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Desserts

Half-Moon Rice Cakes

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songpyeon

Chuseok rice cakes filled with sesame, beans or sweet fillings.

Hard1 hr 30 min6 servings★ 57VeganContains sesame
Half-Moon Rice Cakes

History & culture

Half-moon rice cakes (songpyeon) are Chuseok offerings, steamed on pine needles with fillings such as sesame, beans, or chestnuts. Families may gather to shape the cakes while sharing wishes for harvest and harmony. The pine scent and crescent form are widely described in folklore as symbols of gratitude and continuity across regions.

Servings
6

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Ingredients & steps

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Ingredients

  • Toasted sesame seeds
    2 tbsp, ground
  • Water
    ¾ cup, hot
  • Sweet rice flour (mochiko-style)

    Substituteglutinous rice flour from Asian aisle

    2 cups
  • Split mung beans (nokdu)

    Substituteyellow split peas (texture differs)

    ½ cup, soaked, cooked, drained and mashed
  • Pine needles (for steaming songpyeon)Optional

    Substitutecheesecloth or omit

    1 handful

Seasonings

  • Sugar
    1 tbsp
  • Salt
    ½ tsp

Steps

  1. 120 min

    Mix rice flour, salt and hot water into a soft dough. Rest covered 20 minutes.

    • Sweet rice flour (mochiko-style)
    • Salt
    • Water
  2. 210 min

    Soak mung beans if needed, cook until tender, drain thoroughly, mash, then mix with ground sesame, sugar and salt for filling.

    • Split mung beans (nokdu)
    • Toasted sesame seeds
    • Sugar
    • Salt
  3. 3

    Shape dough into small discs, fill, fold into half-moons and pinch edges.

    • Sweet rice flour (mochiko-style)
    • Split mung beans (nokdu)
  4. 4High heat20 min

    Steam over pine needles (or plain) 20 minutes until translucent.

    • Pine needles (for steaming songpyeon)

Storage & reheating

Refrigerate 2–3 days. Steam or microwave briefly to soften.

Troubleshooting

  • ⚠️ Dough cracks

    → Use hot water and knead until smooth and pliable.

  • ⚠️ Too chewy/hard

    → Do not over-steam; 20 minutes is enough for small songpyeon.