With this year being the first CNY without group size limit since like forever, you should be itching to impress your in-laws and visitors with some unique CNY goodies.
You can check out this article to buy unique CNY goodies in Singapore, but what’s even more unique than making them yourself?
And if you have but don’t want to impress them, you can still make them for your personal consumption.
Here are ten easy CNY goodies you can DIY at home and feed your ever-growing tummy.
Step-By-Step Ways to Cook 10 Popular CNY Cookies in Singapore
Cornflakes Cookies (no bake)
Because I’m lazy like that, I love ‘no bake’ recipes. I’m sure you’re reading this because you want an easy way out.
What you need:
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- 1/2 cup of corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup of peanut butter
- cornflakes (original or chocolate)
Steps:
Dump the first four ingredients into a pan and melt the sugar over medium heat.
Once done, pour your cornflakes over mixture and stir until they are fully coated. Lastly, divide them into small portions and place them on parchment paper to cool.
Remember to put them in the fridge so they’ll last longer.
Honey Cornflakes Cookies
What you need:
- 90g of salted butter
- 90g of honey
- cornflakes (original or chocolate)
Steps:
Melt the first two ingredients over medium heat. Bring to a boil and turn off heat. Once done, pour your cornflakes over mixture and stir until they are fully coated.
Lastly, place them into mini cupcake paper cases and bake for 5 to 7 minutes.
Fried Crabsticks
This has gone viral in TikTok, but before it got TikTok-famous, people were actually frying them. Surprising that life actually went on before TikTok, eh?
What you need:
- crabsticks (peeled)
- a pot of oil
Steps:
Peel the crabsticks into small and long pieces, then fry them. It’s that simple.
If you have an air fryer, lagi best. Just remember to coat the crabstick with oil.
Pork / Chicken Floss Spring Roll
Ah, the popular floss spring roll that looks hard to cook, but is as easy as fried crabsticks.
What you need:
- Spring roll skin/wrappers
- Pork/chicken floss
Steps:
Cut the wrappers into small pieces and place the floss on it.
Wrap, roll and fry. Drain the oil and serve.
Seaweed Dried Cuttlefish Baked Rolls
What you need:
- seaweed
- dried cuttlefish
- egg white (you can actually buy egg white instead of getting the typical eggs)
Steps:
Cut a into small pieces. Fold the dried cuttlefish into a desirable size and wrap with a. Stick the ends by ending a little of egg white. Bake for 15 minutes, and you’re done.
Fried Lotus Root
What you need:
- lotus root
- vinegar water
- flour, potato starch, water & salt
- a pot of oil
Steps:
Soak the lotus root in vinegar water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain and place your paper towel to remove water. Mix flour, potato starch, water and salt well until the batter runs smooth. Place lotus roots into batter and fry. Drain the oil and serve.
Chinese Almond Cookies
What you need:
- 1 & 1/4 cups of flour
- 3/4 cup of cane sugar
- 2 tablespoons of milk powder
- 3/4 tablespoon of baking powder
- 3/4 tablespoon of salt
- 1 tablespoon of almond extract
- 1/2 an egg
- 1/2 cup of unsalted butter
Steps:
Place the first five ingredients in a bowl and mix. Then add the last three ingredients in and knead into a dough. Cling-wrap it and chill. After that, divide, roll into balls and flatten it on a baking pan.
Smear the top with some egg mix and add your preferred nuts (doesn’t have to be almond, but almonds are healthy lah). Bake for 12 to 15 minutes.
Taiwanese Pineapple Cakes / Tarts
What you need:
- 1 stick of unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup of powdered sugar
- a pinch of salt
- 1 teaspoon of baking powder
- 1/4 cup of milk powder
- 1 egg
- 1 & 1/4 cups of flour
- Pineapple filling (buy ready-made ones, like this)
Steps:
Mix the butter and sugar first. Then add in all int ingredients except the pineapple filling in the final step. Knead into a dough. Divide accordingly, roll into balls and flatten it.
Add in pineapple filling (don’t eat it, because trust it: it’ll tempt you), roll into balls and place them on a baking pan. Bake each side for 10 minutes.
Persimmon Almond Thumbprint Cookies
What you need:
- persimmons
- cane sugar & lemon juice
- almond flour
- a pinch of salt & baking soda
- coconut oil, honey and 1 egg
Steps:
To make the top filling, grind the persimmons in a blender. Pour the puree into a pot, add in cane sugar and lemon juice, and simmer for 10 to 15 minutes. Let it cool and put aside.
Mix salt, baking soda, coconut oil, honey and an egg, then sift.
Knead into a dough, divide accordingly, roll into balls and flatten on a baking pan. Add some persimmon puree on top and bake for 12 to 15 minutes until golden brown.
Love Letters
Single and ready to mingle? Making this and giving it to someone might be the ticket.
What you need:
- 4 eggs & sugar
- coconut milk
- rice & all-purpose flour
Steps:
Whisk eggs and sugar in bowl. Add coconut into the bowl and mix well. Sift in rice and flour and stir till the batter is smooth and runny. Strain the batter and set it aside for at least one hour.
The mixture is ready, but you will need a ‘love letter’ maker for the final product.
If you don’t have one, just improvise and try making it with a waffle maker (that is if you have one).
Now that you’re done, here’s a trick: you can easily replace sugar with other healthier choices, and certain flour with healthier choices, too.
That’ll make your CNY goodies healthy, and that isn’t an oxymoron anymore!
You’re welcome!