Chinese New Year is a time for joy and family. Food plays a big role in this celebration. Desserts, especially, are loved by everyone. Sweet treats symbolize happiness and prosperity.
Traditional Chinese desserts are simple and meaningful. They use ingredients like rice, sesame, and red bean. These ingredients represent good luck and blessings.
Making these desserts is easy and fun. You can share them with family or friends. Below are 15 Easy Chinese New Year Dessert Recipes you can try this Chinese New Year.
1. Sweet Sticky Rice Cake (Nian Gao)
Ingredients:
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup water
Instructions:
Mix sugar and water in a pot. Heat until dissolved. Slowly add the rice flour, stirring well. Pour into a greased pan. Steam for 40 minutes. Cool and slice before serving.
2. Sesame Seed Balls (Jian Dui)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- 1/2 cup red bean paste
- 1/4 cup sesame seeds
Instructions:
Shape dough into small balls. Stuff with red bean paste. Roll in sesame seeds. Fry in hot oil until golden brown. Drain and cool.
3. Egg Custard Tarts
Ingredients:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions:
Mix flour and butter to make dough. Shape into tart shells. Mix eggs, sugar, and milk for custard. Fill shells with custard and bake at 350°F for 20 minutes.
4. Red Bean Soup
Ingredients:
- 1 cup red beans
- 4 cups water
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions:
Boil beans in water until soft. Add sugar and simmer. Serve warm or chilled.
5. Almond Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1 egg yolk
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients into a dough. Shape into small cookies. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
6. Steamed Sponge Cake
Ingredients:
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions:
Beat eggs and sugar until fluffy. Fold in flour gently. Pour into a mold and steam for 30 minutes.
7. Mango Pudding
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mango puree
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet gelatin
Instructions:
Mix mango, milk, and sugar. Dissolve gelatin in warm water. Combine everything and pour into molds. Chill until set.
8. Sesame Peanut Candy
Ingredients:
- 1 cup peanuts
- 1/2 cup sesame seeds
- 1/2 cup sugar
Instructions:
Toast peanuts and sesame seeds. Melt sugar in a pan. Mix with peanuts and sesame. Press into a flat tray and cool. Cut into pieces.
9. Fortune Cookies
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup flour
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 2 egg whites
- 1/4 tsp vanilla
Instructions:
Mix all ingredients to make a batter. Spread thin circles on a baking sheet. Bake at 350°F for 8 minutes. Fold with fortunes inside.
10. Coconut Milk Jelly
Ingredients:
- 1 cup coconut milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 packet gelatin
Instructions:
Heat coconut milk and sugar. Dissolve gelatin in warm water. Combine and pour into molds. Chill until firm.
11. Sweet Rice Balls (Tang Yuan)
Ingredients:
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 cup sweet sesame filling
Instructions:
Knead flour and water into a dough. Shape into balls with filling. Boil in water until they float. Serve in syrup.
12. Chinese Pineapple Pastry
Ingredients:
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup pineapple jam
Instructions:
Mix flour and butter into a dough. Wrap jam with dough. Shape into small squares. Bake at 350°F for 15 minutes.
13. Lotus Seed Paste Buns
Ingredients:
- 2 cups flour
- 1/2 cup lotus seed paste
- 1/2 cup milk
Instructions:
Make dough with flour and milk. Divide and stuff with lotus paste. Steam buns for 15 minutes.
14. Fried Milk Custard
Ingredients:
- 1 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/4 cup breadcrumbs
Instructions:
Mix milk, sugar, and cornstarch. Heat until thick. Chill, cut, and coat in breadcrumbs. Fry until golden.
15. Honeycomb Cake
Ingredients:
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup coconut milk
- 1 cup tapioca flour
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
Instructions:
Dissolve sugar in coconut milk. Mix with flour and baking soda. Pour into a pan and steam for 40 minutes.
Conclusion
These desserts are perfect for Chinese New Year celebrations. They’re easy, tasty, and bring good luck. Share them with loved ones for a joyful holiday. Happy Chinese New Year!