Almost three in every four Americans claim to have a sweet tooth, with a further two-fifths of people in the U.S. (and just over half of all Brits) admitting to eating sweets and chocolates regularly.
Our fondness for food and sweets is reflected in our social media use, too: Cookery and food videos are ranked as the most popular form of influencer-based content online, and two-thirds of social media-savvy Gen Zers alone claim to use their phones for food content and inspiration. If any of that sounds familiar, then chances are you’ll have stumbled across at least a few videos online showcasing some of the world’s most viral desserts—and now, a worldwide survey by beverage website Coffeeness has uncovered just how popular this kind of content is on TikTok [PDF].
Must-Try Desserts, According to TikTop—MappedKey Takeaways From the AnalysisThe Must-Try Treats, City by CityMust-Try Desserts, According to TikTop—Mapped
Click to enlarge. | Courtesy of Coffeeness
The survey’s authors used an AI tool to collate and analyze food travel data from more than 50 different cities worldwide, using figures based on TikTok engagement, views, and mentions to reveal each destination’s most talked-about local delicacy. The data covered six continents and almost every corner of the planet—from Canada to South Africa, Japan, and Australia—to produce a global map of must-try desserts.
Click above to see the full map, and read on for a few key takeaways from the analysis.
Key Takeaways From the AnalysisTraditional Treats Were Popular
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the survey showed that some classic and traditional sweet treats remain popular around the world, with gelato topping the list in Rome, baklava in Istanbul, shortbread in Edinburgh, and Portugal’s pastel de nata baked custard tarts coming out on top in the data from both Lisbon and Porto.
Baklava is a popular dessert. | Alexander Spatari/GettyImages
The must-try dessert in Tokyo was the Japan’s famous mochi sweet rice cakes, and in Brussels, it was Belgian waffles. Sachertorte came out on top in Vienna, stroopwafels in Amsterdam, and chocolate-dipped churros in Barcelona.
Viral Sensations Made the Ma
In some cities, though, it wasn’t traditional sweets that topped this list, but a handful of more recent innovations and viral sensations.
Cronuts. | Dan Kitwood/GettyImages
Of all the sweet treats on offer across the patisseries of Paris, for instance, the data showed that the most talked-about of all on social media was the crookie—a buttery hybrid of a chocolate chip cookie and a traditional French croissant that went viral on TikTok after its invention just last year.
The crookie’s cousin, the cronut, proved to be New York’s most talked-about dessert, while the croffle—a waffle-croissant combo made by cooking croissant dough in a waffle press—came out on top in Los Angeles.
Delicious Regional Treats Got a Spotlight
By taking in data from all around the world, however, the survey proved an excellent opportunity to shine a light on a number of sweet treats that are perhaps less well known outside of their home cities and nations than the likes of baklava, gelato, and the cronut.
Chimney cakes. | SimpleImages/GettyImages
In Valencia, Spain, for instance, the most talked-about dish was the local specialty horchata (a kind of milky, nut-based beverage) traditionally served with fartóns (an elongated, glazed bread used for dipping).
In Budapest, Hungary, it was the local chimney cake, or kürtőskalács—made by coiling sweetened, yeasted dough around a spit before baking—that came out on top. And in Manila, a local treat of crushed ice mixed with condensed milk and other ingredients, known as halo-halo, was the winner.
The Must-Try Treats, City by City
CITY
TREAT
Abu Dhabi, UAE
Saffron milk cake
Amsterdam, Netherlands
Stroopwafels
Athens, Greece
Loukoumades
Bali, Indonesia
Klepon
Bangkok, Thailand
Mango sticky rice
Barcelona, Spain
Churros con chocolate
Beirut, Lebanon
Knafeh
Berlin, Germany
Berliner pfannkuchen
Bogotá, Colombia
Tres leches cake
Brussels, Belgium
Belgian waffles
Budapest, Hungary
Chimney cake (kürtőskalács)
Buenos Aires, Argentina
Alfajores
Cairo, Egypt
Basbousa
Cape Town, South Africa
Koeksisters
Chiang Mai, Thailand
Thai tea soft serve
Chicago, USA
Deep dish cookie
Copenhagen, Denmark
Wienerbrod
Delhi, India
Gulab jamun
Doha, Qatar
Luqaimat
Dubai, UAE
Dubai chocolate
Dubrovnik, Croatia
Rozata
Edinburgh, Scotland
Shortbread
Hanoi, Vietnam
Coconut coffee
Helsinki, Finland
Runeberg torte
Hobart, Tasmania
Lavender ice cream
Hong Kong
Egg waffles
Honolulu, Hawaii
Malasadas
Istanbul, Turkey
Baklava
Izmir, Turkey
Lokma
Jakarta, Indonesia
Martabak manis
Kraków, Poland
Kremówka
Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Ais kacang
Lagos, Nigeria
Puff puff
Lima, Peru
Picaroons
Lisbon, Portugal
Pastel de nata
Ljubljana, Slovenia
Kremna rezina
London, UK
Bubble waffles
Los Angeles, USA
Croffles
Manila, Philippines
Halo-halo
Marrakech, Morocco
Chebakia
Melbourne, Australia
Freakshakes
Mexico City, Mexico
Pan dulce
Montreal, Canada
Montreal bagels with cream cheese
Mumbai, India
Jalebi
Naples, Italy
Sfogliatella
New York City, USA
Cronut
Nice, France
Tarte tropézienne
Oslo, Norway
Kanelboller
Paris, France
Crookie
Porto, Portugal
Pastel de nata
Prague, Czech Republic
Trdelník (chimney cake)
Reykjavik, Iceland
Skyr cake
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Brigadeiros
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Saffron milk cake
Rome, Italy
Gelato
San Francisco, USA
Mochi donuts
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Flancocho
Seoul, South Korea
Tang Hulu
Singapore
Pandan cake
Stockholm, Sweden
Kanelbullar
Taipei, Taiwan
Boba desserts
Tbilisi, Georgia
Churchkhela
Tokyo, Japan
Mochi
Toronto, Canada
Japanese soufflé pancakes
Valencia, Spain
Horchata with fartons
Vancouver, Canada
Taiyaki cones
Vienna, Austria
Sachertorte
Warsaw, Poland
Paczki
Zurich, Switzerland
Luxemburgerli
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