Mochi Donuts
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My 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 make at home, think again. Although a little more hands-on than blueberry donuts or donut holes, if you love the two, you’ll fall in love with my mochi donut recipe.
I first learned how to make these donuts at a pop-up cooking class for Asian-style desserts. Our teacher, Yukiko, walked us through the process, and for such an impressive-looking donut, they are really easy to make. She’s kindly allowed me to share the recipe, tips, and tricks with you today!
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,” these donuts have a unique texture that sets them apart from traditional donuts.
Mochi donuts are light, chewy, and soft. On the other hand, regular donuts are bready and fluffy in the middle.
Table of Contents
Why I love this mochi donut recipe
- Simple ingredients. Even though these donuts are popular in Japan, they are made with everyday 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.
Key Ingredients
You’ll love the simple ingredient list needed. You can find everything at your local grocery store or supermarket. Full measurements are in the recipe card below:
- Sweet rice flour (Mochiko)- You can easily find this in the baking or Asian aisle of most grocery stores. If you can’t find this particular flour, I’ve successfully tested these donuts using glutinous rice flour. My preferred brands are Koda Farms and Shirakiku.
- Milk– Whole milk is preferred, but any other milk will work fine.
- Granulated sugar– Although the rice flour is sweeter than other flours, 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.
- Baking powder– The leavening agent used to give the donuts some rise and stability.
- Egg– Room temperature, please.
- Butter– Unsalted and measured in its melted state.
- Oil- To deep fry the donuts. I recommend using an oil with a high smoke point, such as peanut, vegetable, 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
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 to one bowl and the wet ingredients to 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 reached the ideal dough consistency, form dough balls. Divide the dough into eight portions. Form dough balls by taking equal amounts of dough in your palms and rolling them into balls. We recommend wetting your hands to prevent the dough from sticking.
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 they touch.
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 golden brown.
Step 6- Cool, then glaze. Let the donuts cool completely before glazing them.
Can I bake these?
While you can bake these donuts instead of frying them, you risk the middle losing its signature chewy texture. I tested these in the oven for 20 minutes at 180C/350F if you want to try.
Arman’s recipe tips
- 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.
- Do not overmix. When working with the dough, try not to overmix it. As with cookies and other baked goods, this can result in slightly dense donuts.
- Hot oil = must. Always check the oil temperature with a thermometer before dropping the donuts into it to cook. The ideal temperature for frying donuts is 320-350°F.
- Cool on a wire rack. Please let the donuts drain/cool on a wire rack so they don’t deflate and become soggy.
- Change the flavor. 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 them in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, they are. Glutinous rice flour might sound misleading, but it refers to a chewy, elastic texture, not to gluten. The flour is made from sweet sticky rice, which contains no wheat, barley, or rye.
Regular all-purpose flour won’t create the chewy, elastic texture that rice flour does.
In testing, I found that when I made the donuts in a warm environment, they were a little sticky. Ensure the room is cool (e.g., don’t have the oven and stove on at the same time!).
I recently retested this and found that you can prep the dough 24 hours before frying. Keep it refrigerated. Bring the dough to room temperature before frying.
Mochi Donuts
Ingredients
- 2 cups sweet rice flour Mochiko
- 3/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 2 tablespoons butter melted
For the glaze
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3-4 tablespoons milk
- 1 drop food coloring optional
Instructions
- Add 1/4 cup of flour and 1/4 cup of milk into a microwave-safe bowl. Microwave it for 30-40 seconds, until a sticky dough remains. Let it cool to room temperature.
- In one mixing bowl, add the remaining flour, sugar, and baking powder. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, and butter. Combine these two with the sticky dough mix. Knead together until smooth.
- Lightly flour your hands, then divide the dough into 8 equal pieces. Divide each piece of dough into 8 portions, then roll them into balls. Stick the balls together into a donut shape.
- Add two inches of oil to a large pot or skillet. Once hot (aim for 320-350°F), drop the donuts in and fry for 2-3 minutes or until golden on both sides. Repeat the process until all the donuts are cooked. Place the fried donuts on a wire rack.
- Once the donuts have cooled, make the glaze by combining the powdered sugar with vanilla extract and milk. If adding color, add a few drops of food coloring.
- Dip both sides of the donuts into the glaze and let it set.
Notes
- Tips: See my recipe tips above for making the best mochi donuts.
- Leftovers: Keep at room temperature for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 6 months.
Nutrition
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.
I made these donuts after trying them in Japan and while it took some time to find the flour (my grocery store was out), but they were so fun to make. I made a matcha frosting using matcha powder, sugar, and milk, and it was so yummy.
Thanks so much, Theresa- I love the idea of doing a matcha frosting because that would be SO good!!!!
Glutinous rice flour and sweet rice flour, being the same thing is indeed gluten-free… The name simply suggests its chewy texture which mochi it’s known for. It’s made from sweet rice. No gluten proteins are present.
Glutinous rice flour does not contain wheat, barley, malt or rye gluten which is what affects celiacs and gluten intolerant people like myself. It is rice gluten, which is different.
Apologies, Yasmin! The post has been updated- it was an error in the FAQs. Thank you!
Sweet rice flour IS GLUTEN FREE!
It sure is- we’ve amended the FAQ’s to rectify that.
Easy and delicious.
Thank you, Becca. I appreciate you taking the time to leave a lovely comment.
What is the best egg substitute for this recipe? Excited to try!
Hi Eve- I haven’t tested this with an egg substitute so I can’t vouch for any in particular. I’d be careful about trying these as an egg free donut, as glutinous rice flour behaves differently to other flours.
Easy and tasty and very addictive.
Thanks for the lovely feedback and review, Melania!