I think a good chunk of the population would argue that regular ol’ M&M’s are perfect just as they are, no nuts or fillings necessary (my colleague Jordan Myrick happens to be one of these people). Released in 1941 as wartime rations (who knew?), M&M’s have become one of the most iconic candies in the world—and I’m pretty sure I’m not being hyperbolic, considering there are big, flashy M&M’s stores in places like London, Berlin, and Shanghai, and NASA astronauts have taken M&M’s on every shuttle mission to space since 1982. I learned a lot on the M&M’s website.
Personally, I’m all about the upgrades. Chocolate in a candy shell is good. Chocolate in a candy shell with a roasty peanut inside is heavenly. Everyone has strongly held M&M’s opinions and preferences, but before you yell at me about this ranking, consider that I tried all of these M&M’s varieties back to back and also consulted the rest of the pros on the Sporked team too. You may disagree with the hierarchy, but can we all agree that M&M’s are pretty great?
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- Peanut M&M’s
I am extremely sorry if this is triggering for people with peanut allergies, but Peanut M&M’s are about as close as you can get to a perfect candy. A movie theater companion for the ages. The ideal marriage of chocolate and legume. I eat these in a very particular way: I bisect them with my teeth and eat half the chocolate and half the shell; then my second bite is whole peanut, plus half chocolate and half shell, which, in my opinion, gives you the perfect ratio of components. A two-bite food! The shell is sweet and crunchy; the chocolate and roasty peanut pair perfectly. And now that I’m an M&M’s history buff, I can tell you that Peanut M&M’s came along in 1954, just 13 years after original M&M’s—a classic for a reason.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- M&M’s Minis
Okay, hear me out: M&M’s Minis are a more perfect version of a plain M&M. Their more delicate shell gives them a crispier crunch and a more ideal shell-to-chocolate ratio. Plus, they come in a tube and you can just pour them directly into your maw. I don’t love the extra waste the plastic tube creates, but the tubes are actually useful if you hang onto and reuse them. Plus, there’s a justification: These dainty lil guys would get absolutely pulverized in a regular bag. If you don’t care for additions to your M&M’s, give these a shot.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
- Fudge Brownie M&M’s
I try pretty much every new M&M’s flavor when it comes out, and I’ll just say that my hopes weren’t incredibly high for these. But, wow, they blew me away. These are bigger and a little more misshapen than a lot of M&M’s you’re used to—kind of like lumpy Peanut Butter M&M’s. Inside, there’s a fudgey little brownie bit surrounded by chocolate and shell, and that thing is so good! They actually managed to channel the flavor of a baked good into a tiny morsel that adds chew and a deeper chocolatey flavor to the entire candy. I brought a gigantic bag of these home with me and polished off the entire thing in record time. These are also a two-bite food, which I love.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Vons
- Caramel M&M’s
I honestly didn’t know I wanted chew from my M&M’s until this taste test. Like Fudge Brownie, these M&M’s have a nice, squishy interior that really improves the entire textural experience. I think I’d always avoided Caramel M&M’s because I assumed they’d be too nauseatingly sweet. Not the case. I also wasn’t sure if they’d contain the drizzly kind of caramel or the good, chewy kind of caramel. It’s the latter. Best case scenario all around! I noted that the caramel flavor is a little bit artificial tasting, but that didn’t prevent me from wanting to continue housing these until my stomach hurt.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Peanut Butter M&M’s
I will always choose Peanut M&M’s over Peanut Butter M&M’s, but I have to admit that these are extremely good, especially for an occasional change of pace. The peanut butter within these big boys is oily and salty. And the peanut butter-to-chocolate ratio is good, albeit just a touch on light side in terms of filling, which makes them seem just a little dry. Still, totally delicious.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- Crunchy Cookie M&M’s
Now, I think these would be 1,000 times better if the cookie inside were chewy like the morsel inside the Fudge Brownie M&M’s, but do Crunchy Cookie M&M’s deliver on their promise? They sure do. As advertised, these have a great cookie crunch and a nice sugar cookie-esque flavor that compliments the chocolate. Also, if you’re a fan of slowly dismantling snacks like this with your teeth, you’ll have a blast with these since you can get the cookie morsel out entirely intact and eat it on its own. A candy and an activity in one!
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Target
- White Chocolate M&Ms
There are lots of people who prefer white chocolate to dark and milk chocolate. In fact, Sporked editorial assistant Naajia Shukri is one of them. No judgement here. I like and certainly get the creamy appeal of white chocolate, and that’s why these ranked over the other white chocolate M&M’s we tried. With Peanut White Chocolate M&M’s, the flavor of the peanut is really the star of the show and the white chocolate flavor kind of gets lost. We also tried White Chocolate Key Lime Pie M&M’s, which are great, but have a bold lime flavor that sets them apart entirely. Plus, no way can I eat a whole bag of those lime guys. These plain White Chocolate M&M’s are made to eat by the bagful, and I appreciate that.
Credit: Sarah Demonteverde / Walmart
Best of the Best
Best Plain
Best New Innovation
Best Chew
Best Modern Classic
Best Crunchy
Best White
Other products we tried: White Chocolate Peanut M&M’s, Dark Chocolate Peanut M&M’s, Pretzel M&M’s, Dark Chocolate Mint M&M’s, White Chocolate Key Lime Pie M&M’s
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I cannot stand peanuts or nuts of any kind in my sweets. Peanut M&Ms are my one and only exception and they’re actually my favorite candy of all time. The next best M&M for me would be the original. I also agree the minis are better than the regular size for some reason🤔
Notice you didn’t taste-test the M&M candy bars. Will you be testing them separately, or…?
I don’t like the mini’s. The shell to chocolate ratio is different which messes up the taste.
Just noticed this ranking. How did you guys not try THE BEST M&M flavor? Almonds! I will agree that Peanut M&Ms are the next best, but once you have Almond that easily puts it on the top.