Mochi Donuts (Mochinut Copycat)
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!
Ingredients
Mochi Donut Dough
- 2 ⅔ tablespoons unsalted butter, melted (40 grams)
- 1 egg, large
- ⅔ cup milk, lukewarm (160 grams)
- ½ teaspoon instant dry yeast
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (25 grams)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups tapioca starch (180 grams)
- ¾ cup all purpose flour (100 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon salt, fine
Glazing Option 1: Churro
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100 grams)
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon powder
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg powder
Glazing Option 2: Strawberry
- ⅔ cup white chocolate chips (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (75 grams)
- 1 teaspoon freeze dried strawberry powder
Glazing Option 3: Matcha
- ⅔ cup white chocolate chips (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (75 grams)
- 1 teaspoon matcha powder
Glazing Option 4: Chocolate
- ⅔ cup semi-sweet chocolate (100 grams)
- ⅓ cup heavy cream (75 grams)
- 1 teaspoon cocoa powder
Instructions
Mochi Donuts
- Start by cutting out 12 squares of parchment paper, roughly 4 x 4 inches (10 x 10 cm) in size. Prepare a tray or large plate by covering it with paper towels.
- Melt the butter in the microwave, then set aside to cool down. Combine the lukewarm milk, 1 teaspoon of sugar and yeast in a bowl. Whisk the mixture, then set aside for 10 minutes until the yeast starts bubbling.
- Pour in the remaining sugar, the egg, vanilla extract, and melted butter to the mixture. Whisk the ingredients until fully combined.
- Separately, sift the tapioca starch, flour, and salt together. Whisk well to combine. Add half of the flour into the wet ingredients. Using a hand (or stand) mixer, combine the ingredients on low speed until a runny dough forms.
- Pour in the remaining flour and mix again on low speed until the dough thickens. Once the flour is incorporated, mix on medium speed for 3 minutes until the dough becomes smooth. The dough will be very tacky and sticky, but do not add any extra flour.
- Grease a large bowl with vegetable oil. Transfer the mochi donut dough into the blown with the help of a scraper or spatula. Try to keep the surface of the dough smooth to ensure an even rise.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, then place in a warm spot and rise for at least 60-90 minutes.
- Lightly sprinkle the work surface with all-purpose flour. Transfer the proofed dough on the floured surface, then roll it into a log. Use a pastry cutter or knife to divide the log into 12 equal pieces. Cover the dough with plastic wrap to prevent it from drying.
- Take one of the 12 pieces of dough and divide it into 6 or 8 smaller pieces of dough. Roll each small piece in the palm to make it round, without overworking the dough too much. It just needs to be roughly round in shape.
- Place all 6 or 8 smaller dough balls on a square of parchment paper in a circle. The dough balls should touch each other, but not be squeezed together. Repeat the process for all the remaining dough.
- Use a pastry brush to dab a little water where the small dough balls connect. This will help the dough stick better and prevent the donut from splitting while cooking. Cover the donuts with plastic wrap and proof for an additional 20 minutes.
- Whilst the donuts are proofing, fill a large wide-based pan with vegetable oil. Heat the oil slowly up to 350°F (170°C) with the help of a thermometer.
- Using a spider or mesh strainer, lower the donut(with parchment paper) into the heated oil. Fry for 90 seconds on the first side, the tip over and fry for another 40-50 seconds.
- Only fry 2 donuts at a time until all donuts are cooked. Transfer the cooked donuts onto the paper towel to drain excess oil.
- For the plain sugar and cinnamon coating (Option 1), cover the donuts with the mixture whilst they are still hot. For the chocolate glazing (Options 2, 3 & 4), let the donuts cool down completely.
Donut glaze – Options 2, 3 & 4
- Heat the heavy cream in the microwave until hot (not bubbling or boiling).
- Cut the chocolate into small chips, then pour the hot cream over. Let sit for 2-3 minutes, then stir well to melt the chocolate. If the chocolate is not fully melted, microwave for 15-30 seconds. Mix again and repeat until the glaze is smooth and lump-free.
- Add in the freeze-dried strawberry or matcha powder, then mix well to combine. For the chocolate glaze, skip this step.
- Dip the donuts into the glaze, using a skewer to remove any excess. Set aside on a wire rack until the glaze has set fully.
Notes
- I recommend using a kitchen scale in grams for more accuracy. The cups used for the conversion are standard US customary cups (1 cup flour = 136g). There are many different types of cups across the globe, which is why I strongly recommend using grams instead.
- Nutritional value is estimative and it is calculated per serving (this recipe yields 12 servings) with sugar topping (Option 1: Churro).
Nutrition
Calories: 199kcal
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!