OPINION: Cheesecake. Apple Pie. Chocolate Chip Cookies. Please Make The Trend Stop!

Graphic by Shae-Lynn Henderson, EIC

TikTok trends come and go, some better than others. You know what I find really riveting?? Watching people just silently react to a voice listing desserts for like 15 seconds. It’s literally the most boring thing I’ve seen all week. And somehow, it’s a TikTok trend now?

If you’ve been on the app lately (or just near someone who’s permanently attached to it), you’ve probably seen this thing. It’s called the “dessert reaction trend” or whatever. The audio goes: “cheesecake. apple pie. chocolate chip cookies. ice cream…” and the person just nods, or smiles a little, sometimes dances? When they hear their favorite dessert? THAT’S IT. No punchline. No twist. Just blank faces. And like… how is this a trend?

I’m not trying to be a full-on hater (ok maybe I am) but this feels like peak internet exhaustion. We’re seriously at the point where having a facial expression about pie is considered content? What’s next? “React to these sock textures. Wool. Cotton. Bamboo.” 

Look, I get it. Not every video has to be profound or artsy or life-changing. Sometimes we just want to vibe, but something about this one just feels… off. To me, it’s so painfully bland, it wraps around and becomes surreal. Why are 200 people in a row giving the same silent nod to crème brûlée like it’s some kind of state-of-the-art dessert?

And the worst part? This trend has taken OVER. My entire For You Page is just dessert-face. It’s not funny. It’s not cute. It’s not chaotic. It’s just… mid. With sad coffee shop music in the background. Like? We live in the age of the internet, and this is what we’re doing with it?

There’s SO much creativity on TikTok. People out here are making full-on mini movies, hilarious skits, original music, art and social commentary. And then there’s this. Dessert face. For views. Like maybe we’re all just tired, maybe the algorithm rewards low effort or maybe we’ve reached a collective point of “yeah ‘idk’ this was easy to film so here you go.”

Anyway, I love cookies, don’t get me wrong. However, if you’re gonna bring desserts to the table, bring the takes. Say, “pumpkin pie is trash,” say that banana pudding changed your life. Make it chaotic. 

Until then? I’m scrolling. And I’m NOT reacting to tiramisu. Not now. Not ever.

By Contributing writer, Rebekah-Anne Allen