Homemade Mochi Ice Cream
A sticky, sweet adventure worth the freezer space
I’ve always liked mochi ice cream well enough. I’ve purchased boxes to enjoy myself or serve after a sushi party because let’s face it, they’re super cute. Mochi ice cream is everywhere these days, and there are tons of varieties...unless you don’t do dairy. If dairy is off the table, the options are pretty limited.
I started wishing for something a little more exciting. Flavor combos I couldn’t buy. The curious side of me couldn’t help but wonder: What if I added something unexpected to the mochi dough? What if the ice cream itself had a surprise inside?
Last summer, I finally decided to get some answers to those questions. It turned out to be one of the most fun (and sticky) kitchen experiments I’ve had in a while. Not to mention delicious, too!
My experiment started simple: plain mochi wrapped around plain vanilla ice cream. (Okay, it was vanilla bean ice cream.) That first one was…something. I skimmed a few recipes (because I couldn’t be bothered to actually read them), then scooped the ice cream directly onto still-warm mochi… because I also couldn’t be bothered to wait for it to cool down. It turned into a melty mess that made wrapping hard.
But even with all that, the process was more forgiving than I expected. They looked like mochi (a little wonky, sure), but they tasted amazing. I was hooked.
At some point, I ran to the store and filled my basket with just about every flavor of ice cream they had in the plant-based section disregarding the cashier’s overly judgmental look as she rang them all up. Back home, I cleared space in the deep freezer and lined a couple of cookie sheets with parchment paper, overjoyed to turn my kitchen into a full-blown mochi ice cream workshop.
Once I had a few scoops firming up in the freezer, I played with the mochi dough. My favorite base ended up being just a scaled down version of the mochi recipe from the Mochiko box.
After a couple more successful batches of plain mochi, I was in full experimental mode. A little matcha powder. A few black sesame seeds. Some coconut powder. It felt a little like summer camp for grown-ups: part art project, part science experiment, and just messy enough to make it all feel like play.
Maybe I was on a sugar high from tasting every single flavor (obviously I had to sample each one to see what mochi would pair best) because somewhere between bites, I started craving something salty.
I grabbed a tiny spoonful of miso paste from the fridge, chased it with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream, and I loved it. That’s when things got really crazy. I imagined a miso flecked wrapper encasing a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream stuffed with a salty-sweet miso filling.
Miso Mochi Ice Cream.
I played around with the filling, adjusting the miso to just the right level of sweetness, and while the center turned out dreamy, the miso powder I added to the mochi dough itself was... meh. Not bad, just not worth it. And that miso version turned out to be a kind of gateway mochi, opening the door to a whole lineup of wild combinations with surprise fillings tucked inside.
Honestly, I thought making mochi ice cream at home would be complicated. But once I tried it, I couldn’t believe how approachable it actually was. The steps are simple. The results feel a little magical.
So if you’ve ever looked at those store-bought boxes and thought, “What if I could…?” This is your sign.
You absolutely can.
What is Mochi Ice Cream?
Mochi ice cream is a relatively new invention, first popularized in the U.S. in the 1990s. It’s a playful, modern take on more traditional mochi sweets. Those more traditional Japanese confections are made with glutinous rice flour and often filled with red bean paste, fruit, or sweetened nuts and are usually served with green tea. Most traditional mochi desserts also happen to be naturally vegan and gluten-free.
In this modern twist, chewy mochi and creamy ice cream come together in a bite-sized treat that’s all about textural magic. It’s soft, stretchy, cold, and just a little chewy kind of like ice cream wrapped in a marshmallow.
Making it at home opens the door to many more flavor possibilities, especially if you’re plant-based. Once you get the hang of it, mochi ice cream becomes the kind of happy weekend project you actually look forward to like baking cookies, but way cooler. (See what I did there?)
Mochi Ice Cream, Step by Sticky Step
Making mochi ice cream at home is much more approachable than it looks. And yes, it’s totally summer-friendly. The mochi dough comes together in the microwave. No standing over a hot stovetop required!
Here’s the quick breakdown:
Scoop + Freeze: Start by scooping your favorite ice cream onto a tray and freezing until solid. This makes wrapping so much easier.
Make the Dough: Mix glutinous rice flour, sugar, and water, then microwave it into a chewy, pliable dough.
Roll + Cut + Wrap: Dust with starch, roll out the dough, cut into rounds, and wrap each piece around a frozen scoop of ice cream.
Freeze Again: Pop them back in the freezer to firm up. That’s it!
A Few Things I Learned the Sticky Way:
Use rich, creamy ice cream.
Airy or low-fat varieties melt way too fast to wrap easily.Dust like you mean it.
Mochi sticks to everything. Use plenty of starch and brush off any excess after wrapping.Regular rice flour won’t work.
You need glutinous rice flour (like Mochiko or shiratamako) for the right texture. It’s easy to find in most grocery stores or Asian markets.Skip the sorbet.
It’s often too icy and melts before you can get it wrapped.Stick to powders for flavoring the dough.
Liquids can mess with the balance.
Mix, Match, Mochi
Not sure where to start? These combos are practically begging to be wrapped in mochi:
Classic on Classic
Keep it simple with matching mochi and ice cream flavors. This is also a great way to let a rich, flavorful ice cream like vanilla bean really shine.
Try: Plain mochi + vanilla bean ice cream. Green tea mochi + green tea ice cream is a classic favorite. Or try chocolate mochi + chocolate ice cream (It’s rich and fudgy, like a frozen truffle).
Matcha + Fruity Ice Cream
Matcha dough pairs beautifully with fruit-forward flavors, especially ones with a bit of tang or texture.
Try: Strawberry, raspberry, or mango ice cream. (Ice cream, not sorbet.) Or look for ice creams studded with bits of fruit or citrus zest for even more contrast.
Surprise-Filled Center
Want to take things up a notch? Add a hidden filling inside your ice cream scoop before wrapping it in mochi.
Try: Peanut butter, miso sweetened with powdered sugar, chocolate ganache, red bean paste, or even a frozen cherry - any of these will surprise and delight.
How-to: When scooping your ice cream, press a small indentation into the center with your thumb. Add a little filling, then cover with a bit more ice cream. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and freeze until firm before wrapping with mochi.
Ready to try it for yourself? Here’s the full Mochi Ice Cream recipe to guide you through it. (Sticky fingers and all!) You’ll find step-by-step photos, dough variations, and everything you need to get started.
Haha always wonderful to see someone having so much fun in the kitchen 😝!
I always have glutinous rice flour around for kimchi making. Can't wait to give this a go!