Yuanxiao is based on stuffing, which is rolled out. First, the stuffing is mixed and made into a neat shape, and then cut into squares. The stuffing is put into a container, which is dry glutinous rice flour. In the constant impact, the stuffing becomes spherical, and the skin is dry, and it will become paste when it is cooked in the pot.

Tangyuan is made of glutinous rice flour and mixed with water. Because glutinous rice flour absorbs enough water, the surface of tangyuan is relatively smooth and sticky. The surface of well-made tangyuan is smooth and shiny, and some of them still have a tip, like a peach.

The method of making glutinous rice balls is like wrapping jiaozi. First, dry glutinous rice flour is added with water to form dough, and then the dough is used to wrap stuffing, which is rounded and quickly frozen for easy storage. Tangyuan is mostly made by machines.

They also have different appearances. After the Lantern Festival is cooked, there will be a "velvet head" on the surface, that is, flour floating powder. When the pot is cooked, the flour is mixed with water and the soup is milky white. Yuanxiao expands rapidly after cooking, which is bigger than glutinous rice balls. The dumpling skin is made of dry glutinous rice flour and water, which has good cohesion, smoother surface and clear boiled soup.