plural mooncakes
: a small pastry filled with sweet or savory ingredients and traditionally associated with the Mid-Autumn Festival in Chinese culture and various other East and Southeast Asian cultures
Note: Because mooncakes are traditionally eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival, this festival is sometimes referred to as the Mooncake Festival.
The palm-sized symbolic form of the moon is a meticulously baked pastry, usually stuffed with sweet lotus [seed] paste and sometimes … salty egg yolk. As per tradition, mooncakes are given as a token of appreciation and a way to tighten relationships.—
Hannah Leung
Hannah LeungMooncakes are treated with particular fondness; [Kristina] Cho's recipes for these holiday favorites span a range of styles and flavors (including Cho's inventive "ice cream sandwich" mooncakes).—Kelsy Peterson
Kelsy Peterson"… If you miss the pork mooncake you have made a huge mistake, they are … flakey, sweet, salty, and perfect. …"—Tali Petschek
Tali PetschekExamples of mooncake in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Over the years, Huong Tran’s bakery, Dong Phuong, had developed a reputation for making the best brioche and mooncakes in the neighborhood.
—Joan Niesen, Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2024
But mooncakes are not the only pastries used for political protests.
—Shelly Tan, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
Illustrations of mooncakes, one whole and seen overhead on the left.
—Shelly Tan, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
The familiar aromas of barbeque and mooncakes came drifting back with the memories.
—Austindedios, oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2023
What about red bean buns, almond jelly, mooncake, dan tat or even fortune cookies?
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival will fall on Sept. 10, so E & S shifted into mooncake production at the beginning of August.
—Amanda Albee, Dallas News, 22 Aug. 2022
The mooncake, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival, is the other classic treat featured in Cho's book title.
—Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 20 Oct. 2021
Get an individual mooncake or splurge on a variety pack.
—Megha McSwain, Chron, 7 Sep. 2022
Joan Niesen, Washington Post, 23 Jan. 2024
But mooncakes are not the only pastries used for political protests.
—Shelly Tan, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
Illustrations of mooncakes, one whole and seen overhead on the left.
—Shelly Tan, Washington Post, 21 Sep. 2023
The familiar aromas of barbeque and mooncakes came drifting back with the memories.
—Austindedios, oregonlive, 3 Sep. 2023
What about red bean buns, almond jelly, mooncake, dan tat or even fortune cookies?
—Jenn Harris, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2023
This year’s Mid-Autumn Festival will fall on Sept. 10, so E & S shifted into mooncake production at the beginning of August.
—Amanda Albee, Dallas News, 22 Aug. 2022
The mooncake, a symbol of the Mid-Autumn Festival, is the other classic treat featured in Cho's book title.
—Maggie Hiufu Wong, CNN, 20 Oct. 2021
Get an individual mooncake or splurge on a variety pack.
—Megha McSwain, Chron, 7 Sep. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'mooncake.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near mooncake
Cite this Entry
“Mooncake.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/mooncake. Accessed 23 Apr. 2024.
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