Located on the ground floor corner of the People’s Court off Cintra Street, Leong Chee Kee Biscuits is known for its traditional Cantonese wedding biscuits. Set up by Leong Chee Kee, the business has since been taken over by his son Leong How Keng, who is a passionate baker.

The shop is abuzz with activity early morning, with Leong How Keng busy preparing the Chinese snacks and biscuits in the small kitchen counter of the old shop. He bakes two or three varieties of tart and biscuit at the same time. They filled the surrounding place with a wonderful aroma.

The Coconut Tarts, Khay Nui Ko/Gai Dan Go (egg cakes) and Hup Toh Soe (Chinese walnut cookie) and the Hor Chiu Piah (pepper biscuit) are just a few of the many items that this bakery is famous for.

The Coconut Tart is makes delicious use of grated coconut, based on a recipe from the founder and is not overly sweet. The tart is just awesome, with a layered dough base and a filling of moist sugared grated coconut. Since no preservatives are added, the tarts are best eaten fresh. It is best to order in advance as the owner only bakes 300 pieces per day.

The Kay Nui Kou/Gai Dan Go is a healthy delicious cake with a pronounced egg flavour. When I was a child my grandma used to make this cake for me. Back then, the eggs were beaten with a hand whisk. Leong How Keng had the eggs beaten to a light and airy texture with an electric mixer and baked in two different shaped moulds – flower and seed shape. They puff up beautifully. The larger flower shape Kay Nui Kou commonly comes with melon seeds sprinkled over the top. The egg cake tastes almost exactly like those I had from grandma. They are a little sweet and very good with a hot cup of kopi-o.

The aromatic Hup Toh So (Chinese walnut cookie) is equally worth trying. This crispy cookie with walnut as its main ingredient has a wonderful flavour. Baked with crumbly texture and lightness, they are sold in a pre-packed of five pieces.

If you’re looking for traditional Cantonese wedding biscuits, Leong Chee Kee Biscuits is the place for you. The round Yellow and Red Bridal Biscuits come with not overly-sweet fillings of lotus seed paste and red bean paste. The crust has the double happiness Chinese character printed on them and are packed in boxes with the same character – perfectly suited for the auspicious occasion!

Amongst all the many types of cookies, tarts and cakes, another item that is worth mentioning is the savoury Hor Chiu Piah (pepper biscuits). For those who aren’t familiar with this biscuit, it apparently has the pattern of the Swiss roll. These light crunchy pieces, with layers of black and white rolls taste fantastic; hints of pepper and cinnamon flavour linger after each bite. They can be kept in an airtight jar and stored for a few months.

For a bite of classic Chinese traditional biscuits and pastry with old school flavour, do drop by Leong Chee Kee Biscuits. They are great gifts for family and friends! The shop is open daily from 10am till 6pm and closes on Sunday.

Leong Chee Kee Biscuits
8-C People’s Court
Lebuh Campbell
10100 Penang, Malaysia

Tel: +60 04 2639487