These adorable hamster-shaped monaka will make a great gift, or maybe just a snack for yourself

Plus, they’re super customizable!

Japan has no shortage of delicious traditional sweets, and one of the most popular is the monaka. A sandwich-style sweet composed of red bean paste between two wafers, this simple but tasty treat is a classic of Japanese confections.

The simplicity of the design also lends itself to being easily turned into cute shapes, as evidenced by the adorable hamster-shaped monaka from 129-year-old Kyoto Confectionary Aoki Kouetsudo.

These super-cute monaka snacks are designed in collaboration with Kyoto-based product design company 2ji. They’re the build-it-yourself kind–which is best because that keeps the wafer nice and crispy until the moment you’re ready to eat it. In one set you get six packets of anko red bean paste, six individual hamster-shaped monaka wafers, and one package of nuts, so that each hamster can hold one.

They’re really easy to make. You simply put the anko inside the wafer shell, cover it with the top…

Then place your choice of nut in the little dip in the hamster’s belly, and it’s ready!

The hamster design of the wafers is super well done, from the eyes to the ears and even the puffy cheek pouches. And with its little nut clutched in its paws, its fat little bottom, and its tiny feet, it is unbelievably cute!

The best thing is you can design your hamster monaka however way you want. For one, you can change the filling. For example, adding cream cheese to the red bean paste makes for an extra-decadent treat!

You can also switch out the nuts for dried fruits, candy, or anything else that suits your fancy.

You can use a chocolate pen or icing to decorate your hamster…

And you can even use the monaka itself as a topping for a more complex dessert! Here it is on top of a bowl of oshiruko sweet bean and mochi soup. The sight of it sitting all tubby on top of the bowl is too cute for words.

The packaging is also adorable, which makes this set a great gift for someone. It costs just 1,620 yen (US$14), a fairly reasonable price.

You can get it on Aoki Kouetsudo’s online shop, but it’s already sold out for the month of December. It’s scheduled to come back in stock at the end of January, so if you want to get your hands on a set, check the website in about a month. And if you like monaka in unique shapes, make sure you check out the toilet-shaped monaka!

Source, images: PR Times
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