15 delicious Hari Raya goodies to look forward to this year

This year, Singapore’s Muslim community will be celebrating Hari Raya Puasa from Sunday (25 June), and many will be visiting relatives and friends, feasting on traditional dishes such as sambal goreng, lontong and rendang, as well as delectable cookies and cakes.

Such cookies and shortcakes are typically arranged in fancy air-tight bottles and displayed on several coffee tables around the living room, with an almost endless variety to choose from.

From the traditional makmur and dahlia cookies, to the ones with a modern twist such as Snickers Swiss Rolls and Nutella Tarts, going through a house’s cookie collection during Hari Raya is almost like playing with Kinder Surprise.

Ahead of Hari Raya this weekend, we look at some of the more popular and well-loved goodies that will be welcoming visitors at homes this year. If you have more to add to the list, drop us a comment in the section below.

1. Tapak Kuda (Horse-shoe) cake

The Tapak Kuda has a layer of soft cake made with the filling of one’s choice, typically Nutella or hazel paste filling. The fold of the cake makes it looks like a horse-shoe, hence the name. It is made with typical cake ingredients, as well as Nutella and Chocolate Emulco.

2. Dahlia biscuit

Dahlia biscuits, also known as custard butter cookies, are a household favourite. The name of the cookie comes from the swirls that makes it look like the Dahlia flower. With its sweet and buttery taste, you may feel like you’re biting on a flower, especially with the way it melts in your mouth. The ingredients include custard powder, food colouring, and red cherries to enhance the look of the cookie.

3. Golden Syrup Cornflakes cookies

Cornflakes on their own taste good enough, but cornflakes as cookies are definitely better. Another household favourite, the cornflakes can be made with butter and sugar or maple syrup. The clumps of cornflakes are topped with rainbow toppings or cherries, for decoration purposes. Baked to a crisp golden colour, these cookies are as delicious as they look.

4. Makmur cookies

Makmur, meaning ‘prosperous’ in Malay, is a peanut cookie made with ghee, a kind of butter originating from the Indian subcontinent. Covered in milk and powdered sugar coating, this is another treat that melts in your mouth. For those allergic, take note, as this cookie has peanuts in its ingredients.

5. Sugee cookies

Sugee cookies, yet another that melt in your mouth, are small disks of light golden cookies made with ghee and icing sugar. The cookies are light and crumbly, which allows them to crumble deliciously in your mouth.

6. Snickers/Kinder Bueno/ Mars Bar/Kit Kat Swiss Rolls

If the usual Swiss Rolls are not to your liking and you’re looking for different variations, perhaps you’ll see them this Hari Raya. Swiss Rolls made with chocolate bars like Snickers, Kinder Bueno, Mars and Kit Kat are popular during Hari Raya. The softness of the rolls mixed with the crunch of the chocolate bars is perhaps one reason why they’re so well-loved.

7. Batik cake

As you’d expect from the name, Batik Cake looks like the batik print when it’s sliced. Its rich and delicious flavour contributes to it being a household favourites. It also does not require baking, only preparation and freezing. It can be made with biscuits, malt chocolate powder, butter and condensed milk. Variations can be made by adding cocoa powder or nuts to give it more flavour.

8. Semperit (Butter) cookies

Semperit Cookies are another traditional delight, made of butter, custard powder, and icing sugar along with the usual cookie ingredients. To give it a different taste, there is also another version made with orange paste to give it a sharp citrus flavour.

9. Maple Syrup Butter Cookies

Butter cookies seldom go wrong with their perfect blend of sweetness and saltiness. Especially not one that also includes maple syrup as an ingredient. Another cookie with swirls, the Maple Syrup Butter Cookies look similar to stars, and jars of them can also be commonly found on tabletops during the festival.

10. Marble Cookies

The array of goodies found during Hari Raya can be spiced up with this pinkish, swirly cookie. Marble prints never go wrong, and that goes the same for cookies. These come in a rich chocolate flavour, and are made with cocoa powder, flour, butter, icing sugar, and melted chocolate for that savoury taste.

11. Fig and Hazelnut Pinwheels

Peanuts lovers, these are for you. Besides tasting crunchy and sweet, the pinwheel-shaped cookies also gives your arrangement of goodies a new twist with its modern-looking twirl. As the name suggests, this treat includes hazelnuts, figs, maple syrup, coconut oil and a bit of orange zest.

12. Pineapple Tart

One of the age old occupants of the tabletop during the festivities, you can be sure to count on the pineapple tart to give you that sweet taste of nostalgia if modern goodies are not your cup of tea. Sweet and tasty, pineapple tarts are made of pineapple, flour, and eggs.

13. Oatmeal Chocolate-Chip Cookie

Keep it healthy (to a certain extent) with this oatmeal-based chocolate chip cookie. The mix of the oatmeal and chocolate chips makes you feel like you’re eating breakfast in one bite. Ingredients include instant oatmeal and chocolate chips.

14. Love Letter

Love Letters, like Pineapple Tarts, are goodies you can depend on. These brown strips of thin coconut wafers are sweet and crunchy. Ingredients include coconut milk, eggs, rice flour and glutinous rice flour.

15. Nutella Tart

A breakaway from the traditional pineapple tart, this cookie is made with Nutella. The peanut-base mixed with the crunchy tart creates a smooth blend of flavours bursting in your mouth.

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