Chocolate muffins blew up on TikTok during the Olympics, and their staying power has surpassed the Paris games themselves.
Norwegian swimmer Henrik Christiansen became TikTok’s “muffin man” throughout the 2024 Olympics after he documented his obsession with the cafeteria’s chocolate muffins. Christiansen’s videos racked up tens of millions of views and prompted other Olympians to jump on the pastry bandwagon. (There were even reports of cafeteria shortages). Though the Paris games have come to a close, the muffins are still a hot item in café’s and on recipe sites.
The Olympic chocolate muffins are everywhere.
Christiansen’s Olympic muffin journey began in July, when he posted a TikTok video reviewing the Olympic Village’s food options. Over the course of the games, Christiansen’s videos showcased his hunt for (and tendency to hoard) the muffins. Eventually, the videos grew even more whimsical: In one, he fantasizes about their beauty, and rails against the muffin’s mortal enemy, the cookie, in another.
@henrikchristians1 Olympic Village food review! A little surprise at the end too! Smash like and subscribe for part 2✌🏻 #fyp #olympics #paris2024 #olympictiktok #olympicvillage #foodreview @Olympics @paris2024 @Mr.Nicho
♬ original sound – Z7duckx_Music – Z7duckx_Music
Almost a month after his first TikTok post, imitations of the Olympic muffin has now made it to cafés and bakeries—and tastemakers are clamoring to try the treat. In New York City, Isshiki Matcha had a pop-up muffin sale, where the line wrapped around multiple blocks. (The shop had to limit customers to one Olympic muffin per person.)
Meanwhile, Panifico Bake Shop in San Antonio, Texas, now offers a replica muffin called “DEE-LI-SHUS,” while ">Erie Coffee & Bakeshop in Rutherford, New Jersey, drips thick ganache over their replica.
Dozens of foodfluencers and recipe bloggers have also jumped on the trend, creating a second TikTok cycle of at-home muffin alternatives. One recipe, posted on the popular Substack Bake Chats, is filled with glowing comments; one reader says the newsletter is “doing the lord’s work.” (For what it’s worth, The New York Times conceded that the Olympic muffins are, in fact, cakes.)
The after-life of a TikTok trend
By now, Christiansen has weaned off of his beloved muffins (though he did take one home for good measure). Still, even without his content, the Olympic muffins continue to garner interest.
For all the ephemerality of the internet, many of these food trends have staying power. Users are still making baked feta pasta and Emily Mariko-style rice bowls, years after those recipes first went viral. In January, Swedish candy blew up online, and candy shop owners across the U.S. are still struggling to meet surge in demand. The Olympic muffin could be the next iteration of this long-tailed TikTok mania: A short-form trend with sprawling national interest.
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