Easy vegan mochi waffle recipe
Crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, vegan mochi waffle makes for a very special treat! Get creative with the flavours, the possibilities are endless! Serve them fresh and hot with sweet red bean paste/ice cream/whipped cream with fruits!
I am a huge fan of Asian desserts and love to explore the little Asian dessert shops in our local Koreatown. The inspiration for my mochi waffle comes from one such snack/dessert I tried at a cafe, called Taiyaki. Taiyaki is a fish shaped Japanese street food snack/dessert that is crispy on the outside and has a mochi like chew. It usually comes with a filling, traditional one being sweet red bean paste.
So I set out to see if I could make something similar using my regular waffle maker. After a few attempts, came up with this easy, fuss-free, no-fail vegan mochi waffle recipe prepared using a simple batter made with glutinous rice flour, leavening and your choice of milk. Glutinous rice does NOT contain gluten and if you have been looking for a gluten free waffle recipe, this one is for you!
The recipe is also vegan which makes it a great option for someone who is lactose intolerant or has egg allergies.
What is mochi?
Mochi is a delightfully chewy, Japanese rice cake prepared using a special variety of rice called glutinous rice/sticky rice which when cooked right, has this incredible chewy texture.
What makes this recipe easy?
Some recipes call for the batter to be steamed/cooked in the microwave before making the waffles. As soon as the batter is steamed, it gets really sticky and difficult to handle. However, this recipe requires no cooking of the batter, it is as good as mix and go! Other than
Ingredients
Glutinous rice flour/ sweet rice flour
As the name suggests, glutinous rice flour is made from glutinous rice, also called sweet rice/sticky rice. The pack of flour should have ‘glutinous rice‘ flour or ‘sweet rice‘ flour written on it. I have tried with both flours shown in the picture above. The pack on the right needs a little less liquid compared to mochiko. Depending on the brand of flour, the quantity of milk needed may vary a little.
If sweet rice flour is unavailable you can still achieve a similar texture using a mix of tapioca starch and regular rice flour. Check the recipe here.
Milk
Any plant based milk works in this recipe, I use oat milk. If not making a vegan version, use dairy milk.
Sweetener
I use unrefined cane sugar to sweeten the waffles. Any other sugar can be used. If using a liquid form of sugar like maple syrup, reduce the quantity of milk used.
Baking powder
Baking powder is the leavener used to create light and airy mochi waffles. Please do not confuse it with baking soda. Also, for the best results, be sure to check the use by date on the pack.
Hard to find glutinous rice flour?
If glutinous rice flour isn’t available, you can make waffles with a similar texture using regular rice flour and tapioca flour. Skip jalapeno and cheddar in my Jalapeno Cheddar gluten-free waffle recipe and add some sweetener to make sweet chewy waffles without glutinous rice flour.
How to make Mochi waffles?
This is the easiest way to make mochi waffle. Make a thick batter using glutinous rice flour, baking powder, milk and flavourings of your choice. Cook the batter in a waffle iron until the crust is crispy and golden. Serve with fresh fruit/red bean paste/ice cream.
Useful tips
Consistency of the batter
This recipe is created and tested to work even in a standard basic, waffle maker that doesn’t flip, because that is what I own :). I bought mine from Walmart for $9 on Black Friday a few years back, it doesn’t even have a button to turn it on/off, far from fancy! The secret to making a perfectly shaped and browned waffle on a standard waffle maker, is to have a perfectly thick batter, dropping consistency not flowing. The batter should be thick, so that the batter can easily come in contact with the top of the waffle maker. If batter is thinner, it will spread and the top will not come in contact with the heating surface and will not turn crispy. We don’t need soggy waffles!
So, for the best results, be sure to be careful with the consistency of the batter.
Flavour ideas
Why make the same flavour each time? Matcha powder, cocoa powder, coffee powder are all great ways to flavour the waffles. Mix in the flavourings along with the dry ingredients.
These waffles can be made both sweet and savory! For a sweet version, serve with ice cream or sweet red bean paste!
For savory waffles, I love adding cheese and jalapenos! So good!
If you love sticky rice, you should check out my Thai mango sticky rice recipe! So good and yes, it can easily be made at home.
Don’t miss a recipe!
Please enter your email here and you will be notified of new recipes by email!
Easy vegan mochi waffle recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour like mochiko
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 10 tbsp milk of choice 10 tbsp is ½ cup + 2 tbsp
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the glutinous rice flour, sugar, salt and baking powder into a bowl. Whisk to mix everything well.
- Add in the vanilla extract.
- Add ½ cup(8 tbsp) of milk and mix. If the mixture is still dry, add the remaining milk 1 tbsp at a time. The batter should be very thick, dropping consistency not flowing consistency. Different brands of sweet rice flours may need different amounts of milk so add milk gradually.
- Heat a waffle iron. Scoop and drop quarter portion of the batter in the center of the iron. You can see in the picture that the batter is thick and doesn't spread a lot.
- Cover and cook for 4-5 minutes or until the outside is crisp.
- Serve hot, fresh for the best texture. Serve with sweet red bean paste/ ice cream/whipped cream with fruits.
Video
Notes
- Add matcha powder/cocoa powder/coffee powder for flavour variations. Mix it in along with dry ingredients.
- Make savory waffles by skipping the sugar and adding cheese and jalapenos. Here is a recipe for my Jalapeno cheddar waffles.
- It is important to cook till the outside is crisp. Takes about 5 minutes.
Did you try this recipe?
Do leave a star rating and comment below to let me know how you liked it! I would love to see the photos too! Tag me on social media!
Thank you so much for stopping by! It really means a lot to me!
Hi, I just made these waffles with the glutinous rice flour and they came out great! I love the crispiness of the waffles. I noticed that in your post you mention how to make your own flour for this recipe, using regular rice flour and tapioca starch. I would love to try this but using brown rice flour (for added nutrition). Do you think that would work?
Hi Christine! Thank you so much for trying it out and also for taking the time to leave a feedback. I really appreciate it! Am so glad that they came out great. Yes, I do have another recipe where I use a mix of regular rice flour and tapioca starch. Here is a link if you would like to check that out as well https://platefulofveggies.com/jalapeno-cheddar-gluten-free-eggless-waffles/
I haven’t tried using brown rice flour but I don’t see why that won’t work. It is a great idea actually! I am guessing brown rice would need a tad bit more of milk but I would still add it gradually, just to be safe 🙂 Happy cooking!
Thank you for this recipe and the easy to follow instructions. This is the 2nd time I’ve made your recipe and it comes out perfect every time. I like how you don’t make them big. They’re so attractive in their design. Can I make them in advance and freeze them to use later for ice cream base? How about the batter….will it keep in the fridge or freezer for later use?