Dessert for breakfast? Yep! Some scientists think this can help you eat better the rest of the day, so we tried it out.Can this simple lifestyle hack curb snacking? I decided to find out.
Why You Should Eat Dessert for Breakfast—Really!
Updated on Dec. 05, 2022
When you’re trying to eat right, the last thing on your meal plan is dessert, right? What if I told you that was all wrong? That dessert for breakfast is the new way to keep yourself full all day long and prevent excess snacking. I know it’s hard to believe, so I decided to give this dessert-first trend a try myself.
The science: How it all works
Changing the way you eat is a huge move. However, there is some evidence to suggest that eating dessert for breakfast could help stave off hunger for a good part of the day. According to a study from the Endocrine Society, eating a 600-calorie high-carb breakfast including a small dessert such as a sweet cookie or chocolate could help to improve weight loss.
The eight-month trial measured the results of two groups of participants: those who ate a low-carb breakfast and those who ate a high-carb meal instead. Both groups included a sweet dessert-like element in their meals. Those in the higher calorie and higher carb group were able to lose weight and keep it off, unlike the other participants.
The test: Eating dessert for breakfast
My usual morning routine consists of rolling out of bed, pulling on whatever clothes I can find, and drinking a quick coffee before I shoot out the door. Eating is usually the last thing on my mind, especially eating dessert.
In order to ready myself for breakfast—the meal I normally skip—I had to do a little meal planning the night before. I opted for something simple that was both carb-filled and sweet: pancakes, chocolate chips, and a whole load of syrup. I made the pancake mix the night before and kept it in the fridge (psst…do you know which mix was deemed best by our Test Kitchen?). I also set aside a chocolate cookie for good measure. It’s for science!
Get some of the most satisfying chocolate cookie recipes here.
At 7 a.m., when my alarm shook me out of a heavy slumber, I wandered sleepy-eyed to the kitchen not at all enthused by the thought of gobbling down a stack of pancakes. I made the food, all the same, and gave it a go. The first few bites were a little sweet for my taste at that hour, but I soon got past that and finished it all. Then I downed a coffee and headed out.
The results: Curbing my hunger pangs
My everyday workday goes a little something like this: I head to the office, pour some more coffee, and sit down with a biscuit (which is normally my first food of the day). Throughout the day, I eat around every hour, on the hour. Snacks include mini cheese biscuits, chips, fruit, oat bars, chocolate, and whatever else I can get my hands on.
This time around, I headed into the office, poured some coffee and got to work. It wasn’t until 12:35 p.m. that the hunger set it. I had a small lunch of a baked potato and beans and then got back to work. Surprisingly, the day went fast and I hardly thought about snacking (except in one weak moment when a co-worker offered me some chips; I had three). Aside from that, I didn’t feel the need to eat until I got home and made my dinner.
Conclusion
Of course, it could have been the placebo effect: Throughout the day, I was very aware of the fact that I’d had a huge, sugary breakfast. However, having dessert for breakfast certainly had a major impact on my eating habits. I no longer felt the need to constantly fill up and eat anything I could get my hands on. Instead, I stuck to actual meals and got on with my day. For me, at least, this experiment was a huge success.
Will it be something I’ll do regularly? Well, if I can manage to pull myself out bed early each morning, yes.
Super Indulgent Breakfasts You Need to Try
German Apple Pancake
If you're looking for a pretty dish to make when having guests for brunch, try this. Everyone I've served it to has enjoyed it—except for one time, that is, when my husband tried to make it following my recipe, which I'd written down incorrectly! If you don't leave out the flour as I did, it'll turn out terrific! —Judi Van Beek, Lynden, Washington
Banana-Nut Waffle CakeI wanted to use waffles in a creative way and came up with an idea of making a cake out of them. Not only did it take much less time than making an ordinary cake, it came out just as delicious as a traditional cake. Waffles can be made ahead, wrapped and stored in the fridge until ready to assemble this cake. —Kristina S., Yonkers, New York
Breakfast EnchiladasBreakfast for dinner? We’re in! Breakfast enchiladas deliver scrambled eggs and spicy chorizo, baked under enchilada sauce for an easy yet satisfying meal, any time of day.
Banana-Hazelnut Pain Perdu DuetThe ultimate breakfast at our house is pain perdu, a French toast with warm bananas and Nutella. Pass it around with confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and fresh mint. —Charlene Chambers, Ormond Beach, Florida
Beefy Huevos RancherosThis quick, easy and oh-so-tasty recipe works for breakfast, lunch or dinner, and is great served with fruit or salad and some flour tortillas. Guests can top them however they'd like. —Sandra Leonard, Peculiar, Missouri
Cornmeal Towers with Strawberries & CreamMy kids love to help make these towers. They measure, mix, whisk and build stacks. It's a family custom and a perfect summer breakfast or dessert. —Josie Shapiro, San Francisco, California
Apple-Stuffed French Toast BakeThis is baked stuffed french toast casserole a great breakfast dish to make ahead for holidays or Sunday brunch. I run a bed and breakfast and tea room cafe, and this recipe is often requested by customers. —Kay Clark, Lawrenceburg, Kentucky
Blueberry French Toast CasseroleOvernight blueberry French toast casserole gives you a company-worthy breakfast without the morning scramble to get it on the table.
Breakfast CasseroleThis easy overnight breakfast casserole will become your new go-to recipe any time you have company in town.
Princess ToastI made these sparkly treats for my daughter's Brownie troop and they're great for princess parties. Sometimes I use lemon curd in place of the jam. —Marina Castle Kelley, Canyon Country, California
Apple-Honey Dutch BabyI love to make this treat on Sunday morning. It's so impressive when it's served warm right out of the oven...and the apple honey filling is yummy! —Kathy Fleming, Lisle, Illinois
Bananas Foster French ToastThis decadent overnight bananas Foster French toast recipe will take your brunch game to the next level.
Sunday Sausage BreakfastThis filling, delicious dish looks as appealing as it is tasty. Servings of this rich casserole go a long way.—Bill Shultz, Walden, New York
Southwestern Hash with EggsBefore I retired, this all-in-one skillet dish was constantly requested at office brunches. I'd leave out the eggs, double or triple the recipe and wrap servings of the zippy pork mixture in warm corn tortillas. —Barbara Beasley, Beaumont, Texas
Cranberry Orange PancakesAs special as the holidays, these fluffy pancakes are drop-dead gorgeous, ready in just minutes and brimming with sweet, tart and tangy flavor. Seconds, anyone? —Nancy Zimmerman, Cape May Court House, New Jersey
Caramel Nut Breakfast CakeI first tasted this incredible coffee cake when a kind neighbor brought it by. It was so good that my brother-in-law tried hiding it from us so he wouldn’t have to share. —Arlene Isaac, Crooked Creek, Alberta
Eggs & Chorizo WrapsMy husband grew up in Southern California and loves chorizo. We use the spicy sausage in these chorizo and egg wraps that our children call Daddy's Eggs.—April Nissen, Yankton, South Dakota
Chocolate Chip Pancakes with Cinnamon Honey SyrupThis is a great breakfast for special days, but it mixes up so fast that it's perfect for busy mornings as well. —LeeAnn Hansen, Kaysville, Utah
Orange Cheesecake Breakfast RollsThese yummy rolls are a nice change of pace from the typical brown sugar and cinnamon kind. They make a nice treat for breakfast or brunch. —Hannah Cobb, Owings Mills, Maryland
Pumpkin French Toast CasseroleOur pumpkin French toast casserole combines cinnamon-raisin bread, cream cheese and fall spices with canned pumpkin. Prep the casserole in the evening so you can pop it in the oven when you wake up.
BLT Egg BakeBLTs are a favorite at my house, so I created this recipe to combine those flavors into a warm, cozy casserole. It was such a hit, I served it to my church ladies group at a brunch I hosted. —Priscilla Detrick, Catoosa, Oklahoma
Cranberry Cream Cheese French ToastMy friend makes this French toast bake with blueberries, but I make mine with cranberry sauce. Either way, it’s divine. It makes a great brunch dish for Christmas morning. —Sandie Heindel, Liberty, Missouri
Orange Breakfast Souffle with Dried CherriesOur family often took this decadent breakfast souffle to a local park on Father's Day. It's easy to make the night before, pop in the oven the next morning and go!—Sharon Ricci, Mendon, New York
Hash Brown Maple Sausage CasseroleThis craveworthy casserole has a golden hash-brown crust that's topped with sausage and veggies. My favorite part is the surprise layer of gooey Gruyere. —Anuja Argade, Foster City, California
Nutty French ToastThis sweet breakfast treat is a cross of caramel rolls and French toast. It's easy to begin the night before. In the morning, just spread on the nutty topping and bake as you are getting ready for the day. —Mavis Diment, Marcus, Iowa
Croissant French ToastMore like a scrumptious dessert than a main dish, this rich French toast is topped with a tangy raspberry sauce and a vanilla sauce that includes ice cream. I cut the croissants into shapes with a cookie cutter for my 4-year-old grandson, Patrick. He even asks for the "ice cream sauce" on pancakes!
—June Dickenson
Philippi, West Virginia
Almond-Vanilla Yogurt ParfaitsI’m a night-shift nurse. When I get home, I make a crunchy parfait with yogurt for a protein boost before heading off to a good day’s sleep. —Meredith Brazinski, Neptune, New Jersey
Mini Nutella DoughnutsYou can make these bites in advance and refrigerate them before frying. Just be sure to bring the dough to room temperature before frying. —Renee Greene, Smithtown, New York
Breakfast PitasMy husband and I like these pita pockets all by themselves for a quick breakfast. When you want a larger meal, serve hash brown potatoes and fruit on the side. —Peggy Blattel, Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Baked French Toast with StrawberriesFrench toast is a crowd-pleaser, but it's hard to make for a big group. This overnight casserole with strawberries and a sweet pecan topping fixes everything. —David Stelzl Jr., Waxhaw, North Carolina
Pumpkin-Apple Muffins with Streusel ToppingMy mother always made these tasty muffins whenever our family got together at her house. Now they’re a family favorite at my house, and my in-laws love them, too! —Carolyn Riley, Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Mixed Berry French Toast BakeI just love this recipe! It's perfect for fuss-free holiday breakfasts or laid-back company. It’s scrumptious and so easy to put together the night before. —Amy Berry, Poland, Maine
Vegetable StrataWe always serve food at our Bunco games, and since one of us is a vegetarian we like to make fun meatless dishes we can all enjoy. This strata can easily be doubled and tastes fantastic hot or at room temperature. —Doris Mancini, Port Orchard, Washington
Brunch BurritosI like to use a second slow cooker to keep the tortillas warm and pliable when I serve these hearty burritos. Just place a clean wet cloth in the bottom, then cover it with foil and add your tortillas.—Beth Osburn, Levelland, Texas
Croque-MadameThe croque-madame is a classic French bistro sandwich that you can easily make in your own kitchen.
Peanut Butter and Jelly French ToastI've always tried to make cooking fun—for myself, my daughters and my grandchildren. Cooking teaches children the importance of following directions and being organized. This recipe is easy to make, and kids really like it. —Flo Burtnett, Gage, Oklahoma
Savory Sausage French ToastI first made French toast with sausage to use up leftovers. Now I make it because it’s a heavenly way to start the day.—Suzanne Earl, Spring, TX
