Description
I'm no stranger to beans in dessert. But it's about time I made a dessert that's actually supposed to have beans in it.
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Mooncake Festival, on September 25, 2026. This is the 15th day of the 8th month in the Lunar Calendar, and when mooncakes are traditionally eaten. The date typically falls in late September or early October.
So to celebrate, I'm creating simple, homemade, wholesome, rustic mooncakes. Both the dough and bean paste are gluten-free and sugar-free, using coconut flour, cashew butter, white beans, and monk fruit.
The coconut flour and cashew butter create a simple, shortbread-like crust, while the smooth white bean paste provides a creamy filling. Each mooncake is about 130 calories, with plenty of fiber and plant-based protein from the beans and coconut flour, along with healthy fats from the cashew butter.
Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival, also known as the Mooncake Festival, on September 25, 2026. This is the 15th day of the 8th month in the Lunar Calendar, and when mooncakes are traditionally eaten. The date typically falls in late September or early October.
So to celebrate, I'm creating simple, homemade, wholesome, rustic mooncakes. Both the dough and bean paste are gluten-free and sugar-free, using coconut flour, cashew butter, white beans, and monk fruit.
The coconut flour and cashew butter create a simple, shortbread-like crust, while the smooth white bean paste provides a creamy filling. Each mooncake is about 130 calories, with plenty of fiber and plant-based protein from the beans and coconut flour, along with healthy fats from the cashew butter.
Time
Prep Time:
30 minutes
Rest Time:
1 hour
Cook Time:
15 minutes
Total Time:
1 hours
45 minutes
Cost
Total Cost:
Cost per Serving:
$0.40
Ingredients
Serving(s)
Bean Paste
- 15.5 oz can Cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
- 1/2 tbsp Lemon juice
- 1/2 tbsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 tbsp Pure granulated monk fruit
Dough
- 1/2 cup Cashew butter
- 1 cup Coconut flour
- 1/2 cup Aquafaba
Instructions
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- Drain and rinse your beans, reserving the liquid. Add to a food processor with lemon juice, vanilla extract, and monk fruit. Blend until smooth.
- Transfer the blended beans to a medium non-stick pan over medium low heat.
- Cook for about 15 minutes, with frequent stirring to prevent sticking, or until the filling has thickened and is drier. Transfer the filling to the fridge to cool totally, about 1 hour.
- Preheat your oven to 350F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix together cashew butter and coconut flour. Add the aquafaba and mix until a slightly dry dough forms. You may need slightly more or less aquafaba depending on the consistency of your cashew butter and coconut flour.
- Wearing kitchen gloves, divide your dough into 12 equal pieces, about 30 g each (~2 tbsp). Roll into a ball.
- Flatten out a dough ball between your palms, and add a 20 g (~1.5 tbsp) ball of filling to the center. Carefully wrap the dough around the filling without tearing it, making sure to close up any edges. Place onto the pan, seam side down, and shape into a round, circular disk. Repeat for all mooncakes.
- Bake at 350F for about 15 minutes, or until lightly browned and set. Transfer to a wire rack to totally cool.
Notes
- I'm using a can of drained and rinsed cannellini beans, but any other beans will work, such as black, pinto, kidney, or chickpeas.
- The filling has a mildly sweet flavor. If you prefer a sweeter mooncake, add more monk fruit to taste.
Other sweetener options include the following:
- 1/2 tbsp (4.2 g) Pure granulated monk fruit
- 1/2 tbsp (7.5 g) Liquid monk fruit
- 2 tbsp (40 g) Sugar free syrup
- 2 tbsp (25 g) Granulated monk fruit
- 2 tbsp (25 g) Allulose
- Cashew butter works well for its neutral flavor, but almond butter will also work. To make it nut free, use tahini. I would not recommend using peanut butter, or these will distinctly taste like peanut butter.
- Almond flour can be used in place of coconut flour, though the amount may vary. Start with less, and add more little by little until you get a shapable dough consistency.
- If you don't have enough aquafaba, you can use an equal amount of water.
- The dough is intended to have a slightly dry, shortbread-like texture. It will be prone to crumbling, so handle it gently when shaping. Add slightly more or less aquafaba as needed to achieve a dough that holds together.
- A full batch of the bean paste yields about 240 g, enough for 12 mooncakes with about 20 g of filling and 30 g of dough.
- I don't have a mooncake mold, so I shape these by hand. They won't have the traditional decorative pattern, but they're just as delicious!
- For some other dessert recipes with beans in them, check out the following:
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Mousse
- No-Nut Chickpea Nutella
- Naturally Sweetened Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Improving the Pinto Bean Cake
- Chickpea Date Brownies
- White Bean Milkshake
- Mint Chocolate Chip Date Cookies
- Peanut Butter Date Cookies
- Double Chocolate Date Cookies
- Chocolate Chip Date Cookies
- Dual Bean Date Brookies
- Chickpea Date Blondies
- Black Bean Date Brownies
- Chickpea Chows
- Protein Brownie Bars
- Chocolate Chip Cookie Skillet
Nutrition Facts
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Servings: 12
Serving Size: 1 mooncake (~50 g)
Calories: 128
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Total Fat: 6.3g (8%
8 % of Daily Value (78 g)
)
Saturated Fat: 2.1g (11%
11 % of Daily Value (20 g)
)
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.0g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2.6g
Sodium: 123mg (5%
5 % of Daily Value (2300 mg)
)
Total Carbohydrate: 13.9g (5%
5 % of Daily Value (275 g)
)
Fiber: 5.0g (18%
18 % of Daily Value (28 g)
)
Net Carbs: 8.9g
Total Sugar: 3.3g
Protein: 5.9g (12%
12 % of Daily Value (50 g)
)
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Vitamin B12: 0.0mcg (0%
0 % of Daily Value (2.4 mcg)
)
Vitamin D: 0.0mcg (0%
0 % of Daily Value (20 mcg)
)
------------------------------------------
Calcium: 20mg (2%
2 % of Daily Value (1300 mg)
)
Iron: 2.39mg (13%
13 % of Daily Value (18 mg)
)
Magnesium: 41mg (10%
10 % of Daily Value (420 mg)
)
Potassium: 157mg (3%
3 % of Daily Value (4700 mg)
)
:
:
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36.7
:
5.6
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:
8.6
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Sources of Inspiration
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