Chewy Japanese Mochi Cookies (Sweet & Buttery!)
You have not experienced cookie bliss until you have had these chewy Japanese mochi cookies. I use butter, glutinous rice flour, and brown sugar to create a crisp cookie shell with a soft chewy center. Each bite has that trademark contrast that mochi desserts are famous for.
Servings: 12 cookies
Calories: 147kcal
Equipment
- Sheet Pan
- Microwave-Safe Bowl
Ingredients
For The Cookies
- ¼ cup butter softened at room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ tsp baking powder
For The Mochi Filling
- ⅓ cup glutinous rice flour
- 1½ tbsp powdered sugar
- ½ cup milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 340 degrees F / 170 C. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a stand mixer cream the softened butter and sugar.
- When light and fluffy add the egg and vanilla extract and continue to whisk until well incorporated.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir to form a dough.
- Place the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile prepare the mochi filling by mixing all ingredients in a microwave safe bowl, whisking to ensure there are no lumps.
- Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 2 minutes.
- Remove the cover and mix well. Allow to cool for 5 minutes.
- Divide into 12 equal balls.
- Roll the chilled cookie dough into a sausage shape and cut into 12 equal parts.
- Take one portioned piece of cookie dough and shape it into a flat disc shape. Place a ball of filling on top and wrap the cookie dough over the filling, ensuring there are no holes.
- Place cookie on the prepared baking tray.
- Repeat with remaining dough and filling.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10 minutes or until lightly golden.
- Remove and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack.
- Store cookies in an airtight container in a cool dry place for up to 2 days.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this chewy Japanese mochi cookie recipe is to let the mochi filling cool completely before wrapping. Warm filling sticks to the dough and makes sealing difficult, which can cause leaks during baking.
- Keep water nearby to prevent sticking: When working with the mochi dough, I like to keep a small bowl of water close by to dip my hands or spoon into. This stops the dough from sticking and being unmanageable.
- Store with bread: Place a slice of fresh bread in the airtight container with the cookies when storing. This helios retains moisture and keeps the filling chewier for longer.
- Do not overbake: I remove the cookies as soon as the edges are a golden color. Extra time in the oven can firm up the center too much.
- Control stickiness: If water does not do enough for the stickiness, I lightly oil my hands when rolling the mochi balls to keep the surface smooth and manageable.
- Mix gently: I stop mixing the cookie dough as soon as it comes together to avoid a dense crumb.
- Leave space: These cookies spread, so be sure to leave enough space between them to avoid any fusing and leaking.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookie | Calories: 147kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 42mg | Potassium: 60mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 10g