For as long as I can remember, jelly beans have always been my favorite candy. After a lifetime of studying and tasting these flavors (okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration), I’ve decided to make an official ranking of all 50 Jelly Belly flavors.
#SpoonTip: Keep your eyes peeled for some pretty awesome Jelly Belly recipes featured throughout the article.
50. Buttered Popcorn
Photo by Kirby Barth
I think it goes without saying that Buttered Popcorn is notorious for being the worst flavor. While I appreciate Jelly Belly’s creativity, I’m not sure that I’ve met anyone who truly enjoys this flavor (but all power to you if that person is you).
49. Licorice
Photo courtesy of mommyish.com
While this flavor definitely has some loyal fans, I just can’t relate. Once again, though, no judgement towards all the licorice lovers out there.
48. Maple Syrup
Photo courtesy of simplyscratch.com
Once again, I like the idea, but maybe not in practice. Let’s save the maple flavor for some other recipes.
47. Red Apple
Photo by Alix Gottschalk
Though quite delicious, this flavor doesn’t really resemble an actual apple. Although this is normally the case with fruit flavors, apples are my favorite fruit, so I couldn’t let this one slide.
46. Chocolate Pudding
Photo by Katherine Baker
Simply because imitating chocolate is never as good as the real thing. It’s close, but just not quite there.
45. French Vanilla
Photo courtesy of jellybelly.com
As one of the two vanilla flavors, this one is yummy but just a tad boring. However, if you combine it with other flavors, it adds that essential vanilla taste to the mix.
44. Caramel Corn
GIF courtesy of reactiongifs.com
Think Buttered Popcorn, but just a little bit sweeter. While I find this one a bit more bearable than Buttered Popcorn, it’s still not my favorite.
43. Cappuccino
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
If this one actually had caffeine, it’d be much higher up on the list. Until then, this jelly bean will stay at number 43.
42. Bubble Gum
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
The bubble gum flavor + the texture of a jelly bean = too much confusion for my brain. It almost reminds me of when the dentist tries to give you bubblegum toothpaste to make it “taste better”… but not quite.
41. Strawberry Cheesecake
Photo courtesy of cookdiary.net
Think strawberry ice cream: it’s good, but rarely someone’s favorite. Sometimes it is, but this is a rare occasion.
40. Pomegranate
Photo by Dina Zaret
The Pomegranate flavor has a lot to live up to when you compare it to the actual fruit. However, this jelly bean still has a sweet and refreshing taste.
39. Mango
Photo by Alex Weiner
With Mango, you get a pretty good mango flavor, minus the difficult preparation that comes with eating the real stuff. It’s no wonder that grocery stores charge $5 for approximately two mango slices.
38. Lemon
Photo by Kirby Barth
Because, let’s be honest, lemon is never the a front runner in candy flavors. Other examples of this include Starbursts, Skittles, etc.
37. Tutti-Frutti
Photo by Santina Renzi
The name is pretty adorable, but this combination of fruit flavors has a lot going on. However, tutti frutti in froyo form is another story.
36. Top Banana
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
This jelly bean is complete with a realistic touch of brown spots on the jelly bean because, let’s be honest, no real banana is ever perfectly yellow. Thanks for being real, Jelly Belly.
35. Pink Grapefruit
Photo by Justin Schuble
All of the delicious flavor of a grapefruit, but maybe minus its bajillion health benefits. Totally still worth it, though.
34. Orange
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
Along with Raspberry and Crushed Pineapple, Orange is an essential ingredient to the Citrus Berry Mimosa recipe. Perhaps in a real mimosa recipe as well?
33. Lime
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Although a great flavor, this one lives in the shadows of its sibling, Lemon Lime. It’s okay, Lime, it’s still a great effort.
32. Cantaloupe
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
I appreciate Cantaloupe for being brave enough to represent the melon community in the jelly bean world. Let’s just be thankful it’s Cantaloupe instead of its colleague, the honeydew.
31. Strawberry Daiquiri
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Considering the fact that it’s missing the booze found in a normal daiquiri, you can’t help but be just a tad disappointed. I think I’m just asking for too much at this point, though.
30. Kiwi
Photo by Justin Shannin
Fun fact: the full name for Kiwi is Kiwifruit. Perhaps something to put in the Jelly Belly name suggestion box?
29. Green Apple
Photo courtesy of jellybelly.com
Pair two Green Apple jelly beans with one Cinnamon, and there you have the flavors of the most classic American dessert. It might not quite live up to your grandma’s apple pie, but maybe it can tide you over until next time.
28. Raspberry
Photo by Torey Walsh
Sweet and a little tart, the Raspberry jelly bean resembles its original fruit quite well. It also complements nearly any other Jelly Belly flavor, so don’t be afraid to throw in a Raspberry jelly bean when you’re eating one with a different flavor.
27. Cotton Candy
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
Eating this flavor is a conflicting feeling of loving the taste while also missing the delicious fluffiness of the original food. It’s overall a pleasant experience but evokes a hint of nostalgia for real thing.
26. Orange Sherbet
Photo courtesy of gimmesomeoven.com
The Orange Sherbet flavor is basically a creamsicle in jelly bean form.
#SpoonTip: If you’re still confused about the difference between sherbet and sorbet, this article can help you out.
25. Tangerine
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
This midpoint is right where it starts getting tricky. There’s not much explanation for why Tangerine is here; it just is.
24. Dr. Pepper
Photo courtesy of jellybelly.com
Dr. Pepper is part of Jelly Belly’s Soda Pop Shoppe jelly beans. While Dr. Pepper, Root Beer and Cream Soda are included in the Jelly Bell 50 Official Flavors, they also make 7UP, Orange Crush and Grape Soda.
23. Blueberry
Photo courtesy of blueberrycouncil.org
Although this flavor definitely hits the spot, (spoiler alert) see below for an even better version of blueberry. Also, keep this one in mind when you’re celebrating National Blueberry Month.
22. Coconut
Photo courtesy of jellybelly.com
Pair two Coconut jelly beans with two Lemon ones, and it tastes like lemon meringue pie (just like the recipes on the bag promise).
Also, while we’re on the subject on of meringues, try out this delicious recipe that I made for meringue cookies.
21. Plum
Photo courtesy of eatingrichly.com
When eating a Plum jelly bean, it’s hard not to want skip through exams and go straight to summertime. On the other hand, maybe we can use this flavor to motivate us through the end-of-the-year stress.
20. Birthday Cake Remix
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
As a fairly recent addition to the Jelly Belly flavors, Birthday Cake Remix does not disappoint. Also, in case you’re wondering where the “Remix” part comes from, it’s named after the Cold Stone ice cream flavor Birthday Cake Remix, which mixes birthday cake ice cream, rainbow sprinkles, brownie and fudge (yum).
19. A&W Cream Soda
Photo courtesy of designomicon.wordpress.com
Cream Soda was actually one of the eight original Jelly Belly flavors. Props to Cream Soda for still going strong.
18. Crushed Pineapple
GIF courtesy of giphy.com
I’m not sure what makes a crushed pineapple different than a regular one, but I’ll go with it. Regardless, it’s fruity and delicious.
17. Sour Cherry
Photo by Jocelyn Hsu
When ranking Sour Cherry, I tried to ignore the fact that I’m too much of a wimp to like sour foods. So, here’s my best shot at giving Sour Cherry a fair chance.
16. Lemon Drop
Photo by Sarah Silbiger
Whether you’re thinking of the lemon-flavored hard candy or the vodka-based cocktail, Lemon Drop is delicious either way. Whatever floats your boat.
15. Mixed Berry Smoothie
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
Add some avocado toast, and there you have a well-balanced breakfast. After all, breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
14. Piña Colada
Photo courtesy of youtube.com
Piña Colada: the flavor most likely to make you wish you were sitting on a beach like the one pictured above. For now, you’ll just have to enjoy the tropical flavor and stare longingly at the picture.
13. Lemon Lime
Photo courtesy of jellybelly.com
Jelly Belly has a sorting of each region’s top flavor, and Lemon Lime is the frontrunner in Asia. Apparently it’s also a key ingredient to the rainbow sherbet recipe pictured above, so Lemon Lime’s a pretty big deal.
12. Toasted Marshmallow
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
I find it pretty incredible that Jelly Belly is able to make a jelly bean somehow taste toasted with this one. So, that in combination with its delicious smoky vanilla flavor puts Toasted Marshmallow at number 12 on the list.
11. Very Cherry
Photo courtesy of amoils.com
According to Jelly Belly, Very Cherry has been the most popular flavor since 2003, and I can totally see why. However, this one is a little too traditional to make it to number 1 on my list.
10. Wild Blackberry
Photo courtesy of heritagegarden.uic.edu
Another random Jelly Belly fact: it takes 7 to 14 days to make a single jelly bean. So, the next time you pop a Wild Blackberry jelly bean into your mouth, maybe you’ll have a new appreciation for that delicious flavor.
9. Margarita
Photo by Katherine Richter
Potential dessert idea for your next Taco Tuesday? Maybe you can even dip the jelly beans in salt if you’re feeling really ambitious. Maybe not.
8. Peach
Photo courtesy of pastrypal.com
In case you overslept last Saturday’s farmer’s market, the Peach jelly bean does a great job of imitating the sweet juiciness of a real peach. You’ll have to miss out on the flowers in Mason Jars and fresh iced coffee, but this can hold you over until next week.
7. A&W Root Beer
Photo courtesy of jellybelly.com
For this jelly bean, Jelly Belly uses actual A&W syrup to create an authentic flavor. In other words, this is the real deal.
6. Strawberry Jam
Photo by Amanda Shulman
As the third strawberry-themed flavor, Strawberry Jam definitely has the most authentic strawberry taste. Its sweet tartness is surprisingly powerful when you consider how small the jelly bean is.
5. Watermelon
Photo by Julie Haupin
In addition to its delicious summery flavor, the Watermelon jelly bean even has a green exterior and pink interior that resembles the real thing. This one has always been a favorite of mine.
4. Island Punch
Photo by Jenna Johnston
Sadly, the beach and pineapple slice are not included with the Island Punch jelly bean. Once again, someone should definitely add that to the Jelly Belly suggestion box.
3. Juicy Pear
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
Juicy Pear is listed as one of the “Adult Faves” on the Jelly Belly website. I guess that makes me an adult, and to be honest, I’m not quite sure how I feel about that.
2. Sizzling Cinnamon
Gif courtesy of giphy.com
Beware: this one has a bit of a kick. However, once your mouth cools down a little, you start to really appreciate the familiar, spicy flavor that is so delicious.
1. Berry Blue
Photo by Abby Mainwaring
Aaand we have a winner! Berry Blue is the #1 Jelly Belly flavor because it beautifully combines a classic blueberry flavor with a twist of citrus. While all 50 flavors are super tasty, Berry Blue puts a modern twist on a traditional flavor and is my absolute favorite.