Easy Gluten-Free Mochi Donuts

4.89 from 9 votes

The most delicious and easy Mochi Donut recipe ever! A Japanese-inspired donut that's mixed in one bowl and is completely gluten-free. The chewy texture, crisp edges, and simple ingredient list will make this a favorite yummy treat. A simple condensed milk glaze adds just enough sweetness.

Prep Time15

Cook Time10

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: Asian, Fusion Food, Japanese

Keyword: Donuts, Glutinous Rice Flour, Mochi

Servings: donuts

Calories: 379kcal

Author: Lis Lam

Equipment

Cast Iron Dutch Oven
candy thermometer
Baking Sheet
wire rack
5-inch Biscuit Cutter
1-inch Biscuit cutter
Large Bowl
Rolling Pin

Ingredients

Dough:

2 cups/ 250g glutinous rice flour
1/3 cup/ 70g sugar
1 1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2/3 cup/ 150ml warm milk (microwave for 30 seconds until warm to touch)
2 Tbsp oil (I use grapeseed oil)
1 large egg

Glaze:

1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk

Instructions

Dough:

Combine dry ingredients in a large bowl: glutinous rice flour, sugar, baking powder, salt. Combine wet ingredients in a measuring cup: warm milk, oil, egg. (I add the milk first and then heat in the microwave for 30 seconds. Then I add the oil and egg.) Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix with a fork until large clumps form.
Gather clumps with hands and form into a large ball. Knead until smooth, about 1-2 minutes. It will be very sticky. (Feel free to add more rice flour, up to 1/2 cup, if it's too sticky.)
Flour a work surface with rice flour. Transfer dough and roll out until 1/2-inch thick. Cut into 3-inch circles and donut holes. Knead the scrap pieces and keep cutting until you have 8-10 donuts. (Again, the dough will be very sticky so be sure to generously flour with rice flour - the rolling pins, the biscuit cutters, the dough.)
Prepare for deep frying: Fill a cast iron dutch oven with 1-2 inches of neutral oil with a high smoke point. (I use grapeseed oil.) Clip a candy thermometer and line a baking sheet with paper towels.
Heat oil on medium heat until the temperature reaches 350F/175C. Add donuts, making sure not to overcrowd the pan. Fry until golden and puffy, about 1 minute on each side. Transfer to paper towel lined baking sheet to drain oil. Keep frying in batches until all donuts are fried on both sides. Keep an eye on the thermometer and adjust heat level so the temperature stays between 340-350F.
(Make sure not to overcook! When you take a bite, the donut should be chewy and a little bit stretchy. It's ok if it doesn't look fully cooked -- as long as it's not raw, it's better to undercook rather than to overcook.)

Glaze:

While the donuts cool, add sweetened condensed milk to a small, shallow bowl. Dip donuts, one at a time, and swirl the glaze around. The glaze will be thick at first and thin out, dripping down the sides, as it sits. Repeat a second time.
Eat donuts immediately! They are best eaten on the same day they are made.

Notes

Pro Tips:

Don't worry about the dough! The beauty of gluten-free donuts means there's no worry of overworking the dough. Mix and knead without worry. Rework the scraps to make extra donuts. If you mess up, start over. The dough is very forgiving.

Do not twist the biscuit cutter! Simply press downwards, without a twisting motion. A simple trick to create the most rise in the donuts.

Roll dough to 1/2-inch thickness. The thickness is essential to the chew and rise. Don't roll it too thin! You should be able to cut out 8 donuts from the dough.

Use a candy thermometer. When deep frying, a candy thermometer makes it very easy to gauge oil temperature. Deep frying when the oil hits 350F makes sure the donuts are not too greasy and oily.

Glaze warm donuts. The heat of freshly fried donuts will thin out the sweetened condensed milk. It's ok if the glaze looks gloppy at first. Once it settles, it will be smooth and shiny.

Nutrition