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    Home » Recipe Round-ups

    Published: Jun 28, 2023 · Modified: Mar 21, 2025 by Zen · This post may contain affiliate links.

    25 Glutinous Rice Flour Recipes 2025

    Sharing food makes everyone happy! :)

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    A collage of 3 foods made from glutinous rice flour, or mochiko flour.

    Easy Asian Glutinous rice flour recipes that go beyond Asian desserts such as Chinese Nian Gao and Japanese Mochi. We also have Hawaiian Butter Mochi Cake, Filipino Kalamay and savoury recipes such as Dumplings and Korean kimchi!

    2 stacked mochi muffins, the top with a bite taken out of it.
    The bouncy and elastic texture of these tang yuan is thanks to the stretchy nature of glutinous rice flour.
    Jump to:
    • How to Use
    • Where to Buy
    • Savory Snacks
    • Chewy Desserts
    • Sauces
    • Savoury Dishes
    • Soups
    • 💬 Comments

    First things first, glutinous rice flour, also known as sweet rice flour, is not the same as regular rice flour!

    Although both are white fine powder with a powdery texture, they cannot be used interchangeably. The 2 types of flour are made from different varieties of rice (long grain rice grains vs glutinous rice which comes in both long and short grain sticky rice) and have different textures after cooking/ baking.

    If you're looking for substitutes for glutinous rice flour, such as tapioca starch and potato starch, click here. (I'll go into which substitutes can produce a similar chewy texture and which are only good as a thickening agent.)

    Note: There are also specific types of glutinous rice flour such as Mochiko flour もち粉 and shiratamako.

    How to Use

    Also known as sweet rice flour, glutinous rice isn't actually sweet.

    Rather, it is used for the chewy texture it produces (after being mixed with a liquid.) (It's called glutinous rice flour in China and South East Asia, whilst Korea and Japan use the term sweet rice flour.)

    This fine flour is most commonly used in Asian cuisine desserts but I also have some savoury glutinous rice flour recipes below. In addition, it is 1 of the most popular gluten-free flours for bakers with celiac disease. You can also use it as a gluten-free option when thickening foods such as stews, sauces and soups.

    Note: the snacks made with glutinous rice flour are so sticky, if they're not chewed properly, they can get stuck in the throat and suffocate you so CHEW CAREFULLY.

    In Japan, a few people die each year from seemingly innocuous mochi so care should be taken when glutinous snacks are served to the very young or old.

    Where to Buy

    Glutinous rice flour has become quite widely available.

    It used to only be available in Asian markets (typically the Thai brand Erawan) but, with its popularity in gluten-free baking, you can now find it in some mainstream supermarkets under the Bob's Red Mill brand (labelled as sweet white rice flour.) Another popular sweet rice flour brand is Blue Star from Koda Farms.

    Tip: you can use the Erawan brand of glutinous rice flour if you're on a budget. It's cheaper but note that the texture of this type of flour is slightly coarser.

    Just be careful you pick up the right bag as both rice flour and glutinous rice flour have the same packaging under Erawan, just marked with different colours!

    Savory Snacks

    Holding up a slice of cheese waffle mochi.
    Cheese Mochi Waffles Recipe
    This delicious Cheese Mochi Waffles Recipe- also known as Moffles!- is crisp on the outside and soft and oozy on the inside! Thanks to the glutinous rice flour, these waffles stay crispy and don't become soggy as easily. On the table in 15-20 minutes, they're perfect for breakfast or brunch! (This recipe works with both a traditional and vertical waffle maker. It is NOT just putting a mochi in a waffle machine!) (Gluten-Free)
    Click here for the savory mochi waffles.
    Holding up a slice of cheese waffle mochi.

    Chewy Desserts

    Hawaiiwan Butter Mochi Cake

    A round, golden brown, Hawaiian Butter Mochi Cake in a baking tin.
    Butter Mochi Cake
    This easy Butter Mochi Recipe is a delicious, soft, chewy cake that requires no mixer and is SUPER easy to make. (You can make it perfectly from the first time!) If you like Japanese mochi or Chinese New Year Cake, you'll LOVE this Hawaiian Butter Mochi Cake Recipe which is extra fragrant thanks to the caramel-like flavor of the butter, brown sugar, and vanilla! Plus the main ingredients are all readily available so you don't have to trek to the Asian Markets.
    Click here for the Easy Butter Mochi Cake Recipe!
    Cutting a Butter Mochi Cake with a plastic knife.

    Pumpkin Cake

    Someone tearing a soft Chinese pumpkin pancake apart.

    These Chinese pumpkin rice cakes are a perfect way to use up pumpkin in fall!

    They have a similar chewy texture to mochi but are much simpler to make!

    Note: store them in an airtight container at room temperature. (When refrigerated, the glutinous dough will harden.)

    Chinese Pumpkin Cake
    Crisp on the outside but soft, gooey and chewy on the inside, Chinese Pumpkin Cake or Nan Gua Bing is a must-make dessert in fall! If you've ever felt intimidated by the thought of making your own Asian street snacks, try this easy Chinese recipe to give you confidence! It's simple enough to make perfectly the very 1st time!
    Click here a delicious Chinese Pumpkin Pancake recipe!
    Many fried orange pancakes with sesame seeds in a bowl on baking paper.

    Mochi Muffins

    Green tea mochi muffins in a baking tray.

    Based on the Third Bakery mochi cupcakes in California, this is a delightful dessert with a crisp exterior and soft chewy interior.

    I used Matcha Powder but you can substitute with Green Tea Powder if on a budget, Hojicha, Thai Tea powder etc!

    Easy Matcha Mochi Muffin recipe
    An easy matcha mochi muffin recipe that is naturally gluten-free. It's a perfect no mixer mini cake recipe for those who have celiac disease or who don't overly sweet desserts!
    Click here for the delicious green tea mochi cupcake recipe.
    A tray of Japanese green tea mochi muffins fresh out of the oven.

    Black Sesame Mochi Cupcakes

    5 black sesame mochi muffins on a white plate.
    Black Sesame Mochi Muffin (NO MIXER)
    This easy Black Sesame Mochi Cupcake recipe is naturally gluten-free and requires no special equipment, not even a mixer! With its crisp exterior and soft chewy interior, it's a great mini cake recipe for those with celiac disease. (Vegan version included.)
    Click here for the black sesame mochi cakes.
    5 black mochi cupcakes stacked on an Ikea plate.

    Glutinous Rice Balls

    A plate of peanut coated tang yuan with sesame filling next to a bowl of tang yuan in soup.
    Do you prefer your glutinous rice dumplings dry or in ginger soup? I like mine dry with LOTS of roasted ground peanuts!

    Sweet rice flour is the main ingredient in Chinese Mochi, or Tang Yuan. Some tang yuan don't even have fillings inside and are basically lumps of glutinous rice flour dough!

    Tang Yuan (With Filling and Plain)
    Tang yuan, or Chinese glutinous rice balls, are a 2 to 3-ingredient chewy snack that can be served in soup (sweet or savoury) or fried. Served at Chinese family gatherings, especially the Winter Solstice, they also come plain or with filling inside so, as you can see, this is a very versatile and easy dish! 
    Click here to learn to make tang yuan.
    A bowl of colourful tang yuan and a plate of dry glutinous rice dumplings.

    Vegan Mochi Cakes

    2 stacked mochi muffins, the top with a bite taken out of it.

    The previous Matcha Mochi Cupcakes used butter and milk. If you're on a plant-based diet, here's a vegan version for you that uses coconut milk!

    Vegan Mochi Muffins (Hojicha)
    A super easy, no-mixer Vegan Mochi Muffins recipe that is naturally gluten-free. These Hojicha Mochi Bites are the perfect sweet-but-not-too-sweet treat for those on a plant-based diet or GF diet. Once you've had them fresh from the oven, the crisp exterior and the soft, stretchy, chewy dough will leave you wanting more!
    Click here for a vegan version of mochi muffins!
    Someone holding a mochi muffin with a bite taken out of it.

    Muah Chee

    A plate of homemade steamed muah chee, or Chinese mochi, coated with peanuts
    Not a fan of peanuts? Use other crushed nuts, black sesame or even cocoa powder instead!

    Glutinous rice flour is the key ingredient when making Muah Chee, a popular traditional Chinese street snack. It is basically just glutinous dough coated in ground sesame seeds or peanut powder!

    Muah Chee (Peanut Mochi) (5 Methods)
    An easy recipe for this South Chinese street snack that can be steamed, fried, microwaved, air fried or made in a rice cooker!
    Click here for this Chinese mochi recipe.
    Someone holding a piece of peanut coated traditional muah chee.

    Snowskin Mooncakes

    Unlike traditional mooncakes, these are not covered by a golden brown layer but instead a translucent, thin skin made from glutinous rice. They come with various fillings but Lychee Mooncakes 荔枝冰皮月饼 are 1 of my favourites!

    If you like lychees as much as I do, you'll love these canned lychee recipes, such as lychee jelly and litchi tea!

    Yeongyang-chaltteok 영양찰떡

    These Korean rice cakes are made from Korean sweet rice flour, chapasal garu. Traditionally, jujubes were added but you can make modern versions with nuts and seeds!

    Nian Gao

    Baked Chinese New Year Cake in a round cake pan.

    Nian Gao 年糕 is a traditional Chinese New Year dish eaten to symbolising moving upwards in life in the New Year! Typically, it's steamed but this takes forever and things go wrong if the water ratio isn't exact.

    For a stress-free Lunar New Year, make this baked Rice Cake instead. If you like Mochi Muffins, you'll LOVE Baked Nian Gao!

    EASY Chinese New Year Cake (Baked Nian Gao)
    This EASY Chinese New Year Cake Recipe, or Baked Nian Gao, is sweet, sticky, and gooey with that mochi-like consistency when piping hot. (It's also delicious pan-fried.) Traditionally, Nian Gao is steamed but that takes forever, and you have to add the right amount of water for the New Year Cake to come out right. Baked Nian Gao is so much quicker and more forgiving and the crisp exterior-soft interior is scrumptious! Plus everything is readily available, no need to head for the Asian markets! (Dairy-free version tested.)
    Click here for the Baked Lunar New Year cake dessert recipe.
    Baked Nian Gao in a round cake tin next to Chinese New Year flowers.

    Mochi Cookies

    These chocolate chip cookies are delicious but not gluten-free as the sweet rice flour is mixed with all purpose!

    Butter Mochi

    This soft and chewy Hawaiian cake has a tropical coconut flavour and is GF.

    Kalamay Sa Latik

    In Philippines, glutinous rice flour is used to make Kalamay sa Latik, a popular coconut and jackfruit dessert in brown sugar.

    Mochi

    These 5-ingredient mango mochi are sweet and chewy!

    You can also replace the mango with black sesame paste or even ice cream for more variety!

    Mochi Pancakes

    These gluten-free pancakes are naturally purple from the Ube and perfect for brunch!

    Mochi Donuts

    Asians love the sticky texture of sweet rice flour so much, we've made them into Mochi Muffins, Mochi Bread, Mochi Pancakes and even Mochi Doughnuts!

    Sauces

    Thick Soy

    A tablespoon of thick Chinese dark soy sauce.
    Quick & easy thick soy sauce recipe
    3 quick & easy DIY recipes using 2-5 pantry ingredients that only take a few minutes for Chinese dark soy sauce, Indonesian sweet soy sauce and Taiwanese soy sauce paste.
    Click here for the Taiwanese sauce recipe.
    A tablespoon of homemade Chinese dark soy.

    Savoury Dishes

    Kimchi

    Did you know that glutinous rice flour is used to make a "porridge" in traditional kimchi making?

    When I took a professional Kimchi course in Seoul, the instructor said we can substitute with wheat flour but sweet rice flour is the original!

    Mochi Bread

    Close-up of a half-bitten mochi cheese bread ball.

    Similar to Brazilian Pão de queijo, this Mochi Cheesebread is a delicious Asian appetiser! I first tried them at Luiz Hara's supper clubs and never forgot the taste!

    They're crispy outside and soft inside. Remember to serve warm!

    Cheese Mochi Bread
    This delicious Cheese Mochi Bread Recipe is crisp on the outside and soft and oozy on the inside! It's also a super easy recipe: you just mix everything and bake. Plus no sugar is used so you don't have to feel guilty about snacking! (Baked) (Air Fried)
    Click here for the light and fluffy cheese bread.
    Close-up of a half-bitten mochi cheese bread ball.

    Ham Sui Gok 咸水角

    Whilst glutinous rice flour is most commonly associated with Asian sweets such as tang yuan and mochi, did you know that it is also used to make dim sum such as Ham Sui Gok dumplings? (Some people use wheat starch but glutinous rice flour, which is easier to get hold of, works too.)

    This crispy fried snack, filled with juicy pork and shrimp, is a very unique Chinese treat thanks to its texture and a must try!

    Mochiko Chicken

    This Hawaiian chicken recipe was brought to Hawaii by the Japanese and is delicious tender and crisp.

    Mochi Dumplings

    These pan-fried mochi dumplings are chewy thanks to the sticky rice flour used, with a crisp exterior.

    Soups

    Black Sesame Tong Sui

    2 bowls of black sesame soup, 1 with glutinous rice flour and 1 without.
    This is 1 of the rare instances where you can use rice flour instead of glutinous (to thicken the Cantonese sesame soup.)
    Easy Black Sesame Soup Dessert
    A sweet and creamy Chinese recipe, with nutty overtones giving this easy black sesame soup dessert a complex depth of flavour. Moreover, this 3-ingredient traditional Chinese Tong Sui is naturally vegan, gluten-free, delicious & very nutritious!
    Click here for the sesame tong sui recipe.
    2 bowls of Chinese black sesame tong sui next to pink flowers.

    What is your favourite Asian sweet rice flour recipe?

    I have other recipes you may like here! :)

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    A collage of 3 foods made from glutinous rice flour, or mochiko flour.
    Greedygirlgourmet eating 2 sandwiches in Scotland

    Hi I'm Zhen also known as GGG! I couldn't boil water till I was 18! However, I love creating community and nurturing people, so when I lived abroad (in St. Andrews then London) for 11 years, I started hosting regular parties for friends, and that's how I started cooking and helping out in professional kitchens. (Couldn't cook before that!) I even organised a supper club for charity (which strangers came to!) Learning to cook late, I make sure my recipes go into enough detail for those new to Asian cuisine or who love a test kitchen approach to cooking!

    More about GGG ->

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