What were the original Peeps marshmallow candies shaped like?

The original Peeps marshmallow candies were shaped like yellow chicks. The chick design began with the R. E. Rodda Candy Company and became associated with Just Born after it acquired Rodda in 1953.

Before industrial production, marshmallow chicks were formed by hand. In 1954, Bob Born, son of Just Born founder Sam Born, helped develop a mechanized process that replaced the slow hand-forming method and made large-scale production possible. The candies were made from marshmallow, sugar, corn syrup, gelatin, salt, and food coloring.

Peeps are most closely associated with Easter, but the brand later expanded into bunnies and other seasonal shapes. The bunny became a popular additional form in the 1960s, and Peeps Minis helped make the candy available year-round beginning in 2014.

People sometimes remember the bunny as the original because it is now equally recognizable, but the chick came first. The familiar yellow color is also traditional rather than essential: Peeps have since appeared in many colors and shapes, while the chick remains the brand’s signature design.