Snow Skin Mooncake (Lotus Paste)

Nov 3, 2026 · By VanillaGoods

Dessert Candy confections Medium

A chewy, snow-white skin of cooked glutinous rice flour wraps a ball of smooth sweet lotus seed paste. Nothing is baked; the mooncakes are pressed in a mold and chilled. Makes 8 mooncakes in about 2 hr 35 min.

Prep 45 min

Cook 20 min

Cooling 1 hr 30 min

Total 2 hr 35 min

Yield 8 mooncakes

Ingredients

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mooncakes

⅔ cup (80 g)glutinous rice flour, for the snow skin
⅓ cup (60 g)granulated sugar
½ cup (115 ml)whole milk
1 ½ tbsp (10 g)coconut oil, melted
2 ½ tbsp (20 g)glutinous rice flour, toasted in a dry pan until pale and fragrant, for the dusting
12 ½ oz (360 g)sweet lotus seed paste, rolled into 8 balls of 45 g

Fresh ingredient guides

CoconutHow to pick, season & nutrition · 496 kcal per 140 g

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Instructions

Toast the dusting flour in a dry nonstick pan over medium heat 3 to 5 minutes, stirring constantly, until it smells nutty but is still pale. Cool completely.
Whisk the glutinous rice flour, sugar, milk and coconut oil in a heatproof bowl until smooth.
Cover the bowl and steam over simmering water 15 to 18 minutes, stirring once halfway, until the batter turns translucent and thick with no raw white spots; it should be fully cooked.
Turn the hot dough out onto a board dusted with toasted flour. Knead briefly with floured gloved hands until smooth, then shape into a flat square and cool until just warm, about 20 minutes.
Divide the skin into 8 pieces (about 30 g each). Flatten each into a 3-inch (8 cm) round, place a ball of lotus paste in the center, and gather the edges up and pinch closed.
Dust a 75 g mooncake mold with toasted flour. Place the ball seam-side up in the mold, press gently to fill, then press out onto a tray.
Chill at least 90 minutes, until firm, before serving.

Tips

Cook the skin batter until fully translucent; undercooked rice flour tastes raw and gummy.
Dust generously and tap off the excess so the skin releases from the mold.
Work while the dough is just warm; it stiffens and cracks if it cools completely.
The glutinous rice flour skin must be fully cooked; keep the finished mooncakes refrigerated.

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Recipe FAQ

How long does it take to make snow skin mooncake (lotus paste)?

Plan on 45 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking, plus 1 hour 30 minutes to chill. The recipe makes 8 mooncakes.

How should I store snow skin mooncake (lotus paste)?

Refrigerate in an airtight container up to 3 days; freeze up to 2 weeks and thaw in the fridge.

Can I make snow skin mooncake (lotus paste) ahead?

Yes. It needs time to chill and set, so it is a good one to make the day before you serve it.

A no-bake mooncake with a soft, chewy chilled skin, developed in Hong Kong as a lighter alternative to baked pastry-crust mooncakes for the Mid-Autumn Festival. Serve it with oolong or jasmine tea.

Estimated · per serving

Nutrition

Per serving = 1 of 8 servings this recipe makes.

230 Calories / serving

4.6g Fat

45.2g Carbs

3.5g Protein

28.5g Sugar

Whole recipe (8 servings): ~1840 cal · 37g fat · 362g carbs · 28g protein · 228g sugar

Estimated values per serving, calculated from standard ingredient data. Not verified Nutrition Facts; actual values vary with brands, measurements, and preparation.

Made with VanillaGoods

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