tastes Overwhelmingly Artificial

Believe it or not, there are a lot more peanut butter adjacent candies out there than just Reese's Peanut Butter Cups or Peanut Butter M&Ms. Ever since peanut butter made its official debut at the 1904 World's Fair, Americans haven't been able to get enough of the thick, sweet spread, not even in our candies. We recently sat down to rank 18 of those peanut butter candies, and while there were plenty of unexpectedly delicious ones, we found that the Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites were our least favorite.

As major Cookie Dough Bite fans, we had high expectations for the peanut butter version of the candy, but it was decidedly underwhelming, to say the least. The artificial sweetness of these bites was cloying and unpleasant, almost like biting into cookie-flavored dust rather than actual cookie dough. Speaking of peanut butter, this candy was distinctly lacking the taste of actual peanut butter, which sounds impossible, but is true. It was a struggle to get through even one nibble of this candy, and with so many better options out there, we easily slapped this candy in last place.

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites are a version of the popular Cookie Dough Bites brand often found at movie theaters and in candy aisles. All flavors of Cookie Dough Bites, including peanut butter, are egg-free, which is a selling point for the brand (speaking of, here's how to make your own edible cookie dough). The peanut butter version of Cookie Dough Bites was among the first of the brand's experimental flavors, launching beside Fudge Brownie Cookie Dough Bites. The original chocolate chip flavor launched in 1997 (it's one of the 10 candies that taste better frozen), and by 1999, Cookie Dough Bites filed a trademark for the peanut butter name.

The Cookie Dough Bites brand was created by Taste of Nature, Inc. in the late 1990s, though the recipe took several years before it was ready for launch. Currently the brand's portfolio includes eight flavors: chocolate chip, peanut butter, fudge brownie, birthday cake, cinnamon bun, cookies 'n cream, red velvet, and s'moresels. Taste of Nature, Inc. is also responsible for the manufacturing and distribution of pre-packaged items for several other notable brands, such as Cotton Candy Swirlz and Mrs. Fields cookies. With several well-known brands and decades of experience under its belt, you'd think placing the taste of peanut butter in a candy should be much easier.