Recipes Cuisine Asian Japanese Easy Mochi 4.4 (62) 50 Reviews 19 Photos Mochi are small, sweet Japanese cakes made with glutinous rice flour (mochiko). They have a soft, chewy outer layer and a deliciously sticky filling made of sweetened red bean paste. Freezing the red bean paste before you use it is optional but it does make the process easier. Submitted by Katrina Updated on February 15, 2023 Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen Tested by Allrecipes Test Kitchen The Allrecipes Test Kitchen staff are a team of culinary pros who make and vet recipes using only equipment you'd find in a home kitchen. Staff credentials vary but include training at the Culinary Institute of America; kitchen stints in fine dining restaurants; and countless hours in the test kitchen itself. Meet the Allrecipes Test Kitchen Save Rate Print Share Add Photo 19 19 19 19 Prep Time: 30 mins Cook Time: 5 mins Additional Time: 1 hr Total Time: 1 hr 35 mins Servings: 8 Yield: 8 mochi Jump to Nutrition Facts Jump to recipe Satisfy your sweet tooth with homemade mochi. Trust us: The process is way simpler than you think. This easy mochi recipe comes together quickly with just a few ingredients. What Is Mochi? Mochi is a bun-shaped Japanese dessert made from sweet glutinous rice flour, or mochigome. It has a soft, chewy texture that is somewhat elastic. Mochi is often flavored with matcha (or green tea powder), which gives it a light green hue. Learn more: What Is Mochi and How Do You Make It at Home? Mochi Pronunciation "Mochi" is pronounced "MOE-chee." What Is Mochi Made Of? Here's what you'll need to make homemade mochi: Red Bean PasteYou can buy sweetened red bean paste (also called adzuki bean paste or anko) at the store or you can make it at home with our easy recipe. Glutinous Rice FlourMake sure to get glutinous rice flour (mochigome) instead of regular rice flour. This ingredient is essential for mochi's signature chewy texture. Green Tea PowderGreen tea powder (or matcha) has a complex, earthy flavor that works well with mochi. Plus, it gives the dessert its gorgeous green color. WaterWater thins the dough, creating the perfect consistency (and making it easier to work with). SugarPlain granulated white sugar will add just the right amount of sweetness. CornstarchCornstarch prevents sticking when you're rolling out the dough. How to Make Mochi You'll find the full recipe below, but here's what you can expect when you make this top-rated mochi recipe: Freeze Red Bean Paste Wrap red bean paste in foil and freeze until solid. Once the paste is frozen, divide and roll into eight equal balls. Set aside or return to the freezer. Prepare and Cook Dough Mix sweet rice flour and green tea powder in a microwave-safe bowl. Stir in water, then stir in the sugar. Mix until smooth. Cover bowl with plastic wrap and cook in the microwave for about 3 minutes and 30 seconds. Stir the mixture, then heat in the microwave for an additional 15-30 seconds. Roll Dough Balls Dust your work surface with cornstarch. Roll the (still hot) dough into balls. Flatten each ball and place one frozen red bean paste ball in the center. Pinch the mochi over the paste until covered. Sprinkle with more cornstarch and place the mochi (seam side down) in a paper muffin liner. Repeat the steps until all the dough and frozen paste is used. How to Eat Mochi Try to eat mochi immediately, as it is best enjoyed fresh. Since mochi is extremely sticky, cut it into small, bite-sized pieces and make sure to chew thoroughly before swallowing. How to Store Mochi Fresh mochi should be stored in the freezer. Avoid storing it in the fridge, as it will quickly dry out and harden. Store mochi in an airtight container in the freezer for up to two weeks. To prevent sticking, either flash freeze the mochi before transferring it to the storage container or individually wrap each mochi ball. Allrecipes Community Tips and Praise "This recipe was a home run," says Susan Sliger. "It was extremely easy to make. I made it today for 10 tour guides from Japan. They gave it a 10 and could not believe this was the first time I had made it. I doubled the recipe with no issues and made the red bean paste with red kidney beans." "It was super quick and easy to make the mochi," raves larissa Levon. "Nothing beats fresh mochi!" "Very easy to make," according to sushihorsey. "Side note: The mochi dough is SUPER sticky, so be sure to prepare your surface and hands with starch before making the balls. Otherwise, it's very yummy and easy and fun!" Editorial contributions by Corey Williams Cook Mode (Keep screen awake) Ingredients 1x 2x 4x Oops! Something went wrong. Our team is working on it. Original recipe (1X) yields 8 servings 1 cup sweetened red bean paste 1 cup glutinous rice flour 1 teaspoon green tea powder (matcha) 1 cup water ¼ cup white sugar ½ cup cornstarch, for rolling out the dough Directions Gather all ingredients. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Wrap red bean paste in aluminum foil and place in the freezer until solid, at least 1 hour. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Mix glutinous rice flour and green tea powder thoroughly in a microwave-safe bowl. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Stir in water, then sugar; mix until smooth. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes 30 seconds. Meanwhile, remove red bean paste from the freezer and divide into 8 equal balls. Set aside. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Remove rice flour mixture from the microwave. Stir and heat, covered, for another 15 to 30 seconds. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Dust a work surface with cornstarch. Roll about 2 tablespoons of hot rice flour mixture into a ball. Flatten the ball and place one ball of frozen red bean paste in the center. Pinch and press the dough around the bean paste until completely covered. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Sprinkle with additional cornstarch and place mochi, seam-side down, in a paper muffin liner to prevent sticking. Dotdash Meredith Food Studios Repeat Step 6 to make remaining mochi. Enjoy! DOTDASH MEREDITH FOOD STUDIOS I Made It Print 101 home cooks made it! Nutrition Facts (per serving) 183 Calories 0g Fat 43g Carbs 3g Protein Show Full Nutrition Label Hide Full Nutrition Label Nutrition Facts Servings Per Recipe 8 Calories 183 % Daily Value * Total Fat 0g 0% Sodium 82mg 4% Total Carbohydrate 43g 15% Dietary Fiber 1g 4% Protein 3g 6% Vitamin C 0mg 0% Calcium 13mg 1% Iron 1mg 4% Potassium 51mg 1% * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs. ** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data. (-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.