We’re already fans.
Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD
Key Points
- Unreal’s Peanut Butter Drops have 47% less added sugar than Reese’s Pieces, with 9 grams per serving.
- Unreal’s candy is also made with natural dyes from foods like beets and turmeric.
- Peanut butter is the main ingredient in Unreal’s Drops, unlike Reese’s Pieces, which list sugar first.
My love affair with candy began with trick-or-treating as a kid. We lived in a big neighborhood and I would convince my dad—a dentist, ironically—to walk the entirety of it with me on Halloween night. I’d knock on every door and watch in awe as adults dropped candy into my outstretched pillowcase. When I got home, I’d sit with my brother on the floor and we’d “organize” our haul into piles. The most coveted candy between us was Reese’s Pieces, and we’d spend hours making trade deals to secure as many of them that we could.
I still love Reese’s Pieces, but as a registered dietitian, I’m always interested when a brand comes out with a lower-sugar alternative to a classic—and that includes Unreal’s Peanut Butter Drops. Are they as good as my beloved Reese’s Pieces? I had to find out.
Let’s skip to the most important part: These drops are delicious. I really liked the taste of the candy itself, and the peanut filling is smooth, creamy and truly nutty. And the snappy candy shell encasing it creates a satisfying bite every time.
And while I love Reese’s Pieces, I also know that eating a 30 gram (about 38-piece) serving comes with 16 grams of added sugar (32% of the Daily Value for sugar). Enjoying Reese’s Pieces every once in a while is fine, but research shows that consuming excess added sugar from any food can contribute to health conditions like heart disease and diabetes. But a lower-sugar version might just satisfy a sweet tooth while making it easier to skip some of that added sugar.
With 9 grams of added sugar per 28 gram serving, Unreal’s Peanut Butter Drops have 7 fewer grams of added sugar than a serving of Reese’s Pieces. There are 4 grams of sugar in a teaspoon, which means Unreal’s serving has almost two full teaspoons less sugar than Reese’s.
Besides having fewer grams of added sugar per serving, I like that Unreal’s Peanut Butter Drops are made with natural food dyes using ingredients like turmeric, red beets, red radishes and spirulina. Reese’s still relies on artificial dyes to color their candy, though the candies will no longer include artificial dyes by the end of 2027.
I also appreciate that peanut butter and peanut flour are the primary ingredients in Unreal’s Peanut Butter Drops versus sugar, which is the first ingredient listed in Reese’s Pieces.
Will I give up Reese’s Pieces? Absolutely not! But when I’m craving that nostalgic flavor, I know I have a lower-sugar alternative that’s just as satisfying and delicious.