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Hello! I’m Anjali. I’m a board certified health coach, author, wife, mom and food lover from the SF Bay area (now living in Seattle, WA!); with a passion for delicious food and a desire to make healthy eating easy, tasty and fun! Learn more about me here and stay for a while!

Anjali Shah

Mango Mochi

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This mango mochi recipe makes delicious mango ice cream balls with a sweet, starchy outside and a fruity twist on the inside. We have two ways to make these mochi – one as a tasty Japanese ice cream dessert, and the other with just a plain fruit filling instead of ice cream. With just 6 ingredients, anyone can make this mochi recipe at home!

Mango mochi stacked on a white plate.

This unique, fun treat is so easy to make, you may never buy store bought mochi again! Sweet rice flour on the outside paired with fruity mango ice cream (or fresh mango) on the inside, make these heavenly little dessert balls irresistible!

Making this mango ice cream mochi dessert may seem like it could be difficult, but it’s actually very simple.

Mochi is simply a traditional Japanese rice cake made from glutinous rice, also known as mochigome. The rice is first soaked, steamed, and then pounded into a sticky, dough-like consistency. Mochi is typically formed into small, round shapes, but it can also be molded into various forms, such as squares or flat discs. It can be eaten plain, or it can be filled with sweet or savory ingredients, such as red bean paste (anko), ice cream, or fresh fruit.

This mango mochi daifuku is basically a mango filling wrapped in mochigome dough! It looks fancy, but the active prep and cook time are only around 33 minutes! Plus you don’t need any special equipment, which makes this a super easy recipe to make at home.

This sweet delicacy with a soft, gooey, chewy texture is quickly going to become one of your favorite desserts to make and enjoy!

👩🏽‍🍳 Why This Recipe Works

  • Unique dessert
  • Easy to make
  • Can be made vegan
  • Naturally gluten free
  • Kid friendly
  • Lots of variations
  • Easy individual quick grab snack or treat

Latest Recipe Video!

🥘 Ingredients

You can find the full list of ingredients along with step-by-step instructions for this mochi mango ice cream recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here’s what you need to make mango mochi:

Ingredients for mango mochi recipe on a white background.
  • Glutinous Rice Flour: The key functionality of glutinous rice flour is to give mochi its signature chewy texture. This ingredient shouldn’t be substituted. Glutinous rice flour has a high starch content which helps create the texture needed for this dessert. Despite the name, it actually is gluten-free.
  • Sugar & Water: Regular white sugar or cane sugar sweetens the mochi dough. And water helps the dry ingredients to mix and your dough to form.
  • Corn Starch (or Cornflour): Cornflour is used to prevent the mochi from sticking to everything while you’re rolling it out to cut out the dough circles.
  • Mango Filling: Mango ice cream, fresh mango blended with cream, or mango sorbet will become your mochi filling. It’s the inside of the mochi and makes up most of the recipe. See variations below for how to make this with fresh mango instead of mango ice cream.
  • Orange Food Coloring: This ingredient is optional but gives the mango cream mochi a more mango color on the outside (vs. a whiter color).

🔪 Instructions

Mango mochi balls are easy to make, just follow the instructions carefully to prevent some common mistakes. Check out the expert tips section for more help with how to make mango mochi.

Line Muffin Tray, Prep Mochi Ice Cream Filling (or fresh fruit filling, if using): Using a 12 hole muffin tray, line 8 holes with muffin liners, set aside. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out 8 balls of ice cream and place each ball into prepared muffin liners. Place the ice cream balls into the freezer.

Mango ice cream being frozen in cupcake liners for mango ice cream mochi filling.

Mix Ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the rice flour and sugar. Pour in the water and mix until smooth. If using food coloring add a drop and mix until well combined.

Glutinous rice flour mixed with water and sugar in a mixing bowl.

Cook In Microwave: Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir with a rubber spatula, cover and heat again for another minute to a minute and 30 seconds. (Total cooking time will depend on the strength of the microwave.). The mochi will turn from white to almost translucent in color.

Mochi dough in a mixing bowl.

Place On Parchment Paper: Sprinkle corn starch over a silicone sheet or parchment paper. Place the cooked mochi dough onto the corn starch.

Mochi dough on a cutting board with corn starch sprinkled on top.

Roll Dough: Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out thin, dusting with corn starch (cornflour) if it’s a little sticky.

Mochi dough being rolled out on a cutting board.

Cut Dough Into Balls: Using a circular cookie cutter, large enough to cover the ice cream balls, cut the dough into 8 circles. Cover a tray with plastic wrap and place the dough circles on to it with a piece of wrap in between each layer. Chill the cut circles in the fridge for 10 minutes.

Mochi dough rolled out and cut into circles.

Assemble Mochi: Remove ice cream from freezer and mochi from fridge. When the dough is cold and the ice cream balls are frozen hard you can start to put it all together. Start by placing one dough circle on your work surface and add an ice cream ball into the center of the dough.

Mochi dough being stuffed with mango ice cream balls on a cutting board.

Encase The Ice Cream Ball With Dough, pinching the ends together. Place the dough covered ice cream ball back into the muffin liner with the seam side down.

Mochi dough filled with mango ice cream on a cutting board.

Repeat & Freeze: Repeat with remaining ice cream balls and dough. Once complete, place the muffin tray with mochi ice creams back into the freezer and freeze until ready to serve, at least 2 hours before serving.

Mango ice cream mochi frozen in cupcake liners in a cupcake tin.

💭 Expert Tips

  • Do not over cook the dough as this will produce a rubbery dough ball, making it difficult to work with. Cooking time will vary based on the strength of the microwave being used.
  • Sprinkle more corn starch or corn flour if your mochi is too sticky while you’re rolling and cutting the dough.
  • Some people suggest adding a pinch of salt to the mochi dough to enhance the other flavors.
  • Use a warm, wet spoon to scoop ice cream if it’s frozen solid. Avoid letting it soften on the counter before scooping.
  • Be sure to chill the dough before wrapping the ice cream balls to ensure it doesn’t melt the ice cream.
  • Transfer your finished ice cream mochi mango balls to the freezer as quickly as possible to prevent the mochi dough from hardening. It also helps to individually wrap each mochi ball in plastic wrap before putting them in an airtight container in the freezer. Remove the ice cream mochis from the freezer 5 minutes before serving to allow the mochi skin to soften slightly.

📖 Variations

  • Different Flavored Ice Cream: Make your mochi strawberry, peach, chocolate, or any flavor you like! Any ice cream can be used to make mochi.
  • Coconut Mochi: Give this mochi and even more tropical flavor with coconut flakes. Roll the assembled mochi mango balls in shredded coconut before freezing.
  • Fresh Fruit Mochi: There are a few different ways to make fresh fruit mochi. Here are some of our favorite ways to use fresh fruit in mochi:
    • Include it with ice cream: Follow this recipe but include a slice of fruit in your ice cream. For example, a slice of chunk of strawberry in strawberry mochi or a fresh slice of mango in your Japanese mango ice cream mochi.
    • Blend fresh fruit and cream: To make this recipe with fresh mango, blend 1 ripe mango (peeled and diced) + 1-2 cups heavy cream in a blender until smooth (you can add sugar to taste if you like), transfer to ice cube trays and freeze until hardened. Then use that as your mochi filling! 
    • Use diced fruit, freeze-dried fruit, or pureed fruit: Fresh fruit can be wrapped directly in mochi, or fruit purees can be used as a filling. Fresh mango chunks, freeze-dried mango, or mango puree can be wrapped in your mochi dough for a fresh fruit mango filling. Alternatively, you can use mango flavored powder to mix into your mochi dough directly, or you can use a mango flavored custard as a filling asw ell.
  • Vegan Mochi Recipe: Make this recipe vegan by substituting vegan or plant-based ice cream. Try making a vegan mango mochi by using this mango nice cream recipe instead of regular ice cream!
  • Sugar Free Mochi: Replace the sugar in this recipe with an alternative sweetener like stevia. This will require less sugar as zero-calorie sweeteners tend to be much sweeter. You’ll also need to use sugar free ice cream, or make sure not to add any sugar to your fresh fruit filling.

❓Recipe FAQs

What is mango mochi made of? What is mochi filling made of?

Mango mochi is a variation of traditional Japanese mochi that incorporates mango flavor into the mochi – either in the mochi dough or as a filling.

Mango mochi is made of: Glutinous rice flour (mochiko), water, sugar, and cornstarch. The glutinous rice flour is combined with water and sugar to create your mochi dough. Cornstarch is typically used to prevent the mochi dough from sticking to surfaces and hands while working with it.

Mochi filling can be either sweet fillings or savory. For mochi stuffed with mango, the mochi dough is stuffed with a filling made of either fresh mango, mango puree, mango custard, or mango ice cream for a sweet and delicious treat.

What’s mochi ice cream?

Sweet mango mochi ice cream is a popular Japanese dessert. It’s made from sweet rice dough (mochi) wrapped around a small ball of ice cream. Mango sweet mochi is a delicious dessert that has a mild starchy flavor on the outside and sweet mango inside.

How to store fresh mochi? Does store bought mochi need to be refrigerated?

Fresh mochi should be stored in the freezer immediately after assembly. The dough can become tough and the ice cream will melt if left out for more than a few minutes.

Store bought mochi, as well as homemade ice cream filled mochi (or fruit filled mochi), also needs to be kept in the freezer. Product packaging should indicate that the mochi must remain frozen.

Is mochi a healthy food?

No, unfortunately mochi isn’t a healthy food, as it’s both high in sugar and refined carbohydrates, making it more of a once-in-a-while indulgence than a regular snack to enjoy!

Is mochi vegetarian?

Yes, mochi on its own is vegetarian as it’s made with just 3 ingredients: glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water. However, the fillings or toppings used with mochi can sometimes contain non-vegetarian ingredients, so if you’re buying pre-made mochi, it’s important to check the ingredients label to make sure your mochi is vegetarian friendly.

Mango mochi stacked on a white plate.

🍦 More Tasty Ice Cream & Mochi Recipes!

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📋 Recipe Card

🎥 Watch How to Make It

https://youtu.be/UZrAkwUNlZ4
Mango mochi stacked on a white plate.
Print Recipe
5 from 5 votes

Mango Mochi

This mango mochi recipe makes delicious mango ice cream balls with a sweet, starchy outside and a fruity twist on the inside. We have two ways to make these mochi – one as a tasty Japanese ice cream dessert, and the other with just a plain fruit filling instead of ice cream. With just 6 ingredients, anyone can make this mochi recipe at home!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time3 minutes
Chilling / Freezing Time2 hours 10 minutes
Total Time2 hours 43 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Japanese
Diet: Gluten Free, Vegetarian
Servings: 8
Calories: 275kcal
Author: Anjali Shah

Ingredients

  • 16 oz Mango ice cream or fresh mango, pureed with cream and frozen until solid
  • ¾ cup Glutinous rice flour
  • ¾ cup Sugar
  • ½ cup Water
  • ½ cup Corn starch or cornflour
  • Orange food coloring optional

Instructions

  • Using a 12 hole muffin tray, line 8 holes with muffin liners, set aside.
  • Using an ice cream scoop, scoop out 8 balls of ice cream and place each ball into prepared muffin liners.
  • Place the ice cream balls into the freezer.
  • In a medium mixing bowl whisk together the rice flour and sugar. Pour in the water and mix until smooth. If using food coloring add a drop and mix until well combined.
  • Cover with plastic wrap and microwave on high for 1 minute. Remove and stir with a rubber spatula, cover and heat again for another minute to a minute and 30 seconds. (Total cooking time will depend on the strength of the microwave.)
  • Remove and stir. The mochi will turn from white to almost translucent in color.
  • Sprinkle corn starch over a silicone sheet or parchment paper. Place the cooked mochi dough onto the corn starch (corn flour).
  • Using a rolling pin, roll the dough out thin, dusting with cornflour if it’s a little sticky.
  • Using a circular cookie cutter, large enough to cover the icecream balls, cut the dough into 8 circles.
  • Cover a tray with plastic wrap and place the dough circles on to it with a piece of wrap in between each layer.
  • Chill the cut circles in the fridge for 10 minutes.
  • When the dough is cold and the ice cream balls are frozen hard you can start to put it all together.
  • Start by placing one dough circle on your work surface, add an ice cream ball into the center of the dough.
  • Encase the ice cream ball with dough, pinching the ends together. Place the dough covered ice cream ball back into the muffin liner with the seam side down.
  • Repeat with remaining icecream balls and dough.
  • Once complete, place the muffin tray with mochi ice creams back into the freezer and freeze until ready to serve, at least 2 hour before serving.

Notes

  • To make these ice cream mochi balls vegan friendly simply use vegan ice cream.
  • Do not over cook the dough as this will produce a rubbery dough, making it difficult to work with.
  • Cooking time will vary based on the strength of the microwave being used.
  • Be sure to chill the dough before wrapping the ice cream balls to ensure it doesn’t melt the ice cream.
  • Store prepared mochi ice creams in the freezer in a airtight container for up tp 3 months.
  • Remove the ice cream mochis from the freezer 5 minutes before serving to allow the mochi skin to soften slightly.
  • If you want to make this with fresh mango, first blend 1 ripe mango (peeled and diced) + 1-2 cups heavy cream in a blender until smooth (you can add sugar to taste if you like), transfer to ice cube trays and freeze until hardened. Then use that as your mochi filling! 

Nutrition

Serving: 1mochi | Calories: 275kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 25mg | Sodium: 47mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 31g

8 responses to “Mango Mochi”

  1. What a delicious sweet treat! I’ve never had these before, and let me tell ya, this won’t be the last. 🙂 Thank you so much!5 stars

  2. These are awesome! My son loves mango and loves mochi, so he was over the moon when we made these together 🙂5 stars

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