The tiny, bean-shaped candies that spark joy (and sometimes, profound disappointment) are about to face their ultimate judgment.
We’ve bravely consumed countless Jelly Bellys, risking sugar rushes and flavor fatigue, to bring you the definitive ranking.
Which flavors will reign supreme? And which will be banished to the bottom of the bag, forever forgotten? The truth is out there…and it’s sugary sweet.
1. Chocolate Pudding
Expectations: rich, creamy chocolate bliss. Reality: waxy brown disappointment that tastes vaguely of cardboard that once sat near chocolate.
The texture-flavor disconnect creates a brain short-circuit. Your eyes see chocolate, but your mouth gets something that’s more “pudding-adjacent” than actual pudding.
2. Coconut
The Russian roulette of the Jelly Belly world. Its white appearance makes it easily confused with other flavors, leading to unexpected tropical ambushes.
Tastes like sunscreen smells – artificial and vaguely chemical. Coconut lovers deserve better than this pale imitation of the tropical treasure.
3. Cinnamon
Fire-engine red and just as alarming. This bean brings unexpected heat that overwhelms any actual cinnamon flavor.
Feels like licking a scented candle while someone pepper-sprays your tongue. The spicy aftertaste lingers uncomfortably, making you question your life choices.
4. Dr Pepper
A valiant attempt at capturing the 23 flavors of Dr Pepper that falls spectacularly short. The bean offers a confused medley of cherry, licorice, and something vaguely medicinal.
Like meeting your childhood hero and discovering they’re just a regular person with bad breath. Disappointing on multiple levels.
5. Top Banana
Less actual banana, more 1950s banana-flavored medicine. This yellow imposter captures that artificial banana candy flavor that exists nowhere in nature.
Reminds you of those foam banana candies grandparents mysteriously always have. Not terrible, just stuck in a parallel banana universe.
6. Cappuccino
Coffee lovers, prepare for heartbreak. This bean delivers the aroma of coffee shop ambiance but the flavor of gas station coffee that’s been sitting out all day.
The beige-speckled appearance promises sophistication it can’t deliver. Like coffee-flavored ice cream’s disappointing second cousin.
7. Berry Blue
What berry exactly? Nobody knows! This azure mystery delivers generic “blue” flavor – that artificial fruity taste that exists only in the candy universe.
Reminds you of blue popsicles and tongue-staining slushies from childhood. Not bad, just deeply committed to being artificially blue-flavored.
8. Crushed Pineapple
The tropical disappointment. This yellow bean promises exotic pineapple paradise but delivers something closer to pineapple-scented cleaning products.
The tartness is there, but the authentic pineapple flavor got lost somewhere in translation. Like a postcard from Hawaii that arrived water-damaged.
9. Lemon Drop
Not just lemon, but lemon candy – a meta concept that somehow works. This bright yellow bean delivers the powdered-sugar coated candy experience in jellybean form.
The tartness balanced with sweetness hits just right. Like finding an unexpected twenty in your winter coat pocket.
10. French Vanilla
The little black dress of Jelly Belly flavors – classic but not particularly exciting. This creamy beige bean delivers smooth vanilla notes without venturing into bold territory.
Pleasant enough on its own, but really shines when mixed with other flavors. The supportive friend of the Jelly Belly world.
11. Sour Cherry
Cherry’s feisty cousin who’s not afraid to make you wince. This crimson bean brings legitimate pucker power, balancing sweetness with a tart punch to the taste buds.
The sourness cuts through cherry’s sometimes cough-syrupy profile. Like meeting someone who’s brutally honest but in a refreshing way.
12. Bubble Gum
Candy inception – a candy flavored like another candy. This pink bean nails the artificial fruitiness of classic bubble gum with uncanny accuracy.
The only disappointment is you can’t actually blow bubbles with it. Delivers a nostalgia hit stronger than finding your old Tamagotchi.
13. Mixed Berry Smoothie
The health food impersonator. This purple-blue bean combines various berry notes into a convincingly smoothie-like experience, minus the virtuous feeling of actually drinking a smoothie.
The flavor layers unfold nicely, with different berry notes taking turns. Like a well-coordinated berry orchestra in your mouth.
14. Island Punch
Tropical vacation in bean form. This reddish treat delivers a fruit punch experience with notes of pineapple, cherry, and something vaguely rum-adjacent (minus the alcohol).
Eating one almost makes you hear steel drums. The perfect mental escape during boring meetings or family gatherings.
15. Blueberry
The blue bean that actually tastes like the fruit it’s named after – revolutionary! This deep blue beauty captures both the sweetness and slight tartness of fresh blueberries.
One of Jelly Belly’s most accurate fruit representations. Ronald Reagan’s favorite flavor, which either adds to or detracts from its appeal, depending on your politics.
16. Sour Apple
The green menace that makes your jaw tingle. This lime-green bean delivers a one-two punch of apple flavor followed by a legitimately sour kick.
The tartness actually enhances the apple flavor rather than masking it. Like biting into a Granny Smith that’s been weaponized for maximum pucker power.
17. Cantaloupe
The surprisingly accurate melon experience. This pale orange bean captures the subtle, sweet essence of cantaloupe with impressive fidelity.
Not a flashy flavor, but genuinely tastes like biting into a perfectly ripe melon. The quietly competent accountant of the Jelly Belly flavor portfolio.
18. Pomegranate
The superfood superstar. This deep red bean balances sweet and tart notes to capture pomegranate’s complex flavor profile surprisingly well.
The authentic juicy tartness comes through without being overwhelming.
19. Raspberry
The berry that doesn’t hold back. This bold red bean delivers raspberry’s distinctive sweet-tart profile with its characteristic floral notes intact.
The flavor captures both the sweetness and slight tanginess of fresh raspberries. Like summer berry picking distilled into candy form.
20. Tutti-Frutti
The party animal of the Jelly Belly world. This speckled bean throws multiple fruit flavors together into a chaotic but harmonious blend.
Each bite reveals different fruity notes – sometimes cherry dominates, sometimes pineapple. Fruit salad where all the fruits are actually getting along.
21. Peach
Summer orchard vibes in candy form. This peachy-orange bean captures the juicy sweetness of a perfectly ripe peach with impressive accuracy.
The flavor even includes those subtle floral notes that make real peaches so special. Georgia sunshine in bean form.
22. Strawberry Cheesecake
Dessert in bean form. This pink-and-white marbled bean somehow captures both the creamy tanginess of cheesecake and sweet strawberry topping.
The flavor layers unfold like the real dessert – first cream cheese, then graham cracker, then berry. Dessert alchemy at its finest.
23. Tangerine
The citrus superstar. This bright orange bean delivers the perfect balance of sweet and tangy with authentic tangerine zestiness.
The flavor captures both the juice and the slight bitterness of the peel. Sunshine condensed into candy form.
24. Watermelon
Summer picnic nostalgia in candy form. This pink-and-green bean somehow captures the sweet, slightly floral essence of watermelon flesh.
The flavor even includes that distinctive watermelon finish.
25. Toasted Marshmallow
Campfire magic without the smoke in your eyes. This white-and-brown speckled bean captures both the vanilla sweetness and subtle caramelized notes of a perfectly roasted marshmallow.
The flavor even evolves as you chew, just like the real thing. S’mores nostalgia in portable form.
26. Juicy Pear
The flavor that makes you double-check you’re eating candy. This green-gold bean delivers an uncannily accurate pear experience, capturing both the juiciness and subtle graininess of a ripe pear.
The flavor even includes those floral notes that make real pears special. Jelly Belly sorcery at its finest.
27. Cotton Candy
Fairground magic in bean form. This pale pink bean somehow captures the ethereal, pure-sugar essence of cotton candy despite having none of its defining physical characteristics.
The flavor creates instant carnival nostalgia. Distilled childhood joy in a tiny bean package.
28. Lemon Lime
The citrus power couple. This yellow-green bean delivers the perfect tangy marriage of lemon’s brightness and lime’s distinctive zestiness.
The flavor manages to be both refreshing and candy-sweet. Perfectly balanced with just the right amount of lime twist.
29. Cherry
The classic red bean done right. Unlike medicine-flavored cherry imposters, Jelly Belly’s version tastes like actual cherries – sweet, slightly tart, and authentically fruity.
The flavor captures real cherry essence without venturing into cough syrup territory. A red candy that actually deserves its popularity.
30. Mango
Tropical perfection in bean form. This orange-yellow bean captures the complex sweetness of a perfectly ripe mango with its distinctive tropical notes.
The flavor even includes that slight tanginess that makes real mangoes so irresistible. Passport to a tropical paradise in candy form.
31. Strawberry Jam
Grandma’s homemade preserves without the toast. This deep red bean delivers concentrated strawberry flavor with that slightly cooked, jamminess that distinguishes it from fresh strawberry.
The flavor captures the essence of strawberry intensified through cooking.
32. Very Cherry
The heavyweight champion of the Jelly Belly world. This red bean delivers intensified cherry flavor that balances sweet and tart notes perfectly.
Consistently ranked among fan favorites for good reason. The flavor captures cherry’s essence without any medicinal undertones – pure fruit magic.
33. Buttered Popcorn
The controversial champion. This speckled yellow bean divides the Jelly Belly community like no other – you either worship it or despise it.
For fans, the uncanny accuracy of butter, salt, and popcorn flavors represents Jelly Belly’s greatest achievement. The flavor that proves anything can become candy if you believe hard enough.