One in six Americans eat dessert every day, according to new research.A survey of 5,000 Americans evenly split 100 per state found that those from Tennessee are most likely to eat dessert every day (25%), followed by those from Colorado, Louisiana and North Carolina (22% each).
On average, respondents crave something sweet at 2:30 p.m.
Similarly, 69% said desserts can make any bad day a good day, which may be why 73% are likely to give in to their sweet tooth.
Respondents from Indiana shared that they have the hardest time saying ‘no’ to their cravings (82%), and those from Alaska have the easiest time (23%).
But respondents aren’t selfish — 55% said sharing is a love language, and those who enjoy sharing treats (63%) like to spread the love to their partner (65%), kids (48%) and friends (40%).
Results also showed that Americans’ most-eaten desserts are ice cream (55%), cookies (35%) and chocolate (32%).
Cookies, in particular, are a crowd-pleaser, with the average American estimating that they eat just under 200 cookies a year.
More than a quarter of respondents consider themselves to be “cookie experts” (28%), with Georgians being the most likely people to believe this (44%).
Looking at Americans’ top-rated cookies, chocolate chip won by a landslide (62%), followed by peanut butter (31%) and brownie/double chocolate (26%).
White chocolate chip macadamia (23%) and oatmeal raisin (22%) weren’t far behind.
But what’s a good cookie without a perfect pairing? Those surveyed voted the best drinks for cookies are milk (64%) and coffee (24%), with hot chocolate coming in third (15%).
Two-thirds of all of those surveyed agreed that besides their taste, cookies are sensational because of their smell (67%).
Texture also counts for those who prefer soft and chewy cookies (59%, up from 31% last year) as opposed to crisp and crunchy ones (13%, down from 23% last year).
“From the tantalizing smell as they are pulled out of the oven to the look of perfectly swirled frosting, cookies are a treat for all of your senses,” said Amy Eldredge, Menu Vice President at Crumbl Cookies.
In line with their favorite, most respondents said their state’s personality matched that of a chocolate chip cookie — classic, reliable and something for everyone — especially those from Massachusetts (49%), New York (54%) and Pennsylvania (50%).
White chocolate macadamia was a close second, with Alaska (25%) and Hawaii (48%) identifying as fun, adventurous and playful.
“We want to constantly push the boundaries of cookie flavors,” Eldredge said. “We iterate and create new flavors to enhance the cookie experience — even the classics deserve a new spin on their look and taste.”
Produced in association with SWNS Research
(Additional reporting provided by Talker Research)
