Hawaiian Butter Mochi

Hawaiian Butter Mochi. A soft, delicious dairy-free butter mochi cake with a chewy texture with crunchy edges.

A classic Hawaiian treat that is very easy to make!

If you've never tried butter mochi then you're in for a treat! The first time I had these mochi bars, my eyes rolled to the back of my eye it was so good!

If you enjoy soft chewy food, this has the best texture! It's very similar to a baked custard cake but bouncier in chew. Little tip: the corner pieces are the best part because you get those crispy edges.

This amazing recipe has been adapted from the original recipe over at Drive Me Hungry's to be dairy-free. She shares incredible and delicious recipes and I highly recommend checking out her blog for more ideas!

Easy to make!

This cake is really easy to make at home. There aren't too many ingredients, making it a great recipe! First grease your prepared pan or muffin tin with butter or line with parchment paper or muffin cups.

Then in a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients. Then in another bowl, whisk together the rest of the ingredients. Next pour the wet batter into the dry and mix until combined.

Lastly pour the batter into the baking dish or muffin tin and bake away! You'll need to adjust the baking time if you use a baking pan versus a muffin tin.

Popular in Hawaii

This dessert is very popular in Hawaii. A lot of people on the island love this local treat. The main ingredients of this dessert are coconut milk, sweet glutinous rice flour and of course, butter! But we'll be using dairy-free butter.

Similar to the Japanese version

Japanese butter mochi is also very similar in taste with a chewy center. However, the Japanese don't use coconut milk in their version, therefore it doesn't contain the coconut flavor.

You will find these little cakes sold at the Japanese market or bakery. They come in all sorts of flavors like vanilla, strawberry, passion fruit or ones that contain matcha powder. Some even come with chocolate chips!

What You'll Need

You will need the following ingredients for these easy Hawaiian butter mochi:

Dry Ingredients:

• Glutinous rice flour or Mochiko sweet rice flour: This is a very fine powder that is very starchy. It's also known as Mochiko flour or Mochiko rice flour but most manufacturers called it Glutinous rice flour. Many Asian grocery stores will carry this ingredient. There are many brands of sweet rice flour but I like the one that comes in a clear package with green lettering and Asian characters.

• Sugar: We are using white granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Baking powder
• Unsalted Butter: this must be melted and cooled down so it doesn't cook your eggs

Wet Ingredients:

• Coconut milk: We will be an entire can of coconut milk. I've also tried this recipe with lite coconut milk and coconut milk with coconut cream - both work well too.
• Water
• Vegan butter: If you're not vegan, you can use normal melted butter. I like to use the dairy-free vegan spread by Earth Balance. Some Western grocers carry this ingredient.
• Large eggs
• Vanilla extract

Optional toppings:

• Coconut flakes: this is totally optional but you can sprinkle shredded coconut onto your cake or mix it into your batter for extra coconut flavor!

Required: 9x9 inch baking dish or muffin tin

How to Make Hawaiian Butter Mochi

Below are steps on how to make Hawaiian butter mochi cake:

Grease or line a deep 9 x 9 baking pan or muffin pan with 12 muffin inserts.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, sift your dry ingredients. Whisk them together until well combined.

In another bowl, mix your wet ingredients mixing in the egg lasts so the butter does not cook the eggs. Alternatively, you can wait for the butter to cool down.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter.

Pour the batter into the baking dish or muffin tin.

If using a muffin tin, bake for 40-45 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If using a baking dish, bake for 60-65 minutes.

Allow this to cool completely by transferring to a wire rack. Slice with a wet knife. Enjoy!

Baking Tips

Below are some tips on how to make the best Hawaiian butter mochi recipe:

• Sift your dry ingredients. This ensures a smooth batter without any clumps!
• Line your baking dish or muffin cups with parchment paper or grease it with butter. This allows for them to come out smoothly like butter!
• Make sure to mix the dry ingredients in a large bowl first before adding the wet ingredients. This ensures a well incorporated batter.
• Wait for butter to cool after melting. You don't want the hot butter to cook your eggs.
• Pour the wet batter into the dry and mix until smooth. Do not over mix.
• To get rid of air bubbles: After pouring your finished batter into the baking pan or muffin tray, gently tap the whole tray on your working surface to pop the bubbles.
• To slice your mochi cake into bars, wait for it to become cool. If you slice it while hot, it'll be a very sticky mess.
• Wet your knife before slicing and use a sharp knife. This moisture from the water helps the knife glide through the sticky cake.

FAQ

Below are questions about this chewy hawaiian butter mochi:

How long does this last for?

It will last up to 3 days stored in an airtight container at room temperature and up to a week in the fridge. I like to reheat mine in a toaster oven until it's warm.

What does Hawaiian butter mochi taste like?

If you have ever tasted mochis before, it tastes very similar to that but it's warmed up and very rich with that glorious butter. If you have never tasted a mochi, picture a warm vanilla bouncy and chewy rice bar with that buttery taste.

Can you freeze Hawaiian butter mochi?

Yes, I would suggest wrapping each bar in plastic wrap or aluminum foil and place into a freezer friendly bag. It should last up to 3 months. To consume, thaw before serving. You can also reheat it in the microwave.

Is Mochi gluten free?

Yes, since glutinous rice flour is gluten-free this treat is gluten free as well.

Where do I buy glutinous rice flour or Mochiko flour?

Most Asian grocery stores will carry this item in their flour or starch section. Online retailers will also carry it too.

Please note it is not the same as regular rice flour. Glutinous rice flour is more sticky.

Can I use a stand mixer to make this?

Sure! I would start with the dry ingredients first and then mix your wet ingredients in a separate bowl before pouring them into the mixer. Do not overmix.

Can I use regular milk or evaporated milk instead of coconut milk?

Yes but just note that you won't taste any coconut flavor.

Other recipes you may like!

If you liked my dairy-free Hawaiian butter mochi recipe, you may like these other dessert recipes:

MOCHI PANCAKES
JAPANESE MOCHI ICE CREAM
MOCHI DONUTS
PANDAN CUSTARD CAKE
BOBA MINT CHOCOLATE MOUSSE
TANGZHONG BREAD
BANANA CHOCOLATE BREAD

I hope you give my dairy-free Hawaiian Butter Mochi a try and enjoy it!

If you enjoyed my Hawaiian coconut butter mochi recipe, please leave a star rating and share it with your family and friends or on social media! Take a picture of your re-creation and make sure to tag me @ChristieAtHome in your feed or stories as I would love to see it!

Christie

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