A new trademark makes it illegal to sell fake Cronuts™

Cronut inventor Dominique Ansel has finally earned the legal right to stop shifty imposters from profiting off the notoriety of his internationally famous pastry creation. Eater reports that the term “Cronut” has officially become a U.S. registered trademark—a designation Ansel applied for almost exactly eight months ago, during the first wave of Cronut fever. Despite being subjected to a degree of overexposure that would seem sufficient to kill even the most resilient fad, the Cronut has proven to have an unholy amount of staying power. Just a couple weeks ago, Gothamist posted a photo showing dozens of would-be customers braving a howling blizzard for the chance to commune with a croissant-slash-doughnut.

The trademark approval is a win for Ansel, but maybe not as big a win as some might expect. After all, it only prevents other bakeries from using the name Cronut; it doesn’t prevent them from fashioning their own copycat confections and calling them something else—which means Toronto bakery Clafouti’s Crookie is in the clear, as is the Starbucks Duffin. Longo’s supermarket, on the other hand, may want to reconsider its signage.