Homemade Mochi Ice Cream
Homemade mochi ice cream with just 4 ingredients — sweet rice flour, sugar, water, and your favorite ice cream. A fun, chewy Japanese dessert anyone can make.
Prep Time
30 min
Cook Time
5 min
Total Time
35 min
Servings
12 mochi balls
Calories
120/serving
Difficulty
Medium
Nutrition Per Serving
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup ice cream
- 1 cup sweet glutinous rice flour
- 0.25 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup water
- 0.5 cup cornstarch
Pre-scoop the ice cream
Line a muffin tin or plate with plastic wrap. Scoop 12 small balls of ice cream (about 2 tablespoons each) onto the prepared surface. Freeze for at least 2 hours until completely solid.
Make the mochi dough
In a large microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the sweet rice flour, sugar, and water until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 1 minute. Stir vigorously with a wet spatula to remove lumps. Microwave for 1 more minute, stir again, then microwave for a final 30 seconds. The dough should be sticky, glossy, and translucent.
Roll and cut the wrappers
Dust a clean surface generously with cornstarch. Turn out the hot mochi dough and dust the top as well. Roll to about 1/2-inch thickness, dusting with more cornstarch as needed to prevent sticking. Refrigerate for 20 minutes to firm up slightly. Cut into circles using a 3.5-inch round cutter.
Wrap and freeze
Working quickly, place a frozen ice cream scoop in the center of each mochi circle. Pull the edges up and around the ice cream, pinching them together tightly to seal. Place seam-side down and wrap each ball in plastic wrap. Freeze for at least 1 hour before serving. Let sit at room temperature for 2 to 3 minutes before eating for the softest texture.
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Open in AppTips & Variations
- Work quickly once the ice cream comes out of the freezer — it melts fast
- Dust everything generously with cornstarch to prevent the mochi from sticking to your hands and surfaces
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is sweet glutinous rice flour?
- Also called mochiko, it's a specific type of rice flour that creates the signature chewy texture. Regular rice flour won't work.
- Can I use store-bought mochi dough?
- Some stores sell pre-made mochi sheets in the frozen section, which can be thawed and used as wrappers.
- How long do they keep?
- Stored in the freezer, mochi ice cream keeps well for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe inspired by the original at joshuaweissman.com. Ingredients and factual cooking data extracted; instructions independently written.
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