The specialties of Heze, Shandong include: Caozhou Geng cake, Chenji yam, Heze dough sculpture, Caozhou sesame cake, peony cake, etc.

1. Caozhou Geng Cake

Geng Cake, also known as Caozhou Mirror Persimmon, is a traditional local snack in Heze, Shandong Province. It is produced in Heze because Heze was called Caozhou in ancient times and Gengzhuang produces persimmons. Named for its best flavor, Caozhou Geng Pancake is said to have a production history of thousands of years. It was famous throughout the country as early as the Ming Dynasty and was listed as a tribute to the imperial court.

2. Chenji yam

Chenji yam is a specialty of Chenji Town, Dingtao District, Heze City, Shandong Province, and a national geographical indication product of China. Chenji yam is named "chicken skin rough yam" because its body surface has rough spots that look like chicken skin hair follicles, which resemble chicken skin. It is also known as "chicken skin rough yam" because of its hard texture, sufficient powderiness, long-term cooking, and difficulty in breaking. The sonorous sound earned it the name "iron stick yam".

3. Heze Dough Sculpture

Heze Dough Sculpture is a traditional plastic art, a Chinese folk handicraft that is simple to make but highly artistic. Dough sculptures are commonly known as dough kneaders. They use fine wheat flour and glutinous rice flour as the main raw materials, add appropriate pigments, and knead them into doughs of different colors. They are steamed in a pot and added with appropriate amounts of antiseptic, anti-moth, and anti-desiccant agents.

4. Caozhou Shaobing

Caozhou Shaobing is one of the famous folk delicacies in southwestern Shandong Province. It is round like the moon, red in color and yellow in the middle, charred on the outside and tender on the inside, crispy and delicious. Wheat flour is selected, and after mixing, fermenting, plated, kneading and other processes, the oily pulp made of sesame oil, salt, pepper, fennel noodles and other condiments is pressed on the flat bag, and then cut on the edge of the flower plate and coated with a layer of oil. It is made with a thin layer of sugar, sprinkled with sesame seeds on the surface, and baked in the oven.

5. Peony Cake

Peony Cake is also called "Baihua Cake" and "Peony Cake". Types include Heze Peony Cake and Luoyang Peony Cake. Peony cake is made of bean flour as the main ingredient, mashed with rice, and steamed into a cake. It is also topped with selected peas, red beans, red dates, full-fat milk powder, custard powder, etc., and the filling is supplemented by carefully brewed Baked peony petals.