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You are here: Home / Desserts / Cookies / How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein)

September 20, 2021

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein)

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
Gluten Free
Vegan
Low Calorie
Made in the Food Processor

Mooncakes are one of my favorite Asian confectionaries, but the question I had to ask myself was, can I make mooncakes both vegan and healthy? The question made me just stop and think of all the possibilities and vegan components that make vegan desserts actually work.

One of those ideas was using chickpeas. 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. Read more to see how they’re made:

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
What You'll Find in this Post:
1. Ingredients Used to Vegan Chickpea Mooncakes
2. More Chickpea Recipes
3. For the Filling You’ll Need
4. Equipment
5. Step by Step GUide
6. Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
7. Crust Variations
8. How to Make this Healthier
9. How to Store Chickpea Mooncakes
10. CLICK HERE for All my mooncake recipes:
11. Final Tips
12. Pin it!
13. More Vegan, Gluten-Free Mooncake Recipes Coming Up:
14. Vegan Chickpea Mooncakes

Ingredients Used to Vegan Chickpea Mooncakes

**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂

  • Chickpeas – Rich in fiber, vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, phosphorous, chickpeas have a satisfying nutty flavor and great additions to a healthy diet. Research shows that chickpeas have been linked to preventing the development of diabetes and heart diseases. It also has a beneficial effect on your gut flora due to its soluble fiber raffinose! In my recipes, you can use either canned chickpeas or chickpeas you’ve cooked yourself.
  • Almond Butter – like this one. You can also use other natural nut butters like pecan butter, walnut butter, cashew butter, mixed nut butter, or even seed butter like sunflower. So many choices!
  • Coconut flour – Coconut flour does not substitute well, and I can’t recommend swapping coconut flour with other ingredients in this recipe.
  • Maple Syrup – I used maple syrup for this recipe but you can use other liquid sweeteners of choice like honey, agave syrup, or liquid stevia

More Chickpea Recipes

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Red Velvet Chickpea Donuts (made in the Food Processor!)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Healthy Crustless Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Cheesecake
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Chickpea Cookie Dough Nice Cream Recipe (Vegan & Dairy Free)
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Brown Rice Mochi Filled with Healthy Chickpea Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
How to Make Soft Chocolate Chip Chickpea Cookies (Gluten-Free & Vegan)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Matcha Chickpea Cookie Dough Stuffed Mochi
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
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How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
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How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Flourless Raspberry Chickpea Cake Recipe
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Miso And Chickpea Cookie Bars – Vegan & Made with Canned Chickpeas
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
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How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Quick & Easy Chickpea Cookie Dough (Just 5 ingredients!)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
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How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein)

For the Filling You’ll Need

  • Sweetened White Bean Paste (a.k.a. Shiro An) – fudgy and sweet, white bean paste is a perfect filling for mooncakes. You’re welcome to use other fillings for this recipe. More ideas below in the “variation” section
shiro an amazon link
Shiro An

Equipment

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

The main highlight of mooncakes is their beautiful engraved patterns and shapes. Mooncake molds are readily available at different Chinese grocery stores. You can also find it online, especially on amazon. They are of premium quality and quite affordable. I got the 50g mooncake molds here

Step by Step GUide

How to Make Vegan Chickpea Mooncake Recipe

STEP 1

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

Blend chickpeas, 3 Tbsp coconut flour, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth

STEP 2

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

The dough should be soft, but still firm dough that can be rolled up into a ball without sticking to your hands. Add more coconut flour (at most, 1 Tablespoon more) if the dough seems too soft. Once done, divide the dough into 12 equal-sized pieces and roll into a ball (about 20-30 grams of dough each).

STEP 3

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

Prepare the filling- roll the sweetened white bean paste filling into a heaping tablespoon-sized balls (about 30g).

STEP 4

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

Flatten the dough into a thin disk using the palms of your hands, place about 30g of filling in the middle. Cover the filling with the dough and gently squeeze the dough into a ball. The ball really does not have to be perfect or smooth, because you’ll be using the mooncake mold to press these rough edges into shape anyways.

STEP 5

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

Use a well-greased mooncake mold to press the dough into shape. A non-stick cooking spray works well to ensure that the mold is properly greased.

STEP 6

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10-12 minutes until the tops are golden and dry. The bottom of the cakes should be lightly browned.

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

There are many types of fillings used in traditional mooncakes. Here are some ideas below:

  • Lotus paste – classic! You can buy these in the refrigerated section in a Asian grocery store, or buy them online (like Amazon, here)
  • Shiro-an (sweetened white bean paste) – on Amazon, here, or here’s a Shortcut White Bean Paste Recipe I make when I’ve run out of Shiro An
  • Koshi-an (sweetened red bean paste) – on Amazon, here
  • Mung Bean paste – sweet and delightfully yellow, homemade mung bean paste is a perfect mooncake filling for those who are looking for a healthier bean paste alternative. Here’s my 2-Ingredient mung bean paste recipe here
  • Coffee paste : 1/2 cup Shiro-an mixed with 2 tsp coffee extract (click on the link to see my 2 ingredient coffee bean paste recipe here)
banner link to variation post
10 more mooncake filling ideas cover page
The Ultimate List of 10+ Different Mooncake Fillings – Recipes, Ideas, and Tips for the Perfect Sweet Treat

Crust Variations

Use any nut butter of choice to replace almond butter.

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

How to Make this Healthier

  • Storebought lotus pastes and sweet bean pastes are delicious, but rather high in refined sugar and calories. While I still recommend you use the storebought kinds to make these mooncakes as close to the original texture as possible, there are many healthier alternatives for the filling, such as mashed sweet potato (the best ones are Asian sweet potato and Purple Sweet Potato), chickpea cookie dough or chopped nuts (I’ll post the recipe on this later).
  • I also love adding nuts, seeds and other ingredients to the filling that add texture, fiber and nutrition. Try adding nuts or dried fruit to the filling before rolling into tablespoon sized balls.
  • If you want to increase fiber, mix a Tablespoon of ground flaxseed or coconut flour to the filling.

How to Store Chickpea Mooncakes

  • You can store these cakes covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, you can place them in a plastic freezer bag or airtight container to store in the fridge for up to 4 days, or freeze up to 4 months.

CLICK HERE for All my mooncake recipes:

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Sweet Pistachio Mooncakes with Matcha Mung Bean Filling (Gluten-Free, Vegan)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
10 Minute Butterfly Pea Snowskin Mooncakes (No Steaming Required!)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Cashew Butter Mooncakes Made with Almond Flour (Vegan & Gluten Free)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Easy 3-Ingredient Shortcut Snowskin Mooncakes Recipe (Gluten Free, Vegan)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
4-Ingredient Almond Butter Mooncakes Recipe (Vegan, Gluten-Free)
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes
Quick and Easy: 2-Ingredient Vegan Mooncakes Recipe

Final Tips

  • I found that these mooncakes taste WAY better the day after they are made. I don’t know how to explain it other than that these mooncake crusts have a better flavor and develop a more melt-in-the-mouth, tender texture when they have a chance to rest in the fridge overnight. So for the best flavor and texture, I recommend that you store these mooncakes inside an airtight container and let them cool in the fridge for at least 8 hours before eating.

Pin it!

save this recipe for later! Pin now at Pinterest
How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

More Vegan, Gluten-Free Mooncake Recipes Coming Up:

Go to my Healthier Mooncake Experiment post to see how I got started making healthier mooncakes!

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakes

Vegan Chickpea Mooncakes

How to Make Chickpea Mooncakes (Vegan, Gluten-Free, High in Protein) - chickpea mooncakesAll Purpose Veggies
3.67 from 3 votes
Pin it Print it Leave a Comment
Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 10 mins
Course Dessert, Snack
Cuisine Chinese
Servings 12 servings
Calories 150 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 can chickpeas washed drained
  • 1/4 cup almond butter
  • 3-4 Tbsp coconut flour
  • 2 Tbsp maple syrup
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 360 g sweetened white bean paste (shiro an)

Instructions
 

  • In a food processor, blend chickpeas, 3 Tbsp coconut flour, almond butter, maple syrup and vanilla extract until smooth. The key to this recipe is blending them until very smooth, so scrape down the sides and blend until no visible chickpea chunks remain (about 1-2 minutes)
  • The dough should be soft, but still firm dough that can be rolled up into a ball without sticking to your hands. Add more coconut flour (at most, 1 Tablespoon more) if the dough seems too soft. Once done, divide the dough into 6 equal-sized pieces and roll into a ball (about 20-30 grams of dough each).
  • Prepare the filling- roll the sweetened white bean paste filling into a heaping tablespoon-sized balls (about 30g).
  • Flatten the dough into a thin disk using the palms of your hands, place about 30g of filling in the middle. Cover the filling with the dough and gently squeeze the dough into a ball. The ball really does not have to be perfect or smooth, because you’ll be using the mooncake mold to press these rough edges into shape anyways.
  • Use a well-greased mooncake mold to press the dough into shape. A non-stick cooking spray works well to ensure that the mold is properly greased.
  • Bake in a preheated 350F oven for 10-12 minutes until the tops are golden and dry. The bottom of the cakes should be lightly browned.
  • For best flavor and texture, let the mooncakes cool in the fridge overnight (or at least 8 hours) sealed inside an airtight container. This extra step ensures that the mooncake crust to soften and become more chewy, rather than tough.

Nutrition

Calories: 150kcalCarbohydrates: 26gProtein: 4gFat: 4gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gSodium: 61mgPotassium: 77mgFiber: 3gSugar: 17gVitamin A: 3IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 35mgIron: 1mgZinc: 1mg***Net Carbs: 23g
Keyword chickpeas, mooncakes
Did You Like this Recipe?I’d love to know more about it! Please leave a rating or comment below so I know what to add and which recipes to share with you next!

Filed Under: Cookies, Dessert, Fall, Gluten-Free, Low Carb, Mooncakes, Nut-Free, Snacks, Vegan, Veggies Tagged With: anko, asian-inspired, blender, chickpea, chinese, fall, glutenfree, mooncakes, Vegan

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