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 the dried 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)!
What are mung beans?
Mung beans are a type of legume that originally come from India, but they spread to other Asian countries over time. Mung beans have a mildly sweet flavor that can be used in both savory dishes and in desserts, like mooncakes for example.
Are mung beans healthy?
Using mung beans in cooking can add a lot of health benefits, as they are rich in minerals, antioxidants, and vitamins. Like many of their bean counterparts, mung beans have shown great benefits to reducing your risk for diseases, lower cholesterol, and aid digestion.
What does adding mung bean paste do to the sweet rice dough?
The addition of mung bean paste to glutinous rice flour helps turn the sweet rice dough into a smooth, pliable dough that can be easily pulled apart and molded into desired shapes, all thanks to the protein and fiber content in the creamy mung bean paste.
Here's why I love this recipe
- no-bake
- easy to prepare
- only 3 ingredients
- customizable (so many filling options!)
Ingredients Used to Make Mung Bean Snowskin 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 🙂
- Prepared Mung Bean paste - As I mentioned before, 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 the dried 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)!
- Glutinous Rice Flour - this goes by many names. You’ll see Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko Flour (my favorite brand) in Asian grocery stores, and Sweet White Rice Flour in most other stores. ***Please note that regular white rice flour or brown rice flour is NOT the same thing as glutinous rice flour!!!
- Water - room temperature is fine
Filling Ingredients
- I used the sweetened mung bean paste leftover from making the snowskin dough as my mooncake filling, but you can also fill these mooncakes with lotus paste, mung bean paste or red bean paste.
- Read more on the filling variations towards the end!
Equipment for 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 75g and 125g mooncake molds here
Step by Step Guide
How to Make Mung Bean Snowskin Mooncakes
STEP 1
In a microwaveable glass bowl (like Pyrex), mix the sweetened mung bean paste (recipe here) and sweet rice flour
STEP 2
Mix until the mung bean paste has been well incorporated into the flour.
STEP 3
Add water and whisk until smooth. Microwave the mixture for 1 minute.
Use a SOLID METAL spoon (wooden spoons might break!) to stir the cooked mixture so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed.
Microwave the mixture again, this time for 1 minute
STEP 4
Stir again, and pour the cooked glutinous rice dough onto a lightly greased baking pan
STEP 5
Cut the glutinous rice dough into 6-7 pieces using scissors
STEP 6
Fill with prepared sweetened mung bean paste filling.
STEP 7
Fit the filled pieces into a lightly greased mooncake mold** and press into shape. I used a 75 g mooncake mold, but you can also use any mold size you have at home
STEP 8
For the best texture, let cool in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before eating.
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins for Mung Bean Snowskin Mooncakes:
There are many other 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 : ½ cup Shiro-an mixed with 2 tsp coffee extract (click on the link to see my 2 ingredient coffee bean paste recipe here)
Snowskin Dough Variations
You can also play around with different snowskin flavors, too.
- Chocolate mooncakes – add 1 Tbsp of cocoa powder to the glutinous rice flour before mixing with other ingredients; add some mini chocolate chips to the filling before rolling into tablespoon sized (about 30 gram) balls.
- Matcha mooncakes – add 1 tsp of matcha powder to the glutinous rice flour before mixing
- Chai or Cinnamon mooncakes – Try adding a tsp of Cardamom Powder or Chai Tea Powder
- Coffee or mocha? Add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder.
More Mooncake Recipes HERE
Healthy Mung Bean Snow Skin Mooncakes
Equipment
Ingredients
Snowskin Mooncake Dough
- 150 g mung bean paste , see recipe here
- 50 g mochiko flour, sweet rice or glutinous rice flour
- 57 g water
Mooncake Filling
- 300 g mung bean paste , or other filling of choice such as lotus paste, red bean paste or white bean paste
Instructions
Prep the filling (read note* for alternatives)
- Prepare mooncake filling by rolling about 1-2 Tablespoons of mung bean paste filling into balls. Set aside.
- NOTE: You can also use other mooncake fillings of choice like white bean paste. Check out my ULTIMATE LIST OF SNOW SKIN MOONCAKE FILLINGS post for more ideas!*
Make the Mooncake Skin
- In a microwaveable glass bowl (like Pyrex), mix the mung bean paste and sweet rice flour until the mung bean has been well incorporated into the flour.
- Add water and whisk until smoooth.
- Microwave the mixture for 1 minute
- Use a SOLID METAL spoon (wooden spoons might break!) to stir the cooked mixture so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed
- Microwave the mixture again, this time for 1 minute
- Stir briefly, and pour the cooked glutinous rice dough onto a lightly greased baking pan
Shape the Mooncakes
- Cut the glutinous rice dough into 6-7 pieces using scissors
- Fill with prepared sweetened mung bean filling.
- Fit the filled pieces into a lightly greased mooncake mold** and press into shape. I used a 75 g mooncake mold, but you can also use any mold size you have at home
- For the best texture, let cool in the freezer for 20-30 minutes before eating.
- Enjoy!
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