Mini Croissant Cereal Proves Tiny Food Is Here To Stay

Originating in Japan and loved worldwide thanks to TikTok, tiny food is possibly the most adorable food trend we've ever seen. Reminiscent of the doll houses from your childhood or the miniature airplanes of your grandfather's, tiny food evokes nostalgia and the role of play in our lives that adults let go of as they age, as Vogue points out. 

"Miniacs" (a term used to describe tiny food and object collectors and artisans) use petite utensils and working mini appliances to create tiny dishes filmed for millions to enjoy and imagine eating in one bite. According to Jay Baron, creator of "Walking with Giants," sourcing the food and tiny equipment, building the sets, and filming means that a single video can take up to 50 hours to create. With hours of labor and tremendous passion behind these dishes, the creators, however, go mainly anonymous to keep the illusion going for viewers.

Although a major trend, tiny food often isn't discussed amongst culinary professionals. The movement was sparked by social media and embraced by people who are home more than ever due to the pandemic (via SaltWire). Whether you are going to make tiny food yourself or join the over 3 million viewers on Miniature Space, it's hard not to smile when you see tiny food — especially if you're looking at bite-sized croissants.

Tiny food is not only addicting to watch, but the attention to detail is impressive. Food worldwide has been shrunk down for Barbie and Ken to enjoy: From itsy-bitsy beef Wellingtons to sushi and layer cakes, there is no limit to what can be created on a miniature scale. In April of 2020, mini pancake cereal was the biggest trend on TikTok, sparking spin-offs including tiny muffins, cinnamon rolls, and, more recently, even mini croissants (via Thrillist). 

Some Miniacs make the croissant dough from scratch, which seems aggressive considering the tiny croissants are eaten by the spoonful. Others use pre-packaged dough, such as sheets of puff pastry or cans of Pillsbury crescent rolls. To make the mini croissants, tiny chefs cut the sheets of dough into small triangles, rolling each piece to form an adorable croissant. They're baked for just a few minutes until golden brown. 

Although it's on-trend to drown the croissants in milk like a bowl of cereal, true admirers of the French specialty would probably prefer to arrange their work of art piled high in a bread basket or on a cake stand. However you serve them, this trend appears to be an excellent reason to eat dozens of croissants in a bowl — provided the coffee or tea is still regular-sized.