Wanna know what I discovered this Chinese New Year?  This Ridiculously Easy Homemade Nian Gao!

Love this homemade NianGao (年糕）Ridiculously easy and done in 3 simple steps. And homemade is always the best! Cause you control the type of sugar and more importantly the amount! 

Look at that texture!

What is NianGao?

NianGao (年糕) also known as Lunar New Year Cake is an important festive must-have snack in Chinese tradition. NianGao is typically sold and swooped up everywhere in the lead-up to the Chinese New Year celebration.

My “Year High” 迎春接福  rice cake for a prosperous year!

This Lunar New Year cake is meant to symbolise a sweet and prosperous year ahead since the steamed sweet rice cake in Mandarin (年糕）literally translates to “Year High” or bestowing upon all a successful, thriving and flourishing year. 

Love mine tossed in fresh coconut

And that’s why we must have it! I made it low sugar for my octogenarian mom and nonagenarian dad as they (especially mom) love NianGao but they cannot take too much sugar. Mom upon tasting my Nian Gao remarked “很好吃! 但可以再甜一点” … translate “Oh delicious! But it can be sweeter”. 

Haha that’s the whole point, I’m cutting your sugar Mama!! 😄😄 Glad I made my  Ridiculously Easy Homemade NianGao and my two treasures got to enjoy this healthy, yummy and low sugar Chinese New Year treat that they love. 

Healthy low sugar NianGao for my 2 treasures ❤️

Check out my step-by-step recipe tutorial 👇🏻👇🏻 and make this Ridiculously Easy Homemade NianGao for a wonderful prosperous 2025. Enjoy🈵 🈵 !

3 Easy Steps

This Ridiculously Easy Homemade NianGao comes together in 3 easy steps

Step # 1: Melt the sugar

Step # 2: Mix in the flour

Step # 3: Line, sieve and steam

WATCH HOW TO MAKE THIS!

If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here 😊

If you like my Ridiculously Easy Homemade NianGao, you may also like these other recipes:

• Pistachio Matcha Pineapple Tart
• My MIL’s Yummy Pineapple Tarts
• How to make your own Lohei (捞起）
• CNY Blessings Carrot Cake
• Easy Florentines, our favorite Chinese New Year snack
• Homemade Ba Kwa
• Grandpa’s Hainanese Mutton Soup (阿公的羊肉汤）
• Kaffir Lime Spiced Nuts
• Laksa Cookie

Notes

#1 Type of flour

I used rice flour and glutinous rice flour to make this homemade NianGao. One may ask – can it be made with one flour? Yes, you can also make it wholly with glutinous rice flour but the NianGao will be extremely gooey and I find it tends to stick when fried. Therefore I like to add a portion of rice flour so that that the NianGao fries up beautifully without sticking to the pan.

#2 Type of sugar & amount

The wonderful thing about making your own NianGao is that you can use any type of sugar you want. Some recipes even start with white sugar, caramelizing it to be that golden deep NianGao color. Others may add coconut milk in place of water to get a nice coco-nutty rice cake. For a simple recipe, I like to use dark brown sugar in my NianGao which immediately gives that golden deep hue without having to caramelize the sugar. 

Substitute coconut milk with coconut palm sugar

In place of coconut milk, I used coconut palm sugar for that coconut fragrance and nutty nuance. If you cannot get coconut palm sugar, the latter can be easily substituted with wholly brown or white sugar. I find using coconut palm sugar instead of coconut milk in my NianGao helps to preserve its longevity since foods with coconut milk typically do not last long especially when kept at room temperature. 

And did I mention the best thing about homemade NianGao is that you absolutely get to decide on how much sugar goes in? Experiment to see which level suits you best but my low sugar sweet spot? Sugar level content must be less than 1/3 of total ingredients!

#3 Stove or rice cooker?

NianGao needs to be steamed for ~ 2 hours to allow the rice flours to cook properly. I find it much easier to cook my NianGao in the rice cooker as the heat is even and fully enclosed and I absolutely do not need to watch it. For those without a rice cooker, you can also simply steam it on the stove over medium heat. Make sure to watch the fire and add water if the level runs low. Check timing and test for done-ness as the heat on the stove may be less evenly distributed. The NianGao is done when a skewer poked into it comes out clean. 

#4 Banana leaf, Yes or No?

NO for me 🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️

NianGao is typically sold steamed in banana leaf during the Lunar New Year.  So why not follow tradition and steam your NianGao wrapped in banana leaf? I tried at first to line my tin with banana leaf instead of parchment. A few reasons why it is a no-no for me after that experiment.

These need blanching in hot water & thorough cleaning

First, the banana leaves required an extra step of cleaning and blanching with hot water. Next the individual leaf is usually rectangular and not sufficiently wide to line the tin completely. Further the banana leaf tends to tear easily! As a result one needs to use numerous leaves (be it due to size or breakage) and line it several times to get it leak proof.  If the tin is not lined properly and several times over, the NianGao batter will leak and it all goes to pot after that.

& they tear so easily!

Which was what happened to yours truly when I attempted a banana leaf wrapped steamed NianGao. There was also no significant fragrance to the NianGao when steamed in banana leaf. So a lot of work with little return. Therefore the choice was clear … I chucked the leaf and just used parchment. Hassle free and instantly leak proof 👍🏻👍🏻

#5 The one thing I would do differently!

In this homemade NianGao, I lined my tin with parchment and added a cut paper plate to strengthen the base. This helps to create a stable base and hold especially when the NianGao is freshly steamed and extremely soft.

My beautiful NianGao perfectly set except …

My NianGao turned out beautifully and it would have been perfect except that part of the paper plate base still stuck to the NianGao even after we have greased it with a thin layer of oil before pouring in the batter.

The paper plate base stuck!

So what would I do differently? The next time I make this, I will make sure to cut an additional round parchment the same size as the base and place it over the paper plate base so that it is completely non-stick!

#6 Ways of eating NianGao

I love my NianGao warm and tossed in grated coconut topped with a generous pinch of salt (Yumz! 🤤). Some other popular ways of preparing include dipping slices of NianGao in egg and pan-frying them, or sandwiching NianGao between slices of yam and sweet potato, coating the bundles in batter and frying. Whichever way it is, if you like gooey delicious NianGao, they will all taste great!

Love NianGao, whichever way it is cooked!

#7 Storage

I usually keep my freshly made NianGao sealed in a container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. The texture will remain soft and gooey for the first day and we like to slice and eat it gooey and fresh that way. Beyond that, the NianGao will start to set and harden. Place the NianGao in the refrigerator, airtight in a sealed container and it can store well for 1-2 months. To consume, slice and steam or fry with batter and it will taste amazing. 

Truth be told, felt powerful making this.. cause I decide how much sugar!

Did you make this? I would love to know how it turned out. Tell me more!😊  Please leave me a comment or tag me on Instagram, FB hashtag #thesugarcrumble 

Print Recipe

Ridiculously Easy Homemade NianGao (年糕）

Love this homemade NianGao (年糕）Ridiculously easy and done in 3 simple steps. And homemade is always the best!

Prep Time15 minutes mins

Cook Time2 hours hrs

Total Time2 hours hrs 15 minutes mins

Course: Chinese New Year

Cuisine: Asian

Keyword: Lunar New Year Rice Cake, NianGao

Servings: 5 inch tin

Author: Kai

Ingredients

• 300 ml water
• 150 g coconut sugar
• 100 g dark brown sugar
• 100 g rice flour
• 200 g glutinous rice flour

Instructions

• Add the sugar, pandan leaf (optional) and water to a mid-sized pot and melt completely over medium heat。
• Remove from the stove and add in the two flours. Combine until the mixture is a smooth batter. Sieve to remove any lumps。
• Line a 5 inch tin with baking paper and cut paper plate base. To prevent sticking, line with another round cut parchment onto the paper plate base. Sieve in the NianGao batter and cover loosely with heatproof cling wrap. Steam on low heat for ~2 hours in the rice cooker or stove. The NianGao is done when a skewer poked into it comes out clean.
• Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. The NianGao will set/ harden as it cools. Once the NianGao is just warm, it should be perfectly soft and ready to be eaten fresh. Enjoy warm NianGao tossed in freshly grated coconut or store it once it has set hard and fry it with batter for a crisp and gooey treat as you like. Enjoy.

Video

Notes

If you like this recipe tutorial and like to see more, subscribe to my YouTube channel here 😊

 

3 Easy Steps

Step # 1: Melt the sugar

 

Step # 2: Mix in the flour

 

Step # 3: Line, sieve and steam

 

#1 Type of flour

I used rice flour and glutinous rice flour to make this homemade NianGao. One may ask - can it be made with one flour? Yes, you can also make it wholly with glutinous rice flour but the NianGao will be extremely gooey and I find it tends to stick when fried. Therefore I like to add a portion of rice flour so that that the NianGao fries up beautifully without sticking to the pan.

 

#2 Type of sugar & amount

The wonderful thing about making your own NianGao is that you can use any type of sugar you want. Some recipes even start with white sugar, caramelizing it to be that golden deep NianGao color. Others may add coconut milk in place of water to get a nice coco-nutty rice cake. For a simple recipe, I like to use dark brown sugar in my NianGao which immediately gives that golden deep hue without having to caramelize the sugar.

In place of coconut milk, I used coconut palm sugar for that coconut fragrance and nutty nuance. If you cannot get coconut palm sugar, the latter can be easily substituted with wholly brown or white sugar. I find using coconut palm sugar instead of coconut milk in my NianGao helps to preserve its longevity since foods with coconut milk typically do not last long especially when kept at room temperature.

And did I mention the best thing about homemade NianGao is that you absolutely get to decide on how much sugar goes in? Experiment to see which level suits you best but my low sugar sweet spot? Sugar level content must be less than 1/3 of total ingredients!

 

#3 Stove or rice cooker?

NianGao needs to be steamed for ~ 2 hours to allow the rice flours to cook properly. I find it much easier to cook my NianGao in the rice cooker as the heat is even and fully enclosed and I absolutely do not need to watch it. For those without a rice cooker, you can also simply steam it on the stove over medium heat. Make sure to watch the fire and add water if the level runs low. Check timing and test for done-ness as the heat on the stove may be less evenly distributed. The NianGao is done when a skewer poked into it comes out clean.

 

#4 Banana leaf, Yes or No?

NO for me 🙅🏻‍♀️🙅🏻‍♀️!

NianGao is typically sold steamed in banana leaf during the Lunar New Year.  So why not follow tradition and steam your NianGao wrapped in banana leaf? I tried at first to line my tin with banana leaf instead of parchment. A few reasons why it is a no-no for me after that experiment.

First, the banana leaves required an extra step of cleaning and blanching with hot water. Next the individual leaf is usually rectangular and not sufficiently wide to line the tin completely. Further the banana leaf tends to tear easily! As a result one needs to use numerous leaves (be it due to size or breakage) and line it several times to get it leak proof.  If the tin is not lined properly and several times over, the NianGao batter will leak and it all goes to pot after that.

Which was what happened to yours truly when I attempted a banana leaf wrapped steamed NianGao. There was also no significant fragrance to the NianGao when steamed in banana leaf. So a lot of work with little return. Therefore the choice was clear … I chucked the leaf and just used parchment. Hassle free and instantly leak proof 👍🏻👍🏻

 

#5 The one thing I would do differently!

In this homemade NianGao, I lined my tin with parchment and added a cut paper plate to strengthen  the base. This helps to create a stable base and hold especially when the NianGao is freshly steamed and extremely soft.

My NianGao turned out beautifully and it would have been perfect except that part of the paper plate base still stuck to the NianGao even after we have greased it with a thin layer of oil before pouring in the batter.

So what would I do differently? The next time I make this, I will make sure to cut an additional round parchment the same size as the base and place it over the paper plate base so that it is completely non stick!

 

#6 Ways of eating NianGao

I love my NianGao warm and tossed in grated coconut topped with a generous pinch of salt (Yumz! 🤤). Some other popular ways of preparing include dipping slices of NianGao in egg and pan-frying them, or sandwiching NianGao between slices of yam and sweet potato, coating the bundles in batter and frying. Whichever way it is, if you like gooey delicious NianGao, they will all taste great!

 

#7 Storage

I usually keep my freshly made NianGao sealed in a container at room temperature for 1 to 2 days. The texture will remain soft and gooey for the first day and we like to slice and eat it gooey and fresh that way. Beyond that, the NianGao will start to set and harden. Place the NianGao in the refrigerator, airtight in a sealed container and it can store well for 1-2 months. To consume, slice and steam or fry with batter and it will taste amazing.