Is It An Etiquette Mistake To Dip Your Croissant In Coffee?

It's well-known that the French can be a little touchy about French etiquette, especially regarding croissants. They did invent the word etiquette, after all. But who knew that croissant dunking was such a controversial matter worldwide? Many people feel strongly about it, including British TikToker William Hanson, a self-styled etiquette guru.

According to Hanson, no pastry should ever be dunked in any beverage — it is simply a faux pas. But Hanson is British, so what do other cultures say? American etiquette expert Elain Swann agrees, if for slightly different reasons. She believes that the croissant is not sufficiently dense to withstand the dunk, so you can end up with a mess on your hands and in your drink. In fact, she recommends never dunking any bread into your drinks to avoid the mess. But what do the French think?

When Carolin Lauffenberger, another social media influencer, was visiting France from Germany and posted herself on Instagram casually dipping a croissant into the foam of her cappuccino (and partially hashtagged it #howtobeparisian), the floodgates opened. Some French readers were utterly appalled, posting comments (via Independent) including "Blasphemy" and "That's a crime, madam." Various lessons on how to conduct yourself in civilized society followed. 

The main points on the croissant front were to leave the pastry on its own small plate, pull off bite-size pieces of the flaky delicacy one at a time, apply jam or marmalade, and pop it in your mouth. Dunking, in general, seems to be frowned upon in the iconic pastry's homeland, though one helpful French reader suggested you "Just tear a bite, then dip it... please." Of course, diners are free to enjoy their croissants as they like, wherever they may be. Just remember to say bon appétit!