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| Boilerpipe Text | The Mid Autumn Festival is a time I look forward to every year because I get to make and eat mooncakes! These beautiful rich cakes are filled with a sweet lotus paste and salted duck eggs. It is definitely a time intensive process to make this mooncake recipe, but the results make it worth it in the end. Included in this recipe are all the tips and tricks you need to successfully make your mooncakes at home!
Every year I look forward to the Mid Autumn Festival because it is the only time of the year I get to eat mooncakes! Growing up I had a love hate relationship with mooncakes. There was a point when I was younger where I didn’t like them at all because I thought they were too rich and sweet. But as I got older, I learned to appreciate not only the flavor but also how beautiful they are.
There are so many different kinds of mooncakes these days with a variety of different flavors and textures, but the ones I remember most are the ones with lotus paste and salted egg. I didn’t always love the salted egg. I often opted for the ones with lotus paste only more often, so I thought I would create a recipe where you have the option to not use them.
How are my mooncakes different from traditional mooncakes
Traditionally, mooncakes are a rich cake filled with a sweet paste traditionally made with lotus seeds and a salty egg (typically a salty duck egg). However, they have evolved over the years and include unique fillings as well as no bake variations like
snow skin mooncakes
. They are some of the most beautiful pastries I have ever seen with gorgeous designs stamped to the top using special
mooncake molds
.
For my first mooncake recipe, I wanted to make something as close to the traditional ones I love most. I adapted this recipe from
Tasty’s mooncake recipe
. The biggest change I made was substituting honey for maltose. I couldn’t find maltose, so I thought honey would be a good substitute. This recipe gives you instructions on how to make mooncakes with or without the salted egg. Like I mentioned, I don’t always like the salted egg, so I thought it would be great to have an option to make these mooncakes without the egg. If you’re looking for a more modern version of mooncakes, I would recommend my
fig and pecan mooncakes
!
Soaking lotus seeds
Soaked lotus seeds
Some deets about key ingredients
Lotus Paste
You can make lotus paste from scratch or find ready to use lotus paste at the Chinese grocery store or on
Amazon
. If you choose to buy lotus paste, make sure you have about 210 grams of lotus paste for this recipe.
Dried lotus seeds
– This is the core ingredient for the paste, and they’re also pretty expensive. You can find them at most Asian grocery stores or online on
Amazon
.
Peanut oil
– This gives the lotus paste a subtle peanut flavor, and helps keep the paste moist. You can substitute peanut oil with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I personally recommend using peanut oil for the best flavor.
Honey
– I used honey as a substitute for maltose because it was more accessible than maltose. Use a high quality honey for the best results.
Mooncake Skin
Golden syrup
– This ingredient makes the mooncake skin soft and moist. It can be hard to find. Personally, I found mine at a store called World Market.
Peanut oil
– This gives the lotus paste a subtle peanut flavor, and helps keep the skin moist. You can substitute peanut oil with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I personally recommend using peanut oil for the best flavor.
Lye water
– This helps the mooncake with texture and gives it that signature brown colors. Do not substitute this ingredient.
Salted duck egg yolks
Salty duck eggs are for those people who like having the salty egg in the center. They have a very distinct salty, umami egg flavor. You can find salty duck eggs at most large Chinese grocery stores. There are also some places where you can order it online. An alternative is to use salted (chicken) egg yolks. I have tried using my homemade
salted chicken eggs
, and I loved the results!
Equipment you will need – important!
The equipment is essential to this recipe! You will need:
Mooncake molds
– These will stamp the pretty designs on top of the mooncakes. You can use either 50g or 100g molds. I used 50g molds. This recipe makes 10 50g mooncakes (with both lotus paste and salted eggs) or 4-5 100g mooncakes.
Kitchen scale
– DO NOT skip out on a kitchen scale. Mooncakes are made in either 50g or 100g molds, so it is important the weight of the ingredients equal the weight of your molds. This helps you get uniform mooncakes every time.
Lotus seeds before simmering
Pureed lotus seeds
How to make mooncakes
Making the lotus paste and mooncake skin
Soak dried lotus seeds overnight in water. The next day, drain the lotus seeds. Check and remove and green buds in the middle of the lotus seeds. Add them to a sauce pan with fresh water that just covers the lotus seeds. Simmer for 2 hours.
Once done simmering, blend the lotus seeds and water until it is a smooth texture. Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve back into a saute pan. Over medium heat, reduce the lotus mixture until it is 2/3 the original amount until it is as thick as a very thick soup. Add the peanut oil 1 tbsp at a time and stir after each tbsp is added.
Next, add the salt, sugar, and honey. Stir and flip the mixture constantly until it becomes a paste. The paste should be done once it starts to pull away from the pan and hold its shape. Set aside to cool in the fridge for at least an hour. While the paste is cooling, make the mooncake skin. Combine golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water in a small bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lotus paste
Weighing mooncake filling
Mooncake skin wrapped around the lotus paste
Mooncake skin with lotus paste in the middle
Forming the mooncakes
Once the ingredients are cool, take out your ingredients. This should include your salty eggs, lotus paste, and mooncake skin dough. Using a scale, weigh out the ingredients for each mooncake. Place the egg and some lotus paste on the scale. Combined, they should weigh 30 grams. If you are using only lotus paste as a filling, use 30g of lotus paste. Adjust the amount of lotus paste if both weigh more or less than 30 grams. Add some mooncake skin dough to the scale or vice versa The total weight of all 3 ingredients should be 50 grams. Adjust the amount of skin dough if it is more or less.
After you have weighed out the ingredients for 1 mooncake, form the mooncake. Roll the lotus paste in a ball and flatten it so it becomes a disk. Place the salty egg in the center of the disk and enclose the egg with the lotus paste. Once enclosed, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball. If you are using only lotus paste, roll the lotus paste into a ball and proceed to the next step.
Roll the mooncake dough between your hands to form a ball. Flatten it so it becomes a disk and enclose the lotus paste ball with the disk. The disk won’t completely enclose the lotus paste ball, so you’ll need to gently press the outside of the ball to stretch the skin over the lotus paste. The motion you want to make is similar to how you would put a rubber band onto a ball or a cylinder. You roll your fingers over the rubber band until it reaches the position you’re aiming for. Once you get skin around the lotus paste, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
Repeat this process for every mooncake until you run out of lotus paste or dough. Now it’s time to put them in the molds!
Putting your mooncakes into the molds
Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. Make sure to have your molds ready. Coat the mold with a light layer of flour. Shake out the excess. This will help the mooncake to release easily from the molds.
Place each mooncake into the molds and press down firmly onto the baking sheet. Next, lift the mooncake a little bit and push it out of the molds. Repeat this for every mooncake. Let the mooncakes cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I like to cool mine for an hour. The purpose of this step is to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven.
Tip #1: Hold the mooncake mold down for 10-15 seconds to get the most detailed pattern.
Baking the mooncakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes. Make the egg wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp of whole milk. Whisk until smooth. Take the mooncakes out and brush them lightly on top with the egg wash. Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then on a cooling rack to cool completely. For the best results, put them in the fridge to rest for 24 hours before eating.
Tip #2: Don’t go too heavy on the egg wash because it will distort the pretty pattern stamped on top.
Filling to skin ratio
The filling to skin ratio I use is 30g of filling to 20g of skin. For a 100g mooncake, I use 60g of filling to 40g of skin. It’s important to know this ratio so you can play with the amount of fillings you use. For example, if you are using only lotus paste, use 30 grams of lotus paste.
More tips on making mooncakes!
Pay attention to every step
The biggest tip I can give is to pay attention to every part of the process. It’s very easy for things to go wrong especially with homemade lotus paste.
Cool mooncakes before baking
Make sure the mooncakes are cold before baking or the pattern won’t hold their shape. Leave them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I like to leave mine in the fridge for an hour to make sure the design on top holds in the oven.
Did you make this mooncake recipe?
If you made this dish, I would love to see!
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Get the Recipe:
Traditional Mooncake Recipe (with and without salted eggs)
Prep:
8
hours
Cook:
15
minutes
Yield:
10
people
A step by step guide on how to create mooncakes! Filled with sweet lotus paste and salted duck eggs, they are the perfect way to enjoy the Mid Autumn festival.
4.42
from
17
ratings
Lotus Paste
▢
¾
cup
dried lotus seeds
▢
3
tbsp
peanut oil
▢
¼
tsp
salt
▢
⅓
cup
granulated sugar
▢
1 ½
tbsp
honey
Mooncake Skin
▢
84
g
golden syrup
,
(¼ cup)
▢
25
g
peanut oil
,
(2 tbsp)
▢
7
g
lye water
,
(1 tsp)
▢
120
g
all purpose flour
,
(1 cup)
▢
▢
▢
Making the lotus paste and mooncake skin
Soak dried lotus seeds overnight in water.
The next day, drain the lotus seeds. Check and remove the green buds in the middle of the lotus seeds. Add them to a sauce pan with fresh water that just covers the lotus seeds. Simmer for 2 hours.
Once done simmering, blend the lotus seeds and water until it is a smooth texture. Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve into a saute pan.
Over medium heat, reduce the lotus mixture until it is 2/3 the original amount until it is as thick as a very thick soup. Add the peanut oil 1 tbsp at a time and stir after each tbsp is added. Make sure to stir consistently so an even amount of moisture evaporates from the lotus paste.
Next, add the salt, sugar, and honey. Stir and flip the mixture constantly until it becomes a paste. The paste should be done once it starts to pull away from the pan and hold its shape. Set aside to cool in the fridge for at least an hour.
While the paste is cooling, make the mooncake skin. Combine golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water in a small bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Forming the mooncakes
Once the ingredients are cool, take out your ingredients. This should include your salty eggs, lotus paste, and mooncake skin dough.
Using a scale, weigh out the ingredients for each mooncake. Place the egg and some lotus paste on the scale. Combined, they should weigh 30 grams. If you are using only lotus paste, use 30 grams of lotus paste. Adjust the amount of lotus paste if both weigh more or less than 30 grams. Add some mooncake skin dough to the scale. The total weight of all 3 ingredients should be 50 grams. Adjust the amount of skin dough if it is more or less.
After you have weighed out the ingredients for 1 mooncake, form the mooncake. Roll the lotus paste into a ball and flatten it so it becomes a disk. Place the salty egg in the center of the disk and enclose the egg with the lotus paste. Once enclosed, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball. If you are using only lotus paste, roll the lotus paste into a ball and proceed to the next step.
Roll the mooncake dough between your hands to form a ball. Flatten it so it becomes a disk and enclose the lotus paste ball with the disk. The disk won’t completely enclose the lotus paste ball, so you’ll need to gently press the outside of the ball to stretch the skin over the lotus paste. The motion you want to make is similar to how you would put a rubber band onto a ball or a cylinder. You roll your fingers over the rubber band until it reaches the position you’re aiming for. Once you get skin around the lotus paste, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
Repeat this process for every mooncake until you run out of lotus paste or dough. Now it’s time to put them in the molds! Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. Make sure to have your molds ready.
Coat the mold with a light layer of flour. Shake out the excess. This will help the mooncake to release easily from the molds.
Place each mooncake into the molds and press down firmly onto the baking sheet. Next, lift the mooncake a little bit and push it out of the molds. Repeat this for every mooncake. Make sure to brush off excess flour from the tops of the mooncakes.
Let the mooncakes cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I like to cool mine for an hour. The purpose of this step is to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven.
Baking the mooncakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes.
Make the egg wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp of whole milk. Whisk until smooth.
Take the mooncakes out and brush them lightly on top with the egg wash.
Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then on a cooling rack to cool completely.
For the best results, put them in the fridge to rest for 24 hours before eating.
Update 10/4/23
– Based on feedback, I retested and updated the recipe so the dough ingredients are in grams. Please use grams for the most consistent results.
This recipe makes 8 50g mooncakes with only lotus paste or 10 50g mooncakes with lotus paste and salted duck eggs. If you want to make 100g mooncakes, this recipe would make 4 100g mooncakes with only lotus paste and 5 100g mooncakes with lotus paste and salted duck eggs.
Buying lotus paste at the store
– If you don’t want to make homemade lotus paste, you can get lotus paste at most Chinese grocery stores. This will help speed up the process. You can also buy lotus paste on Amazon.
How to keep the pattern from melting in the oven
– The best way to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven is to make sure your mooncakes are cold before baking them. Put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking. I like cool mine for 1 hour before baking.
Egg wash the mooncakes lightly
– Make sure to use a very light egg wash on the mooncakes. If you brush too much egg wash over the top, it will distort the pattern.
How are mooncakes best served
– Mooncakes are best served after they have been refrigerated overnight. The skin softens and the flavors are better.
Storage
– You can store mooncakes in an airtight container for up to a month in the fridge.
Serving:
1
mooncake
,
Calories:
233
kcal
,
Carbohydrates:
26
g
,
Protein:
5
g
,
Fat:
13
g
,
Saturated Fat:
3
g
,
Polyunsaturated Fat:
3
g
,
Monounsaturated Fat:
6
g
,
Cholesterol:
214
mg
,
Sodium:
70
mg
,
Potassium:
73
mg
,
Fiber:
0.3
g
,
Sugar:
16
g
,
Vitamin A:
294
IU
,
Vitamin C:
0.02
mg
,
Calcium:
37
mg
,
Iron:
1
mg
Please
leave a star rating and review
below!
If you love this post, share it! |
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# Traditional Mooncake Recipe (with and without salted eggs)
*by* [Becca Du](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/about/ "Visit Becca Du’s website") *on* Aug 25, 2022 *(updated* Sep 23, 2025*)* [15 comments](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comments)
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4\.42 from 17 ratings
*The Mid Autumn Festival is a time I look forward to every year because I get to make and eat mooncakes! These beautiful rich cakes are filled with a sweet lotus paste and salted duck eggs. It is definitely a time intensive process to make this mooncake recipe, but the results make it worth it in the end. Included in this recipe are all the tips and tricks you need to successfully make your mooncakes at home\!*
Every year I look forward to the Mid Autumn Festival because it is the only time of the year I get to eat mooncakes! Growing up I had a love hate relationship with mooncakes. There was a point when I was younger where I didn’t like them at all because I thought they were too rich and sweet. But as I got older, I learned to appreciate not only the flavor but also how beautiful they are.
There are so many different kinds of mooncakes these days with a variety of different flavors and textures, but the ones I remember most are the ones with lotus paste and salted egg. I didn’t always love the salted egg. I often opted for the ones with lotus paste only more often, so I thought I would create a recipe where you have the option to not use them.
## How are my mooncakes different from traditional mooncakes
Traditionally, mooncakes are a rich cake filled with a sweet paste traditionally made with lotus seeds and a salty egg (typically a salty duck egg). However, they have evolved over the years and include unique fillings as well as no bake variations like [snow skin mooncakes](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/matcha-snow-skin-mooncakes/). They are some of the most beautiful pastries I have ever seen with gorgeous designs stamped to the top using special [mooncake molds](https://amzn.to/3cmYKGt).
For my first mooncake recipe, I wanted to make something as close to the traditional ones I love most. I adapted this recipe from [Tasty’s mooncake recipe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5kRLCyN4Zc). The biggest change I made was substituting honey for maltose. I couldn’t find maltose, so I thought honey would be a good substitute. This recipe gives you instructions on how to make mooncakes with or without the salted egg. Like I mentioned, I don’t always like the salted egg, so I thought it would be great to have an option to make these mooncakes without the egg. If you’re looking for a more modern version of mooncakes, I would recommend my [fig and pecan mooncakes](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/fig-and-pecan-mooncakes/)\!
Soaking lotus seeds
Soaked lotus seeds
## Some deets about key ingredients
### Lotus Paste
You can make lotus paste from scratch or find ready to use lotus paste at the Chinese grocery store or on [Amazon](https://amzn.to/468dVK2). If you choose to buy lotus paste, make sure you have about 210 grams of lotus paste for this recipe.
- **Dried lotus seeds** – This is the core ingredient for the paste, and they’re also pretty expensive. You can find them at most Asian grocery stores or online on [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3dYB6AA).
- **Peanut oil** – This gives the lotus paste a subtle peanut flavor, and helps keep the paste moist. You can substitute peanut oil with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I personally recommend using peanut oil for the best flavor.
- **Honey** – I used honey as a substitute for maltose because it was more accessible than maltose. Use a high quality honey for the best results.
### Mooncake Skin
- **Golden syrup** – This ingredient makes the mooncake skin soft and moist. It can be hard to find. Personally, I found mine at a store called World Market.
- **Peanut oil** – This gives the lotus paste a subtle peanut flavor, and helps keep the skin moist. You can substitute peanut oil with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I personally recommend using peanut oil for the best flavor.
- **Lye water** – This helps the mooncake with texture and gives it that signature brown colors. Do not substitute this ingredient.
### Salted duck egg yolks
Salty duck eggs are for those people who like having the salty egg in the center. They have a very distinct salty, umami egg flavor. You can find salty duck eggs at most large Chinese grocery stores. There are also some places where you can order it online. An alternative is to use salted (chicken) egg yolks. I have tried using my homemade [salted chicken eggs](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/salted-eggs/), and I loved the results\!
## Equipment you will need – important\!
The equipment is essential to this recipe! You will need:
- **[Mooncake molds](https://amzn.to/3dWGPXw)** – These will stamp the pretty designs on top of the mooncakes. You can use either 50g or 100g molds. I used 50g molds. This recipe makes 10 50g mooncakes (with both lotus paste and salted eggs) or 4-5 100g mooncakes.
- **[Kitchen scale](https://amzn.to/3AY5kgh)** – DO NOT skip out on a kitchen scale. Mooncakes are made in either 50g or 100g molds, so it is important the weight of the ingredients equal the weight of your molds. This helps you get uniform mooncakes every time.
Lotus seeds before simmering
Pureed lotus seeds
## How to make mooncakes
### Making the lotus paste and mooncake skin
Soak dried lotus seeds overnight in water. The next day, drain the lotus seeds. Check and remove and green buds in the middle of the lotus seeds. Add them to a sauce pan with fresh water that just covers the lotus seeds. Simmer for 2 hours.
Once done simmering, blend the lotus seeds and water until it is a smooth texture. Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve back into a saute pan. Over medium heat, reduce the lotus mixture until it is 2/3 the original amount until it is as thick as a very thick soup. Add the peanut oil 1 tbsp at a time and stir after each tbsp is added.
Next, add the salt, sugar, and honey. Stir and flip the mixture constantly until it becomes a paste. The paste should be done once it starts to pull away from the pan and hold its shape. Set aside to cool in the fridge for at least an hour. While the paste is cooling, make the mooncake skin. Combine golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water in a small bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lotus paste
Weighing mooncake filling
Mooncake skin wrapped around the lotus paste
Mooncake skin with lotus paste in the middle
### Forming the mooncakes
Once the ingredients are cool, take out your ingredients. This should include your salty eggs, lotus paste, and mooncake skin dough. Using a scale, weigh out the ingredients for each mooncake. Place the egg and some lotus paste on the scale. Combined, they should weigh 30 grams. If you are using only lotus paste as a filling, use 30g of lotus paste. Adjust the amount of lotus paste if both weigh more or less than 30 grams. Add some mooncake skin dough to the scale or vice versa The total weight of all 3 ingredients should be 50 grams. Adjust the amount of skin dough if it is more or less.
After you have weighed out the ingredients for 1 mooncake, form the mooncake. Roll the lotus paste in a ball and flatten it so it becomes a disk. Place the salty egg in the center of the disk and enclose the egg with the lotus paste. Once enclosed, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball. If you are using only lotus paste, roll the lotus paste into a ball and proceed to the next step.
Roll the mooncake dough between your hands to form a ball. Flatten it so it becomes a disk and enclose the lotus paste ball with the disk. The disk won’t completely enclose the lotus paste ball, so you’ll need to gently press the outside of the ball to stretch the skin over the lotus paste. The motion you want to make is similar to how you would put a rubber band onto a ball or a cylinder. You roll your fingers over the rubber band until it reaches the position you’re aiming for. Once you get skin around the lotus paste, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
Repeat this process for every mooncake until you run out of lotus paste or dough. Now it’s time to put them in the molds\!
### Putting your mooncakes into the molds
Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. Make sure to have your molds ready. Coat the mold with a light layer of flour. Shake out the excess. This will help the mooncake to release easily from the molds.
Place each mooncake into the molds and press down firmly onto the baking sheet. Next, lift the mooncake a little bit and push it out of the molds. Repeat this for every mooncake. Let the mooncakes cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I like to cool mine for an hour. The purpose of this step is to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven.
*Tip \#1: Hold the mooncake mold down for 10-15 seconds to get the most detailed pattern.*
### Baking the mooncakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes. Make the egg wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp of whole milk. Whisk until smooth. Take the mooncakes out and brush them lightly on top with the egg wash. Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then on a cooling rack to cool completely. For the best results, put them in the fridge to rest for 24 hours before eating.
*Tip \#2: Don’t go too heavy on the egg wash because it will distort the pretty pattern stamped on top.*
## Filling to skin ratio
The filling to skin ratio I use is 30g of filling to 20g of skin. For a 100g mooncake, I use 60g of filling to 40g of skin. It’s important to know this ratio so you can play with the amount of fillings you use. For example, if you are using only lotus paste, use 30 grams of lotus paste.
## More tips on making mooncakes\!
### Pay attention to every step
The biggest tip I can give is to pay attention to every part of the process. It’s very easy for things to go wrong especially with homemade lotus paste.
### Cool mooncakes before baking
Make sure the mooncakes are cold before baking or the pattern won’t hold their shape. Leave them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I like to leave mine in the fridge for an hour to make sure the design on top holds in the oven.
## Did you make this mooncake recipe?
If you made this dish, I would love to see\!
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## Get the Recipe: Traditional Mooncake Recipe (with and without salted eggs)
Prep: 8 hours hrs
Cook: 15 minutes mins
Yield: 10 people
Author: [Becca Du](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/about/)
A step by step guide on how to create mooncakes! Filled with sweet lotus paste and salted duck eggs, they are the perfect way to enjoy the Mid Autumn festival.
4\.42 from 17 ratings
[Print](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/wprm_print/traditional-mooncake-recipe-with-and-without-salted-eggs) [Leave a Review](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#commentform) [Pin Recipe](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/create/bookmarklet/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cooking-therapy.com%2Fmooncake-recipe%2F&media=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.cooking-therapy.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2022%2F08%2FMooncake-Recipe-14.jpg&description=Traditional+Mooncake+Recipe+%28with+and+without+salted+eggs%29&is_video=false)
### Ingredients US Customary Metric \½x 1x 2x
#### Lotus Paste
- ▢
\¾ cup [dried lotus seeds](https://amzn.to/3dYB6AA)
- ▢
3 tbsp [peanut oil](https://amzn.to/3ArKFiP)
- ▢
\¼ tsp [salt](https://amzn.to/3xwqosf)
- ▢
⅓ cup [granulated sugar](https://amzn.to/3CTRNK1)
- ▢
1 \½ tbsp [honey](https://amzn.to/3o8p5vA)
#### Mooncake Skin
- ▢
84 g [golden syrup](https://amzn.to/3As1iLo), (\¼ cup)
- ▢
25 g [peanut oil](https://amzn.to/3ArKFiP), (2 tbsp)
- ▢
7 g [lye water](https://amzn.to/3wswNDW), (1 tsp)
- ▢
120 g [all purpose flour](https://amzn.to/3i95t6t), (1 cup)
#### Other Ingredients
- ▢
10 salted duck egg yolks, optional
- ▢
1 [egg yolk](https://amzn.to/3RqKwof)
- ▢
3 tbsp [whole milk](https://amzn.to/3zoBP6C)
Cook Mode
Prevent your screen from going dark
### Equipment
- ▢
[Kitchen Scale](https://amzn.to/2YsfBxj)
- ▢
[Mooncake Molds](https://amzn.to/3dWGPXw)
- ▢
[Pastry Brush](https://amzn.to/38w80S5)
### Instructions
#### Making the lotus paste and mooncake skin
- Soak dried lotus seeds overnight in water.
- The next day, drain the lotus seeds. Check and remove the green buds in the middle of the lotus seeds. Add them to a sauce pan with fresh water that just covers the lotus seeds. Simmer for 2 hours.
- Once done simmering, blend the lotus seeds and water until it is a smooth texture. Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve into a saute pan.
- Over medium heat, reduce the lotus mixture until it is 2/3 the original amount until it is as thick as a very thick soup. Add the peanut oil 1 tbsp at a time and stir after each tbsp is added. Make sure to stir consistently so an even amount of moisture evaporates from the lotus paste.
- Next, add the salt, sugar, and honey. Stir and flip the mixture constantly until it becomes a paste. The paste should be done once it starts to pull away from the pan and hold its shape. Set aside to cool in the fridge for at least an hour.
- While the paste is cooling, make the mooncake skin. Combine golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water in a small bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
#### Forming the mooncakes
- Once the ingredients are cool, take out your ingredients. This should include your salty eggs, lotus paste, and mooncake skin dough.
- Using a scale, weigh out the ingredients for each mooncake. Place the egg and some lotus paste on the scale. Combined, they should weigh 30 grams. If you are using only lotus paste, use 30 grams of lotus paste. Adjust the amount of lotus paste if both weigh more or less than 30 grams. Add some mooncake skin dough to the scale. The total weight of all 3 ingredients should be 50 grams. Adjust the amount of skin dough if it is more or less.
- After you have weighed out the ingredients for 1 mooncake, form the mooncake. Roll the lotus paste into a ball and flatten it so it becomes a disk. Place the salty egg in the center of the disk and enclose the egg with the lotus paste. Once enclosed, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball. If you are using only lotus paste, roll the lotus paste into a ball and proceed to the next step.
- Roll the mooncake dough between your hands to form a ball. Flatten it so it becomes a disk and enclose the lotus paste ball with the disk. The disk won’t completely enclose the lotus paste ball, so you’ll need to gently press the outside of the ball to stretch the skin over the lotus paste. The motion you want to make is similar to how you would put a rubber band onto a ball or a cylinder. You roll your fingers over the rubber band until it reaches the position you’re aiming for. Once you get skin around the lotus paste, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
- Repeat this process for every mooncake until you run out of lotus paste or dough. Now it’s time to put them in the molds! Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. Make sure to have your molds ready.
- Coat the mold with a light layer of flour. Shake out the excess. This will help the mooncake to release easily from the molds.
- Place each mooncake into the molds and press down firmly onto the baking sheet. Next, lift the mooncake a little bit and push it out of the molds. Repeat this for every mooncake. Make sure to brush off excess flour from the tops of the mooncakes.
- Let the mooncakes cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I like to cool mine for an hour. The purpose of this step is to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven.
#### Baking the mooncakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes.
- Make the egg wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp of whole milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Take the mooncakes out and brush them lightly on top with the egg wash.
- Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
- Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the best results, put them in the fridge to rest for 24 hours before eating.
### Notes
1. **Update 10/4/23** – Based on feedback, I retested and updated the recipe so the dough ingredients are in grams. Please use grams for the most consistent results.
2. This recipe makes 8 50g mooncakes with only lotus paste or 10 50g mooncakes with lotus paste and salted duck eggs. If you want to make 100g mooncakes, this recipe would make 4 100g mooncakes with only lotus paste and 5 100g mooncakes with lotus paste and salted duck eggs.
3. **Buying lotus paste at the store** – If you don’t want to make homemade lotus paste, you can get lotus paste at most Chinese grocery stores. This will help speed up the process. You can also buy lotus paste on Amazon.
4. **How to keep the pattern from melting in the oven** – The best way to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven is to make sure your mooncakes are cold before baking them. Put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking. I like cool mine for 1 hour before baking.
5. **Egg wash the mooncakes lightly** – Make sure to use a very light egg wash on the mooncakes. If you brush too much egg wash over the top, it will distort the pattern.
6. **How are mooncakes best served** – Mooncakes are best served after they have been refrigerated overnight. The skin softens and the flavors are better.
7. **Storage** – You can store mooncakes in an airtight container for up to a month in the fridge.
Serving: 1mooncake, Calories: 233kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 214mg, Sodium: 70mg, Potassium: 73mg, Fiber: 0\.3g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 294IU, Vitamin C: 0\.02mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg
Did you make this recipe?Please [leave a star rating and review](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#commentjump) below\!
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*by* [Becca Du](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/about/ "Visit Becca Du’s website") *on* Aug 25, 2022 *(updated* Sep 23, 2025*)*
[15 comments](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comments) [Leave a comment »](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#respond)
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4\.42 from 17 votes ([9 ratings without comment](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/))
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## 15 comments on “Traditional Mooncake Recipe (with and without salted eggs)”
1. **Arlene Alabaso** —
December 30, 2024 @ 12:53 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-34842)
Could you make every measurement in metric (grams)
- **Becca Du** —
December 30, 2024 @ 1:21 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-34844)
Yes will work on that.
2. **Britni** —
November 27, 2024 @ 6:55 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-33949)
We just finished making this recipe. The mooncake skin came out very crumbly. How do I fix that?
- **Becca Du** —
November 27, 2024 @ 8:24 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-33951)
I would use less flour. The mooncakes should also sit in the fridge overnight before serving. The skin should soften as it sits in the fridge.
3. **Le** —
September 4, 2024 @ 9:19 am
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-31904)
These moon cakes look absolutely stunning and beautiful and delicious 👍😍😋
Can’t wait to make them! As always, thanks for sharing your ideas and recipes ❤️
*(Review provided by family member of Cooking Therapy.)*
4. **jayden** —
August 13, 2024 @ 7:26 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-31414)
very yummy
- **Becca Du** —
August 13, 2024 @ 11:11 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-31419)
Thank you\!
5. **Becca Du** —
August 7, 2024 @ 7:51 am
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-31276)
Thank you for making the recipe! I’m so glad you enjoyed it\!
6. **Food lover** —
August 7, 2024 @ 2:36 am
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-31270)
This is a great recipe Mid-Autumn Festival is coming up soon I followed this recipe and it tasted good\!
7. **Le** —
October 2, 2023 @ 9:02 am
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-23409)
Beautiful presentation and easy to follow recipe 😍👍
Very much enjoy your site and have learned a lot. Thank you 😊
*(Review provided by family member of Cooking Therapy.)*
8. **Reina** —
October 1, 2023 @ 4:56 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-23386)
The dough came out an absolute sticky mess. I was apprehensive with this recipe bc the measurements weren’t weighed and went against my better jugement.
P.s. this recipe shouldn’t be tagged as gluten free since it falls for AP flour.
- **Becca Du** —
October 1, 2023 @ 9:47 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-23392)
Hi Reina. Sorry this recipe did not work out for you. Thank you for the feedback. I retested and updated the recipe so the ingredients for the dough are in grams and it is not tagged as gluten free.
9. **Minh** —
September 27, 2023 @ 3:02 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-23271)
I was a bit disappointed with the dough of this recipe. Not sure if the portions are correct since each time I tried to follow it (and exactly), the dough always turned out too wet and sticky to mold. Had better success with other recipes.
- **Becca Du** —
September 27, 2023 @ 5:53 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-23280)
Hi Minh. I’m so sorry this recipe didn’t work for you. I tested the dough at least 5 times and it worked for me every time. Let me know if you have any questions if you choose to make it again.
10. **Dennis** —
September 7, 2023 @ 4:58 pm
[Reply](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/mooncake-recipe/#comment-22527)
Look delicious and yummy.
*(Review provided by family member of Cooking Therapy.)*
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| Readable Markdown | *The Mid Autumn Festival is a time I look forward to every year because I get to make and eat mooncakes! These beautiful rich cakes are filled with a sweet lotus paste and salted duck eggs. It is definitely a time intensive process to make this mooncake recipe, but the results make it worth it in the end. Included in this recipe are all the tips and tricks you need to successfully make your mooncakes at home\!*
Every year I look forward to the Mid Autumn Festival because it is the only time of the year I get to eat mooncakes! Growing up I had a love hate relationship with mooncakes. There was a point when I was younger where I didn’t like them at all because I thought they were too rich and sweet. But as I got older, I learned to appreciate not only the flavor but also how beautiful they are.
There are so many different kinds of mooncakes these days with a variety of different flavors and textures, but the ones I remember most are the ones with lotus paste and salted egg. I didn’t always love the salted egg. I often opted for the ones with lotus paste only more often, so I thought I would create a recipe where you have the option to not use them.
## How are my mooncakes different from traditional mooncakes
Traditionally, mooncakes are a rich cake filled with a sweet paste traditionally made with lotus seeds and a salty egg (typically a salty duck egg). However, they have evolved over the years and include unique fillings as well as no bake variations like [snow skin mooncakes](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/matcha-snow-skin-mooncakes/). They are some of the most beautiful pastries I have ever seen with gorgeous designs stamped to the top using special [mooncake molds](https://amzn.to/3cmYKGt).
For my first mooncake recipe, I wanted to make something as close to the traditional ones I love most. I adapted this recipe from [Tasty’s mooncake recipe](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5kRLCyN4Zc). The biggest change I made was substituting honey for maltose. I couldn’t find maltose, so I thought honey would be a good substitute. This recipe gives you instructions on how to make mooncakes with or without the salted egg. Like I mentioned, I don’t always like the salted egg, so I thought it would be great to have an option to make these mooncakes without the egg. If you’re looking for a more modern version of mooncakes, I would recommend my [fig and pecan mooncakes](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/fig-and-pecan-mooncakes/)\!
Soaking lotus seeds
Soaked lotus seeds
## Some deets about key ingredients
### Lotus Paste
You can make lotus paste from scratch or find ready to use lotus paste at the Chinese grocery store or on [Amazon](https://amzn.to/468dVK2). If you choose to buy lotus paste, make sure you have about 210 grams of lotus paste for this recipe.
- **Dried lotus seeds** – This is the core ingredient for the paste, and they’re also pretty expensive. You can find them at most Asian grocery stores or online on [Amazon](https://amzn.to/3dYB6AA).
- **Peanut oil** – This gives the lotus paste a subtle peanut flavor, and helps keep the paste moist. You can substitute peanut oil with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I personally recommend using peanut oil for the best flavor.
- **Honey** – I used honey as a substitute for maltose because it was more accessible than maltose. Use a high quality honey for the best results.
### Mooncake Skin
- **Golden syrup** – This ingredient makes the mooncake skin soft and moist. It can be hard to find. Personally, I found mine at a store called World Market.
- **Peanut oil** – This gives the lotus paste a subtle peanut flavor, and helps keep the skin moist. You can substitute peanut oil with a neutral oil like vegetable or grapeseed oil. I personally recommend using peanut oil for the best flavor.
- **Lye water** – This helps the mooncake with texture and gives it that signature brown colors. Do not substitute this ingredient.
### Salted duck egg yolks
Salty duck eggs are for those people who like having the salty egg in the center. They have a very distinct salty, umami egg flavor. You can find salty duck eggs at most large Chinese grocery stores. There are also some places where you can order it online. An alternative is to use salted (chicken) egg yolks. I have tried using my homemade [salted chicken eggs](https://www.cooking-therapy.com/salted-eggs/), and I loved the results\!
## Equipment you will need – important\!
The equipment is essential to this recipe! You will need:
- **[Mooncake molds](https://amzn.to/3dWGPXw)** – These will stamp the pretty designs on top of the mooncakes. You can use either 50g or 100g molds. I used 50g molds. This recipe makes 10 50g mooncakes (with both lotus paste and salted eggs) or 4-5 100g mooncakes.
- **[Kitchen scale](https://amzn.to/3AY5kgh)** – DO NOT skip out on a kitchen scale. Mooncakes are made in either 50g or 100g molds, so it is important the weight of the ingredients equal the weight of your molds. This helps you get uniform mooncakes every time.
Lotus seeds before simmering
Pureed lotus seeds
## How to make mooncakes
### Making the lotus paste and mooncake skin
Soak dried lotus seeds overnight in water. The next day, drain the lotus seeds. Check and remove and green buds in the middle of the lotus seeds. Add them to a sauce pan with fresh water that just covers the lotus seeds. Simmer for 2 hours.
Once done simmering, blend the lotus seeds and water until it is a smooth texture. Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve back into a saute pan. Over medium heat, reduce the lotus mixture until it is 2/3 the original amount until it is as thick as a very thick soup. Add the peanut oil 1 tbsp at a time and stir after each tbsp is added.
Next, add the salt, sugar, and honey. Stir and flip the mixture constantly until it becomes a paste. The paste should be done once it starts to pull away from the pan and hold its shape. Set aside to cool in the fridge for at least an hour. While the paste is cooling, make the mooncake skin. Combine golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water in a small bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
Lotus paste
Weighing mooncake filling
Mooncake skin wrapped around the lotus paste
Mooncake skin with lotus paste in the middle
### Forming the mooncakes
Once the ingredients are cool, take out your ingredients. This should include your salty eggs, lotus paste, and mooncake skin dough. Using a scale, weigh out the ingredients for each mooncake. Place the egg and some lotus paste on the scale. Combined, they should weigh 30 grams. If you are using only lotus paste as a filling, use 30g of lotus paste. Adjust the amount of lotus paste if both weigh more or less than 30 grams. Add some mooncake skin dough to the scale or vice versa The total weight of all 3 ingredients should be 50 grams. Adjust the amount of skin dough if it is more or less.
After you have weighed out the ingredients for 1 mooncake, form the mooncake. Roll the lotus paste in a ball and flatten it so it becomes a disk. Place the salty egg in the center of the disk and enclose the egg with the lotus paste. Once enclosed, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball. If you are using only lotus paste, roll the lotus paste into a ball and proceed to the next step.
Roll the mooncake dough between your hands to form a ball. Flatten it so it becomes a disk and enclose the lotus paste ball with the disk. The disk won’t completely enclose the lotus paste ball, so you’ll need to gently press the outside of the ball to stretch the skin over the lotus paste. The motion you want to make is similar to how you would put a rubber band onto a ball or a cylinder. You roll your fingers over the rubber band until it reaches the position you’re aiming for. Once you get skin around the lotus paste, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
Repeat this process for every mooncake until you run out of lotus paste or dough. Now it’s time to put them in the molds\!
### Putting your mooncakes into the molds
Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. Make sure to have your molds ready. Coat the mold with a light layer of flour. Shake out the excess. This will help the mooncake to release easily from the molds.
Place each mooncake into the molds and press down firmly onto the baking sheet. Next, lift the mooncake a little bit and push it out of the molds. Repeat this for every mooncake. Let the mooncakes cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I like to cool mine for an hour. The purpose of this step is to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven.
*Tip \#1: Hold the mooncake mold down for 10-15 seconds to get the most detailed pattern.*
### Baking the mooncakes
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes. Make the egg wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp of whole milk. Whisk until smooth. Take the mooncakes out and brush them lightly on top with the egg wash. Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes. Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then on a cooling rack to cool completely. For the best results, put them in the fridge to rest for 24 hours before eating.
*Tip \#2: Don’t go too heavy on the egg wash because it will distort the pretty pattern stamped on top.*
## Filling to skin ratio
The filling to skin ratio I use is 30g of filling to 20g of skin. For a 100g mooncake, I use 60g of filling to 40g of skin. It’s important to know this ratio so you can play with the amount of fillings you use. For example, if you are using only lotus paste, use 30 grams of lotus paste.
## More tips on making mooncakes\!
### Pay attention to every step
The biggest tip I can give is to pay attention to every part of the process. It’s very easy for things to go wrong especially with homemade lotus paste.
### Cool mooncakes before baking
Make sure the mooncakes are cold before baking or the pattern won’t hold their shape. Leave them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes. I like to leave mine in the fridge for an hour to make sure the design on top holds in the oven.
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## Get the Recipe: Traditional Mooncake Recipe (with and without salted eggs)
Prep: 8 hours
Cook: 15 minutes
Yield: 10 people
A step by step guide on how to create mooncakes! Filled with sweet lotus paste and salted duck eggs, they are the perfect way to enjoy the Mid Autumn festival.
4\.42 from 17 ratings
#### Lotus Paste
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\¾ cup [dried lotus seeds](https://amzn.to/3dYB6AA)
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3 tbsp [peanut oil](https://amzn.to/3ArKFiP)
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\¼ tsp [salt](https://amzn.to/3xwqosf)
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⅓ cup [granulated sugar](https://amzn.to/3CTRNK1)
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1 \½ tbsp [honey](https://amzn.to/3o8p5vA)
#### Mooncake Skin
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84 g [golden syrup](https://amzn.to/3As1iLo), (\¼ cup)
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25 g [peanut oil](https://amzn.to/3ArKFiP), (2 tbsp)
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7 g [lye water](https://amzn.to/3wswNDW), (1 tsp)
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120 g [all purpose flour](https://amzn.to/3i95t6t), (1 cup)
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- ▢
- ▢
#### Making the lotus paste and mooncake skin
- Soak dried lotus seeds overnight in water.
- The next day, drain the lotus seeds. Check and remove the green buds in the middle of the lotus seeds. Add them to a sauce pan with fresh water that just covers the lotus seeds. Simmer for 2 hours.
- Once done simmering, blend the lotus seeds and water until it is a smooth texture. Pour the lotus seed puree through a fine mesh sieve into a saute pan.
- Over medium heat, reduce the lotus mixture until it is 2/3 the original amount until it is as thick as a very thick soup. Add the peanut oil 1 tbsp at a time and stir after each tbsp is added. Make sure to stir consistently so an even amount of moisture evaporates from the lotus paste.
- Next, add the salt, sugar, and honey. Stir and flip the mixture constantly until it becomes a paste. The paste should be done once it starts to pull away from the pan and hold its shape. Set aside to cool in the fridge for at least an hour.
- While the paste is cooling, make the mooncake skin. Combine golden syrup, peanut oil, and lye water in a small bowl. Mix until incorporated. Add the flour and mix until a dough forms. Set aside to cool in the fridge for 30 minutes.
#### Forming the mooncakes
- Once the ingredients are cool, take out your ingredients. This should include your salty eggs, lotus paste, and mooncake skin dough.
- Using a scale, weigh out the ingredients for each mooncake. Place the egg and some lotus paste on the scale. Combined, they should weigh 30 grams. If you are using only lotus paste, use 30 grams of lotus paste. Adjust the amount of lotus paste if both weigh more or less than 30 grams. Add some mooncake skin dough to the scale. The total weight of all 3 ingredients should be 50 grams. Adjust the amount of skin dough if it is more or less.
- After you have weighed out the ingredients for 1 mooncake, form the mooncake. Roll the lotus paste into a ball and flatten it so it becomes a disk. Place the salty egg in the center of the disk and enclose the egg with the lotus paste. Once enclosed, roll it between your hands to create a smooth ball. If you are using only lotus paste, roll the lotus paste into a ball and proceed to the next step.
- Roll the mooncake dough between your hands to form a ball. Flatten it so it becomes a disk and enclose the lotus paste ball with the disk. The disk won’t completely enclose the lotus paste ball, so you’ll need to gently press the outside of the ball to stretch the skin over the lotus paste. The motion you want to make is similar to how you would put a rubber band onto a ball or a cylinder. You roll your fingers over the rubber band until it reaches the position you’re aiming for. Once you get skin around the lotus paste, roll between your hands to form a smooth ball.
- Repeat this process for every mooncake until you run out of lotus paste or dough. Now it’s time to put them in the molds! Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with parchment paper. Make sure to have your molds ready.
- Coat the mold with a light layer of flour. Shake out the excess. This will help the mooncake to release easily from the molds.
- Place each mooncake into the molds and press down firmly onto the baking sheet. Next, lift the mooncake a little bit and push it out of the molds. Repeat this for every mooncake. Make sure to brush off excess flour from the tops of the mooncakes.
- Let the mooncakes cool in the fridge for at least 30 minutes to an hour. I like to cool mine for an hour. The purpose of this step is to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven.
#### Baking the mooncakes
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Bake the mooncakes for 5 minutes.
- Make the egg wash by combining 1 egg yolk and 3 tbsp of whole milk. Whisk until smooth.
- Take the mooncakes out and brush them lightly on top with the egg wash.
- Put them back in the oven and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
- Cool them for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then on a cooling rack to cool completely.
- For the best results, put them in the fridge to rest for 24 hours before eating.
1. **Update 10/4/23** – Based on feedback, I retested and updated the recipe so the dough ingredients are in grams. Please use grams for the most consistent results.
2. This recipe makes 8 50g mooncakes with only lotus paste or 10 50g mooncakes with lotus paste and salted duck eggs. If you want to make 100g mooncakes, this recipe would make 4 100g mooncakes with only lotus paste and 5 100g mooncakes with lotus paste and salted duck eggs.
3. **Buying lotus paste at the store** – If you don’t want to make homemade lotus paste, you can get lotus paste at most Chinese grocery stores. This will help speed up the process. You can also buy lotus paste on Amazon.
4. **How to keep the pattern from melting in the oven** – The best way to make sure the pattern on top holds in the oven is to make sure your mooncakes are cold before baking them. Put them in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking. I like cool mine for 1 hour before baking.
5. **Egg wash the mooncakes lightly** – Make sure to use a very light egg wash on the mooncakes. If you brush too much egg wash over the top, it will distort the pattern.
6. **How are mooncakes best served** – Mooncakes are best served after they have been refrigerated overnight. The skin softens and the flavors are better.
7. **Storage** – You can store mooncakes in an airtight container for up to a month in the fridge.
Serving: 1mooncake, Calories: 233kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 214mg, Sodium: 70mg, Potassium: 73mg, Fiber: 0\.3g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 294IU, Vitamin C: 0\.02mg, Calcium: 37mg, Iron: 1mg
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