10 Creative Ways To Use Peeps

No Easter spread is complete without the satisfying chew of a fluffy, sugar-coated marshmallow. We're talking about Peeps, of course. These iconic brightly colored chicks and bunnies have had pride of place in our Easter baskets since the early 1950s, and their whimsical appearance and irresistible sweetness bring joy to people of all ages. For many, Peeps are just as much a part of Easter as chocolate eggs, and while they're undeniably tasty devoured straight out of the package, they're also surprisingly fun to experiment with in the kitchen.

Thanks to their vibrant appearance and soft, meltable texture, Peeps can easily transform homemade desserts, breakfasts, and snacks into colorful, festive treats. There are an array of flavors to play with. Each brings its own distinct flavor and hue and opens the door to all kinds of playful Easter-inspired creations. Whether you're melting them, blending them, or stuffing them into doughs and batters, you can count on Peeps to amp up the indulgence and visual appeal of some of your favorite recipes. So, if you're ready to embrace the springtime vibes, here are some delicious ways to incorporate these moreish marshmallows into your cooking and baking.

Turn a batch of classic chewy cookies into a vibrant Easter treat by stuffing Peeps inside the dough. As the cookies bake, the fluffy marshmallow center will melt down to create a gloriously gooey puddle of sweetness, which tastes incredible alongside those crispy, caramelized edges.

This technique works best in cookies with a soft, chewy-crisp texture. Start by preparing a simple dough, stirring in any mix-ins as desired. Chocolate chips are always a good idea, but you could also throw in chopped nuts, crushed mini eggs, or crunchy rainbow sprinkles for an extra burst of color. To incorporate the marshmallows, scoop out portions of the dough, flatten them into discs between your palms, and place a Peep in the center. You'll then wrap the dough over it and roll it into balls with the marshmallow secured snugly inside. As the cookies bake, the Peeps will swiftly melt, creating a sweet surprise inside each treat. For maximum gooeyness, serve the cookies warm, perhaps alongside a cold glass of milk or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Rice Krispies treats are already a nostalgic favorite, but with the help of Peeps, it's super easy to give these crunchy no-bake delights a colorful Easter twist. Since Peeps are essentially marshmallows coated in sugar, they melt readily when heated, making them an ideal swap for the usual plain marshmallows in the recipe. They'll give you that same mouth-wateringly chewy, sticky texture, all while injecting a burst of pleasing pastel color and a hint of extra sweetness.

If you've got some Peeps on hand, you'll only need two other ingredients to make a batch of these vibrant treats: Rice Krispies and butter. First, you'll melt marshmallow Peeps of your choice with the butter in the microwave or in a pan on the stovetop over low heat. Go with a single color or flavor if preferred, or layer the colors for a fun look. Fold the cereal into the melted marshmallow mixture, then transfer everything to a greased and lined pan to set. Feel free to finish things off with a layer of melted chocolate or frosting, and garnish the squares with some extra whole Peeps.

Fluffy Peeps also make a fantastic addition to a creamy milkshake. When blitzed with liquid, the marshmallows create a sweet, pastel-hued drink that's perfect for adorning with Easter-themed garnishes — and you can whip up a decadent glassful in just a few minutes.

The marshmallows can be added to the blender as they are or can be briefly toasted beforehand to give them a richer, more caramelized flavor. This can be done by arranging the marshmallows on a parchment-lined baking sheet and popping them under the broiler until golden brown on both sides (this shouldn't take more than two minutes). Transfer the Peeps to your blender, throw in some ice cream, milk, and any other add-ins, then blitz everything together until smooth. To enhance the pastel hue of the marshmallow-spiked drink, consider adding a few drops of food coloring. Or go for a smoothie-style approach by swapping the ice cream for juice or lemonade and throwing in some fresh fruits like strawberries, blueberries, or banana.

When it comes to garnishes, there's plenty of room for creativity. A generous swirl of whipped cream will elevate this treat, or you could try adding a rim of marshmallow Fluff and sprinkles. For an even sweeter finish, drizzle some chocolate or caramel syrup into the glasses before pouring in the drink, and don't hesitate to top everything off with an extra marshmallow or two.

Marshmallows are an essential when crafting s'mores, but this campfire classic gets a festive, springtime twist when you swap them for Peeps. These brightly colored chicks and bunnies add plenty of charm to the sweet, crunchy crackers and create that signature gooey center.

Peeps can be toasted over an open fire, under the broiler, or even prepared in the microwave; all three approaches are delightfully simple. For the campfire method, thread the Peeps onto skewers and toast them over the flame until browned and gooey. Then, simply sandwich them between graham crackers with a few squares of your favorite chocolate. If you're using the broiler, place the marshmallows and chocolate onto the crackers first, then top them with a second cracker once everything has melted. When microwaving, it's best to melt the chocolate onto the crackers first, then top them with the bunnies before nuking them again until gooey.

A s'mores dip is another delicious approach that works great as a shareable centerpiece. Layer chocolate chips in the bottom of a baking dish, arrange the Peeps on top in an even layer, and broil this decadent duo until irresistibly gooey. Then, the vibrant dessert dip is ready for dunking those crispy crackers into.

Popcorn is a versatile base for other sweet and salty mix-ins, but have you tried coating the light, crunchy kernels in a layer of sticky, marshmallow goodness? This technique involves melting down the Peeps to create a sweet glaze for the popcorn, which adds color and sweetness to every bite.

Once you've popped your kernels, melt together butter and your chosen variety of Peeps until smooth. White chocolate chips also make for a delicious mix-in; they'll melt readily into the gooey marshmallow mixture and yield an even richer finish.

Pour the Peeps mixture over the popcorn and stir everything together, then spread it out on a parchment-lined baking sheet. At this point, go ahead and add any toppings as desired, such as M&M's, sprinkles, pretzels, chopped nuts, or even extra Peeps, and leave everything to set. Once it's fully cooled, you can break the popcorn up into chunks to serve.

Peeps can also serve as an eye-catching topping for a homemade cheesecake, where they'll transform your bake into a gorgeous, rainbow-hued showstopper. While you won't incorporate the marshmallows into the cheesecake filling itself, you can absolutely lean into the sweet, colorful theme by crafting a cake with swirls of springlike pastel shades. 

After you've prepped the buttery cheesecake base (graham crackers or Oreos are ideal), you'll get to work on the filling. A great approach is to beat fluffy marshmallow creme into the usual cream cheese, sugar, and egg mixture. To create a striking rainbow look, just split the batter into multiple portions (four or five works well), tinting each a different, Peeps-inspired hue with a few drops of food coloring. The batters can then be lightly swirled together in the pan before baking.

After you've chilled the cheesecake, it's time for the Peeps to join the party. Arrange these atop your creamy creation, using alternating colors if desired. The marshmallows will look fantastic alongside swirls of whipped cream, sprinkles, or a drizzle of fruit coulis.

For a more grown-up way to enjoy Peeps, try infusing vodka with them. This simple hack leaves you with a sweet, pastel-toned libation that can be enjoyed as a shot or used to concoct a whole host of delicious cocktails.

Infusing the vodka is as easy as adding the marshmallows to a jar and pouring the liquor on top. You'll want to fill the jar about one-third of the way with the Peeps and add enough vodka to cover them completely. While you can totally prepare multiple batches at once, it's best to stick with one variety of Peeps per jar to create distinct colors in each infusion.

After at least 24 hours, or up to four days, strain out any remnants of the marshmallows and it's ready to use. A sunny yellow vodka made with classic Peeps chicks would make an excellent addition to this basil Meyer lemon vodka Collins, while a pink bunny-infused vodka is ideal for jazzing up a margarita or spiking pink lemonade.

Peeps pops are versatile, adorable, easy to prep, and bound to be a standout on your Easter dessert table. Peeps bunnies are generally the go-to here since their shape makes them easy to thread onto sticks, but you can also experiment with other versions if you'd like.

Candy melts are ideal for coating the Peeps. They come in a whole host of different colors and add a satisfying creamy crunch to the soft marshmallow. However, you can also use melted milk, white, or dark chocolate instead. Once you've poked the sticks into the Peeps, just dip the marshmallows into the melted coating, ensuring they're fully covered in the sweet, glossy mixture.

If you're adding solid decorations, such as sprinkles, sugar pearls, or chocolate chips, add them while the coating is still wet to ensure they stick properly. There's also the option to sprinkle the freshly coated Peeps with sanding sugar; be sure to choose a color that complements the candy coating. Any wet writing icing (which is perfect for drawing on cute facial features) should be added once the outer layer has completely set.

Start the Easter weekend off right with a stack of fluffy Peeps pancakes. The soft, brightly colored marshmallows will add heaps of visual appeal to your breakfast plate, plus an extra hit of gooey sweetness.

There are a few different ways to incorporate the Peeps here. The first and simplest is to use the marshmallows as a topping. Scatter them whole or diced atop your stack of choice before serving. You can also try poking Peeps onto cocktail sticks and inserting these into the pancakes to keep the chicks or bunnies standing upright. Another great technique is to stir diced marshmallows into the batter itself and fry it into golden rounds as normal. This leaves each pancakes studded with pops of vibrant, melty marshmallow.

Whole Peeps can also be placed onto pancakes during frying. Then, as you flip everything over, the marshmallows will melt, creating bold puddles of color on the surface of each pancake. It's also worth noting that the Peeps brand has been known to sell bunny-shaped pancake skillets, making it even easier to embrace a festive theme.

There are countless ways to elevate homemade ice cream, and Peeps are a top pick for adding a pop of springtime sweetness to this frozen delight. Whether you're scattering fluffy chunks of marshmallow into the creamy base or melting Peeps into the mixture itself, you'll get an undeniably eye-catching dessert that tastes incredible, too.

To create a Peeps-infused, no-churn ice cream, you can melt the marshmallows with milk and sugar, then fold whipped cream into the cooled mixture. You could even go for a multicolored look by preparing separate batches of ice cream with different varieties of Peeps and alternating different colors in the tub before freezing it.

If you're after a more textured finish, just fold chopped Peeps into your prepared ice cream right before scooping everything into the tub. They'll work brilliantly as a standalone add-in, but they also taste wonderful alongside other Easter-themed ingredients like chopped chocolate eggs, sprinkles, or pastel M&M's.