Social Media's Latest Trend Turns Beloved Characters Into Edible Nightmares

Boredom is often a launching pad for some of the world's most absurd trends. Some people take to the internet to share useful and interesting tricks meant to help you in the kitchen, like TikTok's popcorn hack or this viral tip for measuring wet ingredients, but other creators simply have too much time on their hands. The latest trend making the rounds on social media falls decidedly into the latter category. People are creating models of cartoon figures, such as Shrek, from foods like cookie dough, then showing viewers how the cherished character becomes a pathetic pile of mush as it bakes in the oven.

@thekatiebettini

Replying to @xo_katrena1 Get out of my oven!!! What should I make next? 🍪 #shrek #cookie #cookiedough #sculpture #baking #funnyvideos

♬ Fairytale (From "Shrek") – Geek Music

The progression from a fairly well-made model of Shrek as it becomes a sadder and more pitiful representation of what it began as is both knee-slappingly funny and depressing at the same time. Viewers had mixed opinions, with some finding the degradation of Cookie Dough Shrek an absolute hoot and others feeling bad for the sorry lump of cookie he became. Unfortunately, or fortunately, depending on your opinion of this latest social media trend, Shrek isn't the only cartoon character getting roasted in the same fashion.

The same individual who filmed Cookie Dough Shrek's untimely demise, @thekatiebettini, has done the same thing with SpongeBob SquarePants. In that video, they show how much work goes into making homemade cookie dough look just like the cartoon character before it is sent to the oven to be melted down into a horrific depiction of its former self. The most amazing thing about the SpongeBob video is that, unlike the Shrek model that became unrecognizable after being baked, it comes out of the oven actually looking like SpongeBob himself was melted flat, with his little legs sticking out of a lump of eyes and teeth.

It wouldn't be a trend if more folks weren't getting in on the action themselves, and some have decided cookie dough won't cut it for their models. Another video on Instagram shows a cute model of Shrek created out of meatloaf before it goes into the oven and transforms into something most people only see in their nightmares. We're not sure what folks seem to have against Shrek, but judging by the more than 32,000 likes on the video, many are having a blast watching the character perish for entertainment.