Snack Attack: Explaining the Milk Skin Tanghulu Craze

If you've been out and about in any of Beijing's tourist areas or malls recently, or taken a scroll on Chinese social media, then you might have noticed that tanghulu has a brand new look! China's latest food craze, milk skin tanghulu 奶皮子糖葫芦 nǎi pízi tánghúlu, is a twist on the traditional street snack, which started off as a regional curiosity but has explosively crossed into the mainstream. So, just what is milk skin tanghulu, and why is it so popular? 

What Is It?

Milk skin, or 奶皮子 nǎi pízi, is a dairy product specialty from Inner Mongolia, where gently simmered milk is left to cool, creating a crisp, honeycomb-like skin on the surface. This new trend combines milk skin with traditional tanghulu, aka candied hawthorns, to create a snack that is both sweet and creamy, with a crisp texture from the tanghulu and a chewy texture from the milk skin. 

There are a few different varieties of milk skin tanghulu. The most common version simply adds a thin layer of milk skin to a classic tanghulu. Others will see the hawthorns, or other fruits like strawberries or grapes, sliced in half, and then cubes of thick, yogurt-like milk skin are sandwiched inside before the whole thing is coated in sugar. Then, there is the “all-in-one” version, which sees the fruit sliced in half and stuffed with milk skin and covered in sugar, after which another layer of milk skin is added. 

Why Has It Become Popular?

A big part of the craze is the combination of tradition and innovation. The fusion of two traditional foods gives consumers a fresh, exciting snack while also being rooted in authentic flavors. For many, milk skin tanghulu have become a symbol of how Beijing's old street snacks are being reinvented and rebranded for a generation that craves something classic but also trendy. 

However, as with any food craze, this isn't the only reason for its popularity. Retailers have also been using deliberate strategies like restricting each customer to only two sticks of milk skin tanghulu to create a feeling of scarcity. At the same time, many influencers and foodies have been posting photos and videos of long queues on social media along with “check-in guides” that give details like addresses for popular brands, business hours and the best time to avoid queues. 

Not everyone is swept up in the wave, though. With some trendy shops selling sticks of milk skin tanghulu for as much as RMB 98, compared to a classic stick, which costs around RMB 5-15, the inflated price has drawn a lot of criticism. The long queue times have also raised some eyebrows, with some netizens asking why anyone would wait so long for something that, at the end of the day, is just a tanghulu. 

While this trendy new snack may feel like a novelty this season, milk skin tanghulu's success suggests that other traditional snacks and lesser-known heritage foods could also become a viral sensation in the future. All it takes is the winning combination of regional uniqueness, visual appeal and social-media momentum, so keep your eyes peeled for the next big craze!

Milk Skin Tanghulu in Beijing

There are plenty of spots in Beijing where you can try this viral snack, such as popular tourist areas like Houhai and Nanluoguxiang, as well as in Beijing's many malls with several trendy brands joining the craze. Among some of the best-known are NIBU Yogurt, Friendly Crush, Gelegle, CozyCow and MOO Yogurt. More traditional brands like Lao Beijing Tanghulu and Jingxi Tanghulu have also jumped on the bandwagon. You can also check out this post by our sister account the Beijinger Chinese, for more recommendations.

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Images: the Beijingers, Xiaohongshu