19 Stunning Mooncake Recipes to Celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival

Mooncakes are synonymous with Mid-Autumn Festival (also known as the Moon Festival or Mooncake Festival), but really, they're so delicious that we wouldn't be surprised if you choose to make them all the time! Making and sharing mooncakes is one of the main traditions of this festival, and it's a family affair. Mooncakes are usually round in shape, symbolizing completeness and reunion in the Chinese culture. Thus, the sharing of round mooncakes amongst family members during the week of the festival signifies the completeness and unity of families.

Related: 25 Authentic Recipes to Celebrate Chinese New Year

When Is Mid-Autumn Festival 2024?

Saturday, September 17, 2024.

What Is a Mooncake?

Mooncakes, usually made of a rich paste filling surrounded by a thin crust, are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, while sipping tea and gazing upon the roundest, brightest moon of the year after the big family dinner. In some parts of China, mooncakes are traditionally made and consumed during the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival.

The most commonly known mooncake is the Cantonese-style mooncake, known for it’s golden, thin and soft crust with an intricate pattern. It is usually filled with a lotus paste, which is a sweet paste made with lotus seeds and egg yolks. The crust itself is made with simple flour, honey or golden syrup, baking soda, some oil and water. This combination is sweet, fragrant, slightly salty and delicious.

Where to Buy Mooncakes

Mooncakes are sold at local Chinese bakeries and online at retailers such as eatdomi.com and goldbelly.com, but they are usually only available in the weeks leading up to the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Best Mooncake Recipes

There's nothing better than making your own mooncakes at home though! So if you're a fan of mooncakes and want to make your own, we've compiled 19 unique flavor combinations for you to try! The recipes in this roundup take a basic mooncake recipe up a notch with chocolate, strawberry and matcha mooncakes—even a 2-Ingredient Vegan Mooncake.

Happy Mid-Autumn Festival! 中秋快乐!

<p>Catherine Zhang</p><p>How to make a classic mooncake with step-by-step instructions.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="/1266123/kavitharamaswamy/mid-autumn-festival-mooncakes/" data-ylk="slk:Classic Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Classic Mooncake</a></strong></p>

Catherine Zhang

How to make a classic mooncake with step-by-step instructions.

Get the recipe here: Classic Mooncake

<p>All Purpose Veggies</p><p>Just 2 ingredients are all you need to make these versatile vegan mooncakes (minus the filling): cashew butter and coconut flour.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://allpurposeveggies.com/9959/quick-and-easy-2-ingredient-vegan-mooncakes-recipe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:2-Ingredient Vegan Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">2-Ingredient Vegan Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>All Purpose Veggies</p><p>If you’re looking to upgrade your mooncakes to the next level, this chocolate hazelnut flavored Chocolate Mooncakes Recipe may be your answer. Made with just 3 ingredients, chocolate hazelnut spread (Nutella or Nutiva), coconut flour, and filling of choice, these delicious chocolate mooncakes take less than 30 minutes to make and bake!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://allpurposeveggies.com/10069/3-ingredient-nutella-chocolate-mooncakes-recipe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:3-Ingredient Nutella Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">3-Ingredient Nutella Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Anncoo Journal</p><p>This baked Chocolate Mooncake with Ferrero Rocher wrapped in the center is the perfect example of east-meets-west fusion.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://www.anncoojournal.com/chocolate-mooncake-with-ferrero-rocher/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Chocolate Ferrero Rocher Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Catherine Zhang</p><p>Soft and slightly chewy snow skin filled with creamy custard and a fresh tangy strawberry. These no-bake strawberry snow skin mooncakes are perfect for this Mid-Autumn Festival!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://zhangcatherine.com/strawberry-snowskin-mooncakes/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Strawberry Snowskin Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Strawberry Snowskin Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Delightful Plate</p><p>The filling in this recipe is the Vietnamese traditional one with mixed nuts, candied fruits, and cooked meat and is a unique variation on the otherwise sweet mooncake recipes!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://delightfulplate.com/vietnamese-mooncakes-banh-trung-thu/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Vietnamese Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Vietnamese Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Enticing Desserts</p><p>These Chocolate Nutella Jelly Mooncakes are addicting, that’s for sure, especially if you love Nutella. They are a cooling yummy dessert that you can serve anytime.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://enticingdesserts.com/chocolate-nutella-jelly-mooncakes/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Nutella Jelly Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Nutella Jelly Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Food is a Four Letter Word</p><p>Quick and easy NO-BAKE mooncake recipes for when you have little time and are in the mood for a quick sweet!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://foodisafourletterword.com/recipe/easy-no-bake-mooncake-recipe-using-vanilla-joe-joes-or-oreos/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:No Bake Strawberry Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">No Bake Strawberry Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Ghoul at Heart</p><p>This cake isn’t just stunningly gorgeous, it’s a deliciously dreamy combination of orange zest, cinnamon and vanilla which flavors the cake and the simple syrup. Double delicious.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://ghoulatheart.com/blood-moon-cake/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Blood Orange Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Blood Orange Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Honest Food Talks</p><p>You're getting 5 kinds of delicious filled-mooncake recipes in one!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/mooncake-recipe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:5 Types of Mooncakes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">5 Types of Mooncakes</a></strong></p>
<p>Honest Food Talks</p><p>Snow skin mooncake is rapidly overtaking traditional mooncakes as the dessert of choice during the Mid-Autumn Festival. With its smooth snow-like texture and pleasantly sweet fillings, this Chinese traditional snack is a popular make-at-home snack!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://www.honestfoodtalks.com/snow-skin-mooncake-recipe/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Snowskin Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Snowskin Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Lizzy Loves Food</p><p>A chocolate brownie into the middle of a crispy shortbread cookie on the outside!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://lizzylovesfood.com/mooncake-recipe-made-of-brownies-shortbread/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Brownie Shortbread Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Brownie Shortbread Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Miss Chinese Food</p><p>A mooncake filled with fresh and sweetened mango pulp! Quite unbeatable!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://misschinesefood.com/mango-coconut-snowy-mooncake/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Mango Coconut Snowskin Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Mango Coconut Snowskin Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Omnivore's Cookbook</p><p>The snow skin mooncake is made with a tender and fragrant mochi wrapper and a creamy custard filling. This recipe does not require special ingredients that are hard to find and you can get everything online if you don’t live close to an Asian market. It’s the perfect recipe to celebrate Mid-Autumn Festival.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://omnivorescookbook.com/snow-skin-mooncake-custard/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Snowskin Mooncake with Custard Filling;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Snowskin Mooncake with Custard Filling</a></strong></p>
<p>Rice n Flour</p><p>A traditional baked mooncake skin, but spruced up with the ever so popular matcha!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="http://www.ricenflour.com/recipe/how-to-make-matcha-mooncake-with-red-bean-filling/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Matcha Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Matcha Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>Tash Cakes</p><p>Make mini moocakes stuffed with a sticky sweet blueberry filling</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://www.tashcakes.com/2019/08/blueberry-cheesecake-mooncakes-with.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Blueberry Cheesecake Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Blueberry Cheesecake Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>The Flavor Flow</p><p>You can never go wrong with Ferrero Rocher! This mooncake is stuffed with the famous hazelnut chocolate and is delicious!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://www.theflavorflow.com/ferrero-rocher-brownie-mooncakes/" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Ferrero Rocher Mooncake;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Ferrero Rocher Mooncake</a></strong></p>
<p>What to Cook Today</p><p>Black Sesame seeds and peanuts add a nutty texture and flavor to this exotic mooncake.</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://whattocooktoday.com/black-sesame-peanuts-snow-skin-mooncake.html" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Black Sesame Mooncakes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Black Sesame Mooncakes</a></strong></p>
<p>Baker Starters</p><p>Berry explosion happening right here! Get these delicious Triple Berry Mooncakes now!</p><p><strong>Get the recipe here: <a href="https://bakestarters.com/products/triple-berry-rose-snowskin-mooncakes-cookies-cream-snowskin-mooncakes" rel="nofollow noopener" target="_blank" data-ylk="slk:Triple Berry Mooncakes;elm:context_link;itc:0;sec:content-canvas" class="link ">Triple Berry Mooncakes</a></strong></p>

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