From sour cherry and cinnamon to licorice and Dr. Pepper, jelly beans spur some of the most heated arguments among candy enthusiasts: Which flavor tastes best? We worked with CandyStore.com who compiled over a decade of candy sales records to find the most popular flavor in every state to settle the debate.
Don’t miss these 10 behind-the-scenes secrets from the Jelly Belly factory.
Buttered Popcorn
(Arizona, Arkansas, California, Connecticut, Georgia, Michigan, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Texas)
Drum roll, please. The most popular jelly bean flavor in the country is buttered popcorn! It’s the best-selling flavor in a total of 10 states, including California, New York and Texas. This will be sure to raise eyebrows for some (myself included), but buttered popcorn was also the most popular Jelly Belly flavor back in 1998. Grab a bag of the flavor here.
For more buttered popcorn goodness, check out the best brands of microwave popcorn.
Black Licorice
(Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, Minnesota, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota, Tennessee)
This controversial flavor was one of the original eight jelly bean flavors that Jelly Belly debuted in 1976, and shockingly, sits pretty as the second-best flavor overall in the country. The folks who buy black licorice-flavored beans more than any other flavor live in Alaska, Colorado, Kentucky, New Jersey, North Carolina, North Dakota and Tennessee. Fan of the flavor? Purchase a bag here.
Cinnamon
(Delaware, Kansas, Nevada, Virginia, Wyoming)
The sweet-and-spicy punch of cinnamon makes it amazing to bake with (here are our go-to cinnamon recipes) and it happens to make for a killer jelly bean flavor, too. The cinnamon beans seem to resonate with a lot of people—especially if they’re from Delaware, Kansas, Nevada, Virginia or Wyoming. Buy a bag of this spicy-sweet flavor here.
Watermelon
(Alabama, Florida, Hawaii, Oregon, Wisconsin)
Watermelon is grown in Southern states like Alabama and Florida thanks to hot weather all year long—so it only makes sense that watermelon is the best-selling flavor in those spots. But Hawaii, Oregon and Wisconsin love the watermelon-flavored beans, too. Here’s where you can buy it.
Cherry
(Iowa, Nebraska, New Mexico, South Carolina, Utah, Washington, D.C.)
Cherry is a simple flavor that’s perfect for everything from dump cake to cobbler. It turns out that cherry jelly beans are taking a break from their longstanding role as the most popular Jelly Belly jelly bean flavor, as this crowd-pleasing bean is now the best-selling flavor in only a handful of states. Buy it here.
Juicy Pear
(New Hampshire, Vermont, Washington)
It’s the hit-or-miss flavor of the jelly bean world. I would say that juicy pear-flavored jelly beans do a pretty good job of tasting just like the actual fruit, while still providing a satisfying burst of sugary sweetness. Try the flavor to see for yourself.
Orange
(Idaho, Maryland)
You might be surprised to hear that fruit-flavored jelly beans don’t take the top spot. But orange, however, makes its way to the top of the list for two states on opposite ends of the country, Maryland and Idaho.
Green Apple
(Maine, Mississippi, Oklahoma)
Pucker up! It’s anyone’s guess as to how they get all the sour flavor into every bean, but the green apple flavor is pretty dang delish. The South seems to agree, as green apple jelly beans were the best-selling in the states of Mississippi and Oklahoma. Here’s how to get your hands on this flavor.
Coconut
(Massachusetts)
One is the loneliest number, especially when it comes to coconut flavored jelly beans. The tasty, tropical-flavored treat is only the best-selling jelly bean flavor in Massachusetts. Get yourself a pack of the flavor here.
Use your beans to make Jelly Bean Cookies!
Strawberry
(Louisiana, South Dakota)
Enjoyed as a sip of strawberry lemonade or devoured as a dessert, anything strawberry has a tart and syrupy taste like no other. Louisiana and South Dakota found strawberry-flavored jelly beans to be extra addicting. Purchase it here.
Cotton Candy
(Montana)
Most of the United States is happy to be gobbling up cotton candy and other treats at the State Fair, but cotton candy-flavored jelly beans are a year-round treat in Montana. Get a bulk-sized bag here.
Blueberry
(Indiana, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, West Virginia)
During President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration in 1981, three and a half tons of red, white and blue jelly beans were shipped by Jelly Belly to Washington, D.C.—of course, blueberry-flavored jelly beans were included in that mix. Today, blueberry jelly beans are beloved by states out east, including Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia. Buy a bag here.
Chocolate
(Illinois)
It might be an ingredient in all the best-ever snacks, but chocolate—at least in the form of jelly beans—doesn’t seem to be popular anywhere but the state of Illinois. Get it here.
(Forget the beans. Don’t miss the recipes for our most decadent chocolate desserts.)
Note: Every product is independently selected by our editors. If you buy something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission.
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Tasteofhome.com Editors