These Japanese mochi pancakes are soft and slightly more chewy than your traditional pancakes. They're easy to make in 30 minutes with minimal ingredients. A great breakfast or dessert for the family! [Dairy-free and gluten-free adaptable]
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Japanese Mochi Pancakes are slightly more chewy than your average pancake, like a mochi, and less fluffy. They're not super chewy but definitely noticeably more chewier.
If you're not familiar with mochi, it's a bouncy chewy glutinous rice flour dessert from Asia. Many Asian desserts incorporate the concept of mochi, like mochi ice cream, mochi donuts and more!
These pancakes are a great way to start or end the day as you can have them for breakfast or dessert. The whole family, especially the kids, will love them!
The best part about this easy mochi pancake recipe is it's made with simple pantry ingredients in little time! You can top the pancakes off with any toppings you enjoy like honey, maple syrup, fresh fruit and more (I share a suggestion list below).
The glutinous rice flour is responsible for this special texture and you can easily find this ingredient online or at many Asian grocery stores. Just make sure it's the glutinous kind and not just "rice flour".
I also share how to make these dairy-free and gluten-free with ingredient substitutes below in the recipe card.
Ingredients & Substitutes
Please scroll down to below recipe card for exact measurements.
- Glutinous Rice Flour (aka "Sweet Rice Flour" or "Mochiko Flour"): the package should be labelled as "glutinous rice flour" or one of the aforementioned names, not just "rice flour" or it's not the correct ingredient. This is a gluten-free flour made from ground glutinous rice.
- All-Purpose Flour: a general use white wheat flour used for baking and desserts. Or substitute with a gluten-free baking flour, like from the brand Bob's Red Mill.
- Baking Powder
- Salt
- White granulated sugar: or substitute with honey or maple syrup but add this after you've mixed the dry ingredients first.
- Large Egg
- Milk: or substitute with plain oat milk, almond milk, macadamia milk, or soy milk if you're dairy-free. Light coconut (not whole fat) milk could work as well.
- Neutral oil: like avocado oil, sunflower oil, grapeseed oil, peanut oil, vegetable oil or canola oil with a high smoke point. Avoid olive oil that has a low smoke point.
- Vanilla Extract
Note: Most Asian grocers will carry these ingredients. You may find some at your select grocery store or online, like on Amazon.
Topping Ideas
Below are suggested topping ideas for the mochi pancakes:
- fresh fruit like berries or bananas
- maple syrup
- honey
- condensed milk or condensed coconut milk for a dairy-free option
- whipped cream or coconut whipped cream
- nutella
- dulce de leche
- sprinkles
- chocolate chips or cacao nibs
Expert Tips
- Don't over mix batter. Once the dry and wet ingredients are incorporated, stop mixing or you'll have dense pancakes.
- Use a large non-stick pan for easy cooking and cleaning.
- Lightly grease the pan with oil and a paper towel for even golden brown pancakes. Don't just pour oil into the pan or the pancakes will come out more brown in some areas.
- Wait for bubbles form all over the pancake and the bottom is golden brown before flipping. If you flip too soon, it could break apart.
- Use a large spatula to help you flip.
- To know when the pancakes are done, the bottom should be golden brown or when you insert a toothpick into the center of the pancake it'll come out clean.
Instructions
Below are step-by-step instructions on how to make Japanese mochi pancakes:
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
- Then add in egg, milk of choice, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Evenly grease a large non-stick pan with vegetable oil using a clean paper towel. Heat the pan on medium heat.
- Pour ⅓ cup or 80 ml of the pancake batter into the center of the pan and let it naturally spread into a 4 to 5 inch wide circle. Do not tilt the pan.
- Cook the pancake on the first side for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles form all over the pancake and the bottom is golden brown.
- Then use a large spatula to flip it over and cook the other side for 2 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Repeat until you've finished the batter and adjusting the heat as needed. Serve hot with maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit or more!
Storage
- Leftovers will last up to 4 days stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. To reheat: microwave for 1 minute until hot or reheat in a pan on medium heat.
- Freezer friendly? I don't recommend freezing mochi pancakes as they will turn hard even after reheating.
Pairing Suggestions
Japanese mochi pancakes serve well with:
- fresh fruit like berries, bananas, apples, pears, cherries and more
- oatmeal or cereal
- yogurt or muesli
- waffles, pancakes, french toast, crepes
- toast, bread, croissants, or pastries
- cooked proteins like breakfast sausage, bacon, ham, spam, or eggs.
FAQ
Mochi pancakes can be made up to 4 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the fridge. To reheat, microwave or in a pan on the stovetop on medium heat.
You can also make the batter ahead and store it in an airtight container for up to 2-3 days in the fridge and pan fry them according to the recipe instructions on the day of serving.
Mochi pancakes can be made gluten-free and dairy-free by substituting the all-purpose flour with gluten-free baking flour and the milk with plain oat or nut milk.
It's a white and very fine powder made of ground glutinous rice that looks just like cornstarch or tapioca starch and less coarse, like all-purpose wheaet flour. It's sold at Asian markets and looks like the below in packaging.
Other recipes you may like
📖 Recipe
Easy Japanese Mochi Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil to grease the pan
Pancake Batter
- ½ cup glutinous rice flour must be glutinous kind (not just "rice flour")
- ½ cup all purpose flour or gluten-free baking flour
- 1 tablespoon white granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 large egg
- ¾ cup milk or plain oat milk, almond milk, soy milk or macadamia nut milk for dairy-free
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil or any neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
- Then add in egg, milk of choice, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and mix until just combined. Do not over mix.
- Evenly grease a large non-stick pan with vegetable oil using a clean paper towel. Heat the pan on medium heat.
- Pour ⅓ cup or 80 ml of the pancake batter into the center of the pan and let it naturally spread into a 4 to 5 inch wide circle. Do not tilt the pan.
- Cook the pancake on the first side for 3-4 minutes or until bubbles form all over the pancake and the bottom is golden brown.
- Then use a large spatula to flip it over and cook the other side for 2 minutes until golden brown or a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Repeat until you've finished the batter and adjusting the heat as needed.
- Serve hot with maple syrup, honey, fresh fruit or more (see above blog post for more topping ideas).
Kinara
These are fantastic! I used melted butter instead of oil to give them a mochi butter cake feel.
Christie Lai
So pleased to read this, Kinara! Glad you enjoyed my recipe and thanks for making it!