Turn down for huat! This CNY, we’re bingeing on yuzu pineapple tarts, yusheng fish skin, pineapple lava cookies and more.
Chinese New Year goodies like pineapple tarts, love letters and bak kwa are the cornerstone of festive snacking. They’re especially useful for stuffing your face when you’re fending off endless questions about your love life and your career from the umpteenth relative of the day. But beyond traditional treats, brands across the island are constantly thinking up unexpected flavours to keep things interesting. Intrigued? Stock up on the best unconventional CNY snacks for the Year of the Rabbit…
Where to buy unique snacks in Singapore for CNY 2023
1. Pineapple Tarts Singapore
We love ushering in the CNY season with a good ol’ dose of pineapple tarts, but why not have your goodies with a twist? This shop has cheesy pineapple tarts to satisfy any cheese lover. Expect parmesan cheese combined in the crust for a savoury and sweet bite.
You can also check out the salted egg pineapple tarts to join the salted egg craze. This delicious creation has salted egg yolks blended with the pastry crust. Try the melt-in-your-mouth treat for a delectable CNY snack! Cart out your order from Pineapple Tarts Singapore for swift delivery (an express 60-minute option is available, too).
Pineapple Tarts Singapore, available online
2. Wang Lai
This bakery in Singapore offers delicious, authentic CNY pastries. While it’s known for its traditional pineapple tarts, it also offers unconventional snacks to satisfy any pastry lover. Think cranberry pineapple tarts infused with a berry-based crust and an added dose of fruity sweetness.
Alternatively, try the seaweed chicken floss love letters or the spicy chicken floss love letters for a spin on this popular CNY snack. Craving more spice? There’s also a mala crab stick that promises a piquant flavour. Shop these and more with the CNY bundles from Wang Lai.
Wang Lai, available online
3. Ding Bakery
Ding Bakery’s homemade treats are bound to be a hit with visiting family and friends. This year, the bakery has added six new pineapple tart flavours – pick your faves to stock up your CNY goodies cabinet!
Craving the trendy salted egg flavour? Try the salted egg pineapple tarts. Or, get a hint of tea with the matcha flavour. Other unique takes on the traditional pineapple tart include taro blueberry, pandan and charcoal. And if you can’t decide, grab them all, we say! These traditional snacks are an unmissable part of any CNY celebration.
Ding Bakery, available online
4. Rebel With A Heart
Rebel With A Heart churns out indulgent carnivore-approved confections (made with only vegan ingredients) for CNY 2023. Check out delightful infusions like yuzu pineapple tarts, pistachio kuih kapit, and sea salt pepita almond brittle. Trust us, you’re gonna see a bunch of guests reaching for a second helping.
Rebel With A Heart, available online
5. Da Paolo Gastronomia
Love fusion treats? We’re obsessed with Da Paolo Gastronomia’s selection of Italian- and Asian-inspired CNY snacks. There’s fluffy White Rabbit bread, luscious butter cakes, house-baked cookies, and delectable nian gao croissant rolls to choose from. Our favourite has to be the coconut cornflake cookies – a spin on our local favourite cornflake cookies. They’re oh-so crunchy and delightful. Can’t decide what to get? We say get them all in Da Paolo’s CNY hampers that start at $88.
Da Paolo Gastronomia, available online
6. La Levain
La Levain is always pushing the limit with its bakes – and it really shows in the 2023 CNY snacks collection. Choose from an array of cookies that marry local inspirations with non-traditional ingredients. We’re looking forward to flavours like cacio e pepe, bobo chacha, and kimchi with parmigiano reggiano. Each batch is freshly handcrafted using premium ingredients, pure Australian and Danish butter, as well as reduced sugar.
La Levain, shop online and at Level B2, CNY Fair, Takashimaya Shopping Centre, 391 Orchard Road, Singapore 238872
7. Supernature
These everything-free, vegan CNY cookies from Supernature taste just as good (and maybe even better) than most cookies in Singapore. There’s something for everyone, whether you prefer your treats to be gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan or even diabetic-friendly. Pick out your favourite guilt-free CNY snacks from a mix of love letters, pineapple balls and cashew cookies. Our favourites? The crumbly, nutty almond cookies, and the uber-moist, golden pineapple tarts.
Supernature, shop on GrabMart or at #B1-05/09, Forum The Shopping Mall, 583 Orchard Road, Singapore 238884
8. Humble Bakery
Scones with a CNY twist? Yes, please. Humble Bakery’s delish artisanal Korean-style scones in assorted flavours will delight you this festive season. You’ve got to try the savoury bak kwa cheddar scones that come embellished with bits of salty-sweet barbecued pork and mature cheddar cheese. And don’t miss out on other standouts like paprika pork floss cookies and calamansi pineapple tarts.
Humble Bakery, #02-27, One Raffles Place, 1 Raffles Place, Singapore 048616
9. Lady M
Sanrio fans, this one is for you. Lady M has collaborated with the Japanese entertainment company to release a My Melody Lunar New Year Gift Set that’s oh-so-cute. Usher in the Year of the Rabbit on a sweet and adorable note with seasonal-exclusive bonbons in flavours like golden tangerine pearl and prosperous plum blossoms. You’ve also got to have a slice of the pineapple mille crepes cake – Lady M’s cake of the month. Think paper-thin layers of crepes alternated with a pineapple pastry creme, finished with a golden pineapple glaze, whipped cream ring and glistening white wine gelee. Delish!
Lady M, shop online and at multiple locations including Orchard Central and Jewel Changi Airport
10. Baker’s Brew
A homegrown store in love with all things sweet, Baker’s Brew ushers in Chinese New Year 2023 with its Peranakan Nostalgia collection. Five tins adorned with Peranakan motifs each, housing cookies in flavours such as ondeh ondeh (pandan-infused with gula melaka coconut filling), pineapple pillows, pineapple bak kwa, hae bee hiam and peanut almond. Put in your order before 25 December 2022 for 10% off.
Baker’s Brew, available online and at multiple locations including Great World City and Plaza Singapura
11. Mdm Ling Bakery
The bakers behind Mdm Ling are a trio of millennials, whipping up goodies such as pineapple tarts, love letters and butter cookies for Chinese New Year. Some of the more unusual treats include cranberry pineapple balls and seaweed chicken floss love letters. Cookies are also available in options like red velvet cheese, green pea and purple sweet potatoes.
Mdm Ling Bakery, available online
12. Kele
What started out as a little confectionery decades ago has since bloomed into a go-to brand for pineapple tarts. As usual, Kele doesn’t disappoint, with its rich variety of the iconic CNY tidbit in flavours like rose, tangerine, golden osmanthus, sweet potato, cheese and matcha. Whether you prefer yours flower-shaped or in golden-brown spheres, there’s something for everyone.
Kele, available online and at multiple locations including Smith Street and Jurong Food Hub
13. Whisking Bakes
So you’re a fan of yam? Head to Whisking Bakes for your fill of orh nee tarts this CNY. Think pineapple balls, but with creamy taro filling instead of tart pineapple. Inspired by the local dessert, the snack is 100% natural and made from scratch using fresh yam.
Whisking Bakes, available online and at #02-13, 1 Irving Place, Singapore 369546
14. Teaspoon of Love
We’ve gotta say, this bakery’s Earl Grey pineapple tarts are some of the best – hands down – we’ve ever had. It’s the perfect combination of buttery crust, not-too-sweet pineapple filling and subtle tea flavour. Every bite is so good, you’ll be wishing you ordered more. You can also get your fill of yuzu butter or sea salt dark chocolate cookies for extra goodness.
Teaspoon of Love, available online
15. Old Seng Choong
Known for its bakes inspired by local flavours, this homegrown brand takes its experimentation to the next level with unique CNY snacks. We’re looking at yuzu pineapple tarts, black truffle bak kwa and yuzu bak kwa to switch things up. You won’t be able to stop nibbling on these addictive creations.
Old Seng Choong, available online and at multiple locations including The Shoppes at Marina Bay Sands and Clarke Quay Central
16. Irvins
This snack brand gives prawn rolls a twist with hae bee hiam (spicy dried shrimp) that’s coated in salted egg. That means you get savoury, spicy goodness in every mouthful. While you’re at it, you might as well stock up on more addictive treats including fish head curry fish skin, chicken curry potato chips and Korean BBQ gyoza skin. Perfect for munching while watching your favourite CNY flick.
Irvins, available online and at multiple locations including Plaza Singapura and VivoCity
17. Janice Wong
Janice Wong is a name synonymous with fancy chocolate, and the local dessert maestro doesn’t disappoint with her offerings for the Year of the Rabbit. The iconic chocolate koi returns as a hand-painted beauty coated in single-origin dark chocolate and filled with praline feuilletine and popping candy. Don’t forget to load up on snacks like chocolate-coated pineapple balls, love letters with hazelnut dip, and smoky barbecue bak kwa and whiskey-flavoured bon bons.
Janice Wong, available online and at multiple locations including Paragon and Raffles City
18. SunnyHills
Famed for its pineapple cakes, this Taiwanese brand makes its signature treat with organically grown pineapples and all-natural ingredients. Besides that, it also offers apple cake tarts, banana waffle cookies and D24 durian love letters. How’s that for something different?
SunnyHills, available online and at multiple locations including Raffles Singapore and Takashimaya
19. Ollella
A pastry shop that never fails to put out fab seasonal creations, Ollella’s 2023 selection of CNY snacks includes unique flavours alongside classic ones. Want to go beyond its signature spiced kueh lapis? Try options such as the limited edition triple huat lapis that’s studded with salted egg yolk, chicken floss and chicken bak kwa. Almond cookies also come in vegan versions here. Or go for new tidbits such as jade ondeh balls (gula jawa-soaked coconut in pandan butter crust) and hebi hiam balls (rempah udang in buttery crust).
Ollella, available online and at 454 Race Course Road, Singapore 218697
Which unique CNY snacks are you most excited to try in 2023?
