So you have the sugar. The corn syrup. The gelatin. And the air. And they all get mixed together and then it is pumped over to our production belt. These are bare naked chicks.

As ingredients go, Peeps seem pretty innocuous. The big three are sugar, corn syrup (I.e., more sugar) and gelatin. They contain less than half a percent of food coloring, potassium sorbate (a preservative), natural flavors and carnauba wax.

Peeps are a marshmallow confection marketed since 1953 in the United States and Canada in the shape of chicks, bunnies, and other animals as well as holiday shapes produced by Pennsylvania-headquartered Just Born Quality Confections.

PEEPS® Fun Facts Just Born produces enough PEEPS® Brand Marshmallow Candies in one year to circle the earth twice. In the late 1950s PEEPS® wings were “clipped” to give them a sleek, modern look. PEEPS® Brand Candies have been the #1 non-chocolate brand at Easter for more than 20 years*.

While Peeps are obviously meant for eating, their role as a festive treat is not the only reason people love them. The marshmallows have carved out a niche as a source of experimentation for the young and the young at heart. One of the most popular Peeps experiments is also one of the simplest.

In 1953, Just Born acquired Rodda Candy Co., which originally made the candy we know as Peeps -- but with wings. The family expanded in the 1950s and '60s. Shapes and flavors are available for seasonal themes such as Halloween, Christmas and Valentine's Day.

Bethlehem, PA We employ more than 600 associates, most of whom are at our world headquarters and candy factory in Bethlehem, PA, where we produce PEEPS®, MIKE AND IKE® and HOT TAMALES® Candies.

Review: The thing that makes Peeps so good is their ability to be light and sugary at the same time, which is a combination that doesn't actually come around as often as you'd think.

Review: The thing that makes Peeps so good is their ability to be light and sugary at the same time, which is a combination that doesn't actually come around as often as you'd think.

Yellow chicks are the original Peep, and still the favorite. Yellow bunnies are the second most popular color/shape combination.

PERSONAL EMERGENCY EVACUATION PLANS (PEEPs)

Joshua Parker at ExpressER who said peeps are pretty similar to most other candies. "They all have pretty high amounts of sugar," Parker said. "So, if you have any particular candy in high levels, it's going to be unhealthy. And Peeps, for the amount of sugar they have, they're about equal to a can of coke."

Consumer Reports called out several Peeps candies as containing the dye that it said is "a known carcinogen," according to a Monday news release from the nonprofit.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania The colorful candies are proudly made in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, where they make 5.5 million Peeps per day. Peeps were first manufactured in 1953 by hand. Workers used pastry tubes to craft the confections, and it took 27 hours to make just one Peeps chick.

Peeps are manufactured by the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania-based Just Born candy company, which was founded in 1910 by a Russian immigrant named Sam Born and also manufactures such trick-or-treating offenses as Mike & Ikes and Hot Tamales.

Peeps are colored marshmallows that have no nutritional value, but to many may have sentimental value. The color is not healthy, but that is a separate issue (food coloring and food additives).