Vegan Mochi Donuts

Baked mochi donuts with vegan glaze and sprinkles on a wire rack.

5 from 6 votes

Impress everyone with these vegan mochi donuts. The first time I made them at home, I could not believe how chewy and crisp they turned out straight from the oven. I use tapioca flour, coconut yogurt, and vanilla to create that signature stretchy texture with crisp edges. And despite their impressive taste and appearance, they take 25 minutes to make, which is perhaps the most impressive thing of all!

Prep Time10

Cook Time15

Total Time25

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American, Asian, Vegan

Diet: Gluten Free, Low Lactose, Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: donuts

Calories: 202kcal

Author: Anjali Shah

Equipment

Ingredients

For The Donuts

For The Icing

2 cups powdered sugar
2-3 tbsp unsweetened almond milk
vegan food coloring, optional

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 338-340 degrees F / 170 C. Line a baking tray with parchment paper, set aside.
Whisk both of the flours, baking powder and sugar together in a mixing bowl.
In a separate bowl whisk together the yogurt, ¼ cup almond milk, vanilla and oil.
Stir the wet ingredients through the dry ingredients until well combined. Depending on the moisture content of the yogurt you may need to add additional almond milk. Start with 1 tbsp at a time until the dough is workable but not too sticky. You should be able to roll the dough into a ball and keep it’s shape.
Scoop out about ½ tsp of the donut dough and roll into a small ball. Repeat with remaining dough.
Place 6 of the balls into a circle shape. Repeat and form a total of 8 circles/donuts.
Place the baking tray with the donuts into the oven and bake for 10-15 minutes or until lightly golden and cooked through.
Remove from the oven and allow to completely cool on a cooling rack before icing.
To prepare the icing: Mix the powdered sugar and with 2 tbsp almond milk until smooth. Adjust thickness by adding additional almond milk if needed. Color with food coloring if desired.
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Video

https://youtu.be/6GibFesOksU

Notes

My #1 Secret Tip for this vegan mochi donut recipe is to use a gluten-free flour blend that already contains xanthan gum. This helps bind the dough and gives the donuts their signature chewy texture instead of turning dry or crumbly after baking. I have tested several 1:1 gluten-free baking blends over the years, and they consistently produce the best texture for baked mochi donuts.
Short grain flour: If using glutinous rice flour instead of tapioca flour, I always use short grain flour since it creates a softer and chewier texture than long grain varieties.
Even sizing: I measure the dough balls with a 1/2 teaspoon scoop so everything bakes at the same rate and keeps that classic pon de ring shape.
Leave space: I keep at least 1 inch between each donut so they do not fuse as they bake.
Check baking powder: Fresh baking powder matters here since expired or improperly stored baking powder can leave the donuts dense and flat instead of light and chewy.
Thick glaze: I keep the glaze slightly thick and not watery, so it sets nicely on the donuts without running off.

Nutrition