Mochi Desserts: 13 Chewy Treats Inspired by the Mochi Master Millions Watched Pound Rice

Mochi desserts have a fan club of millions, and a lot of it started with one man and a wooden mallet. On YouTube, a street food clip of super fast mochi pounding in Japan has passed 39 million views, and a short film about Mitsuo Nakatani, a mochi maker in Nara known for pounding rice faster than the eye can follow, has more than 26 million. In those videos, steamed sticky rice is smashed in a big mortar while a partner flips it between blows, turning plain grains into a soft, stretchy dough in minutes. The good news is that you do not need a mallet at home. Sweet rice flour, a microwave or an oven gives you that same chewy texture. Here are 13 mochi treats to make in a home kitchen, each with what you will need and easy steps..

Strawberry Daifuku: Queen of Mochi Desserts

Strawberry daifuku is the mochi dessert that wins over almost everyone on the first bite. A whole ripe strawberry is wrapped in a thin layer of sweet red bean paste, then tucked inside a soft white skin of mochi dusted with starch. The magic happens when you slice it: a bright red berry appears in the middle like a jewel. Japanese confectioners began making ichigo daifuku in the 1980s, and it quickly became a spring favorite. At home, the skin takes only a few minutes in the microwave, so you can make a plate in under half an hour..

You will need: 6 small strawberries (hulled), 1/2 cup sweet red bean paste, 1/2 cup sweet rice flour (mochiko), 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, cornstarch or potato starch for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Wrap each strawberry in a thin layer of red bean paste, leaving the tip showing if you like. 2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar and water in a microwave-safe bowl until smooth. 3. Cover and microwave 1 minute, stir with a wet spatula, then microwave 1 minute more and stir until thick and glossy. 4. Turn the hot dough onto a starch-dusted board, dust the top and divide into 6 pieces. 5. Flatten each piece, set a berry in the middle, pinch the dough closed and serve the same day.

Mochitsuki: The New Year Tradition Behind Mochi Desserts

Before you make mochi desserts at home, it helps to know where they come from. In Japan, families and neighborhoods gather near New Year for mochitsuki, the pounding of steamed glutinous rice in a large wooden or stone mortar called an usu with a heavy mallet called a kine. One person swings while another quickly turns and wets the dough between strikes, which takes perfect timing. The finished mochi is shaped into rounds, stacked as kagami mochi decorations and eaten in soups and sweets. You can read more about the history of mochitsuki and its many regional customs.

You will need: 2 cups glutinous sweet rice (soaked overnight), water for steaming, potato starch, a stand mixer with a dough hook (a home stand-in for the mortar).

How to make it: 1. Drain the soaked rice and steam it on a cloth-lined steamer for 40 to 45 minutes until soft and translucent. 2. Move the hot rice to a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook. 3. Mix on low, then medium, for 8 to 10 minutes, wetting the hook now and then, until the rice turns into a smooth, sticky dough. 4. Turn it onto a starch-dusted tray and pinch off small rounds with starch-dusted hands. 5. Eat fresh with sweet toppings, or let the rounds firm up to grill or add to soup.

Microwave Mochi: 5-Minute Mochi Desserts With Bean Filling

This is the shortcut that makes mochi desserts a weeknight treat. Instead of steaming and pounding rice, you stir sweet rice flour with sugar and water and cook it in short bursts in the microwave. The dough turns from milky white to shiny and stretchy in about three minutes. Wrap it around spoonfuls of red bean paste to make classic daifuku, or tint half the dough pale pink with a drop of beet juice for a pretty two-color plate. Work while the dough is warm, keep your hands dusted with starch and it will not stick.

You will need: 1 cup sweet rice flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 cup water, 1 drop beet juice or pink food coloring (optional), 3/4 cup sweet red bean paste, cornstarch for dusting.

How to make it: 1. Roll the bean paste into 8 small balls and chill them while you make the dough. 2. Whisk the flour, sugar and water in a large microwave-safe bowl, adding color to half if you like. 3. Cover and microwave 1 minute, stir, then repeat two more times until the dough is thick and translucent. 4. Scrape onto a dusted board, cut into 8 pieces and flatten each into a circle. 5. Wrap each bean ball, pinch the seam closed and set seam side down on a plate.

Hawaiian Butter Mochi Baked in One Pan

Butter mochi is Hawaii’s gift to anyone who loves chewy mochi desserts. It is mixed in one bowl from sweet rice flour, coconut milk, eggs, butter and sugar, then baked in a big pan until the top turns deep golden and crackly. The edges get a little crisp while the center stays soft and bouncy, a texture somewhere between custard and cake. Island families bring it to potlucks, birthdays and holiday parties, cut into squares and piled on a tray. Let it cool fully before slicing so every square holds its shape.

You will need: 1 pound (about 3 cups) sweet rice flour, 2 cups sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk, 1 1/2 cups milk, 4 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 2 teaspoons vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and butter a 9 by 13 inch pan. 2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar and baking powder in a large bowl. 3. Whisk the coconut milk, milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla, then stir into the dry mix until smooth. 4. Pour into the pan and bake 60 to 70 minutes until the top is golden and the center is set. 5. Cool completely, then cut into squares with a plastic knife.

Chocolate Butter Mochi Brownie Bars

If brownies and butter mochi had a baby, it would be these bars. Cocoa and melted chocolate go into the same sweet rice flour batter, and the result bakes up with a shiny, crackly brownie top and a dense, fudgy, chewy middle that bounces back when you press it. They are naturally made without wheat flour, which makes them handy for mixed crowds at holiday gatherings. Serve them slightly warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or chill them for clean squares that travel well in a cookie tin.

You will need: 2 cups sweet rice flour, 1 1/2 cups sugar, 1/2 cup cocoa powder, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk, 3/4 cup milk, 3 eggs, 1/2 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup chocolate chips, 1 teaspoon vanilla.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and line a 9 by 13 inch pan with parchment. 2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar, cocoa and baking powder together. 3. Whisk the coconut milk, milk, eggs, butter and vanilla, then combine with the dry mix until smooth. 4. Stir in the chocolate chips, pour into the pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes until set. 5. Cool at least 1 hour, then lift out and cut into bars.

Homemade Mochi Ice Cream Balls

Mochi ice cream became a freezer aisle favorite in the 1990s, but making these mochi desserts yourself is easier than it looks. Small scoops of ice cream are frozen solid, then wrapped in thin circles of soft mochi dough. The cold, creamy center and the chewy skin make every bite feel like a little surprise. Try vanilla, green tea, strawberry and chocolate for a colorful plate. The secret is speed and cold: freeze the scoops hard, chill the dough and work one ball at a time, popping each straight back into the freezer.

You will need: 1 pint ice cream (any flavor), 1/2 cup sweet rice flour, 1/4 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, cornstarch for dusting, plastic wrap.

How to make it: 1. Scoop 8 small balls of ice cream onto a lined tray and freeze at least 2 hours. 2. Microwave the rice flour, sugar and water in 1 minute bursts, stirring, until thick and glossy. 3. Roll the dough thin on a dusted board, chill 15 minutes and cut into 4 inch circles. 4. Set a frozen scoop on each circle, gather the edges, twist closed in plastic wrap. 5. Freeze 1 hour, then let sit 5 minutes before eating.

Kinako Mochi, One of Japan’s Oldest Mochi Desserts

Kinako mochi is one of the simplest treats you can make. Warm, soft rounds of mochi are rolled in kinako, a toasty roasted soybean flour that tastes a bit like peanut butter cookies, then finished with a drizzle of brown sugar syrup called kuromitsu. Many families eat it right after mochitsuki while the dough is still warm, and it is a classic offering in temples and at family gatherings. It takes minutes once you have the mochi ready, and the nutty, sweet coating keeps the pieces from sticking together.

You will need: 1 batch microwave mochi dough (plain), 1/2 cup kinako (roasted soybean flour), 2 tablespoons sugar, pinch of salt, 1/4 cup dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup water.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the brown sugar and water 4 to 5 minutes until syrupy, then cool. 2. Mix the kinako, sugar and salt on a plate. 3. Pinch the warm mochi dough into bite-size balls with wet hands. 4. Roll each ball in the kinako mixture until well coated. 5. Pile on a plate, drizzle with the syrup and serve while soft.

Matcha Mochi Filled With Sweet Bean Paste

Green tea mochi desserts are a staple of Japanese sweet shops, where the gentle bitterness of matcha balances the sweet filling inside. A spoonful of matcha powder goes right into the dough, turning it a soft jade green, and a dusting on top adds color and aroma. Fill the rounds with white bean paste for a mellow flavor or red bean paste for a classic contrast. Serve them with a bowl of whisked green tea for a calm afternoon break that feels like a visit to a Kyoto tea house.

You will need: 1 cup sweet rice flour, 1/3 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon matcha powder plus extra for dusting, 1 cup water, 3/4 cup white or red bean paste, cornstarch.

How to make it: 1. Roll the bean paste into 8 balls and chill. 2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar and matcha, then whisk in the water until smooth. 3. Microwave covered in 1 minute bursts, stirring each time, about 3 minutes total. 4. Turn onto a board dusted with cornstarch mixed with a little matcha and cut into 8 pieces. 5. Wrap each filling ball, pinch closed and dust with more matcha.

Mitarashi Dango With Sweet Soy Glaze

Mitarashi dango are chewy rice dumplings threaded on skewers, lightly charred and coated in a glossy sweet and salty soy glaze. They are linked to the Shimogamo Shrine area of Kyoto, where they have been sold to visitors for generations, and today you will find them at festivals and convenience counters across Japan. The dumplings are made with rice flour and a little tofu or water, boiled until they float, then browned in a hot pan. The sticky amber sauce is what makes people buy a second skewer.

You will need: 1 cup shiratamako or sweet rice flour, about 1/2 cup water, bamboo skewers. Glaze: 3 tablespoons soy sauce, 4 tablespoons sugar, 1/2 cup water, 1 tablespoon cornstarch.

How to make it: 1. Mix the flour with water a little at a time to a soft, earlobe-like dough and roll into 16 balls. 2. Boil until they float, then 2 minutes more, and cool in ice water. 3. Thread 4 balls on each skewer and brown on both sides in a lightly oiled hot pan. 4. Simmer the soy sauce, sugar, water and cornstarch, stirring, until thick and glossy. 5. Brush or spoon the glaze over the skewers and serve warm.

Mochi Waffles, a Crispy Breakfast Twist on Mochi Desserts

Mochi waffles are a breakfast trend that took off with home cooks who wanted something crunchier than pancakes. Swapping regular flour for sweet rice flour gives a waffle with a crackly golden shell and a soft, stretchy center that pulls when you tear it. The batter is mixed in one bowl and works in any standard waffle iron. Top with butter and maple syrup, fresh berries, or a spoon of coconut cream. Because the batter has no wheat flour, they also make a fun weekend option for friends who skip it.

You will need: 1 1/2 cups sweet rice flour, 2 tablespoons sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1 cup milk or coconut milk, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons melted butter, butter, maple syrup and berries to serve.

How to make it: 1. Heat and grease a waffle iron. 2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. 3. Whisk in the milk, eggs and melted butter until smooth and thick. 4. Cook in the waffle iron 5 to 6 minutes, a little longer than regular waffles, until deep golden and crisp. 5. Serve right away with butter, maple syrup and berries.

Ube Mochi Muffins With a Purple Center

Ube, the purple yam loved in Filipino baking, gives these mochi muffins a color that stops people in their tracks. The tops bake up golden and crackly while the inside stays bright violet and pleasantly chewy, like butter mochi in a handheld size. These baked mochi desserts are easy to pack in lunch boxes or bring to a brunch, and a sprinkle of toasted coconut adds crunch. Ube extract or ube halaya (jam) can be found in Asian markets; if you cannot find it, mashed roasted sweet potato makes a tasty orange version.

You will need: 2 cups sweet rice flour, 3/4 cup sugar, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 can (13.5 ounces) coconut milk, 2 eggs, 1/4 cup melted butter, 1/2 cup ube halaya or 1 teaspoon ube extract, toasted coconut flakes.

How to make it: 1. Heat the oven to 350 F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin well. 2. Whisk the rice flour, sugar and baking powder. 3. Whisk the coconut milk, eggs, butter and ube, then stir into the dry mix until smooth. 4. Fill the cups three-quarters full and top with coconut flakes. 5. Bake 30 to 35 minutes until puffed and golden, then cool 15 minutes before removing.

Injeolmi: Korea’s Chewy Answer to Mochi Desserts

Korea has its own beloved family of pounded rice cakes called tteok, and injeolmi is one of the most popular. Soft, chewy rectangles of glutinous rice cake are coated in roasted soybean powder, giving them a nutty, toasty flavor that is lightly sweet rather than sugary. Injeolmi is a traditional treat at celebrations, and it has become a trendy flavor for shaved ice and toast in Korean cafes. This home version uses sweet rice flour cooked in the microwave, then cut and tossed in the golden powder.

You will need: 1 cup sweet rice flour, 1 tablespoon sugar, pinch of salt, 3/4 cup water, 1/2 cup roasted soybean powder, 1 tablespoon sugar for the coating.

How to make it: 1. Whisk the rice flour, sugar, salt and water in a microwave-safe bowl. 2. Microwave covered 1 minute, stir, and repeat until thick, stretchy and translucent, about 3 minutes. 3. Mix the soybean powder with the coating sugar and spread half on a tray. 4. Turn the dough onto the tray, pat into a flat rectangle and cover with the rest of the powder. 5. Cut into bite-size pieces with a dusted knife and toss to coat.

Ozoni: The New Year Soup That Ends Every Mochitsuki

After all those mochi desserts, here is the savory dish that gives pounded mochi its biggest job of the year. Ozoni is a soup eaten on the morning of New Year’s Day in Japan, with a toasted or simmered rice cake floating in a clear dashi or white miso broth with vegetables. Every region has its own recipe, from square mochi in Tokyo to round mochi in Kyoto. It is a fitting finale, and if you love Japanese mornings, you will enjoy our Japanese breakfast dishes too. Cut mochi small and eat slowly.

You will need: 4 cups dashi or light chicken broth, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin, 1 small carrot (sliced), 4 shiitake mushrooms, 1 cup spinach or greens, 4 pieces mochi, mitsuba or parsley.

How to make it: 1. Simmer the broth with soy sauce, mirin, carrot and mushrooms for 10 minutes. 2. Toast the mochi pieces in a toaster oven or dry pan until puffed and lightly golden. 3. Add the greens to the broth and cook 1 minute. 4. Place a piece of mochi in each bowl and ladle the hot soup over it. 5. Top with mitsuba or parsley and serve at once.