If you love donuts, then you have to try the BEST Mochi Donuts Recipe. These gorgeous desserts are sweet and tender, but with a chewiness that is out of this world.
For more amazing donut recipes, try our yummy brioche donuts and apple fritters.
The BEST Mochi Donuts (pon de ring shape)
Mochi donuts are so deliciously different from the ones found in most donut shops and bakeries. Made with silken tofu and glutinous rice flour, the texture is dense and chewy (some even describe it as “bouncy”). These are the best Mochi Donuts because they have the perfect level of sweetness and just the right texture to make them completely addictive. And they are also made into a beautiful pon de ring shape that will look great on any dessert table or with your morning coffee. Try these glazed with any number of flavor variations. These mochi donuts are versatile, fun, and delicious!
What are mochi donuts made of?
Mochi donuts consist of Glutinous rice flour, All-purpose flour, Cornstarch, Baking powder, Granulated sugar, Silken tofu, Egg, and Water.
Mochi donuts are usually glazed. For a strawberry glaze, you can use White chocolate, Fresh strawberries, and Pink food coloring. For a matcha glaze, you can use Matcha powder, White chocolate, and Heavy cream. And for a Nutella glaze, use Nutella, Powdered sugar, Unsweetened cocoa powder, and Milk.
Mochi donut vs Pon de ring
These two donuts have some similarities, but the major difference is in their ingredients and texture. Mochi donuts are made with glutinous rice flour (also known as sweet rice flour) and have a dense and chewy texture. Pon de ring is made of tapioca flour, which makes it softer and more airy.
Can I use normal rice flour to make them?
The flour used for mochi must be glutinous. Mochi needs some kind of glutinous rice flour is order for it to achieve the chewy stickiness that makes these donuts special.
Where to buy glutinous rice flour
You can buy glutinous rice flour at most stores, including Walmart, Asian markets, and online. It’s usually in either the aisle that contains baking ingredients or Asian foods.
Is mochiko the same as glutinous rice flour?
They are both made from rice, but they differ in texture. Mochiko is different from glutinous rice flour in that it is less elastic and more doughy.
What is silken tofu?
Tofu is made from soybeans and comes in different textures, from soft to extra firm. Silken tofu has a softer consistency that can crumble easily. It can be found at most grocery stores.
How do you make mochi donuts from scratch?
- Sift together the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, sift the all-purpose flour (minus 1 tablespoon), cornstarch, baking powder, glutinous rice flour, and sugar. Set aside.
- Put the tofu through a sieve. Over another bowl, press the tofu through a fine-mesh sieve, scraping the bottom of it to make sure all the tofu goes through.
- Add the egg and water. Add the water and egg to the tofu, then use a whisk to combine.
- Combine. Add the tofu mix to the flour mixture and combine using a spatula.
- Form the dough balls. Using a kitchen scale, form little balls of dough that each weigh 7 grams. You should get a total of about 64 tiny balls.
- Form the mochi donuts. Now cut out eight 5×5-inch pieces of parchment paper and begin forming donut shapes on top of each paper, using 8 dough balls for each donut
- Heat the oil. Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with about 2 inches of oil and heat it to 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit. Use an instant-read thermometer to get and keep the oil temperature within that range.
- Fry the mochi donuts. Place the square piece of parchment paper and donut onto a large slotted spoon and gently slip it into the hot oil. You can fry 2 donuts in the pot at a time, but don’t overcrowd them.
- Flip them. After about a minute or so, use tongs to flip them over and carefully peel off the parchment paper to discard. Once the donuts have browned on one side, flip them over and fry for another minute. Then take them out with the slotted spoon and lay them on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the extra oil.
Glazing the donuts
- Make the strawberry glaze. Melt the white chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl and then add 1 drop of pink food coloring and the fresh strawberries (at room temp). Next, blend them using an immersion or regular blender. Dip the donuts into the glaze and let them set on a cooling rack.
- Make the matcha glaze. Add hot, simmered heavy cream to the white chocolate chips in a bowl, then mix until smooth. Whisk in the matcha powder and mix again. Then dip the donuts into the glaze and let them set.
- Mix the Nutella glaze. Sift the powdered sugar and cocoa powder into a bowl. Then whisk in the warm milk and Nutella. Dip the donuts and then let them set.
- Decorate the donuts. You can decorate the mochi donuts like I did with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and some crushed Special K cereal. Enjoy.
Why is oil temperature very important
The perfect oil temperature for frying mochi donuts is 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit. Make sure to use an instant-read thermometer to make sure the temperature stays in the right range for the best results.
How to keep them fresh
The best way to enjoy these Mochi Donuts is on the same day that you make them. To keep them fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tips for making perfect mochi donuts
- Sift the flours well- Sifting gets rid of clumps in the flour and ensures that the ingredients are well combined.
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh each ball of dough- Weight is the most accurate measurement, and by doing this, you ensure that each ball is the same size and cooks at the same rate.
- Make sure to keep the oil temperature between 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit- If the temperature gets too hot, the donuts will burn on the outside and be raw in the center. And if it’s too low, the dough will overcook and become dry.
- Once the dough begins to stick to your hands too much, wash and dry your hands as needed- This will keep the dough from layering on, sticking to itself once it is sticking to your hands.
Watch the VIDEO on how to make them
The BEST Mochi Donuts (Pon De Ring)
Ingredients
For the Mochi donut
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (minus 1 tablespoon) 130 g
- 1 tablespoon corn starch 10g
- 3/4 cup glutinous rice flour 87g
- 1 tsp baking powder 4g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100g
- 3.5 oz silken tofu
- 1 egg
- 2 tbsp water
Strawberry Glaze
- 4 oz White chocolate
- 1 drop pink food coloring optional
- 2 oz fresh strawberries
Matcha Glaze
- 4 oz White chocolate
- 1/4 cup Heavy Cream simmered
- 1 tsp Matcha powder
Nutella Glaze
- 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder
- 3 tbsp milk
- 3 tbsp Nutella
Instructions
Sift the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, sift together 1 cup minus 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 3/4 cup glutinous rice flour, 1 tsp baking powder, and 1/2 cup granulated sugar. Then set it aside.
Strain the tofu and mix with egg and water
- In a separate bowl, press 3.5 oz of silken tofu through a fine-mesh sieve. Make sure to scrape the bottom of the mesh to ensure all the tofu is used up.
- Now add in 1 large egg and 2 tbsp of water. Using a whisk, mix just to combine.
Combine the dry and wet ingredients
- Now add the egg and tofu mixture to the flour mixture and combine using a spatula.
- Once the dough begins to take shape, you can begin working it together using your clean hands.
Weigh the dough balls and form into a pon de ring donut
- Now form the dough into little balls about 7 grams each. You should get a total of about 64 tiny balls. You will want to use a kitchen scale for this step.
Deep fry the mochi donuts
- Now cut 8 (5x5 inch) square pieces of parchment paper and begin forming donut shapes on top of each paper using 8 dough balls for each donut.
- Fill a heavy-bottomed pot with about 2 inches of corn or vegetable oil and heat it to 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit. It’s best to use an instant-read thermometer to get the perfect oil temperature for donuts. Make sure the oil isn’t too hot or it will burn the donuts and leave them raw in the center. Having too low of heat will overcook them and make them dry.
- Place the square piece of parchment paper and donut onto a large slotted spoon and gently slip it into the hot oil. Fry about 2 donuts into the pot at a time. You don’t want to overcrowd the pot.
- After about a minute or so, use tongs to flip the mochi donut over. And with those same tongs, carefully peel off the parchment paper and discard. Once the donuts have browned on one side, flip them over and fry for another minute.
- Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the donuts to a plate lined with paper towels to absorb the extra oil.
Make the strawberry glaze
- Meanwhile, make the strawberry glaze by melting 4 oz of white baking chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Then add 1 drop of pink food coloring and 2 oz of fresh strawberries and blend them in using an emersion blender. You can make this in a regular blender too. Make sure your strawberries are not too cold or you can seize up your chocolate. If they are straight out of the fridge just heat them up in the microwave for about 10 seconds. Now dip the donuts into the glaze and transfer to a cooling rack to set.
Make the matcha glaze
- To make the match glaze: add 1/4 cup of hot simmered heavy cream to 4 ounces of white chocolate chips. Mix until smooth, then whisk in 1 tsp of matcha powder. Mix again and dip a few donuts in the match glaze.
Make the Nutella glaze
- For the Chocolate Nutella glaze, sift 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder into a bowl. Then whisk in 3 tbsp warm milk, and 3 tbsp Nutella. Dip the donuts and let them set.
- I decorated my mochi donuts with some drizzles of melted white chocolate and a little bit of crushed special k cereal. Enjoy immediately. 
Notes
- Sift the flours well- Sifting gets rid of clumps in the flour and ensures that the ingredients are well combined.
- Use a kitchen scale to weigh each ball of dough- Weight is the most accurate measurement, and by doing this, you ensure that each ball is the same size and cooks at the same rate.
- Make sure to keep the oil temperature between 325-350 degrees Fahrenheit- If the temperature gets too hot, the donuts will burn on the outside and be raw in the center. And if it's too low, the dough will overcook and become dry.
- Once the dough begins to stick to your hands too much, wash and dry your hands as needed- This will keep the dough from layering on, sticking to itself once it is sticking to your hands.
Nutrition
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Jason says
Can I make the donuts with mochiko or do I need glutinous rice flour
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Jason, I have never tried it with mochiko so I can’t say how the mochi donuts will turn out without testing it out myself.
E says
Hi! What will be the best substitute for silken tofu? Don’t have any on hand right now!
Thanks!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi! I have tried substituting the silken tofu with other types of tofu and the textures were just not the same. You can try omitting them tofu and adding a little more water. I personally have never tried this so I cannot say the exact ratios until I test it out myself. I hope this helps! 🙂
Lindzy says
Can I cook this doughnut in a air fryer? My mom won’t let me use that much oil.😭😭
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Lindzy, I have never tried making mochi donuts in the air fryer, so I cannot say much without testing it out myself. Now I definitely want to try it out 🙂
Scott Graviet says
Awesome
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you Scott!
gabriella coupal says
This was for sure a time consuming recipe if your a newbie, the only hard part was forming the balls into one donut. It was definitely worth every second. :)!
simplyhomecooked says
Glad to hear you loved these mochi donuts! Yes this recipe does require some time. Thank you for taking the time to leave your feedback 🙂
Victoria says
Would I be able to prep the dough in advance and keep it in the fridge overnight?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Victoria, since the dough doesn’t have any yeast, it should be ok making the dough the night before. I personally have never tried this yet, but I don’t see why it wouldn’t work 🙂 Let me know how it turns out!
Emily says
Hi would you be able to bake these? if so, what are the baking instructions?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Emily 🙂 Technically yes you can bake these donuts. However, I have never tried baking these mochi donuts so I am not sure about the baking instructions. If you give it a try please let me know 🙂
Aurora Leung says
The dough came out runny. What can I add to help make it into more of a dough consistency?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Aurora, you can add more glutinous rice flour. Try adding a tablespoon at a time. I hope you love these Mochi donuts!
C. Samson says
T
i made theses mochi doughnuts they came out a mess! I used all the ingredients and measured exactly. and followed directions. They came out hard as a rock !! I was so dissapointed .
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, sorry these donuts didn’t turn out how you wanted. It sounds like you overcooked the donuts. You have to be really careful not to overcook them because they will lose their chewy texture and be hard and dense. Hope that helps clarify 🙂
Maria says
Hello! I’m quite confused. 1 Cup = 250G, right? So if 1 Cup minus 1 Tbsp should be 235, right? Since 1 Tbsp = 15G.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Maria, no since you are comparing volume to weight. You would have to compare cups to milliliters. Hope that helps clarify 🙂
Jay says
Made these today and I’m so sad to say that this does not taste anything like the mochi donuts I’ve had at bakeries. It wasn’t chewy, tasted more like cake. I followed exactly the measurements, temperature of the oil and everything to the T.
However, thank you for the recipe for the glaze. I used another mochi donut recipe with your glaze recipe and it turned out great.
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the honest feedback Jay! I am happy that you at least enjoyed the glaze.
Patrick says
Hi what kind of silken tofu did you use for your donuts? Soft or firm?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Patrick, I use the softened type of tofu for these mochi donuts.
Rachel says
Can the dough be refrigerated and fried the following day?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Rachel, I have never tried refrigerating the dough so I am not too sure. Sorry, I wish I could help.
Janica says
Thank you for the recipe! We made these for Christmas and they came out perfect!
simplyhomecooked says
Yay! So happy that you loved these Mochi donuts! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave this awesome review 🙂 I hope you find many more delicious recipes on my food blog 🙂
Kat says
I made these last night with a strawberry glaze and they were so perfect! I thought I wouldn’t be able to get them again since Japan. Now I can whip them up at home in no time! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe and video!
simplyhomecooked says
Kat, I am so happy to hear that you enjoyed this mochi donut recipe! Thank you for taking the time to write your kind recipe review 🙂
R.M.A-H says
why is silken tofu used in the pon de ring mochi donuts
simplyhomecooked says
Hi, the silken tofu helps add more chewy texture along with the glutinous rice flour.
Shae says
Hi. Am I able to substitute the gloutinous flour for Tapioca Flour? Thank you.
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Shae, I have seen mochi donut recipes made with tapioca flour, but haven’t actually tried it myself. So unfortunately I can’t really say how it will alter the recipe.
Oscar Whitehead says
Apparently Mister Donuts in Japan uses Tapioca flour for their Pon de Ring, but they also use yeast. It’s a very different recipe, I believe.
Benito says
I’d say this is one. It was nailed by you completely from beginning to end.
To write this you may have worked hard for study.
Best regards,
Lunding Raahauge
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you 🙂
Lauren says
I just wanted to say thank you for putting together this recipe. It was so well written out and the video was so easy to follow. I made these a few days ago, they were absolutely delicious! 😋😍
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Lauren, so happy this mochi donuts recipe was delicious and easy to follow! Thank you for your feedback 🙂
Kate says
Hi, what can I replace for the tofu? It it really necessary to use that in this recipe?
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Kate, unfortunately, this isn’t an ingredient that can be omitted. I also have not tried experimenting on this mochi donuts recipe for tofu replacements. Hope that helps clarify 🙂 Hope you get a chance to make these Mochi donuts 🙂
Mary says
These Mochi donuts turned out so delicious and perfect! The video was super helpful and easy to follow. One question though… my dough tended to stick to my hands more than I wanted. Any idea how to prevent this? Thanks!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Mary, thank you for leaving your kind feedback. I’m glad that you found the video tutorial helpful 🙂 Regarding your question about the sticky dough… You want it slightly sticky. If the dough is too dry, you won’t get that bouncy chewy texture. I found that washing my hands and drying them really well between each mochi donut worked really well. I hope that helps, let me know if you have any more questions 🙂
Danny says
Made these homemade mochi donuts yesterday and they turned out absolutely perfect! Crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. I only made them with chocolate and strawberry glaze since I don’t like matcha. They came out so delicious! I surprised myself at how well they turned out lol. Thanks again for the amazing recipe!
simplyhomecooked says
Hi Danny! I am so thrilled to hear that your mochi donuts turned out well. I wish I could see a photo of your finished donuts! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to write such a kind recipe review.