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Suzhou mooncake is a flaky snack with a savory filling of your choice. This recipe is not that hard to do as long as you follow my detailed instructions below on how to make the filling, soft dough, and pastry dough. It is totally worth it to make homemade Suzhou mooncakes, perfect for the Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival) or as your anytime snack.

What Is Suzhou Mooncake?

Some Chinese foods are closely associated with traditional Chinese events. For example, Tang Yuan (Glutinous Rice Balls) is eaten during the Winter Solstice, Zongzi (Chinese Sticky Rice Dumpling) is enjoyed during the Dragon Boat Festival, and mooncakes are a key part of the Mid-Autumn Festival, which falls on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese lunisolar calendar.

Mooncakes come in all kinds of shapes, designs, and tastes. Some are chewy and sweet, such as Mooncake (Egg Yolk And Lotus Paste), Taro Snow Skin Mooncake With Cheese, and Snow Skin Mooncake. On the other hand, some are savory and flaky, such as Suzhou mooncake.

For this savory mooncake recipe, it is filled with a minced meat filling seasoned to perfection.

What makes this mooncake extra special is its flaky, crumbly crust. Don’t be intimidated by it because it is actually super easy to make this flaky feature.

Instead of making one type of dough, you are going to make a soft dough and pastry dough.

The two types of dough are simply coiled and flattened multiple times, which I will explain later why this is a key technique for the recipe. It is quite similar to making Chinese sesame flatbread and Wife Cakes Recipe (Sweetheart Cakes).

A Breakdown Of The Ingredients

Here’s a complete guide on the ingredients to use and their best alternatives:

Filling

Minced pork: I used ground pork, but feel free to use any type of meat, such as beef and chicken. If using meat cuts, simply blend them in a food processor to mince. For our vegetarian and vegan friends, I recommend crumbled firm tofu, minced soy meat, or finely chopped shiitake mushrooms. If using shiitake, use rehydrated dried shiitake mushrooms instead of fresh ones for a deeper umami, smoky taste.
Sugar: Sugar is optional if you want it to be a balance of salty and sweet. You can use any type of sweetener, including white sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.
Dark soy sauce: Dark soy sauce is a go-to ingredient for darkening the filling with its thick and dark consistency. It also gives the filling an umami, slightly sweet taste. The closest substitutes for dark soy sauce are mushroom sauce, double black soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, and oyster sauce. For a lighter consistency, you can swap it with light soy sauce.
Ginger juice: A small amount of ginger juice adds a hint of spicy, warm, citrusy taste. Follow my ginger juice recipe to make a homemade version, or look for store-bought juice. You can swap ginger juice for minced fresh ginger or ground ginger.
Oyster sauce: Oyster sauce is umami, salty, and briny. It also lends a hint of caramel-like taste, similar to soy sauce mixed with barbecue sauce. You can replace this with hoisin sauce, kecap manis, teriyaki sauce, Worcestershire sauce with soy sauce and sugar, and oyster-flavored sauce.
Light soy sauce: Light soy sauce adds depth to the filling and lends a salty, umami taste. You can also use tamari, liquid aminos, coconut aminos, or gluten-free soy sauce.
Green onion: Green onions or scallions give it a fresh, oniony taste. Use the green parts of the green onion, but you can also add the white parts if you like. The closest alternatives to green onions are spring onions or chives. Regular onions like red, yellow, and white are other best alternatives for an oniony taste.
White sesame seeds: I like adding white sesame seeds for their nutty taste and bits of crunch. You can swap them for black sesame seeds, but the flavor profile will be more intense.
Sesame oil: Sesame oil imparts a nutty, toasty, earthy taste and aroma. It is quite strong, so I used a small amount only. Use plain sesame oil or sesame oil with sesame seeds.
Zha cai: This is a type of Chinese pickle also known as Sichuan preserved vegetable, Sichuan pickled vegetable, or Chinese pickled vegetable. You can find this in Asian grocery stores or online markets like Amazon. You will love its spicy, salty, and tangy taste. Plus, its slight crunch like cucumbers is to die for.

Soft Dough

All-purpose flour: I always use all-purpose flour to make various buns, such as Bunny Steamed Buns, Piggy Buns, and Peach Buns, as well as mooncakes. This flour provides a white base and a soft texture, making it easy to work with due to its medium gluten content. It ensures that the buns and mooncakes have a light and soft texture. Avoid using special flour types like whole wheat flour, rice flour, or glutinous rice flour, as these will result in a different texture. If you use cake flour, the result will be a more delicate texture.
Sugar: Sugar adds a hint of sweetness to the dough. You can use any type of sweetener, including white sugar, cane sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, or coconut sugar.
Lard: Lard is a type of fat made from pork commonly used for Chinese pastries and savory dishes. It is popular for its rich flavor and texture. You can swap this with non-pork options, such as vegetable shortening, unsalted butter, coconut oil, or vegetable oil. Be sure to check out my recipe for making lard!
Water: Water is needed to combine all the ingredients and produce a pliable, soft dough. I recommend using warm water or room-temperature water to make the dough more pliable for kneading.

Pastry Dough

All-purpose flour + lard: The pastry dough is a mix of flour and lard. It is basically an oil-based dough, which is the secret to making the flaky crust of the mooncake. It is a bit oily but should be able to become a pliable, soft dough. Follow the lard-to-flour ratio of 1:2. For this dough, you can also swap lard with vegetable shortening, unsalted butter, coconut oil, or vegetable oil.

Pro Tips For Making The Flakiest Suzhou Mooncake

If you are new to baking or making baked mooncakes, don’t skip this section just yet. Below are my best tips for making the correct dough and getting the best texture. Before you begin with the recipe steps, follow these do’s and don’ts.

Use a kitchen weighing scale to get accurate measurements. When it comes to baking, it is always best to measure the ingredients by weight. One wrongly measured ingredient can make the dough texture off. So, make sure to have a weighing scale to get the ideal pliable dough texture. It should be soft for kneading and not sticky or stiff. If the dough is too sticky, gradually add flour in small amounts. If it is too stiff and difficult to knead, gradually add water until you get the right consistency.
Do not skip or rush kneading. Proper kneading is important to achieve the best texture. Keep kneading until the dough is soft and pliable and can hold its shape. Dust the surface with flour if the dough sticks to the surface while kneading.
Allow the dough to rest in the fridge. For this recipe, the dough is rested 3 times: One after kneading, another after flattening and rolling, and another last one after flattening and rolling again. Do not skip or rush this step as well. Resting the dough in the fridge is an important step in relaxing the glutens and hydrating the dough. By doing this, you can prevent the dough from deforming while shaping and baking the cake. It just holds its shape better with enough rest.
Flatten and roll the soft and pastry dough. After making the two types of dough, it is combined, flattened, and rolled. The flattening and rolling steps are done twice to make sure they are well-combined. This coiling technique is the secret to making the flaky, layered crust.
Freeze before baking (optional). This step is optional, especially if you are not yet ready to bake all of them. After placing the filling in the center of the coiled dough, store the assembled mooncake in an airtight container. Line the cakes in a single layer with ample space in between to prevent sticking. When you are ready to bake them, you do not need to thaw them. Simply bake it right away from frozen and add a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Store the mooncake in an airtight container. It can be kept in the pantry at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Glaze the top. If you want to achieve a glossy caramelized finish, I suggest coating the top with an egg wash. This is made with 1 beaten egg mixed with 1 tablespoon of liquid such as water, milk, or cream. An egg wash is not the only ingredient that can give the mooncake a caramelized top crust, but maple syrup, almond milk, and butter as well. Before popping the mooncake in the oven, brush it with these glazing ingredients.

Ingredients And Baking Tools

Here are the baking tools to prepare and the ingredients you need:

Baking tools:

Kitchen weighing scale
Food-safe plastic gloves
Mixing bowls
Tray with plastic wrap
Rolling pin
Plastic wrap
Mooncake seal stamp for design
Baking tray

Ingredients

For the Filling: Adjust to taste

450g minced pork
15g white sugar
10g dark soy sauce
12g ginger juice
20g oyster sauce
25g light soy sauce
15g chopped green onions
25g white sesame seeds
18g sesame oil
150g chopped Zha Cai

For the Soft Dough:

190g all-purpose flour
38g white sugar
60g lard
80g water

For the Pastry Dough:

148g all-purpose flour
74g lard

6 Details Steps To Make Suzhou Mooncake

I divided the steps into 6 main steps: prepare the filling, make the soft dough, make the pastry dough, combine the two doughs, assemble with the filling, and bake.

Watch my short tutorial video on Instagram or TikTok to learn more. When you are done making this recipe, snap a photo and share it with me by tagging @kitchenmisadventures.

Prepare The Filling.

Combine the minced meat, sugar, dark soy sauce, ginger juice, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce in a bowl. Mix well with chopsticks.
Add the chopped green onions, white sesame seeds, sesame oil, and chopped Zha Cai. Mix until evenly combined.
Divide the filling into portions of about 37g each. Place them on a tray lined with plastic wrap on a single layer. Do not stack them.
Transfer it to the freezer and freeze until slightly firm.

Make The Soft Dough.

Mix the all-purpose flour, sugar, lard, and water together. Knead until it forms a smooth dough. When pressed, it should take the shape of your fingers.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

Make The Pastry Dough.

Combine all-purpose flour and lard and knead until it forms a smooth dough.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and set aside. It is important to wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to prevent the dough from drying out. If it dries out, the dough will crack when baked.

Combine The Two Doughs. (I highly recommend watching my video to see how it’s done.)

Divide both the soft dough and the pastry dough into 20 equal parts each.
Take a piece of the soft dough, flatten it with your fingers, and wrap it around a piece of pastry dough, sealing the edges tightly. Repeat for the rest of the dough pieces. This should give you balls of dough. Cover these with a plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Then, take a ball of dough, flatten it into an oblong sheet with a rolling pin, and roll it from top to bottom. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough.
Cover the rolled pieces with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, repeat step 4. Flatten each piece using a rolling pin and roll it. Refrigerate for another 15 minutes while covered in plastic wrap.
Afterward, take the first piece, place it on a surface covered in plastic wrap, press down the center with your finger, and fold the left and right sides towards the center. Press down with the palm of your hand to form a semi-flat round dough.
Place plastic wrap on top of the dough and flatten it into a thin circular sheet using a rolling pin.

Assemble The Mooncakes.

Place the frozen filling in the center of a dough wrapper. Wrap and bring the edges together to seal.
Smoothen it into a ball. Transfer the mooncakes to a baking tray.
Stamp the seal design on top if using.

Bake The Mooncakes.

Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Bake the mooncakes for 30 minutes at 180°C (350°F) or until flaky and crispy.
Baked Suzhou Mooncake Recipe (Savory Pork Mooncake)

Suzhou mooncake is a flaky snack with a savory filling of your choice. This recipe is not that hard to do as long as you follow my detailed instructions below on how to make the filling, soft dough, and pastry dough. It is totally worth it to make homemade Suzhou mooncakes, perfect for the Mid-Autumn Festival (Mooncake Festival) or as your anytime snack.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 1 hour
35 minutes

Course Snack
Cuisine Chinese

Servings 5
Calories 600 kcal
Ingredients
For the Filling: Adjust to taste
450 g minced pork
15 g white sugar
10 g dark soy sauce
12 g ginger juice
20 g oyster sauce
25 g light soy sauce
15 g chopped green onions
25 g white sesame seeds
18 g sesame oil
150 g chopped Zha Cai
For the Soft Dough:
190 g all-purpose flour
38 g white sugar
60 g lard
80 g water
For the Pastry Dough:
148 g all-purpose flour
74 g lard
Instructions
Prepare The Filling.
Combine the minced meat, sugar, dark soy sauce, ginger juice, oyster sauce, and light soy sauce in a bowl. Mix well with chopsticks.
Add the chopped green onions, white sesame seeds, sesame oil, and chopped Zha Cai. Mix until evenly combined.
Divide the filling into portions of about 37g each. Place them on a tray lined with plastic wrap on a single layer. Do not stack them.
Transfer it to the freezer and freeze until slightly firm.
Make The Soft Dough.
Mix the all-purpose flour, sugar, lard, and water together. Knead until it forms a smooth dough. When pressed, it should take the shape of your fingers.
Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Make The Pastry Dough.
Combine all-purpose flour and lard and knead until it forms a smooth dough.
Wrap it in plastic wrap and set aside.It is important to wrap it in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container to prevent the dough from drying out. If it dries out, the dough will crack when baked.
Combine The Two Doughs. (I highly recommend watching my video to see how it's done.)
Divide both the soft dough and the pastry dough into 20 equal parts each.
Take a piece of the soft dough, flatten it with your fingers, and wrap it around a piece of pastry dough, sealing the edges tightly. Repeat for the rest of the dough pieces. This should give you balls of dough. Cover these with a plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out.
Then, take a ball of dough, flatten it into an oblong sheet with a rolling pin, and roll it from top to bottom. Repeat this step for the rest of the dough.
Cover the rolled pieces with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15 minutes.
After 15 minutes, repeat step 4. Flatten each piece using a rolling pin and roll it. Refrigerate for another 15 minutes while covered in plastic wrap.
Afterward, take the first piece, place it on a surface covered in plastic wrap, press down the center with your finger, and fold the left and right sides towards the center. Press down with the palm of your hand to form a semi-flat round dough.
Place plastic wrap on top of the dough and flatten it into a thin circular sheet using a rolling pin.
Assemble The Mooncakes.
Place the frozen filling in the center of a dough wrapper. Wrap and bring the edges together to seal.
Smoothen it into a ball. Transfer the mooncakes to a baking tray.
Stamp the seal design on top if using.
Bake The Mooncakes.
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).
Bake the mooncakes for 30 minutes at 180°C (350°F) or until flaky and crispy.
Video

Nutrition
Calories: 600kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 25gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 558mgPotassium: 437mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 1382IUVitamin C: 11mgCalcium: 139mgIron: 5mg

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