Chewy Butter Mochi Bites

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These butter mochi bites are delightfully chewy, mildly sweet, and just oh-so-good! They are wonderful with a cuppa coffee or tea and taste even better the next day. Super easy to make and gluten-free!

Six light brown round crinkly muffins on a metal rack.

If you love mochi, you're going to love this latest recipe!

A reader asked me if I could develop a healthier Hawaiian butter mochi recipe after she tried my Chewy Matcha Mochi Bites recipe. Little did she know that I was already working on a butter mochi recipe, and her request only motivated me to finish it!

What Is Butter Mochi?

Butter mochi is a Hawaiian sweet treat that is kind of like a brownie/blondie but with a chewy gelatinous texture. It is made with glutinous rice flour and is totally gluten-free.

I had actually never had it prior to working on this recipe, so I looked on the web and tried Onolicious Hawaii's Butter Mochi recipe to get my starting point. It baked up beautifully and tasted really nice...I was very impressed. However, it was much too sweet for me and my family.

So on I went to develop a healthier butter mochi recipe that, while it is not exactly the same as Hawaiian butter mochi, it's still mighty good in its own right!

How Do You Make Them?

These butter mochi bites come together incredibly quickly...you'll be shocked how easy it is!

The wet ingredients components is made up of melted butter, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and an egg. Whisk these together until well combined.

Collage showing how to make butter mochi bites batter.

The dry ingredients component for the butter mochi is simply glutinous rice flour and baking powder. These get added to the wet ingredients and whisked together until smooth.

Pour or scoop the mochi batter into a butter-greased muffin tin, dividing the batter among 6 cups. If you want to make a full muffin tray's worth, simply double this recipe. I make only 6 at a time so that they get eaten while they are at their best, which is 2-3 days.

A grey muffin tin with 6 cups filled with light brown batter.

While it may seem like a good idea, do not tap the the muffin tin on the counter. I tried this, thinking that tapping out the any air bubbles would be a good thing. But oddly enough, it completely changed how these mochi bites baked up. The taste was fine, but they didn't look as nice as the times I left it alone.

Bake them for 20 minutes at 375F/190C and you will see them puff up into round mushroom-looking shapes with lovely crinkles. Once you take them out of the oven, however, they will start to sink and that is totally what you want! Let them sink and then let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring them to a rack to cool completely.

6 light brown crinkly mochi bites in a grey muffin tin.

Flavor and Texture

These butter mochi bites have a slight cookie type crust encasing the chewy goodness inside on the first day you bake them.

Close-up of two hands ripping apart a butter mochi bite.

Let them sit overnight and the crust softens, the cracks in the crust seem to disappear, and the crust almost becomes one with the mochi inside. You have to try one on the day you bake them and another the day after and see which you like better, but they are both delicious.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do the butter mochi last?

Butter mochi can be kept in a container at room temperature for about 2-3 days before you notice the texture drying out and them becoming not as soft.

Can I use regular rice flour to make them?

No, regular rice flour is completely different and will not work with this recipe. You have to make sure you are using glutinous rice flour which is the same as sweet rice flour (it is not sweet). Mochiko is a well-known sweet rice flour brand, but there are also many other Asian brands that work.

Can I substitute the maple syrup with honey?

Yes, you can, but it will taste slightly different.

Can I use regular granulated sugar instead of maple syrup?

Yes, you can. It may affect the texture and taste slightly, but it would work. Since you are reducing the overall liquid in the recipe, though, you would need to add 2-3 tablespoons more of coconut milk to make sure the batter is the right consistency.

Can I substitute the coconut milk?

Yes. While it may affect the texture and coloring, you can use regular milk, evaporated milk, non-dairy milks, or even water.

Close-up of a hand holding half a butter mochi bite.

Enjoy them with an English tea latte or a soothing ginger tea. I'll have one for breakfast sometimes...and they're nice for dessert, too. Once you try it, it's hard to stop at just one!

If you are interested in more mochi recipes, check out my Matcha Mochi Bites, Mochi Pancakes, or Cheesy Korean Mochi QQ Balls. These recipes and this healthier butter mochi show how gluten-free CAN be totally delicious and a treat to eat!

~ Lisa.