Nerdy Nummies Uncredited Idea/Recipe Post
Rosanna Pansino has developed a pretty bad reputation with other food bloggers/youtubers for using ideas and recipes without giving proper credit. Everyone that makes fandom food works really hard to come up with creative ideas, and it’s very quick and easy to do things the right way. All you have to do is add two words: “inspired by” or “adapted from.” Follow it up with a courtesy link back and you’re in the clear!
That’s why it’s so confusing to me that Rosanna continues to take ideas and recipes and fail to credit where she got them. It wouldn’t reduce her viewcount and it would certainly help the original creators, many of whom are less well-known food bloggers/youtubers trying to build their audience.
I got into a conversation with some of my food blogger friends about this, and it motivated me to put together a list of the incidents I know of. Some of them helped me with this as well – you know who you are! Thank you for your time.
I really tried to keep this list fair. Some items, like the unicorn poop cookies and Portal cake, are so common that you can’t really fault anyone for making videos of them. I also omitted any recipe where I saw Rosanna give proper credit. There’s nothing wrong with recreating a recipe or design someone else made as long as you’re up front about it!
Let me be clear: I feel Rosanna is clearly creative and she has solid baking skills. I just really, really wish she’d credit people where it’s appropriate, especially since her audience is so massive.
Also, the originals linked here are the earliest I could find… if you know of are earlier ones, please correct me. You can also feel free to message me if you have an addition to the list.
HARRY POTTER BUTTERBEER MILKSHAKES
Original (July 8th, 2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZmMVxMNVr0
Rosanna’s Version (April 5th, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-nBblftWxZ4
Identical idea and ingredients with amounts changed around a little.
ADVENTURE TIME ROYAL TARTS
Original (March 31, 2014): http://www.fiction-food.com/2014/03/royal-tart-from-adventure-time.html
Rosanna’s Version (Sept 22nd, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lxTezXTZDTc
Literally the exact same recipe, just halved. I’ve avoided using the word “theft” thus far, but she straight up stole this. NOT COOL.
WHITE WALKER COCKTAILS
Original (May 24th, 2014): http://aheapingspoonful.com/blog/2014/05/10-game-of-thrones-cocktails
Rosanna’s Version (Jan 12th, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R66i1bm6h5w
Pretty much identical, except she used club soda instead of cream soda.
BOB-OMB BROWNIE TRUFFLES
Original (sometime in 2011/2012): http://boards.weddingbee.com/topic/bob-omb-brownies-for-miss-giraffe/
Rosanna’s Version (May 19th, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=58agEPn3U3s
This is more of a general idea being taken, but the design and brownie base remained the same. As an aside, I can’t imagine that uncooked brownie mix tastes good. Mmm… raw flour.
POO EMOJI MERINGUE COOKIES
I found two people who did these.
(January 23rd, 2015): https://megansisland.wordpress.com/2015/01/23/poop-emoji-meringue-cookies/
(September 12th, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JDLmDIhJWhs
Rosanna’s Version (November 17th, 2015): https://www.youtube.com/wficatch?v=F0iv1YFaoxQ
HARRY POTTER OWL CUPCAKES
Original (October 2010): http://www.bakergal.com/2010/10/owl-cupcakes.html
Rosanna’s Version (August 26th, 2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBKRDBa59m4
Completely identical design in every way.
UNDERTALE SPIDER DONUTS
Original (April 12, 2016): http://www.aprettycakemachine.com/recipetutorial-spider-donuts-undertale-undertea-part-2/
Rosanna’s Version (July 19th, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3PNN6YGLRqg
Same shape/pan for donuts, very similar blueberry glaze, same design.
CONVERSATION HEART CHEESECAKES
Original (February 4th, 2012): http://hungryhappenings.com/2012/02/conversation-heart-cheesecakes-valentines-desserts.html/
Rosanna’s Version (February 7th, 2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LCQ7IHrHmBg
Rosanna actually added a link to the original in the video description on this one, but I am told that happened AFTER the original creator called her out.
WOOKIE COOKIES
Original (February 6th, 2010): http://blog.stuckwithpins.com/2010/02/wookie-cookies.html
Rosanna’s Version (September 3rd, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QvdpOu89RQQ
SPIDERMAN OREO COOKIE POPS
Original (August 30th, 2014): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_P6-bRNZMPQ
Rosanna’s Version (May 3rd, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PgNKgUuMUds
Not really a recipe, but pretty much exactly the same.
SUB-LIST: VIRAL-ISH STUFF
These are kinda mid-range items that weren’t ubiquitous by any stretch, but were still shared a lot before she made them. These things are hard to track, so it’s admittedly hard to know what the etiquette should be. I’m including them for the sake of completeness.
BABYBEL ANGRY BIRDS
Original (March 28th, 2011): http://www.cutefoodforkids.com/2011/03/babybel-cheese-angry-bird.html
Rosanna’s Version (May 17th, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk4C4p5vHDk
HULK PUDDING CUPS
Original (September 26th, 2014): http://www.sarahhalstead.com/hulk-pudding-cups/
Rosanna’s Version (March 29th, 2016): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jDogEPKkQpk
TWINKIE MINION CUPCAKES
Original (August 2010): http://www.confessionsofacookbookqueen.com/minions/
Rosanna’s Version (August 13, 2013): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AAQjn6_JaJ0
Honestly, at this point I just stopped adding things because I was exhausted. I also didn’t feel like digging up stuff further back than 2013, so there you have it.
Once again, all I want is for people to get proper credit! I don’t hate Rosanna. I don’t want her channel to fail. I don’t want her to stop making nerdy food. I just want her to do the decent thing and give credit where it’s appropriate. As a content creator, she should understand why that’s important.
