Mochi Ice Cream Recipe
Homemade mochi ice cream with a glossy, slightly translucent sweet rice dough wrapper and a cold vanilla center. Includes a chill-and-freeze workflow for clean wrapping and neat shapes.
Equipment
- Small tray
- Parchment paper
- Small ice cream scoop or spoon
- Freezer
- Large microwave-safe bowl
- Plastic wrap
- whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie sheet
- Refrigerator
- 3 3/4 inch (9 1/2 cm) cutter
- Cling wrap
- Airtight container
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups vanilla ice cream 8oz/225g
- 1 cup sweet glutinous rice flour 5 1/2oz/160g
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar 2oz/57g
- 1 cup water 8oz/225ml
- red food coloring a few drops (optional)
- cornstarch for dusting (or potato starch)
Instructions
Pre-freeze the ice cream cores
- Line a small tray with parchment paper.
- Portion twelve 2 tablespoon-sized scoops of ice cream (about .75oz/20g) onto the tray, then freeze until firm and hard.
Cook the mochi dough in the microwave
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, combine the sweet rice flour, sugar, and water. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute.
- Whisk to smooth out lumps, cover again, and microwave for another 1 minute.
- Dip a rubber spatula in water, then stir again with the spatula (skip the whisk now because it turns very sticky).
- Cover once more and microwave for another 30 seconds. The dough should look glossy and sticky, shifting from opaque white to slightly yellow and translucent. Stir in the red food coloring now if using, until evenly blended.
Roll, chill, and cut the wrappers
- Lay a large sheet of parchment paper on the counter and dust it generously with cornstarch (or potato starch).
- Using the wet spatula, scrape the dough onto the starch, then dust the top with more starch.
- Roll the dough into a rectangle no less than 1/4 inch thick (about 12x14 inches/30x35 cm), dusting the top and bottom as you go so it doesn’t cling.
- Set the parchment on a cookie sheet and refrigerate for 30 minutes to make the dough easier to handle.
- Cut circles using a 3 3/4 inch (9 1/2 cm) cutter.
Wrap and freeze until set
- Pick up one dough circle and brush off excess cornstarch from both sides, especially where you’ll seal.
- Working quickly, place one scoop of ice cream in the center with the flat side facing you. Press the edges together around the ice cream and squeeze firmly to seal.
- Wrap each mochi in cling wrap and return seam-side down to the freezer to set (an egg carton can keep them upright). Repeat with remaining dough circles and ice cream, then freeze at least 2 hours until totally firm.
- When ready to eat, let the mochi sit out for a few minutes to soften slightly.
- Store in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 1 week.
Notes
Work quickly while wrapping so the ice cream stays confidently frozen, and dust generously with cornstarch (or potato starch) for cleaner rolling and sealing. Nutrition information is estimated based on common ingredients and serving sizes and may vary.
Nutrition
Calories: 110kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 2gFat: 3.5gSaturated Fat: 2.2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 35mgPotassium: 60mgFiber: 0.2gSugar: 10gVitamin A: 90IUCalcium: 50mgIron: 0.3mg
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