food
By Katherine Gillen
•
Published Aug 17, 2021
Sorry, savory breakfast lovers, but we’re on team sweet. We don’t care if it’s French toast, a cinnamon roll as big as our face or a thick slice of chocolate babka (chocolate, not cinnamon), if it can moonlight as a dessert, we want it on our plate. If we still have your attention, we’ll assume you feel the same—luckily, you can find all those treats and more on this list. Here are the best sweet breakfast recipes for treating yourself. (C’mon, we all need a reason to not hit snooze.)
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Julia Gartland/Dada Eats
1. Morning Soft Serve
Sure, it tastes like a treat. But it’s actually completely plant-based (and made from just five ingredients, too).
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Nisha Vora
2. Vegan Spiced Blueberry Breakfast Cake
It’s sweet but not too sweet, and it’s moist, tender and bursting with juicy fruit. Basically, you can feel good about going for a second slice.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
3. No-bake Gluten-free Breakfast Cookie For One
Warning: This protein-packed cookie might give you superpowers.
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Photo: Matt Dutile/Styling: Erin McDowell
4. Broiled Citrus Ricotta Toast
Haven’t you heard? Ricotta toast is the new avocado toast.
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Photo: Mark Weinberg/Styling: Erin McDowell
5. Skillet Blueberry Cornbread
It’s like a combination of a blueberry muffin, coffee cake and cornbread—and it’s delicious with a strong cup of coffee.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
6. Cinnamon-roll Pancakes
No one should have to choose between a stack of pancakes and a gooey cinnamon roll.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
7. French Toast Sticks
With a rich egg custard and a honey-vanilla dipping syrup, we’ve proved that these cuties aren’t just for kids.
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The National Honey Board
8. Coffee Oatmeal With Buckwheat Honey, Blueberries And Yogurt
Caffeine and breakfast at the same time—our favorite kind of multitasking.
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Erin McDowell
9. Cinnamon-sugar Waffles
Psst: You’ll make the batter the night before, so all you need to do in the morning is heat up the waffle iron.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
10. Doughnut Muffins
They’re like those doughnut holes you can buy in a bag at the store, only better.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
11. Cake Batter Waffles
Monday mornings are a lot more appealing when rainbow sprinkles are involved.
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Simon Pask/The Happy Balance
12. Chamomile And Maple Porridge
If your breakfast routine is chaotic, try these oats. They’re basically zen in a bowl.
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Maria Siriano/The Probiotic Kitchen
13. Sourdough With Whipped Cottage Cheese And Raspberry Chia Jam
Whipped cottage cheese is like ricotta’s cousin who’s into wellness blogs and just wants you to take care of your microbiome.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
14. Sunday Morning French Toast
Pass the maple syrup, please.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
15. Double Chocolate Chip Muffin Tops
Everyone knows the top is the best part.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
16. Dutch Baby Pancake
A Dutch baby is basically a cross between a pancake and a popover—light and airy with a touch of sweetness. Bonus: There’s no flipping required.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
17. Gingerbread Pancakes
This has Christmas morning breakfast written all over it.
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Erin McDowell
18. Pizza-dough Cinnamon Rolls
As much as we adore cinnamon rolls, we’re not in love with the idea of waking up at 4 a.m. to bake them. Luckily, these are ready in an hour.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
19. Brown-sugar Pear Puff Pastries
Who’s the professional pastry chef? You are.
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Photo: Tyler Mauk/Styling: Anne Mauk
20. Sheet-pan Pancakes With Chocolate Chips
Slice the leftovers into strips, toast them up and serve them with syrup for dipping.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
21. Giant Cinnamon Roll
We’ve died and gone to cinnamon roll heaven.
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Cloudy Kitchen
22. Earl Grey Buns
We feel like Mary Berry would approve of these tender, pillowy buns.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
23. Waffle Bread Pudding
Don’t tell anyone, but this starts with frozen waffles.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
24. Pecan Pie Scones
It’s hard to stay in bed when the smell of pie is wafting from the kitchen.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
25. Sugared Holiday Bread
It doesn’t need to be a holiday for you to make a loaf of this sweet, yeasted quick bread. And in case you’re wondering, it makes excellent French toast.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
26. Carrot Cake Doughnuts With Cream Cheese Glaze
You might say they’re almost too cute to eat, but then there’s that cream cheese glaze.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
27. Cocoa Peanut Butter Granola
It’s like the cookie-shaped sugar cereal of our childhood, only a hundred times tastier.
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Erin McDowell
28. New Orleans-style Beignets
Good news: You don’t need a ticket to New Orleans or a deep fryer to indulge in these fluffy beauties.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
29. Baked Eggnog French Toast
Once you’ve mastered homemade eggnog, you’ll want a reason to use up the leftovers.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
30. Apple-cider Doughnut Holes
The apple cider doesn’t just add a seasonal touch—it also keeps the doughnut holes nice and moist.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
31. Nutella Pancakes
Because slathering chocolate-hazelnut spread on top, while delicious, is a total rookie move.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
32. Watercolor Doughnuts
They’re part breakfast, part dessert, part work of art.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
33. Swedish Pancakes
Since they’re layered with jam, there’s no need for maple syrup. (Well, theoretically.)
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
34. Apple-cider Pear Spelt Cake
Cake for breakfast? When the cake is made from nutritious spelt flour with just a touch of sugar, absolutely.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
35. Sourdough Doughnuts With Concord Grape Glaze
They’re light on the inside and crispy on the outside, like the best parts of cake and yeast doughnuts combined.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
36. Sheet Tray Pancakes With Peaches And Strawberries
Square pancakes? You heard us.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
37. Cranberry Apple Danish
Store-bought puff pastry has entered the chat.
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Lisa Romerein/Love Is Served
38. Vegan And Gluten-free Baked Doughnuts
Just because you’re eating plant-based doesn’t mean you can’t have fun.
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Photo/Styling: Katherine Gillen
39. Classic Banana Bread
We see those cheetah-spotted bananas sitting on your counter, making their journey from ripe to rotten.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
40. Mini Citrus Monkey Bread
They start with store-bought pizza dough and end with three in our belly.
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Sarah Copeland/Every Day Is Saturday
41. Johnnycakes With Rhubarb And Sour Cherries
Johnnycakes are a Southern-style, cornmeal-based pancake with a little more texture and flavor than traditional flapjacks—ideal for sopping up those cherry juices.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
42. Chocolate Pinecone Rolls
Cereal has nothing on these babies.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
43. Croissant Bread Pudding
Stale pastries: sad. Stale pastries turned into a glorious, custardy breakfast: nothing better.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
44. Chocolate Banana Bread Babka
It’s like a cross between a traditional banana bread and a fancy bakery-style babka and it’s unequivocally delicious.
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Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Erin McDowell
45. Pumpkin Spice Pecan Rolls
These sweet rolls are great for fall, but we wouldn’t complain if someone made them for us any other time of year. (Hint, hint.)
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
46. Braided Apple Danish Loaf
The braided top looks really impressive, but it’s super simple to pull off.
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Yuki Sugiura/Lagom
47. Swedish Cinnamon Buns Topped With Salted Caramel
Ribbons of cinnamon sugar, crunchy almonds and pools of sticky salted caramel mingle with a pillowy-soft dough. We’re going in for seconds.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
48. Monkey-bread Danish
Each pastry is pieced together so you can pull it apart for a bit of cream cheese and streusel in every bite.
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Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell
49. Maple Candied Bacon
Meet the new star of the brunch spread.
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50. Strawberry Muffins With Walnut Streusel
If only all grab-and-go breakfasts could be this sweet.
51. Coffee Cinnamon Rolls With Maple Cream Cheese Icing
If you need us, we’ll be daydreaming about diving head-first into pools of maple cream cheese icing.
52. Cinnamon Toast Breakfast Quinoa
If cinnamon toast was your most-loved childhood breakfast (same), this healthier version will hit the spot.
53. Banana Bread French Toast
And here we thought it was impossible to improve upon banana bread.
54. Coffee Cake
It pairs really well with a steaming mug of coffee. (But you knew that, right?)
55. Mini Brown Butter Popovers With Jammy Strawberries
Mini muffins, but make ’em fancy, buttery and light as a cloud.
56. Old Fashioned Sour Cream Doughnuts With Coffee Glaze
The glaze is spiked with brown butter. Need we say more?
57. Strawberry Studded Cinnamon Rolls With Chamomile-vanilla Glaze
Do you ever just stare into the swirls of a pan of breakfast rolls and get lost?
58. Easy Swirled Cinnamon Sugar Croissant Loaf
It doesn’t look like it, but this flaky loaf is surprisingly easy to make. Just set aside some time for rising (and eating).
59. Banana Nut Scones With Maple Glaze
They’re the opposite of those sad, dry hockey pucks you know as scones.
60. Gluten-free Lemon Poppyseed Pancakes
Weekend plans? You already know.
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Katherine Gillen
Senior Food Editor
Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...
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