Food trends come and go, but the recent hype around the fusion of sweet and spicy flavors is making what could be a lasting impression. The culinary trend, dubbed “swicy” by TikTok users, is captivating adventurous eaters and offering new twists on classic dishes.
The term swicy is a playful portmanteau of sweet and spicy, challenging the way some of us have come to think about flavor combinations. It’s about balancing the contrasting sensations of spiciness and sweetness in a single dish, sauce or beverage, which results in a heightened awareness of both flavors.
TikTok’s swicy trend began in 2023, but the it’s extended beyond social media. It’s popping up everywhere from chain restaurants and fine dining establishments to new items lining supermarket shelves. It is a trendy flavor combo, but countries around the world have used sweet and spicy pairings for centuries—it just didn’t have the catchy moniker until now.
For example, Mexican mole incorporates chili peppers, chocolate and other sweet ingredients like raisins. There’s also Aztec xocolatl, more commonly known as Aztec or Mexican hot chocolate. A warming beverage that combines cocoa with chili and spices like cinnamon, its origins date back a couple of thousand years.
Chinese, Vietnamese and Korean cuisines have also been delivering sweet and spicy flavor combos long before computers existed. Gochujang, a spicy-sweet red chili paste, is a popular Korean condiment used for everything from stews to grilling marinades. Nuoc cham, a Vietnamese dipping sauce, combines sugar and thinly sliced red chilis in a fish sauce base. In modern Chinese cooking, some Szechuan dishes feature a sauce made with the Sichuan region’s signature spicy peppercorns alongside brown sugar.
When the most recent U.S. sweet and spicy trend began a few years back, Mike’s Hot Honey led the charge. Suddenly, the condiment was on pizza, chicken sandwiches and charcuterie boards everywhere. In the world of cocktails, beverages like jalapeño margaritas and spicy palomas were claiming their place on menus around the world.
The swicy trend isn’t just about taste—it’s a also sensory experience. The combination of sweet and spicy ignites multiple taste receptors simultaneously, resulting in an exhilarating sensation. Capsaicin, the active compound in chili peppers, can trigger a release of endorphins in the brain, leading to a sensation of both pleasure and pain. Sweet foods coat your taste buds, while spicy things bind to pain receptors on your tongue. When your tongue is coated in sugar, it helps tame the spiciness.
TikTokers are cashing in on the trend. For example, one recipe, dubbed “cowboy candy,” is candied essentially jalapeños that are perfect for topping cream cheese bagels, baked brie and burgers. The mangonada, a Mexican frozen treat combining mango, Tajin and chamoy, has also been gaining traction this year.
As of now, it doesn’t look like the swicy food trend is going anywhere. It enforces what many world cuisines have known for years: Sweet and spicy are a match made in culinary heaven.