Mochi Donuts

These homemade Mochi donuts are crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, and deceptively easy to make. They need just 6 main ingredients and taste better than anything from a mochi donut shop.

If you think mochi donuts look too complicated to even attempt to make at home, think again. Although not as basic as blueberry donuts or donut holes, if you love mochi and love donuts, you’ll fall in love with my mochi donut recipe.

Table of Contents

1. What are mochi donuts?
2. What is a mochi donut made of?
3. How to make mochi donuts?
4. Recipe tips and variations
5. Storage instructions
6. Frequently Asked Questions
7. More donut recipes to try
8. Mochi Donuts (Recipe Card)

What are mochi donuts?

For those of you who are new to them, mochi donuts were a concept developed by the Japanese donut chain Mister Donut. They are little balls of dough connected to one another, resembling a unique shape. Also known as “pon de ring donuts,” their unique texture sets them apart from traditional donuts.

The addition of sweet rice flour gives the middle a chewy texture, similar to traditional mochi. The outside is crisp and tender, and it’s all finished with a decorative glaze.

Although we may not be in Japan, this doesn’t mean you must miss out! Here are some reasons why I LOVE this recipe:

• Simple ingredients. Even though these donuts are popular in Japan, they use every day ingredients.
• 10 minutes to make. All you do is make the batter, fry it up, and then glaze it.
• Easy to customize. Like any good donut recipe, you can flavor the glaze in a plethora of ways.

What is a mochi donut made of?

You’ll love the simple ingredient list needed. You can find everything at your local grocery store or supermarket. Here is what you’ll need:

• Sweet rice flour (Mochiko)- You can easily find this in the baking or Asian aisle. If you can’t find this, I’ve successfully tested these donuts using glutinous rice flour.
• Milk– Whole milk is preferred, but any other milk will work fine.
• Granulated sugar– Although the rice flour is sweeter than other flour, you do need some extra sugar to really give it the mochi flavor. I used white sugar, but brown sugar also works. Just be wary that the donuts will be darker in color.
• Baking powder– The leavening agent used to give the donuts some rise and stability.
• Egg– Room temperature.
• Butter– Unsalted and measured in its melted state.
• Oil– To deep fry the donuts. I recommend using an oil with a high smoke point, like peanut oil, vegetable oil, or canola oil.
• Glaze– A simple combination of powdered sugar, milk, and food coloring of choice, and decorative candy or buttons.

How to make mochi donuts?

I’ve included step-by-step photos below to make this recipe easy to follow at home. For the full printable recipe instructions and ingredient quantities, scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1- Mix the ingredients. Start by mixing 1/4 cup of the sweet rice flour with half the milk and microwave for 20-30 seconds until a sticky dough remains. Let the mixture cool to room temperature.

Step 2- Make dough. Next, add the remaining dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet ingredients in another. Add both the first bowl and mix until a thick dough remains. Using your hands, gently knead them together until smooth.

Step 3- Make dough balls. Once you’ve got the ideal consistency of the dough, make dough balls. Divide the dough into eight portions. Make dough balls by taking equal amounts of dough on your palms and rolling them out. We recommend wetting your hands to avoid the dough sticking to them. 

Step 4- Prepare donut rings. Now, make a ring-shaped structure using eight dough balls. Place the dough balls so that a circle forms when the balls are touching each other. 

Step 5- Fry the donuts. When you’ve made all the dough rings, add a couple of inches of oil to a deep pan. Once hot, add 2-3 donuts and cook for 1-2 minutes or until they are golden brown. 

Step 6- Cool, then glaze. Let the donuts cool completely before glazing them. 

Recipe tips and variations

• Avoid over-cooking the donuts, as they can be a little chewy and dense on the outside. Once the edges are golden, you can remove them from the oil.
• When working with the dough, try not to overmix it. Like cookies or other baked goods, this can result in slightly dense donuts.
• Always check the oil temperature using a thermometer before dropping the donuts in it for cooking. The ideal temperature for frying donuts is 170-180C.
• Please let the donuts drain/cool on a wire rack so they don’t deflate and become soggy.
• I kept the glaze plain and simple, but you can add flavor extracts, matcha powder, or make a strawberry glaze.

Storage instructions

To store: Leftovers will keep fresh at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. You can refrigerate them too, but I find they remain dense once thawed.

To freeze: Place the glazed donuts in a ziplock bag and store in the freezer for up to 6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

More donut recipes to try

• Protein donuts– Get your dessert and protein fix in one.
• Keto donuts– Low in carbs but NOT flavor.
• Air fryer donuts– The dough needs just 3 ingredients.
• Powdered donuts– These taste like something from a bakery.