20+ Unique Mooncake Flavor Varieties & Recipes to Make on Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival - All Purpose Veggies (2024)

So, here they are more than 20+ delicious & unique mooncake flavor varieties you can make for yourself and family.

Ranging from mooncakes made from nut butter, fruits, veggies and beans, this ultimate collection of mooncake flavor varieties and recipes is sure to give you great ideas for the upcoming mid-autumn festival!

Two-Ingredient Vegan Mooncakes

Just two ingredients, minus the filling.

I think I can safely say now that this simple vegan mooncake recipe is the most popular mooncake flavor / recipe on my site, and for a good reason, too! Made using cashew butter as the main ingredient, these mooncakes are not just vegan, but high in fiber, gluten-free and also lower carb. These mooncakes can be prepared in less than 15 minutes from start to finish.

Sweet Pistachio Mooncakes with Matcha Mung Bean Filling

Mooncakes are traditionally made with flour and eggs, but these sweet vegan pistachio mooncakes skip these ingredients for a gluten-free and vegan option. Each bite of the pistachio mooncakes is filled with nutty and earthy flavor notes that are out of this world.

Peanut Butter Mooncakes with Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Filling

Here’s an easy vegan peanut butter mooncakes recipe that’s nutty, chocolatey, and full of sweet flavors. Unlike traditional mooncakes, the cookie crust is made using peanut butter and coconut flour. The outside of the mooncakes is flaky and crispy, while the filling’s got a sweet and fudgy almond paste chocolate chip cookie dough filling middle that’s slightly gooey and decadent when it’s warm.

2-Ingredient Chocolate Hazelnut (Nutella) Mooncake Flavor

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!

Walnut Butter Mooncakes with a Surprise Brownie Filling

Get ready for a mouthwatering surprise with Walnut Butter Mooncakes! These unique treats take traditional mooncakes to a whole new level. Made with walnut butter and almond flour, the mooncake crust is gluten-free and healthier too. The surprise comes when you bite into the rich and chocolatey brownie goodness that's hidden inside. With their nutty and chewy crust and the delightful sweet center, these mooncakes are a must-try for any occasion!

4-Ingredient Almond Butter Mooncakes Recipe

Traditional mooncakes are great, but switching them up with other flavors is so fun. These almond butter mooncakes filled with sweet mung bean paste are no exception. The nutty, chewy mooncake crust is made with just 3 ingredients: almond butter, coconut flour and maple syrup. I use a simple mung bean paste filling for the photos here (recipe for the mung bean paste ishere), but you’re welcome to use a vegan mooncake filling likealmond pasteorwhite bean paste.

Cashew Butter Mooncakes Made with Almond Flour

I've had some people asking me about my 2-Ingredient Vegan Mooncakes and if the coconut flour can be substituted with almond flour. Well, it turns out, you CAN! The coconut flour mooncakes are easier to handle and have a firmer, crispier exterior, but the ones made with almond flour are buttery, and delicate with a melt-in-your-mouth texture.

Variations: The nut butters I use in these recipes are interchangeable. Instead of peanut butter, cashew butter, almond butter and pistachio butter, you can also make these mooncakes with pecan butter, macadamia butter, walnut butter, etc.

Strawberry Snow Skin Mooncakes

These lovely pink mooncakes are perfect for Valentine's or Mother's Day! The delicate pink color and sweet flavor come from using real strawberries, which are dehydrated and blended into a fine powder.

Banana & Almond Flour Mooncakes

Cheesecake may not be a traditional mooncake filling, but it is one you may have to add to your next Mid-Autumn Festival to-do list! The outside of these almond flour mooncakes is made with blanched almond flour and ripe, mashed bananas. Thanks to the almond flour, the exterior of these mooncakes is soft and chewy, and the banana gives it a great flavor and balance of sweetness. To top it off, the cheesecake interior is perfectly creamy- the perfect combination of textures!

How to Make the Filling:Here’sthe recipe for the cheesecake filling. If you’re looking for a vegan version, go to this posthere.

Lemon Snow Skin Mooncakes with Lemon Curd Lava Filling

Snow skin mooncakes with a gooey lava filling are the latest trend in mooncake making, and for a good reason! These lemon snow skin mooncakes with lemon curd lava filling are not only visually stunning but also have a tangy and refreshing flavor that will delight your taste buds. The secret to creating the lava effect is the use of lemon curd as a filling, which adds a burst of zesty flavor to the mooncakes.

Sweet Raspberry Cheesecake Mooncakes

If you’re a fan of pretty treats that impress your family and friends, you’ll love these sweet raspberry cheesecake mooncakes! The crust of these mooncakes is gluten-free since it’s made with blanched almond flour and fresh raspberry puree which is what gives the mooncakes a lovely deep red color. Chewy and sweet, not to mention that pretty cheesecake bite hiding inside the mooncakes, these raspberry mooncakes will surely stand out with their vivid color and tangy flavor. They make for the perfect gift, whether it’s mid-autumn festival or no festival.

Easy Vegan Matcha Mooncakes Recipe with Almond Paste Filling

These Vegan Matcha Mooncakes with a fudgy almond paste filling are the perfect mooncakes for those who want to enjoy mooncakes without dairy or eggs. With only a few simple ingredients, you can make these awesome (vegan) matcha flavored mooncakes!

By using applesauce, the exterior has a subtle sweetness that isn’t overwhelming. Adding matcha to the mooncake’s crust not only gives it a nice green color, but gives it earthy notes that you won’t get enough of. The fudgy almond paste filling is not the most traditional mooncake filing, but the subtle nuttiness from the almonds pairs well with earthy matcha to make for a gentle dessert that isn’t too sweet.

Durian Mooncakes

Made with a blend of glutinous rice flour, sweet white bean paste, and pureed durian, these mooncakes are a true indulgence. With their soft and chewy snow skin and irresistibly sweet center, these mooncakes are the perfect way to celebrate the Mooncake Festival this fall!

Coconut Milk Snow Skin Mooncakes

Made with just a couple simple ingredients and no steaming required, this shortcut recipe for coconut milk snow skin mooncakes is easy to follow and produces great results. There's much to love about the soft, chewy texture of the sweet rice mooncake skin and the richness that the coconut milk offers in combination with the nutty sesame flavors.

Sweet Potato Mooncakes

I’m a sucker for pretty patterns, lovely bright colors and above all, cuteness. And these sweet potato mooncakes are just that and more. Made using almond flour, coconut flour, mashed sweet potatoes and coconut oil, these bright orange mooncakes are gluten-free and vegan-friendly. Definitely not your typical Chinese confectionaries that are made with flour and filled with egg yolks, but no need to worry - The sweet potatoes are somewhat neutral flavored, so they contribute mild sweetness without tasting too much like the veggie!

Paleo Purple Sweet Potato Mooncakes

And here's the purple sweet potato version!

If you’re ever bored with mooncakes, these purple sweet potato mooncakes will give you everything you love about the traditional kinds, but more.

Made with purple sweet potatoes, also called the Japanese Purple Sweet Potato or Okinawan Sweet Potato, these mooncakes are not only pretty on the eyes, but they’re also delicious, too! Chewy and fudgy on the outside and creamy and sweet on the inside, these mooncakes are naturally vegan, gluten-free and even paleo, thanks to the sweet potato filling that’s used to replace lotus and sweet bean paste.

Pumpkin Spice Mooncakes

Pumpkin is technically a fruit, but I'm just going to add them here in the veggie section 🙂

To me, fall is synonymous with pumpkins and spice. There’s just something about pumpkins, I guess, that makes people warm and cozy inside. And these pumpkin spice mooncakes are just as comforting as it sounds. Made with pumpkin, warm spices, almond flour, then filled with a fudgy sweetened white bean paste, these pumpkin mooncakes are soft and moist almost like a bite of a luscious pumpkin pie.

Almond Flour Taro Mooncakes

Here's a delectable treat for you - Taro Mooncakes made with Almond Flour! This special recipe takes a unique approach by using almond flour instead of wheat flour, which not only adds a nutty flavor but also makes it suitable for those following a gluten-free or low-carb diet.

Easy 3-Ingredient Shortcut Snowskin Mooncakes

Here’s a quick and easy shortcut snowskin mooncake recipe that only requires 3-Ingredients (glutinous rice flour, sweetened white bean paste and water), made in the microwave, and downright un-traditional. Unlike traditionally made snowskin mooncakes, this shortcut recipe doesn’t require steaming, and doesn’t use any wheat starch. In fact, this recipe is more closer to a Japanese wagashi than a snowskin mooncake recipe, since that’s where I got the inspiration to incorporate white bean paste into the glutinous rice flour dough.

Butterfly Pea Snowskin Mooncakes

And here's a beautiful blue variation of the white bean paste mooncakes, above.

If you haven’t heard of butterfly pea extract before, you’re going to love it so much in this lovely blue butterfly pea snowskin mooncakes recipe! It doesn’t give the mooncakes too much flavor, but it gives it a beautiful bluish-hue without adding any dye.

Healthy Mung Bean Snowskin Mooncakes

Here’s yet another variation of my 3-ingredient snowskin mooncakes. Tender and delicate, these mung bean mooncakes are delightfully yellow, and made from glutinous rice flour which give these mooncakes a softer, mochi-like bite.

Note that these mooncakes do require mung bean paste in advance. Mung beans are not commonly sold in stores in the paste form, so unfortunately, you do have to start from thedried beans—but I think it’s worth the extra time and effort. Homemade mung bean paste is easy to make and so much healthier than storebought bean pastes or lotus pastes since the homemade kind uses less sugar and also free from preservatives and other additives.

Here’s my recipe for the 2-ingredient sweet mung bean paste (link to recipe)!

Easy Microwave Red Bean Snowskin Mooncakes

Here’s a quick and easy red bean snowskin mooncake recipe that only requires 3-Ingredients (glutinous rice flour, sweetened red bean paste and water) and just a microwave. NO wheat starch, and NO steaming required.

Blender Chickpea Mooncakes

That’s right,chickpea mooncakes. Chickpea (and bean-based) desserts have been getting more popular these days, from chickpea blondies to chocolate chip cookies. It turns out, chickpeas are a terrific base for mooncakes, too.Visit the recipe to see more!

Biscoff Snowskin Mooncakes with Nice Cream Filling

What could make mooncakes even better? Filling them with ice cream of course! These soft and chewy biscoff snowskin mooncakes are filled with creamy vegan Biscoff nice cream (recipe here) that takes regular mooncakes to the next level.

Gluten-Free Oreo Mooncakes

Sweet and creamy on the inside, with a crisp melt-in-your-mouth cookie texture that’s intensely chocolatey and nutty at the same time, these Gluten-Free Oreo Mooncakes with Cream Cheese Filling have all the authentic flavors of the classic cookies and cream in adorable little square bites. The crumbly texture of the mooncake crust comes from a quick and easy coconut flour dough that’s mixed with chocolate hazelnut spread. The cream cheese filling has bits and pieces of oreo cookies, which add texture and sweetness.

Keto Mooncakes

These low-carb / keto mooncakes are made with almond flour and cream cheese, and have a delightfully creamy, thick filling. The almond flour cookie dough is very easy to work with and the cookies bake up nicely. They’re soft in the middle, but chewy on the outside, which is perfect for me because I love my mooncakes to have the contrast in soft and chewy textures!

Coffee Snow Skin Mooncakes

Coffee lovers, rejoice! Coffee-flavored desserts have been trending and I'm about to celebrate it with these easy, no-fuss Coffee Snow Skin Mooncakes. These vegan and gluten-free mooncakes are filled with a delicious coffee bean paste made from sweet white bean paste and coffee extract, delivering a robust and aromatic coffee flavor in every bite.

Matcha Green Tea Snow Skin Mooncakes

Indulge in the unique and delicious taste of matcha green tea with these homemade Matcha / Green Tea Snow Skin Mooncakes! These mooncakes have a soft, chewy texture that melts in your mouth with each bite, while the matcha flavor adds a subtle hint of sweetness and depth.

Chocolate Lava Snow Skin Mooncakes

These Nutella chocolate lava snow skin mooncakes are a decadent twist on the traditional Chinese dessert. The rich and creamy Nutella filling, frozen and then softened to resemble molten lava, is a delightful surprise in every bite. With just a handful of ingredients, including chocolate, Nutella, and glutinous rice flour, you can make your own version of this trending treat.

Easy 3-Ingredient Lotus Paste Snow Skin Mooncakes

Lotus Paste is a must for mooncake fillings, but have you ever thought about using it for the mooncake skin? Well, here's an easy Lotus Paste Snow Skin Mooncake Recipe that only requires 3 ingredients, is made in the microwave, and no steaming required! Also perfect for those on a gluten free or vegan diet

...And more to come!

I really hope this list of mooncake flavors and recipes was helpful. A while back I wrote this post on my experiments with creating a healthier mooncake. Since then, I have continued to find ways to make the traditional dessert into a healthy snack that everyone can enjoy.

Mooncakes themselves aren’t super healthy, but I'm always trying to find ways to make gluten-free, vegan and healthy variations of mooncakes! That way, no matter your diet, you can enjoy the deliciousness of mooncakes.

I'd love to hear your thoughts on this list. Comment below for questions and more!