It is no secret to close family and friends that my favourite aspect of Chinese New Year is the array of mouth-watering traditional pastries and cookies. Not only is my house filled with said goodies, but you will also most likely find me tucked away in the corner of my relatives’ house munching on the aromatic pastries whenever my family visits them during Chinese New Year. While there are too many goodies to choose from, my top three are most definitely the buttery pineapple tarts, crumbly kueh bangkit and crunchy love letters.
While this isn’t the first year that we are celebrating Chinese New Year in the midst of COVID, it goes without saying that many people, including home-bakers, have been affected badly by the pandemic. Below is a list of home-bakeries who are selling these traditional bakes, including halal and vegan options that you can purchase from!
BakingwithGina
For some, this name might be familiar as this home baker has been featured on the magazine, 8Days, for her sourdough-related bakes. While her Abundance Cookie Tub and Classic Butter Cookies are no longer available this Chinese New Year, her Valrhona Chocolate Cookies and Prosperity Pineapple Tart are still on sale! Priced at $15.90 and $20.90 respectively, these delectable treats are sure to put a smile on your face.
Website: https://www.bakingwithgina.com
To order: https://www.bakingwithgina.com/artisanalbakes
A Little Bakery
Type in ‘A Little Bakery’ on Instagram, you will find this humble home baker selling Pineapple Tarts and Almond Florentine this Chinese New Year. Unlike the normal open-faced pineapple tarts, these are shaped in a ball. A review on Instagram by @jarylzhangjs notes that the tarts are buttery, soft and crumbly while the almond florentine is not only crunchy and chewy but also generous with its almonds, pumpkin seeds as well as black and white sesame! Moreover, the price range is affordable with the Pineapple Tarts priced at $14 and the Almond Florentine at $12.
Instagram: alittlebakery_
To order: DM to order through instagram
Hipposnacks
If you are looking for crunchy Chinese New Year snacks, look no further as Hipposnacks is here to satisfy your cravings! Specialising in Snow Popiah Skin and Zai Er, this home baker received great reviews as linked on their Instagram stories. A bottle of Snow Popiah Skin goes for $20 and a bottle of Zai Er goes for $15.
Instagram: hipposnacks
To order: DM to order through instagram
Mrbakkwa Delights (Halal)
Owned by a Muslim family in Singapore, they specialise in preparing meat jerky using halal ingredients, such as chicken, beef and mutton. For all three meat options, you can choose between original, chilli or black pepper flavours. Moreover, you have the option of ordering a small or medium bottle. The variety in sizes allow you to purchase the small bottle if you are not ready to commit to the medium bottle. For the chicken and beef options, the small bottle is $12 while the medium is $25. For the mutton, it is slightly more expensive with the small at $15 and the medium at $30. Do note that they are taking orders for 5 March which is past Chinese New Year.
Instagram: mrbakkwa
To order: PM or Whatsapp at 98848437
SweetDyels SG (Halal)
If you’re on the hunt for halal pineapple tarts, you have come to the right spot! While SweetDyels does pastries such as cheesecake, brownies and their well-known cinnamon rolls, they too offer pineapple tarts. At $20 for their medium jars and $27 for their big jars, be sure to grab them now before they run out! For reviews please do check out their Instagram stories.
Instagram: sweetdyels_sg
To order: Click the order form on their instagram bio
LilacOak (Vegan)
Though on the slightly pricier side, LilacOak sells vegan Chinese New Year goodies. Though their pineapple tarts are no longer available on their Lunar New Year Menu, the good news is that their Oat Crunch Cookies and Peanut Butter Tea Cookies are still up for grabs. A bottle of Oat Crunch Cookies contains about 38 bite-sized pieces while a bottle of Peanut Butter Tea Cookies has about 26 bite-sized pieces. For cookie lovers, the former is priced at $18 while the latter is at $16.
Instagram: lilac.oak
To order: Order through the form posted on their Instagram bio
X.bakes (Vegan)
While they are lesser-known compared to the other home bakeries listed here, according to their website , X.bakes sells vegan rose pineapple tarts. Given that Valentine’s Day is around the corner too, order their rose pineapple tarts as a unique and timely gift for your loved ones this Chinese New Year! Priced at $12 per tub which contains about 21-25 pieces, grab yours now!
Instagram: x.bakes
To order: WhatsApp to 86120043
While the list is not exhaustive, these are some of the home-bakers you can order from! Definitely give them a try and most importantly let us support each other during these trying times!