CNY treats with a twist to try this year: From mao shan wang mochi to laksa bak kwa

The Chinese New Year period can be difficult for many reasons: intrusive questions, family feuds, having to part with a chunk of hard-earned cash for those obliged to hand out hongbao. 

But, hey, at least the snacks are good. And it is one of the few times of the year you may not get judged for indulging. Your nosy aunt might comment on your weight tomorrow, but today, she is pushing a plate of glossy barbecued meat towards you. 

So, dust out the eight-sided togetherness tray and strap on your roomiest pair of pants. With Chinese New Year just around the corner on Jan 29, the season of abundance is nearly here.

To celebrate, here are 15 scrumptious snacks to help you ring in (or power through) the new year. 

Snake-themed selections 

Serpent-shaped chocolates

Make a sssstatement with this Snake Chocolate Sculpture ($35) from local chocolatier Janice Wong. 

Each box features two snakes, realistically rendered and painted in shades of purple, pink and white, then topped with an auspicious dusting of gold. Here, the ouroboros – an ancient symbol depicting a serpent eating its own tail – has been arranged into an infinity symbol, which also resembles the lucky number eight. 

Made with 70 per cent dark chocolate, goji berries and candied orange, it is perfumed with fragrant, fruity notes. 

Where: Janice Wong, various locations, including 01-06 Republic Plaza, 9 Raffles Place; and B1-K28 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road
When: Until Feb 12
Info: janicewong.online

Snake durian mochi 

These adorable snakes pack a pungent punch. They are filled with top-grade Mao Shan Wang durian and wrapped in delicate snowskin. 

The mochi, available in a box of eight for $78, is crafted by local bakery Home’s Favourite. The 28-year-old business is best known for its snowskin durian mooncakes, which it was among the first to offer in Singapore. 

In 2025, it has also fashioned its signature product into a kumquat ($58 for eight), a symbol of good fortune and prosperity. 

Where: Home’s Favourite, various booths, including Basement 2, Takashimaya Square, 391 Orchard Road
When: Until Jan 25 or while stocks last
Info: www.homesfavourite.com

Snake biscuits 

These baby snakes are buttery, crumbly and perfect for popping into your mouth. They cost $25 a bottle and may sell out fast – bakery Da Jia Le has prepared only 500 bottles of these snake cookies.

They are also available in adult form, as German cookies shaped into coiled snakes that are slightly less rotund but no less munchable. These retail for $28.80, with equally limited stocks.

Da Jia Le’s limited-edition zodiac cookies are consistently among its most popular Chinese New Year offerings, but the bakery also sells pineapple tarts, egg rolls, almond cookies and other seasonal classics. 

Where: Da Jia Le, various booths, including Level 1 Atrium, VivoCity, 1 HarbourFront Walk
When: Until Jan 27 or while stocks last
Info: dajiale.cococart.co 

Classics with a twist 

Parmesan pineapple tarts 

Local bakery Little Favors adds a touch of European finesse to the classic pineapple tart. Its rendition is shaped like a linzer cookie, an Austrian invention often served during Christmas.

In between two savoury Parmesan sable cookies that melt in your mouth is a layer of pineapple jam, lightly spiced with cinnamon, cloves and vanilla. The delicate balance of flavours and textures makes this a dangerously addictive treat that avoids being too cloying, dry or dense. 

They cost $34 for a box of 12 and are best eaten within five days, but can also be stored in the fridge for up to two months.

Where: Simei (address to be provided upon purchase)
When: Pre-order by Jan 18
Info: littlefavors.cococart.co 

Ingot nian gao 

Nian gao, a homonym for “higher year”, is already favoured for its prosperous invocation. As if that were not enough, Chinese restaurant Min Jiang’s new rendition bestows upon it an extra serving of prosperity.

Here, the golden-hued dessert is shaped like an ingot, symbolising wealth and fortune. It is stuffed with purple sweet potato, a smooth, subtly sweet filling that complements the chewy texture of nian gao. 

A box of eight can be purchased for $56 to go. It is also available for dine-in, at $16++ for two pieces. 

Where: Goodwood Park Hotel, 22 Scotts Road, and Min Jiang at Dempsey, 7A & 7B Dempsey Road
When: Until Feb 12
Info: goodwoodparkhotel.com/dining/min-jiang

Laksa bak kwa 

Singaporean actress Rui En has made her first foray into entrepreneurship with her online bak kwa brand, En. 

Here, the iconic snack – one of Rui En’s festive favourites – is jazzed up in two ways. There is the Laksa Bak Kwa ($88 for 500g), a lightly aromatic attempt to capture the essence of the punchy local dish, as well as the Applewood Bak Kwa ($98 for 500g), a sweet-smoky treat prepared with applewood from the United States. 

Partial proceeds go towards supporting children with special needs and their families at Brave Club, an initiative that conducts activities for them and offers them social support. 

When: Ongoing
Info: enonline.sg 

Charcoal pineapple balls

Black, with its macabre connotations, is something of a controversial colour in Chinese culture. But though these pineapple tarts come cloaked in an inky dark shell, they certainly do not bring bad luck.

They may even prove to be a welcome presence in your home. Made with gourmet butter, these indulgent bakes taste like a cross between a shortbread and a cookie. Within is a tangy pineapple filling, mildly sweet and accented with flakes of sea salt. 

Each jar costs $48 and is available for takeaway only from Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel. 

Where: Singapore Marriott Tang Plaza Hotel forecourt, 320 Orchard Road
When: Until Jan 28
Info: celebratorydelights.com/cny/lunar-new-year-takeaway-goodies/

Plant-based bak kwa 

While not as rich as the pork-based original, local brand &SO’s plant-based bak kwa captures some of the distinctive smoky flavour and sweet-savoury balance that makes this snack a perennial hit. 

This vegan-friendly, halal-certified “bak kwa” is available in mild and spicy flavours ($26 a pack). It also comes in gyoza form ($11.90), the newest addition to &SO’s line-up of plant-based products. 

Alongside its bak kwa, &SO is selling potato chips ($6.50 a box), satisfyingly crunchy and thoroughly seasoned. The suan cai flavour, in particular, stands out for its tangy lilt. 

Where: In supermarkets and at the Lunar New Year Festive Celebration at Basement 2 Takashimaya Square, 391 Orchard Road 
When: While stocks last
Info: andso.com.sg

Nian gao rolls 

If you cannot spare the time nor the energy to make your own nian gao spring rolls, pop these ready-made ones from Spring Home into hot oil or an air fryer. They brown in just a few minutes and offer the same satisfying contrast of a crisp, flaky shell giving way to a warm, chewy interior.

These nian gao spring rolls come in three flavours – original, which is filled purely with nian gao; sweet potato; and taro. Each bag of eight costs $4.75 and can be bought from most FairPrice supermarkets.

Where: Various FairPrice outlets
When: Until mid-February
Info: fairprice.com.sg

Savoury cookies 

Chicken biscuits 

Local restaurant Chatterbox is known for its chicken rice, so it is high time it introduced some chicken-flavoured Chinese New Year goodies.

It is rolling out brand-new boxes of chicken biscuits – thin, crunchy, sesame-studded cookies that have the addictive lure of chicken floss. They provide a savoury complement to the restaurant’s classic favourites, such as its buttery pineapple balls and molten chocolate cookies. 

Each bottle of cookies costs $25, while a set of three retails at $72. 

Where: Chatterbox, 05-03 Hilton Singapore Orchard, 333 Orchard Road
When: While stocks last
Info: chatterbox.com.sg 

Emperor herbal chicken cookies

Cake and cookie chain Old Seng Choong, known for its nostalgic bakes and Singaporean flavours, is adding a dash of imperial splendour to its festive offerings. Its new Emperor Herbal Chicken Cookies ($26.80) pay tribute to the eponymous dish, in which a whole chicken is stuffed with herbs and steamed till tender. 

Here, the cookies are infused with the aroma of Chinese angelica, wolfberry and chuan xiong rhizome – a traditional herb derived from the root of the Ligusticum striatum plant. They are sealed in a maroon box stamped with a golden dragon, for an added dose of grandeur. 

Where: Old Seng Choong, various outlets, including B1-14 Paragon, 290 Orchard Road
When: While stocks last
Info: oldsengchoong.com 

Satay cookies 

Artisanal bakery La Levain usually draws inspiration from French pastries, but makes an attempt to honour its Singaporean roots every Chinese New Year. 

In 2025, it is introducing a new flavour based on a beloved local dish – satay ($24.80). Chef Wythe Soon’s housemade satay sauce is a punchy combination of peanuts, sambal, pineapple, cumin and onions, which infuses his cookies with a bit of spice and funk without overwhelming the palate.  

Just like satay, they are not meant to be eaten alone, but shared at a gathering with family and friends. 

Where: La Levain, 23 Hamilton Road, as well as various booths, including Basement 2, Takashimaya Square, 391 Orchard Road 
When: Until Jan 29
Info: eshop-prsmb.panpacific.com

Gochujang cookies

Chinese New Year treats with a Korean twist – these gochujang seaweed caramel crisps ($24.90) from heartland bakery The Pine Garden are loaded with bold flavours and zesty spice.

They are among the bakery’s new creations, which also include seaweed white sesame rice crisps ($18.90) and hae bee hiam cookies ($26.90).

Where: The Pine Garden, 01-2369, Block 529 Ang Mo Kio Avenue 10
When: Until Jan 27
Info: pgcake.com

Miso peanut cookies 

These cookies are more sweet than savoury, gilded, as they are, in sugar crystals. However, white miso adds a touch of umami that reels them back from the territory of too-sweet. 

The cookies come as part of The Marmalade Pantry’s showstopping Golden Trio Collection ($75+), which also features pineapple shortbread and petite chicken bak kwa. The snacks are served in a three-tiered tiffin, adorned in pink and teal. Each section is airtight to ensure the goodies remain fresh for as long as possible. 

Where: The Marmalade Pantry, various locations, including 04-11A Ion Orchard, 2 Orchard Turn
When: Until Feb 3 (order by Jan 28) 
Info: themarmaladepantry.com.sg

This article was originally published in The Straits Times.