Mid-Autumn Festival – a traditional festival falling on the 15th day of the 8th month of the Chinese Lunar Calendar. On this day, families gather under the glow of the moon which is believed to be a symbol of prosperity, happiness and family reunion.

So, what are must-do’s for a complete Mid-Autumn celebration? Sipping tea, gazing at the moon, lighting lanterns… and of course, indulging in sinful yet delectable mooncakes.

With all these mooncake options out there in the market, we narrow down 15 of them that are worthwhile to share with your loved ones! 
 

1. Chocolate Truffle (Awfully Chocolate) 

PHOTO: Awfully Chocolate

Awfully Chocolate’s Chocolate Truffle Mooncakes ($88, 8pcs/box) contain four different flavours – Chocolate Autumn Berries, Matcha Dark Chocolate, Dark Milk Espresso, and Caramel Calamansi.

Each one of these well thought out flavours are beautiful modern spins to traditional flavours!

2. Traditional Assorted Nuts (InterContinental Singapore) 

PHOTO: InterContinental Singapore

InterContinental Singapore offers an assortment of Classic Mooncakes ($48.45, 4pcs/box).

They contain a variety of wholesome, earthy ingredients such as nuts, sesame seeds, melon seeds.

These beautifully crafted goodies are tucked into traditional tingkat carriers, perfect for gifting!

3. Avocado Macadamia, Mao Shan Wang Snowskin (Kele) 

PHOTO: Kele

Kele’s Avocado Macadamia snowskin ($11.70, UP: $17) is a millennial favourite – with creamy avocado fillings and generous amounts of macadamia nuts.

Their Mao Shan Wang snowskin ($16.50, UP: $22) boasts intense durian flavours, a must-try for durian lovers.

4. Mao Shan Wang Snowskin (Golden Moments) 

PHOTO: Golden Moments

When it comes to exquisite, artisanal Durian mooncakes, no one does it better than Golden Moments. Sink your teeth into their signature premium Mao Shan Wang Snowskin Mooncake ($80, 4pcs/box).

This comes without added sugar, preservatives and all that nonsense – just pure, indulgent Mao Shan Wang flesh. You know they’re really serious about their creations!

5. Flaky Teowchew ‘Orh Ni’ (Peony Jade) 

PHOTO: Peony Jade

Michelin Bib Gourmand Restaurant, Peony Jade, is offering Flaky Teowchew ‘Orh Ni’ Mooncake with Premium Golden Pumpkin & Single Yolk ($68.40, 4pcs/box) this festive season.

It contains yam paste with molten salted egg yolk lava in the centre, giving an unparalleled mouthful of fragrance with every bite.

6. Mixed Nuts and Jamin Ibérico (Mandarin Orchard) 

PHOTO: Mandarin Orchard

Take a bite of Mandarin Orchard’s exquisitely handcrafted mooncakes. T

heir signature favourites, Mixed Nuts and Jamin Ibérico Baked Mooncake ($71.03, 4pcs/box) definitely leaves an impression with its innovative ingredients.

This flavour is the ultimate blend of sweet and savoury tastes!

7. Brown Sugar Milk Tea (Polar) 

PHOTO: Polar

A bakery that you should visit for amazing halal mooncakes is Polar. Satisfy your gastronomic cravings by getting the Snow Skin Moon Cake Set ($21.67, 6pcs/box).

This little box of treasures contain a range of irresistible flavours, including Brown Sugar Milk Tea for all BBT fanatics!

8. Spiral Flaky Skin Pandan (Delcie’s) 

PHOTO: Delcie's

We all know how calorie-dense mooncakes can be.

For the health conscious, Delcie offers healthy, no-sugar (yep, you heard that right) vegan-friendly baked selections. This includes their Spiral Flaky Skin Pandan Mooncake ($58, 4ps/box).

You get all the pleasure but none of the guilt!

9. Single Yolk White Lotus Paste ( Gin Thye) 

PHOTO: Gin Thye

Devoted to creating nostalgic pastries, Gin Thye stays true to Chinese tradition with their Single Yolk White Lotus Paste Mooncake ($29.90, 4pcs/box).

They’re simple, straightforward, and made with minimum ingredients. Just pure wholesome goodness!

10. Sweet Tau Sar with Melon Seeds (Thye Moh Chan) 

PHOTO: Thye Moh Chan

A perennial favourite, Thye Moh Chan’s traditional mooncakes are great for sharing with your family.

Go for their fragrant Sweet Tau Sar with Melon Seeds ($35.80, 4pcs/box), which contains sweet mung bean fillings! This will surely bring back some childhood memories.

11. Coffee with Caramel and Hazelnut (Starbucks) 

PHOTO: Starbucks

Delight in an ensemble of delicious mooncakes at Starbucks with their Assorted Gift Box ($59.90, 8pcs/box). 

Inside this box you’ll discover flavours like Coffee with Caramel and Hazelnut, an interesting blend of fragrant lotus flavours and strong coffee scents!

12. Champagne Truffle and Ganache Snowskin (Raffles Hotel) 

PHOTO: Raffles Hotel

Created and handcrafted to perfection, Raffles Hotel mooncakes are touted as one of the best in Singapore.

For something decadent and exquisite, try their Signature Champagne Truffle and Ganache Snow-Skin Mooncake ($78, 8pcs/box). 

Of course, enjoy this with a glass of champagne for the best experience!

13. Mochi-Snowskin Ice-cream (Swensen’s) 

PHOTO: Swensen's

When it comes to Swensen’s, we automatically think of ice-cream. This year, their decadent selection features creamy Mochi-Snowskin Ice-cream Mooncakes ($39.80, 4pcs/box)!

Think traditional flavours such as Kueh Salat, or classic ones like Lotus Paste. There’s definitely going to be something you like here!

14. Assorted nuts with Kam Hua Ham (Peach Garden) 

PHOTO: Peach Garden

If you want a little something extra to give your loved ones, Peach Garden is a must-pick. They pack their mooncakes in a lantern gift box, and with LED lights!

We recommend opting for their signature Peach Garden Deluxe Assorted Nuts with Kam Hua Ham ($58.21, 4pcs/box) for an interesting savoury experience.

15. Sky Lantern Snowskin (TWG ) 

PHOTO: TWG

Since TWG is known for their tea, you know even their mooncakes will be infused with fruity and flowery notes! Customise an assortment of mooncakes with TWG’S Sky Lantern Snowskin Mooncake ($60, 4pcs/box). 

This definitely makes for a refreshing afternoon tea snack.

Tips to save on Mooncakes 

Mooncakes are a delicacy that requires lots of time, effort and expertise to create. Hence, they can be quite a burden not just to our waistlines, but also our wallets. To help you save, we have several tips to make your purchases less painful!

• Get your mooncakes before Mid-Autumn festival

As the saying goes: Early bird catches the worms. Most hotels, bakeries, retail stores offer Early Bird and one-for-one promotions before the actual day of celebration. This means that you can get as high as 50 per cent off these delicacies if you don’t procrastinate your purchases!

• Make payments using your bank cards/membership cards

Cardholders and store/hotel membership card holders often get better deals. These can include additional discounts, premium packagings which are all sweet bonuses on top of your sweet treats!

• Purchase from your favourite merchants online!

Instead of spending hours at Takashimaya searching aimlessly for the best mooncakes, opt for online shopping instead! Mooncakes are often more affordable on online shopping platforms. 

Mooncakes are a delicacy that is only available once a year, so what better time than to sample the best in Singapore? Quickly grab your favourite mooncakes and share with your loved ones before they sell out!

This article was first published in Shopback.