These mochi pancakes are SO good! The mochi means that they have a delicious chew, but they are also still light and fluffy. The pancakes have a touch of sweetness to them, making them delicious if you want to skip the syrup. They are so scrumptious, you would never guess that they are gluten-free! They'll definitely become one of your favorite pancakes to make for breakfast or brunch!
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This recipe was created after a friend of mine ate some mochi pancakes while visiting Hawaii and she raved about how delicious they were. Despite never having heard of mochi pancakes before, my friend asked me to figure out how to make them and this delicious recipe was born!
Ingredients
- Glutinous rice flour
- Brown (or white) rice flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Milk
- Egg (separated into yolk and white)
- Honey
- Oil
Instructions
Combine the glutinous rice flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
In bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk, honey, oil or melted butter, and egg yolk. Beat well with a fork or whisk.
Beat egg white in separate bowl with a fork or whisk for about a minute until frothy.
Add the milk mixture to dry ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula. Batter will be lumpy.
Add the frothy egg white to the pancake batter. Fold the beaten egg white into batter until fully incorporated.
Heat a pan or skillet over medium heat. Use brush or scrunched up paper towel to apply a thin coat of oil to the pan. Once pan is hot, scoop batter onto heated pan (I use a ¼ cup measuring cup).
Leave the pancakes to cook, about 1-2 minutes, until bubbles start to break through the surface and the bottoms are golden brown.
Flip pancakes. Bottom of the pancakes will brown quickly; check between 30-60 seconds. Once bottoms are browned, remove from the pan.
Serving Suggestions
Just because they're mochi pancakes doesn't mean they can't be eaten like regular pancakes. Go the tried and true route and serve them with butter and maple syrup. Go decadent and top them with fresh berries and homemade whipped cream. They'd also be delicious with a berry compote.
You can also sprinkle in some fresh blueberries or chocolate chips after scooping the pancake batter into the pan!
Commonly Asked Questions
What is glutinous rice flour?
Glutinous rice flour is made from short-grain or glutinous rice. It becomes sticky and chewy when cooked, thus the mochi texture for these pancakes.
Can I use all glutinous rice flour for these pancakes?
Using all glutinous rice flour and no regular rice flour would make the pancakes too dense and chewy. Combining it with regular rice flour gives the pancakes the perfect balance of texture where you've got the chew, but they are still fluffy.
What dairy-free substitute can I use for the milk?
Try coconut milk or a nut-based milk...both would be delicious! You can also just use water.
Can I substitute the honey with regular sugar?
Yes! If you use regular sugar, increase the milk by 2 tablespoons so that the batter is not too think.
Why add the egg white separately?
Adding the egg white into the batter at the end helps make the pancakes a little fluffier than if you simply mixed the whole egg into the batter. There are recipes out there that tell you to whip the egg white into soft peaks, but I have found that going through that effort is not necessary.
How long do they last?
If you happen to have any pancakes leftover, store them in a resealable bag or food container for 1-2 days at room temperature, 3-4 days in the refrigerator. Warm them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften.
More Mochi and GF Breakfast Recipes
If you like chewy mochi texture, be sure to check out these other recipes, all of which are also gluten-free!
- Chewy Korean Mochi QQ Balls
- Chewy Butter Mochi Bites
- Double Chocolate Mochi Muffins
- Chewy Matcha Mochi Bites
- Mochi Cinnamon Rolls
- Fudgy Mochi Brownies
If you're looking for more gluten-free breakfast ideas, consider these great recipes!
I'm actually not a pancake fan, in general, but I can totally get behind these mochi pancakes! The slightly chewier texture instead of being too bread-like seems to make all the difference in making them easier and more delicious to eat! I think they're totally good all by themselves, but you also can't go wrong with the traditional butter and syrup topping. No matter which way you enjoy them, they are sure to be a hit at the breakfast table!
~ Lisa.
Recipe
Mochi Pancakes
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 120 grams glutinous rice flour
- 50 grams brown rice flour (white rice flour is also okay)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- Pinch salt
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup milk
- 3 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons light olive oil (or any neutral flavored oil or melted butter)
- 1 egg, separated
Equipment
Instructions
- Combine the glutinous rice flour, brown rice flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl and whisk together.
- In bowl or measuring cup, combine the milk, honey, oil or melted butter, and egg yolk. Beat well with a fork or whisk.
- Beat egg white in separate bowl with a fork or whisk for about a minute until frothy.
- Add the milk mixture to dry ingredients and mix well with a rubber spatula. Batter will be lumpy.
- Fold the beaten egg white into batter until fully incorporated.
- Heat a pan or skillet over medium heat. Use brush or scrunched up paper towel to apply a thin coat of oil to the pan.
- Once pan is hot, scoop batter onto heated pan (I use a ¼ cup measuring cup).
- Leave the pancakes to cook, about 1-2 minutes, until bubbles start to break through the surface and the bottoms are golden brown. Flip pancakes.
- Bottom of the pancakes will brown quickly; check between 30-60 seconds. Once bottoms are browned, remove from the pan.
- Serve with maple syrup, fresh fruit, or whipped cream, if desired. Also delicious plain!
- Reheat leftover pancakes in the microwave for 10-20 seconds.
Notes
- You can look for glutinous rice flour at your local Asian market. It may be also be called sweet rice flour (it is not sweet) or Mochiko flour is a Japanese brand. Any of these will work.
- If you are dairy-free, try using coconut milk or a nut-based milk. Both would be delicious! You can also just use water.
- If you do not have a gluten allergy, you can try replacing the regular rice flour with all-purpose flour to mix with the glutinous rice flour.
- I add about 1 teaspoon of oil to the pan and then gently wipe out the excess with a paper towel, just so the pan is lightly greased and there is no pool of oil anywhere. This step isn't necessary if using a seasoned cast iron pan.
- Fancy the pancakes up by dropping a few blueberries or chocolate chips to the pancakes in the pan before you flip them.
- Leftover pancakes can be stored in a sealed bag or container on the counter for 1-2 days, or in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat in the microwave for 10-20 seconds to soften.
**This post was originally published February 3rd, 2020 and republished October 20th, 2024 with an updated recipe, new photos, and new writing.
KR says
Any tips if you have tried making them dairy-free? Coconut milk or almond milk?
Thanks for the question! Yes, you can use coconut milk or a nut-based milk. You can also use water. I hope that helps!
Wen-Yin Wang says
I don’t know what happened, i followed everything in the recipe and my pancakes were thin and bitter.
Hello! I'm sorry the pancakes didn't work out for you. It's hard to know what may have caused them to be thin and bitter without me knowing exactly how you made them, but one thing that comes to mind is if baking soda was used in place of baking powder. If only baking soda was used, it will make the pancakes thin because it makes a batter spread more in the pan, and too much baking soda will also make the pancakes bitter.
Monica says
Can you add vanilla extract to the batter? If so how much do you recommend?
Thanks for the question, Monica! I think 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract added to the batter would add a nice touch to the flavor.
Shelby says
Okay so I only had buttermilk handy, and I tried that. The result was... A little too fluffy? Its hard to say because they are still quite good but almost a bit gooey like this. I'm going to enjoy these and then try again with regular milk. Thanks for the recipe!
Hi Shelby! Thanks for leaving a comment. I've never tried using buttermilk, so I'm not sure if it would have an effect on the pancake texture or not. I hope they work for you with regular milk!
Janet Lord says
Hi Lisa, I love all your recipes. I don’t have an regular rice flour can I use any gluten free mix instead?
Thanks so much, Janet! That means a lot! For the rice flour, if you're talking about replacing both rice flours in this recipe with a gluten-free blend, then I think it's safe to say that these mochi pancakes will not turn out like the recipe intends. However, if you're just wanting a gluten-free pancake recipe and are not concerned about whether or not they have the mochi characteristic, then I would go ahead and try using the gluten-free flour. I hope that helps!
Arnold Timmerman says
Great recipe. Easy to do. Definitely the mochi experience added to American-style pancakes. Thank you!
Thanks so much for making it, Arnold! I'm glad you liked them!