How to Make Mochi Ice Cream at Home: Simple Step-by-Step Recipe

A sweet, soft, and chewy rice flour coating encases creamy vanilla ice cream in these playful and unique Mochi Ice Cream. This easy mochi ice cream recipe is straightforward to prepare, and readers consistently rave about how much they enjoy it.

Mochi ice cream commonly features familiar American flavors like vanilla bean, strawberry, and chocolate. You’ll also see classic Japanese fillings such as matcha, black sesame, and sweet red bean paste.

This recipe begins simply with a vanilla ice cream center and a sweet mochi coating that’s far easier to make at home than you might expect.

Why You’re Going to Love This Mochi Ice Cream Recipe

• The method is uncomplicated; you can even use store-bought ice cream to save time.
• It uses real, minimal ingredients for clean, appealing flavor.
• No special equipment is required.
• The finished mochi are colorful, fun, and great for parties.
• Making mochi at home can be much cheaper than buying pre-made boxes from the store.

Pre-packaged mochi can be costly—often over $6 for a box—whereas this recipe yields 14 individual mochi balls for a fraction of that cost, even if you need to purchase specialty flour online.

If you enjoy making treats at home, you can also save money by preparing other frozen desserts yourself, like homemade ice cream cakes or rich milkshakes.

Ingredients in Homemade Mochi Ice Cream

• Vanilla ice cream – Choose a high-quality brand or homemade ice cream. Because each mochi contains only a small amount of filling, the flavor of the ice cream matters.
• Glutinous rice flour – Also called sweet rice flour, this is essential for the chewy mochi texture.
• Powdered sugar – Adds a gentle sweetness to the rice dough; powdered sugar incorporates smoothly where granulated sugar will not.
• Cornstarch – For dusting your work surface so the sticky dough doesn’t cling to everything. Regular flour is not recommended.
• Food coloring (optional) – A touch of pink or any color you prefer makes the mochi visually fun.
• Water – Used to bind the rice flour into a workable dough.

How to Make Mochi Ice Cream from Scratch

1. Line a sheet pan with parchment and scoop tablespoon-sized portions of ice cream (about the size of ping-pong balls) onto the tray. Freeze at least 1 hour, until completely firm.
2. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour and powdered sugar.
3. Mix food coloring into the water, then slowly add the colored water to the flour mixture, whisking until smooth.
4. Microwave the dough for 90 seconds, stir, then microwave an additional 60 seconds. The dough will thicken and be very hot.
5. Heavily dust a nonstick surface (a Silpat or parchment works well) with cornstarch. Transfer the hot dough onto the surface, dust the top, and roll it out to just under 1/4″ thick. Chill in the refrigerator until cool to the touch, about 30 minutes.
6. Cut as many 2.5″ circles from the chilled dough as you can. The dough is difficult to re-roll, so cut the circles close together to minimize waste.
7. Brush off excess cornstarch from each circle, wrap a frozen ice cream ball in dough, and pinch the seams closed on the bottom.
8. Wrap each mochi in plastic wrap and freeze for at least 2 hours, until set.

These steps correspond with the images above. For the full ingredient list and complete measurements, refer to the recipe card below.

How to Store Homemade Mochi

Store individual mochi wrapped in plastic in an airtight container in the freezer. They keep well for up to one week. Let them sit at room temperature for a few minutes before eating so the ice cream softens slightly.

Mochi Ice Cream Tips

• Use quality ingredients – Because each bite is small, a good ice cream makes a big difference.
• Don’t skip chilling steps – Proper chilling of both the ice cream and the mochi dough is key to successful assembly.
• Use plenty of cornstarch – Sticky rice dough is tacky; cornstarch helps prevent it from sticking to hands and tools.
• Experiment with flavors – Swap the vanilla for any ice cream flavor you like.
• Dairy-free option – Use your favorite non-dairy ice cream to make vegan mochi.

More Homemade Ice Cream Dessert Recipes:

• Rolled Ice Cream
• Rainbow Sherbet
• Butter Pecan Ice Cream Sandwiches
• Mexican Ice Cream
• Ice Cream Pizza

If you’d like a different mochi variation, try a pumpkin butter mochi next.

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Did you make this Homemade Mochi Ice Cream Recipe? Leave a comment below to tell us how it turned out and whether you tried any variations.

Easy Mochi Ice Cream Recipe

Yield:
14 Mochi

Prep Time:
20 minutes

Chill Time:
3 hours 30 minutes

Total Time:
3 hours 50 minutes

Make Mochi Ice Cream at home using this simple method: a sweet, chewy rice flour coating wrapped around creamy ice cream.

Ingredients

• 2 cups vanilla ice cream (or another flavor)
• 1 cup glutinous rice flour
• ¼ cup powdered sugar
• 1 cup water
• ⅛ teaspoon pink food coloring (optional)
• ½ cup cornstarch, for dusting your work surface

Instructions

1. Line a quarter sheet pan with parchment and scoop tablespoon-sized balls of ice cream. Freeze until completely firm, at least 1 hour.
2. Whisk together the glutinous rice flour and powdered sugar in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
3. Stir food coloring into the water, then slowly whisk the water into the flour until combined.
4. Microwave the dough for 90 seconds, stir, then microwave an additional 60 seconds until thickened and hot.
5. Dust a Silpat or work surface heavily with cornstarch. Transfer the hot dough onto the surface and dust the top with cornstarch.
6. Roll the dough to just under ¼” thick, then chill on a rimmed baking sheet until cool to the touch, about 30 minutes.
7. Cut as many 2.5″ circles as you can from the chilled dough. The dough is difficult to re-roll, so cut efficiently.
8. Brush off excess cornstarch, wrap each frozen ice cream ball in a dough circle, pinch to seal, and wrap in plastic. Freeze until firm, at least 2 hours.

Notes

• Use quality ingredients for the best flavor.
• Follow the chilling steps; they are important for successful assembly.
• Generously use cornstarch to prevent sticking while handling the dough.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 14
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 109Total Fat: 2gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 1gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 17mgCarbohydrates: 20gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 2g

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