Food

Mochi Brownies Recipe: How to Make Gluten-Free Brownies

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: May 21, 2022 • 2 min read

Mochi brownies are a chewy, chocolatey treat unlike any other. Here’s how to make them at home.

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What Are Mochi Brownies?

Mochi brownies are a baked dessert made with mochiko (a sweet rice flour also known as glutinous rice flour), cocoa powder, sugar, butter, eggs, and milk. Thanks to the rice flour, mochi brownies are incredibly chewy and fudgy—and they’re gluten-free.

Mochiko comes from cooked mochigome, a glutinous variety of short-grain rice. To make mochiko, producers wash the grains in water to slough away the outer husk, then dehydrate the kernels and mill them into a fine powder. Mochiko is an integral component of many Asian sweets, like Hawaii’s beloved butter mochi cake, a dessert made with mochiko flour and coconut milk.

3 Tips for Baking Mochi Brownies

Consider this twist on regular chocolate brownies a next-level variation on Hawaiian butter mochi. Here’s what to know:

  1. 1. Use the right flour. Mochiko is a sweet rice flour made from a glutinous, short-grain sweet rice called mochigome, also known as “sticky rice.” While regular rice flour and mochiko both involve removing the rice grain’s outer husk and milling the inner kernel into a fine powder, the main difference between the two flours lies in the kind of rice grain used in their production. Regular rice flour comes from non-glutinous, long-grain brown or white rice: You can use it as a thickener, but it won’t lend the same snappy stretch as flours made from mochigome.
  2. 2. Let the brownies cool before cutting. The gooey, fudgy texture of the warm baked dough means the average knife won’t stand a chance. For best results, wait until the brownies are cool to the touch, then run the knife under hot water between cuts.
  3. 3. Store in an airtight container at room temperature. To preserve the bouncy texture of mochi brownies, keep them in a sealed container at room temperature, where they’ll last for three to four days.

Easy Mochi Brownies Recipe

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makes

10–12

prep time

5 min

total time

1 hr 5 min

cook time

1 hr

Ingredients

Note: The total time does not include 20 minutes of inactive time.

  1. 1

    Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

  2. 2

    Lightly grease a 9x13-inch baking pan and line with parchment paper.

  3. 3

    In a small bowl, combine the espresso powder and hot water and whisk to incorporate.

  4. 4

    In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract.

  5. 5

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the mochiko, cocoa powder, sugars, baking powder, and salt.

  6. 6

    Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and whisk until combined.

  7. 7

    Add the bloomed espresso, and whisk to incorporate.

  8. 8

    Transfer the brownie batter to the prepared pan and gently tap it on the counter to settle any bubbles or large air pockets.

  9. 9

    Sprinkle the chocolate chips or chopped chocolate over the top of the batter.

  10. 10

    Bake the brownies until the edges are crispy and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 1 hour.

  11. 11

    To cut, let the brownies cool in the pan until room temperature, at least 20 minutes, and then slice into squares or rectangles with a sharp chef’s knife. Run the knife under hot water in between cuts for cleaner edges.

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