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.
Table Of Contents
Recipe Details
Mochi donuts are so deliciously different from the ones found in most donut shops and bakeries. From their taste and texture to their beautiful pon de ring shape, these donuts make a great addition to any dessert table or served with your morning coffee. I love this dessert because it’s versatile, fun, and delicious!
- TASTE: These are the best Mochi Donuts because they have just the right amount of sweetness. The 3 glazes make each donut either earthy, nutty, or fruity.
- TEXTURE: Made with silken tofu and glutinous rice flour, the texture is dense and chewy (some even describe it as “bouncy”).
- TIME: It will take about 50 minutes to make these.
- EASE: This recipe is not hard, but it does require a fair amount of steps. Just follow my step-by-step instructions and photos to make the perfect mochi donuts every time.
What You’ll Need
Ingredient Notes
- Glutinous rice flour– The gluten in this flour is essential to getting the chewiness you want in these mochi donuts. You can find it at most grocery stores, at Walmart, or online.
- Cornstarch- This will help the donuts develop a light crispness on the outside while remaining fluffy on the inside.
- Silken tofu- Silken tofu has a softer consistency than other tofu varieties and can crumble easily, making it perfect for adding to these donuts for fluffiness.
- Egg- This acts as a binder for the dough so it’s elastic.
- Nutella- This chocolate hazelnut spread makes a delicious glaze that adds sweet, nutty flavor to these donuts.
- Matcha powder- This is high-grade green tea that has been ground into a powder. It It has an earthy, mellow flavor with a hint of bitterness that is offset by the sweet white chocolate in the glaze.
Add-ins and Substitutions
- Add chocolate- Add cocoa powder to the mochi dough to give the donuts some sweet chocolate flavor.
- Make a fruity glaze- Glaze these donuts with passionfruit puree, homemade Strawberry Jam, or Raspberry Sauce.
- Add toppings- You can decorate the mochi donuts like I did with a drizzle of melted white chocolate and some crushed Special K cereal.
- Add vanilla- Add some vanilla bean paste to the donuts for more delicious flavor.
How to Make the BEST Mochi Donuts
- 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.
- 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.
Pro Tip: Keeping the oil at the right temperature is crucial. Use an instant-read thermometer to ensure that the oil temperature stays within range.
- 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. Enjoy.
- 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.
Recipe Tips
- 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.
FAQs
What ingredients are in mochi donuts?
Mochi donuts are made with Glutinous rice flour, All-purpose flour, Cornstarch, Baking powder, Granulated sugar, Silken tofu, Egg, and Water. They are usually glazed as well. These Mochi Donuts have a strawberry glaze, matcha glaze, and Nutella glaze.
What is the difference between mochi donuts and pon de ring?
Mochi donuts and Pon de ring 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?
No, the flour used for mochi must be glutinous (which normal rice flour is not). Mochi needs some kind of glutinous rice flour is order for it to achieve the chewy stickiness that makes these donuts special. Mochiko would also not be a good substitute as it would make the donuts less elastic and more doughy.
Serving Suggestions
These delicious Mochi Donuts are the perfect dessert to be enjoyed with coffee, cake, and other sweet treats. Enjoy them with all your favorites and wow guests with their gorgeous presentation.
- Coffee: Treat yourself to these donuts with a hot coffee, Pumpkin Spice Latte, Iced Caramel Macchiato, or Caramel Frappuccino (Starbucks Copycat).
- Cakes: Pair this dessert with a slice of Tiramisu Cake (VIDEO), Strawberry Bundt Cake, Chocolate Mousse Cake, or New York Style Cheesecake.
- Other Donuts: Serve these mochi donuts with Chocolate Donuts, Old Fashioned Sour Cream Donuts, Homemade Donut Holes (3 flavors), and Maple Donut Bars for a delicious breakfast spread.
- Smoothies: Enjoy them with a smoothie, like this Mandarin Banana Smoothie, Blueberry Smoothie Bowl, or Acai Bowl.
Make This Recipe in Advance
Make ahead: The best way to enjoy these Mochi Donuts is on the same day that you make them. But if you want to make them in advance, keep them fresh by storing them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Storing: Store these donuts at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Freeze: Allow the donuts to cool completely before placing them in a freezer-safe ziplock bag and freezing for 1-2 months. Warm in the microwave until soft. The glazes may melt as they warm, so freezing unglazed mochi donuts is best.
More Delicious Donuts!
Watch the VIDEO on how to make them
Full Recipe Instructions
The BEST Mochi Donuts
The Best Mochi Donuts are chewy, dense & deliciously glazed. You have got to try this yummy recipe & make these gorgeous donuts for yourself!
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 8 Donuts
Calories: 423kcal
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
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- Now cut 8 (5×5 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.
- I decorated my mochi donuts with some drizzles of melted white chocolate and a little bit of crushed special k cereal. Enjoy immediately. 
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.
Notes
Super helpful TIPS
- 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
Calories: 423kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 41mg | Potassium: 268mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 45g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 110mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you make this recipe? Snap a photo of it and tag me on Instagram @simplyhomecooked or use the hashtag #simplyhomecooked so I can see it and feature it!
Hi, I’m Dina, so glad you stopped by! I believe life is too short for bad coffee and boring meals. With my easy to follow step-by-step recipes, you’ll be surprised at how quickly a wholesome and delicious meal can come together. I hope you find something you enjoy!
Latest posts by Dina (see all)
- Cast Iron Ribeye Steak - January 14, 2025
- The Best Brioche Donuts Recipe - December 17, 2024
- Garlic Cheese Bread - December 11, 2024
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.