Soft and Creamy Mochi Ice Cream for Summer
When the heat rolls in and cravings shift from cozy bakes to something light and icy, mochi ice cream feels like a solid move. The chewy rice flour shell wrapped around a ball of velvety ice cream is somehow refreshing and indulgent at the same time. Best part? You can make it from scratch at home without any fancy equipment. If you’ve ever wanted to try your hand at Japanese-inspired frozen treats, this soft and creamy mochi ice cream recipe is a great place to start.
Ingredients
For the mochi dough:
- 1 cup sweet rice flour (also labeled mochiko)
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup water
- Cornstarch or potato starch, for dusting
For the filling:
- Your favorite ice cream, slightly softened (vanilla, matcha, mango, strawberry—anything goes)
Steps
- Pre-scoop the ice cream: Use a small cookie scoop to portion out balls of ice cream onto a parchment-lined tray. Pop them back in the freezer until rock solid. This makes wrapping later a lot easier.
- Make the mochi dough: In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk the mochiko, sugar, and water together until smooth. Cover loosely and microwave on high for 1 minute. Stir. Repeat in 30-second bursts, stirring in between, until the dough turns slightly translucent and sticky—about 2-3 minutes total depending on your microwave.
- Dust your surface with starch: Generously dust a clean surface and rolling pin with cornstarch or potato starch to keep the dough from sticking. Scoop the hot mochi dough onto the surface, then gently roll it out into a thin sheet—about ¼ inch thick. Let it cool for a few minutes.
- Cut and wrap: Use a round cutter or a cup to cut circles from the dough. One at a time, place a frozen ice cream ball in the center of each circle, wrap the mochi around it, and pinch to seal. Work quickly—your hands will be your best tools here.
- Freeze and enjoy: Place the wrapped mochi seam-side down in a cupcake liner or on a tray. Freeze for at least 2 hours before eating. Let them sit for a minute or two at room temperature before biting in for the best texture.
Cooking tips
These simple tips will help you make the most out of your mochi ice cream and ensure every bite is full of flavor and texture.
- Sweet rice flour (like Mochiko) is essential—don’t substitute with regular rice flour or all-purpose flour. It’s what gives mochi its signature chewy bite.
- Keeping everything cold is key. Work in small batches and re-freeze your dough or ice cream balls as needed to keep things from melting.
- Dust generously, but brush off excess starch before serving. No one wants a mouthful of powder.
- If you’re making a few flavors at once, color-code your mochi dough by adding a drop of food coloring to the mixture before cooking.
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