Reese's Pieces

Reese's Pieces are small, round, peanut butter-flavored candies covered in a crisp, colorful sugar shell. They are a popular confection manufactured by The Hershey Company. When used as an ingredient, they add a distinctive peanut butter taste and crunchy texture to other food products.

Manufacturers add Reese's Pieces to other foods primarily for their unique peanut butter flavor, sweet taste, and appealing texture. They are commonly found in baked goods like cakes, cupcakes, and brownies, as well as snack mixes, popcorn, and ice cream toppings. They serve to enhance the sensory experience of these products.

As a candy product, Reese's Pieces contribute added sugars and fats to foods. The 2025-2030 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no amount of added sugars, and at most 10 grams of added sugars per meal. This ingredient also contains several artificial color additives, including Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1. In April 2025, the FDA announced a plan to phase out petroleum-based synthetic dyes, which include these specific colors, from the food supply. Individual components of Reese's Pieces, such as sugar and artificial colors, have been evaluated by regulatory bodies like JECFA, but Reese's Pieces as a whole product is not evaluated as a single food additive.