Easy Mochi Donuts (Mochinut Copycat) (2024)

Perfectly fluffy and chewy mochi donuts with a crisp deep-fried exterior. A cross between a donut and Japanese mochi, monchinuts are the latest sweet craze. This Mochinut copycat recipe tastes just like the real thing and makes next level donuts!

If you thought nothing can ever beat a good old fried donut, I want to introduce you to the next level up – mochi donuts. These donuts are much lighter on the inside than a traditional donut and are basically a cross between American donuts and Japanese mochi.

Made popular by the Mochinut bakery across the USA, this recipe is the perfect Mochinut copycat. Mochinuts look incredibly cute, but also taste amazing. The soft and chewy interior and the crispy exterior are a real treat.

So, what are you waiting for? Get your apron on and let’s get baking some delicious mochinuts!

What is a mochi donut or mochinut?

Mochi donuts are a mix between traditional deep-fried donuts and Japanese mochi desserts. Made with either glutinous rice flour or tapioca starch, mochi donuts are much lighter in texture. Although you can call them a cousin of American donuts, mochinuts are simply next level.

The dough for mochi donuts is much stickier and lighter than traditional donuts, making for an extra fluffy interior. Typically, mochinuts are deep-fried to get a perfect crispy exterior.

And the best part? You can customise the flavours as you like. There are endless options for glazing mochi donuts: strawberry, matcha, chocolate, churros, taro, Nutella and much more!

What is the difference between mochi donuts and regular donuts?

Mochi donuts are different from regular donuts in both texture and taste. Regular donuts tend to be much denser, almost bready. The texture of mochi donuts is chewy and light, making them much easier to eat than regular donuts.

Regular donuts are made with all-purpose flour, which makes a denser dough. Mochi donuts are made with tapioca starch or glutinous rice flour, which yields a much softer and stretchy dough.

As they are made from wheat flour, regular donuts contain gluten. Mochi donuts, on the contrary, can be made gluten-free by only using glutinous rice flour and tapioca starch.

Regular donuts are typically fried, whereas mochinuts can be either fried or baked. Personally, I prefer the deep-fried version as it yields a crispy exterior.

Mochi donuts have less calories regular donuts. Since the dough for mochi donuts is much lighter, less flour is needed. This, in return, slashes the calories by quite a bit. And if less calories and better taste doesn’t convince you, nothing will.

Why this recipe is amazing

• Extra chewy and fluffy – Mochi donuts are known and loved for their light and chewy texture. This yields an extremely soft donut, while keeping a crispy shell.
• Delicious flavour – Mochi donuts have a subtle vanilla flavour that everyone will love!
• Enjoy Mochinuts at home – This Mochinut Copycat recipe makes delicious mochi donuts that taste the same as the famous Mochinut treats.
• Less calories, more love: Mochi donuts typically have about half the calories of regular donuts.
• Can be gluten-free: These mochinuts can be made gluten free by using only tapioca starch and/or glutinous rice flour. Despite the name, glutinous rice flour does not contain gluten.
• Endless glazing options: Mochinuts can be glazed in almost any flavour. My favourite flavours: strawberry, chocolate, matcha, churros or caramel, but the options are endless!

Tools & Equipment

For this Mochinut copycat recipe you will need the following tools and equipment:

• Hand mixer or stand mixer – the easiest way to knead the dough.
• Kitchen thermometer – needed to ensure the perfect frying temperature. I recommend using a candy thermometer.
• Parchment paper – needed when frying the mochi donuts. This recipe calls for 12 squares of parchment paper 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm).
• Deep frying pan – essential for frying mochinuts.
• Mesh or spider strainer – used for handling mochi donuts when frying.
• Pastry card or scraper – great for portioning the dough and transferring it into a different bowl.
• Metal or silicone tongs – useful for removing the parchment paper and turning the mochi donuts around while frying.
• Silicone mat – optional, but highly recommended. The dough for mochi donuts is extremely sticky, so using a silicone mat prevents it from sticking everywhere.

Ingredient round-up

• Tapioca starch – the main ingredient in this recipe. Tapioca flour gives the signature fluffy and chewy texture loved in mochi donuts. It can be substituted with glutinous rice flour.
• All-purpose flour – used in combination with tapioca starch to create the perfect texture. Can be replaced with additional tapioca starch or glutinous rice flour for gluten free mochi donuts.
• Unsalted butter – makes the donut dough extremely light and tasty.
• Egg – used to bring the dough together. I recommend using organic, free-range eggs for the best flavour.
• Milk – adds to the subtle sweet flavour of the dough. Can be replaced with lukewarm water or plant alternatives.
• Instant dry yeast – the rising agent in the dough. Instant dry yeast is my favourite because it’s quick and easy to use. It can be replaced with 1 teaspoon of baking powder. However, for an authentic texture I recommend using yeast.
• Sugar – used in a minimal quantity to add sweetness. The dough does not need to be overly sweet, as we will be glazing the mochinuts.
• Vanilla extract – adds flavour to the dough. Can be replaced with vanilla sugar, vanilla bean paste or left out entirely.
• Salt – balances out and brings out the flavour. I like to use extra fine salt, as it’s much easier to dissolve. You can use pink Himalayan salt, sea salt or regular table salt.

For glazing ingredients and information, see the section below all about Glazing and Flavours.

How to make mochi donuts

To make the process easier, I will be breaking down the recipe into 3 main parts: making the dough, shaping the mochi donuts and frying the donuts.

Making the dough

Mochi donut dough is very sticky and can be a little tricky to handle. But trust me, this recipe yields the softest mochinuts ever!

1. Begin by mixing the wet ingredients in a large bowl, combining them well. Add the flour and tapioca starch into the wet ingredients.
2. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to combine. Keep mixing to knead the dough until it becomes sticky and thicker in consistency. Do not add extra flour.
3. Transfer the dough into a well-greased bowl, then cover with plastic foil and place in a warm spot.
4. Let the dough prove for at least 60-80 minutes or until it triples in volume.

Shaping the mochi donuts

I recommend using a silicone mat for this step to prevent the dough from sticking to the work surface. You can also use gloves to prevent the dough from sticking to your hands.

1. Generously sprinkle tapioca starch over the silicone mat, then place the proofed dough over. Sprinkle starch over it, then lightly shape it into a log.
2. Use a pastry scraper or a knife to divide the dough into 12 equal pieces. Cover with plastic foil to prevent the dough from drying out.
3. Take one of the 12 pieces and divide it into 6 or 8 smaller pieces (about the size of a coin). Generously sprinkle with tapioca starch.
4. Roll each of the smaller pieces of dough in your palm to shape them into round balls.
5. Place all 6 or 8 balls of dough on a piece of parchment paper in the shape of a ring. Ensure all the balls are touching each other but are not too squeezed together.
6. Continue the process for the remaining pieces of dough until you have 12 mochi donuts.

Frying mochi donuts

Once all the mochinuts are shaped, cover them with plastic foil and let prove for 15-20 minutes. In the meantime, fill a large frying pan with vegetable oil and bring to 350°F (170°C). Use a kitchen thermometer for best results.

1. Once the perfect temperature is reached, lower the mochi donut with the parchment paper attached into the hot oil. Press it down with the strainer to submerge in oil.
2. Only fry two mochi donuts at once and cook for 60-90 seconds. Remove the parchment paper after 10-20 seconds.
3. Once golden-brown underneath, turn around and fry on the other side for 45 seconds.
4. When fully cooked, remove and place on paper towels to drain excess oil. Transfer onto a wire rack to cool down fully.

Glazing & Flavours

What makes mochi donuts very special is the endless glazing options! Mochinuts can be customised to everyone’s tastes and preferences. Here are some ideas for glazing and flavours:

• Churro – plain sugar and spices. Just like a churro, toss the mochinuts through a mixture of sugar and cinnamon for a simple flavour. Add a sprinkle of nutmeg for an extra kick.
• Strawberry – a combination of white chocolate, heavy cream, and strawberry powder. This glaze is 100% natural in flavour and colour and tastes incredible! I recommend using freeze dried strawberry powder. Alternatively, you can also use strawberry Jell-o powder.
• Matcha – an authentic Japanese flavour. Similar to the strawberry glaze, the base is white chocolate and heavy cream. Adding a teaspoon of matcha powder will make this glaze taste and smell divine!
• Chocolate – for a classic flavour. Add cocoa powder to milk chocolate and heavy cream for the most chocolatey glaze ever!

How to make chocolate glaze for mochi donuts

This glaze is great because it’s silky smooth, tastes delicious and it’s easy to make. Once dried, the glaze hardens and becomes very shiny, unlike traditional sugar icing which become dull.

To make chocolate glaze, heat up the heavy cream, then add it over the chocolate. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to melt the chocolate. Stir well to combine and ensure there are no lumps. If the chocolate hasn’t melted fully, microwave for 30 seconds then mix again and repeat as needed.

Lastly, add the powder of choice: strawberry, matcha, cocoa powder, cinnamon, and more!

Other flavour ideas

• Taro or ube – for an authentic Asian flavour. Use taro powder or ube flavouring, such as bubble tea powder.
• Coffee – add a little instant coffee powder into the glazing for your favourite coffee kick!
• Oreo – sprinkle some crushed Oreo cookies over the glaze for a delicious topping.
• Pistachio – sprinkle crushed pistachio over the glazing. You can also use a food processor to make pistachio powder and add it into the glazing.
• Nutella – add a teaspoon of Nutella into the milk chocolate glaze.
• Peanut butter – add a little peanut butter into the glaze for a Reese’s flavour.
• Cereal madness – sprinkle your favourite crushed cereals over the glazing for extra crunch and flavour.
• Biscoff – Crush up some Biscoff cookies, then sprinkle them over the glazing for a crunchy caramelised topping.
• Caramel – Dip in caramel sauce or drizzle it over the top for a deep, sugary flavour.
• Fruits of all types – Add freeze dried fruit powder to customise the chocolate glaze to your liking. I recommend blueberry, raspberry, mango, pineapple or dragon fruit.
• Marshmallow - dip the donuts in some marshmallow fluff or melt down marshmallows in a double boiler.

Success Tips & Tricks

• Do not add too much flour – Mochi donuts have a very light and fluffy texture, which requires a sticky dough. Adding too much flour into the dough will make the donuts too dense.
• Knead well – Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to knead the mochi dough well before proofing. I recommend kneading it for at least 2-3 minutes for the optimal texture. This will make the dough more supple, sticky, and thicker.
• Use a thermometer – Frying is very important in achieving the perfect mochinut flavour. I strongly recommend using a kitchen thermometer to ensure the oil is at the perfect temperature. If the oil is too cold, the donuts will not cook properly and can become too oily inside. If the oil is too hot, the donuts will burn and remain raw inside.
• Drain excess oil after frying – I like to use a few layers of paper towels to remove any excess oil. The paper towels will absorb any drops of oil, working much better than a wire rack.
• Let the donuts cool down – Since we will be using a chocolate glaze, applying it on hot donuts will make it too runny. Ensure the mochi donuts are at room temperature before dipping them into the glaze.
• Get a partner in crime – Shaping mochi donuts can take a little while, so I recommend asking for help. Getting a partner to help out is the fastest way to shape the donuts and ensure they proof for a similar time.

Frequently asked questions

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