Recipe: Chinese Moon Cakes - Home Style and Fall Moon Cakes

CHINESE MOONCAKES - HOME STYLE
Source: Asia Kids
Makes about 24 moon cakes

1/2 cup salted butter
1/4 cup sugar
2 egg yolks
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 can red bean paste or 1 cup jam

In a large mixing bowl, combine the butter, sugar and 1 egg yolk. Stir until creamy and combine completely. Add the flour and mix thoroughly. Form the dough into one large ball and wrap it in aluminum foil. Put this in the refrigerator for 30 minutes.

Unwrap the chilled dough and, with clean hands, form small balls in the palms of your hand. These are the moon cakes. Make a hole with your thumb gently in the center of each mooncake and fill with about half a teaspoon of your favorite jam or red bean paste. Brush each cake with the other beaten egg yolk.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Bake the mooncakes for about 20 minutes or just until the outside edges are slightly brown.

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FALL MOON CAKES
Source: FamilyFun
Makes 4 to 5 dozen cookies

"Traditional Chinese moon cakes are round like their namesake and are usually filled with red bean paste, lotus seed paste or coconut. This nonfilled version is crunchy and sweet, and a little more familiar to American kids' palates. "

1 cup butter
2/3 cup sugar
1 egg
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. vanilla extract
Vanilla frosting
Grated coconut (optional)

Cream the butter and sugar. Stir in the egg, add the flour, salt and vanilla extract, then let chill for a few hours.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Roll out the dough to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out circles with a 3-inch cookie cutter.

Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until just brown. Frost when cooled and sprinkle grated coconut on top, if desired.