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Mochi Ice Cream Recipe: 3 Tips for Making Mochi Ice Cream

Written by MasterClass

Last updated: Jul 7, 2022 • 3 min read

Small, round mochi dough balls filled with ice cream are the perfect summertime treat. Learn how to make mochi ice cream at home using our simple recipe.

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What Is Mochi Ice Cream?

Mochi ice cream is a frozen confection consisting of ice cream balls encased in mochi dough, made by pounding sticky glutinous rice (mochigome) until it is chewy and tender. There are many possible versions of the Japanese dessert, but vanilla, chocolate, strawberry, mango, green tea/matcha are among the most popular mochi ice cream flavors. Food colorings may also be used to match the sweet rice dough to the color of the ice cream within.

While Japanese mochi (daifuku stuffed with red bean paste, or anko) has been a popular treat for centuries, the invention of mochi ice cream is credited to a Japanese-American woman named Frances Hashimoto. Her company began producing the frozen treats in the United States in the early 1990s.

3 Tips for Making Mochi Ice Cream

Making perfectly spherical mochi ice cream like the kinds in the grocery store freezer section takes a lot of practice. Here are a few tips to consider when making mochi ice cream at home:

  1. 1. Use shiratamako flour for chewier, stretchier results. While sweet rice flour—the widely available sweet glutinous rice flour also known as mochiko—is an excellent addition to baked goods like cake and griddled pancakes or waffles, it creates an overly soft mochi dough that will rip when folded or stretched. Alternatively, shiratamako flour is made from rice grains that producers soak twice and then grind while still wet before being dehydrated into a flour form. You can find it in Asian grocery stores or online.
  2. 2. Scoop the ice cream, then hard-set it in the freezer. To prevent too much melting during assembly, freeze the scooped ice cream on a cookie sheet, muffin tin, or spare egg carton for an extra hour. The freezing process will help them hold their shape and make them easier to handle.
  3. 3. Use a cookie dough scoop. Mochi ice cream balls fit neatly into the palm of your hand—the total ice cream in each ball is only about a tablespoon. Use a cookie scoop or a large melon baller for best results.

Best Mochi Ice Cream Recipe

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makes

15

prep time

5 min

total time

3 hr 45 min

cook time

10 min

Ingredients

  1. 1

    Portion out 15 small scoops of ice cream and place them on a baking sheet lined with plastic wrap. Freeze the scoops of ice cream for 1 hour.

  2. 2

    Combine the shiratamako flour and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl, then whisk in water until all the ingredients are evenly incorporated into a smooth slurry.

  3. 3

    To use the microwave for cooking the mochi dough, cover the bowl loosely with plastic wrap or partially cover it with a lid, and cook for 1 minute at a time, stirring with a rubber spatula in between each round.

  4. 4

    Alternatively, you can cook the mixture on the stove using a double-boiler. Bring a small pot of water to a rolling simmer, and place the heatproof bowl on top to create a double-boiler. Cook the mixture, folding and constantly stirring until the dough turns from opaque white to a more translucent hue. Remove the bowl from the heat and let it cool slightly.

  5. 5

    Tape down a sheet of parchment paper or plastic wrap to your work surface, then dust it liberally with potato starch to prevent sticking.

  6. 6

    Use a rolling pin to roll out the dough to a thickness of about a ½-inch. Sprinkle the dough with more starch as needed to prevent sticking. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes for easier handling.

  7. 7

    Use a 4-inch round cookie cutter to punch out the mochi dough. Use a pastry brush to dust away any excess cornstarch. Working one at a time, place an ice cream ball in the center and bring the edges up to meet one another. Twist to seal, and wrap tightly in a small square of plastic wrap.

  8. 8

    Return to the original tray in the freezer, and repeat with the remaining dough circles and ice cream.

  9. 9

    Freeze the mochi ice cream for 2 more hours before serving.

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