Gluten-Free Mochi Donuts
Published
These gluten-free mochi donuts are crispy on the outside and soft and chewy in the center. They’re surprisingly easy to make at home, too. Inspired by traditional mochi, a chewy Japanese rice cake made with glutinous rice, these donuts get their signature stretchy texture from mochiko flour. Once fried, they turn golden, puffed, and perfectly chewy. The dough comes together in about 20 minutes with simple pantry ingredients. Each donut fries up crisp on the outside while staying soft inside. Whether you’ve tried mochi donuts at a bakery or you’re making them for the first time, this recipe gives you that classic chewy texture without complicated ingredients or equipment.
Ever since I tried my first mochi donut from a bakery, I’ve been a little obsessed with recreating that perfectly chewy texture at home. I tested these donuts several times to get the texture just right because mochi donut dough behaves very differently from regular donut dough. The biggest difference is the glutinous rice flour, which creates that signature chewy bite while still keeping the donuts light and tender. I found the dough works best when it feels soft and pliable but not sticky enough to cling heavily to your hands. Frying temperature also matters more than you’d think. When the oil drops too low, the donuts absorb excess oil and lose that crisp exterior. Keeping the oil close to 350°F creates donuts that puff beautifully with crisp edges and a soft, chewy center.
What I Learned While Testing
- Use mochiko flour for the best chewy texture. I tested these donuts with several types of rice flour, and mochiko consistently gave the best results. Regular rice flour made the donuts dry and slightly crumbly instead of soft and stretchy. Mochiko is what gives mochi donuts their signature chewy bite, so I don’t recommend swapping it here.
- Keep the oil close to 350°F. Oil temperature makes a huge difference in both texture and appearance. I noticed that once the oil dipped below 340°F, the donuts started soaking up oil and lost that crisp exterior. Keeping the temperature steady around 350°F helps the donuts puff properly while staying light and chewy inside. A thermometer really helps prevent greasy donuts.
- Don’t add too much extra flour. The dough should feel soft, stretchy, and slightly tacky. It will feel different from regular donut dough because of the glutinous rice flour. I tested batches with too much extra flour during rolling, and the donuts turned noticeably dense and dry. Lightly dust your surface, but resist the urge to keep adding flour.
- Adjust soft dough slowly. If your donuts aren’t holding their shape well, the dough is probably a little too soft. Add a small spoonful of mochiko at a time until the dough becomes easier to roll and cut. Adding too much at once can quickly make the donuts heavy instead of chewy.
- Fry in small batches. Overcrowding the pot drops the oil temperature too quickly. I found the donuts fry more evenly and stay crisp when cooked in smaller batches with enough room to float.
- Baking works, but the texture changes. You can bake these donuts at 350°F for about 15–18 minutes if you prefer not to fry. They’ll still taste good, but the texture will be softer and less chewy without the crisp golden exterior that frying creates.
Gluten-Free Mochi Donuts
Ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ⅔ cup milk
- 2 tbsp melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups glutinous rice flour, mochiko
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- vegetable oil for frying
- powdered sugar, optional, for sprinkling
Instructions
- In a large bowl whisk egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms. It should be smooth and pliable, not overly sticky.
- Lightly flour a surface with a bit of glutinous rice flour. Roll the dough out to about 1/2-inch thickness.
- Cut out donut shapes using a round cutter and a smaller cutter for the center. Re-roll scraps as needed.
- Heat 2-inch-deep oil in a pot to 350°F (175°C). Fry donuts in batches for 2–3 minutes per side until golden and puffed. Remove and drain on paper towels.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar if desired and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Use glutinous rice flour (mochiko), not regular rice flour. Mochiko is what gives these donuts their signature chewy, stretchy texture. You can usually find it in the Asian foods aisle, at Asian grocery stores, or online. Despite the name, glutinous rice flour is naturally gluten-free.
- Keep the oil close to 350°F (175°C) for the best texture.
- Dough should feel soft and pliable, not stiff.
- Avoid adding too much extra flour during rolling.
- Best served fresh while still slightly warm.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
How to Make Gluten-Free Mochi Donuts Step by Step
Gather all the ingredients together.
Mix the wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 1 large egg, ⅔ cup milk (160ml), 2 tbsp melted butter (28g), and 1 tsp vanilla extract (5ml) until completely smooth and creamy with no streaks of egg remaining.
Combine the dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 cups glutinous rice flour (mochiko) (240g), ¼ cup sugar (50g), 2 tsp baking powder (8g), and ¼ tsp salt until evenly combined.
Make the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir until a soft dough forms. The dough should feel smooth, stretchy, and pliable. It may feel slightly tacky, but it shouldn’t heavily stick to your hands. If the dough feels overly wet or difficult to handle, mix in a small spoonful of mochiko at a time.
Roll out the dough: Lightly dust a clean work surface with glutinous rice flour and roll the dough out to about ½-inch thick. The dough should roll smoothly without cracking too much around the edges.
Cut the donuts: Cut out donut shapes using a round cutter and a smaller cutter for the center holes. Re-roll the scraps gently as needed, but avoid adding too much extra flour, or the donuts can turn dense.
Fry the donuts: Pour about 2 inches of vegetable oil into a heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 350°F (175°C). The oil should shimmer gently but not smoke. Fry the donuts in small batches for 2–3 minutes per side until deeply golden and puffed. The donuts should feel light and slightly crisp on the outside while staying chewy in the center. Avoid overcrowding the pot so the oil temperature stays steady. Bring the oil back to 350°F (175°C) before putting the next batch in.
Finish and serve: Transfer the fried donuts to a paper towel-lined plate to drain briefly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar, if desired, and serve warm or at room temperature.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these gluten-free mochi donuts warm with coffee or hot tea for a fun weekend brunch or easy homemade dessert. If I’m putting together a bigger brunch spread, I like pairing them with gluten-free crepes and gluten-free quiche for a mix of cozy breakfast favorites. They’re also really fun alongside bakery-style treats like gluten-free vanilla cake donuts or gluten-free blueberry muffins when friends or family come over for brunch. I also love serving them simply dusted with powdered sugar alongside fresh berries or a chocolate dipping sauce for an easy dessert that feels a little extra special.
Storage Instructions
Keep the mochi donuts in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 1 day. If you need to store them longer, place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. For freezing, let the donuts cool completely, then layer them between sheets of parchment paper in a freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 2 months. Warm refrigerated or frozen donuts in the microwave for 10–15 seconds to soften the texture and bring back some of that signature chewiness. If you want to prep ahead, mix the dough several hours in advance and refrigerate it until you’re ready to roll and fry the donuts.
More Gluten-Free Fried Desserts to Try
- Gluten-Free Churros: These gluten-free churros are crisp on the outside and soft inside with a cinnamon sugar coating. If you enjoy homemade fried desserts with fun texture, you’ll love these too.
- Gluten-Free Beignets: These gluten-free beignets are light, fluffy, and coated in powdered sugar. They’re another fun, fried dessert recipe that pairs perfectly with coffee or brunch spreads.
- Gluten-Free Yeast Donuts: These baked gluten-free donuts have a soft cake-like texture and sweet cinnamon sugar coating. They’re a great option if you want a more classic donut recipe alongside these chewy mochi donuts.
- Gluten-Free Cannoli: These gluten-free cannoli have perfectly crisp shells filled with a rich, creamy ricotta filling that tastes just like the classic Italian dessert. The homemade shells fry up golden and flaky, while the lightly sweetened filling stays smooth and creamy with mini chocolate chips in every bite.
