Jiuniang Yuanzi

Jiuniang Yuanzi is Shanghai's favorite sweet treat — a warm, comforting dessert soup that's perfect for cold days. Tiny glutinous rice balls (yuanzi) are cooked in a sweetened broth made from jiuniang (fermented sweet rice, also called sweet wine rice). The broth is slightly thick, faintly alcoholic, and delicately sweet, with the floral aroma of osmanthus or jasmine. The rice balls are tiny — smaller than marble — and have a soft, chewy texture. Some versions include egg drop for extra richness.

📖 History

Fermented rice desserts have been enjoyed in Jiangnan for over a thousand years. The addition of glutinous rice balls (yuanzi) is a Shanghai-specific innovation from the early 1900s.