What Are the Best Mooncakes?

White lotus-seed paste is a classic mooncake flavor, one that food photographer and bloggerPeggy Chencalls a guaranteed win. “The white lotus-seed paste is smooth and nutty, and the salted egg yolk has a savoriness that balances out the sweetness,” Chen says. Michelle Hsu, founder ofIlha Candles, is also a white lotus-seed fan. Though Walmart isn’t typically the first place to come to mind when buying mooncakes, Hsu says this Joy Luck Palace box set is not only affordable but “surprisingly really good!”

For another traditional option that’s guaranteed to please, MáLà Project founderAmelie Kangassures that MX is a “reputable brand that’s been around for ages.” While the brand also offers mooncake flavors like red bean and pork floss, Kang will always go for the white lotus-seed paste because the texture is so smooth, and “the combination of sweet and salty so perfect,” Kang says. “It’s also super-nostalgic, since I grew up on it.”

James Beard Award–winning cookbook authorKristina Choprefers to bake her own mooncakes, but for long-distance friends and family, she’ll send offerings from the Hong Kong–originated Kee Wah Bakery. She’s a lotus-paste and egg-yolk fan as well, and harbors a fondness for Kee Wah’s adorable mini-mooncakes. Kee Wah is alsoBlack Bean Groceryco-founder Brandon Ly’s go-to supplier, since it carries “a huge range from the traditional bean pastes tolow-sugar/high-fiber alternativesand more moderncustard creations,” Ly says. So whether you prefer mung bean or red bean, pineapple or date paste, meat or mixed nuts, you’re likely to find what you’re looking for from Kee Wah.

Kevin Wong, co-founder ofLunar Hard Seltzer, always had a box of Sheng Kee mooncakes at the dinner table growing up. This one contains an assortment of flavors, including lotus, pineapple, and red bean — but Wong’s favorite filling has always been “jujube dates because of its sweet, smoky, and sour complexity.” These cakes do not include the egg-yolk center; Wong has never been a fan, though he’s “been told it’s a grievous sin, one I should be ashamed of committing,” he jokes.

Wildwonderfounder Rosa Li also turns to Sheng Kee to stock up on mooncakes because “they’re soft and flavor forward but aren’t super-sweet.” Plus the attractive packaging makes them ideal for gifting during the holiday, adds food content creator Cy Nguyen, whose favorite is a date, nut, and egg-yolk combination.

Actress and influencerViveca Chowmoved to the U.S. from Hong Kong over a decade ago, and “homesickness hits me especially hard around the Mid-Autumn Festival,” Chow says, adding that every bite of these mooncakes from AAPI-founded dessert and baking brandKitsby“tastes like a burst of comfort.” This four-piece set includes a traditional lotus-paste flavor along with black sesame, black tea and salted egg, and green tea and azuki bean flavors.

Li and chefBrandon Jewboth shouted out mooncakes from Little Moon Bakehouse, an AAPI- and woman-owned bakery based in the Bay Area. ThisYear of the Snakegift box includes four specialty flavors: black sesame and cornflake (Li’s favorite), hotteok (a sugary Korean fried pancake), raspberry and almond, and red bean and citrus zest. “The mooncakes update classic flavors with a modern accent, sure to please both your elders and your young ones,” Jew says. The set is available to ship nationwide, but if you’re in New York, the brand will be hosting a pop-up in the city from September 22 to October 5 where you can grab them in person.

Though Lady M’s flavors aren’t exactly traditional per se — this gift set contains strawberry matcha, tiramisu, and coconut mooncakes — they’re still absolutely delicious, according to Chen. These cakes are also a little smaller than average, but Chen promises that Lady M “is always a solid choice for quality and flavor.” She also appreciates how the packaging is interactive — the mooncakes come housed in a lantern that lights up and spins at the press of a button — and comes with a shopping bag and greeting card so it’s ready for gifting.

If traditional dense, square mooncakes are a bit too rich for your palate, Hsu suggests trying Taiwanese-style mooncakes, which feature “a flakier outer layer and are usually stuffed with mung-bean paste, braised minced meat, and other delicious things that give them a perfect sweet-and-savory balance,” she explains. Chen also finds that the round Taiwanese mooncakes “have a better filling-to-yolk ratio than square ones.” These Luxihe ones are stuffed with red-bean paste, mochi, and salted yolk for a satisfying bite.

You can also find Taiwanese mooncakes at New York–based teahouse Té Company. Food editorJessie YuChendescribes them as “simple yet deeply satisfying, pairing well with tea, and setting the gold standard for Asian sweets — balanced and never too sweet.” Food journalistCharlotte Druckmanadds that the mooncakes are all made to order in-house, allowing the pastries to be more light and delicate than hardier versions that are destined to be transported long distances. “The dough is papery and parchment thin. The red been is sweet, with an undercurrent of savoriness and a molasses-y, caramel-y flavor, while the mung-bean filling has a cleaner sweetness,” Druckman says. “So much labor and care have gone into making them perfect.”

Serious Eats senior editorGenevieve Yamhas a soft spot for “snowy” mooncakes. “Unlike traditional Cantonese mooncakes, which are baked and typically have an egg yolk in the center, these have a thin, chewy exterior with a texture similar to mochi and are filled with custard or ice cream,” Yam explains. These MeiXin ones taste just like the popular Chinese dessert mango pomelo sago.

Erica Fuqua, founder of fragrance brandEmme, loves the snow-skin mooncakes from Grandma’s Home, which are made in-house at its NYC-based restaurant. “Instead of the heavier pastry shell, which can sometimes feel a bit greasy if you eat more than one, the snow skin has a soft, delicate texture that lets the flavors really shine,” Fuqua says. This set of three comes with matcha, black sesame, and custard flavors; Fuqua describes the matcha as “earthy and slightly bitter, balancing the creamy filling” and the custard as “rich, silky, and comforting, like a little bite of egg tart wrapped in mochi.” Her favorite, however, is the black sesame, which is “deeply nutty and toasty with just the right amount of sweetness.”

“Lava” mooncakes have become a trend in recent years; instead of solid egg yolk, they are filled with a delicious liquid custard. I tried some myself with this gift box from Sunmerry Bakery, which contains chocolate, oolong matcha, strawberry, pistachio, and honey citrus-flavored lava mooncakes, as well as a small assortment of Taiwanese mooncakes and a box of bite-size pineapple tarts. Biting into the lava mooncakes is a sensory experience, with the rich, oozy custard providing a satisfying textural contrast to the crumbly pastry.

Druckman also recommends these baked-from-scratch lava mooncakes from Ando Patisserie, an Asian bakery located in the East Village. “They’re filled with a pastry cream that is very egg-forward and tastes really custardy,” Druckman explains. “They’re very rich, but I can’t stop eating them. I love them.”

Food-content creator and cookbook-club founderStephanie Lauhighly recommends these Vietnamese-style mooncakes, called bánh trung thu, from NYC-based pop-up Ăn Xôi. “They’re handmade from scratch, and the fillings are unique — the flavors are influenced by Vietnamese cuisine and use ingredients that the founders have sourced in Vietnam,” Lau explains. This year’s Mooncake Symphony box includes six flavors, from mint hazelnut to orange snow skin; Lau is especially fond of the coconut-pork floss, which she says is “savory and slightly sweet” with a variety of textures — “shredded coconut, toasted sesame seeds, chewy candied winter melon, and fried shallots.”