Egg hunts may be intended for kids, but the sweets and snacks found in most baskets can suit grown-up tastes, particularly with the right wine pairing. (Yes, really, you can wed wine to Peeps.)
Here are a selection of wines to match Easter’s most delicious treats, and fun facts about the origins of your favorite Easter goodies.
Marshmallow Peeps
The chick- and bunny-shaped marshmallow candies now synonymous with Easter once required an astonishing 27 hours to create. Thanks to automation, the process now takes just 6 minutes per Peep.
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Chocolate Easter Bunnies
Why all the bunnies on Easter? Some say the word Easter derives from Ēostre, a Germanic pagan goddess of Spring and fertility whose animal symbol was a rabbit.
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Jellybeans
Legend has it that the earliest documented mention of the jellybean was in a Civil War-era ad. The circa-1861 advertisement supposedly promoted sending the bean-shaped candy to Union Army soldiers (though others claim that it was actually Necco Wafers that were sent to soldiers). It wasn’t until the 1930s that jellybeans became a prominent part of Easter baskets.
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Jordan Almonds
Thanks to their thin, pastel-colored sugar shells and egg-like shape, Jordan almonds are a favored Easter basket find. Sugar-coated almonds have also long been associated with fertility, and were said to have been present at the wedding feast of Catherine de Medici.
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Easter Bread
Whether you bake a braided, egg-glazed loaf or hot crossed buns, serving sweet bread has been an Easter tradition for centuries. Hot cross buns, specifically, were once thought to strengthen friendships and even ward away evil spirits.
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Easter Eggs
Egg dying started with early Christians of Mesopotamia, who stained eggs red in memory of the blood of Christ, though the decoration of eggs as a springtime ritual spans many religions and can be found dating back to Africa 60,000 years ago.
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Cadbury Creme Egg
Among the most popular sweet treats associated with Easter are fondant-filled Cadbury Creme Eggs, which first appeared back in 1923. The egg, as we know it today, however didn’t hit shelves until 1971. Cadbury—a prominent Quaker—considered chocolate, cocoa, coffee and tea as viable alternatives to the evils of alcohol.
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Last Updated: May 4, 2023
