Donuts are the quintessential breakfast treat, but have you ever tried mochi donuts? Mochi is a sweet Japanese rice cake that has a chewy texture and is often molded into small spheres. Most people commonly eat this glutinous dessert in the form of mochi ice cream, but mochi donuts have become a rising trend in the past year. This recipe is a simple way to create this treat at home, and it’s perfect for brunch. You can top it off with powdered sugar or try out different-flavored glazes to go with your donut balls.

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

Ingredients:

1 1/4 cups glutinous sweet rice flour

1/4 cup powdered sugar

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon room-temperature butter

1 cup hot water

Canola oil, for frying

Powdered sugar, for dusting

Winnie Lam / Daily Nexus

Directions:

  1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Break up and incorporate the butter into the dry ingredients.
  2. Pour ½ cup of hot water into the bowl and combine with a spatula. Add the rest of the water 2 tablespoons at a time until the dough is fully combined and moist.
  3. Let the dough rest in the fridge for an hour.
  4. After an hour, form the dough into ping pong-sized balls, and place them on an oiled plate or baking sheet.
  5. Heat your frying oil to 365 F in a medium-sized pot. Fry 5-6 dough balls at a time until golden brown all around. This will take 3-4 minutes.
  6. Place the fried mochi donut balls on a paper towel or drying rack to cool off. 
  7. Dust them with powdered sugar and enjoy!

These donuts came out great the first time I made them, as they were crunchy on the outside but super chewy on the inside. The one-hour rest time can make this recipe seem more tedious than it is, but if you make this for a weekend brunch, you can simply use that hour to cook your main dish, and the timing will work out perfectly!

(Recipe adapted from tastemade.com)

Print

Winnie Lam
Winnie Lam serves as the 2020-2021 On The Menu Editor. She has an unhealthy obsession with Trader Joe's and she loves all things matcha.