Over the last year, TikTok has gained tremendous popularity, with now over 80 million active users in the U.S. and over 800 million worldwide. The video-based social media network has become a huge part of many people’s lives, whether it be to get their daily dose of pop culture or keep up with their favorite influencers. Many also use TikTok as a platform to share recipes, some of which end up going viral and becoming the latest trend. After gathering four of the most popular food recipes, I decided to put them to the test, and see if they’re really all that. 

The first recipe I decided to test was the viral feta pasta, originally created back in 2019 by Finnish food blogger Jenni Häyrinen. After recently resurfacing, the internet couldn’t seem to get enough of it. The original recipe included cherry tomatoes, garlic, feta cheese and some chili peppers. Though everyone is putting their own twist on it, with slightly different ingredients and even a vegan version.

As someone who isn’t a huge fan of feta cheese, I was a little skeptical when originally looking at the recipe. I didn’t think it would actually taste good, but I couldn’t have been more wrong. Not only was it extremely easy to make, but it also tasted phenomenal. The ingredients can easily be adjusted to one’s liking, so even the pickiest of eaters can enjoy the beautiful blend of flavors. This recipe is definitely something I’ll be making again. 

Cloud bread has also been taking over TikTok, with all the endless possibilities of flavors and colors. This viral recipe was originally created by TikTok user @Linqanaaa, who actually didn’t add any dye to the bread, despite its colorful appearance. The idea of adding different colors was created by TikTok user @abimhn, who followed the recipe but made her bread blue instead of leaving it plain. This new version of cloud bread became a TikTok sensation, with 33.9 million views. After the viral video, many people were inspired and put their own spin on cloud bread, adding new flavors, toppings and colors. 

I was really excited to make cloud bread, as the color possibilities were endless. This three-ingredient bread was really easy to make. I had high hopes for how it would taste, but sadly it didn’t live up to expectations. This meringue-like bread, while beautifully fluffy and fun to make, was disgustingly eggy and inedible. The smell of the bread was also horrible and smelt nothing like the nice baked good I was expecting. After looking back at the video on TikTok, I realized I wasn’t alone — many were also disappointed by the extremely gross egg flavor. It’s safe to say that I won’t be making more cloud bread any time soon. 

The viral pancake cereal that took TikTok by storm, was created by Sydney Melhoff, who actually did it as a joke. She had extra batter after making pancakes and decided to jokingly make “pancake dip n’ dots.” In no time, the video had racked up about a billion views. My version of the pancake cereal was topped with a slice of butter and drizzled with a generous amount of maple syrup, all with a bit of milk. The video also inspired people to turn many of their favorite confections into mini cereal form, like cinnamon rolls, donuts, cookies, and even croissants. 

I was ecstatic to make pancake cereal, as it looked overwhelmingly cute and delectable. The pancake cereal was not only extremely easy to make but also delicious. The warm and crispy mini pancakes were heavenly with the butter and maple syrup, and the dash of milk complemented the flavors beautifully. While it both looked and tasted amazing, you had to make sure to eat it right away, as the pancakes got progressively more and more soggy as they sat in the milk.

The viral Oreo mug cake recipe was created by TikTok user @guitarman3245. Many people loved the idea because it was easy and only required ingredients commonly found in any pantry. This fast and easy recipe only takes two minutes to prepare and bake, making it convenient when you’re craving something sweet.

I was a little nervous to make this, as the comments under the TikTok video were very mixed, some loving it, some saying it was nothing special and some saying it was horrible. The process was very easy, and took little to no time at all. The mug cake was surprisingly delicious and tasted just like an Oreo.  

These are just some of the many amazing and creative recipes you can find on TikTok. Even though not all of them turned out how I’d hoped, I’ll definitely be trying out more TikTok recipes in the future, and I recommend you do too!