Butter Mochi (バター餅)
Although it shares some similarities with the Hawaiian treat of the same name, Japanese Butter Mochi is a type of Wagashi (和菓子 – Japanese sweets) that’s a regional specialty of Akita Prefecture.
Traditionally, it was made by mixing pounded mochi rice with sugar and butter, but these days it’s more commonly made using mochiko, or glutinous rice flour. Soft and sticky, the sweet bites of buttery mochi make for a satisfying snack that delicious for both kids and grownups alike.
Because it’s so easy to prepare, this is also the perfect recipe to dive into the sweet world of Wagashi.
Why This Butter Mochi Recipe Works?
- Using mochiko (mochi rice flour) is faster and easier than steaming mochi rice and then using mallets to pound it into mochi. Using a microwave to cook the mochi mixture is quicker and easier than cooking it on the stovetop.
- Using milk instead of water creates an ultra-creamy mochi that makes it taste like milk candy.
- Using cultured butter gives the mochi a more robust butter flavor.
Ingredients for Butter Mochi
- Mochiko – Mochiko flour which is also sometimes labelled “sweet rice flour” is made by milling short-grain glutinous rice or mochigomé into a powder. By hydrating and cooking the rice flour, it turns into mochi. This allows you to bypass the usual process of soaking mochi rice in water and then steaming it before pounding the rice into mochi using large wooden mallets.
- Milk – Traditionally, the mochi rice used for this dish would be hydrated and steamed with water, but since we’re starting with Mochiko, it allows adding additional flavor by using milk as the liquid. For the most flavor, I recommend using either fresh whole milk or unsweetened evaporated milk.
- Sugar – I generally don’t use white sugar; however, it’s best to use granulated sugar for this dish. That’s because brown sugar will turn the mochi brown and adds a strong flavor that will overpower the flavor of the butter.
- Butter – As the name implies, butter is the primary flavoring of Butter Mochi. I recommend using cultured butter (a.k.a. European butter). Instead of churning fresh cream, this style of butter is fermented first, which increases the diacetyl content of the finished butter. This is the compound responsible for what we perceive as butter flavor, so the more diacetyl the butter contains, the more buttery your butter mochi will be.
- Potato starch – the starch keeps the mochi from sticking together once you’ve cut it. The trick here is to apply enough to prevent sticking but not so much that it makes the mochi chalky. If you think you’ve applied too much, you can use a pastry brush to brush off the excess. Other types of starch, such as cornstarch, will work as well.
- Other ingredients – Traditionally, butter mochi includes some egg yolk, which is added to give the mochi a yellow color. There is no flavor or texture benefit to adding egg yolk, and it tends to cook and clump up if you add it when the mochi is too hot, so I recommend leaving it out. You can also get creative and add other flavorings like vanilla extract or cocoa powder. These are delicious, but they cover up the taste of the butter, so I recommend trying this once without any other flavoring ingredients.
How to Make Butter Mochi
The first thing you’ll want to do is line a 5-inch square baking pan with parchment paper. If you don’t have a pan, you can just put the parchment paper on a flat tray or plate, but you won’t be able to cut the mochi into perfect squares.
Next, you want to add the mochiko flour and sugar to a large bowl (make sure it’s microwave safe) and whisk the dry ingredients together. Then, you can then add about one-third of the milk and mix everything together to make a loose paste that is free of lumps. Then you can add the remaining milk and whisk it in.
Now you want to put the bowl into your microwave oven and set it at 600 watts for two and half minutes. If you cannot adjust the wattage setting of your microwave, find the wattage your unit operates at and adjust the time up or down accordingly (longer if it’s lower wattage, shorter if it’s higher wattage).
When it’s done, take the bowl out of the microwave. It will likely have a set layer at the bottom with liquid on top, and you want to mix everything together again. It’s okay if you have some small lumps, but just make sure you mixed the liquid back into the mixture. Now you want to add the butter and stir it in until it’s fully incorporated with the mochi mixture.
Put the bowl back into the microwave and set it for 600 watts and let it cook for three and half minutes this time.
The bowl will be very hot, so carefully remove it from the microwave and use a silicone spatula or wet wooden paddle to knead the mochi together. It’s going to be very hot and sticky, so be careful not to get the mochi on your hands.
It will start out crumbly, but as you mix it, it will get increasingly sticky. The mixture should also go from milky to translucent white. If this isn’t happening, try putting it back into the microwave oven at 600 watts for another minute or two.
Transfer your Butter Mochi into your prepared pan and then press it into the corners and flatten the top off.
Place this in your fridge until it’s cool and firmed up a bit. Then you can use a knife to cut it into bite-sized pieces. Once the mochi is cut, dust each piece with potato starch to prevent them from sticking together.
Other Japanese Dessert Recipes
FAQ
Besides sharing a few ingredients in common, Japanese Butter Mochi is a different dish from the Hawaiian snack. The dish from Hawaii uses butter and mochi flour to make a batter that is then baked. It has a crust and the texture of a dense cake. Japanese Butter Mochi is mochi that has been flavored with butter and sugar and has a soft, chewy texture.
It was created in Akita Prefecture in northern Japan around 40 years ago as a high-energy snack for hunters. It’s since become a regional specialty of the area.
Butter Mochi is a four syllable name and is pronounced as follows:
ba like barb
ta- like tall
mo like motor
chi like cheek
No, this Butter Mochi recipe is not plant-based. That being said, it’s delicious made with coconut milk and coconut oil and coated with shredded coconut. You could also substitute your favorite plant-based milk and then add another flavoring like vanilla extract or cocoa powder to make a delicious mochi snack.
The butter and sugar content keeps the mochi from getting hard, so it can be refrigerated in an airtight container if you plan on keeping it for more than a day before eating it. I would still recommend letting it come up to room temperature before eating it.
Units
Ingredients
- 100 grams mochiko
- 90 grams sugar a little less than 1/2 cup
- 1 cup whole milk
- 45 grams cultured unsalted butter 3 tablespoons
- Potato starch for dusting
Instructions
- Prepare a 5-inch square mold by lining it with parchment paper.
- Add the mochiko and sugar to a large microwave-safe bowl, and then add about 1/3 of the milk. Stir the mixture together until there are no lumps. Add the remaining milk and continue stirring until it is smooth.
- Put the bowl in the microwave oven and set it to cook for 2:30 at 600 watts.
- Remove the bowl from the microwave and stir the mixture together until it’s mostly smooth. It’s okay if you have some small lumps.
- Add the butter and stir it into the mixture until the butter is fully melted and incorporated.
- Microwave at 600 watts for another 3:30.
- Carefully remove the bowl from the microwave oven and use a silicone spatula to knead the mochi together. The mochi is very hot, so be careful not to get it on your hands as you stir. The mixture should get very sticky and turn a translucent white color as you knead it. If this doesn’t happen, microwave it for another minute or two.
- When you’re happy with the texture of your mochi, transfer it to the prepared parchment-lined mold and press the butter mochi into the corners and flatten off the top.
- Chill the mochi in the refrigerator for a few hours to firm it up. When it’s cooled down, unmold the butter mochi and peel back the parchment paper. Use a sharp knife to cut it into bite-size pieces and then dust each piece with a generous coating of potato starch. Dust the excess starch off of each piece of mochi and serve.
Nutrition
Kathy says
Wow! Delicious and easy; almost… too easy.😈 At least it’s a small batch. I love the flavor of milk and butter in this! Not flavors I associate with mochi. I have tried other microwave mochi recipes and this one is the best!
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Kathy, that was quick! There are so many ways to adapt this with other flavors too. I tried a batch with vanilla extract and it tasted like vanilla ice cream (though it covers up the flavor of the butter). The mochi is also pliable enough that you could stuff it with something (small strawberry, chocolate ganache, etc).
Kathy says
I have to say, this was actually much better the next day. The flavors mellowed and melded, and the texture was perfect. I did add a pinch of salt. I am a huge mochi fan! I will be making this a lot. I was thinking of trying it with condensed milk to amp up the milk flavor. I might try matcha, too. Thanks for coming up with such a perfect method!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kathy, in all my testing I was letting it chill overnight in the fridge, so hadn’t really considered the resting period, but that totally makes sense, thanks for letting me know. I’ve considered replacing some of the milk and sugar for sweetened condensed milk too, I think it would be an awesome combo. As for matcha another commenter just mentioned they’ve tried it and enjoyed it, so that sounds like another winning combo!
Kathy says
I just made a batch with canned evaporated milk (not sweetened condensed) and I love the results! I used one can that contains 1 and 1/2 cups, so I increased the mochiko to 150 grams, and the sugar to 130 grams. It could have used a teaspoon or two of water at the beginning, since evaporated milk has less liquid (obviously!), but I ended up adding it at the end. I used the same amount of butter in the original recipe, since condensed milk will have more fat. I set it in an 8×8 glass pan and cut it into 1/4″ pieces. Dusting the blade of the knife with potato starch helped it not to stick. It ended up tasting milky-er and the color is intense! It doesn’t have that canned milk flavor, either. Thanks again for the awesome recipe!
Marc Matsumoto says
Awesome! Thanks for reporting back, that sounds great! I’m making a batch for friends tomorrow, I’m going to give this a try.
emilie says
I love Japanese butter mochi – I am excited to try this! How can I scale this up to an 8×8 pan? 5×5 won’t last in this house 🙂
Marc Matsumoto says
At about 1/2-inch thick this makes a volume of about 12.5 cubic inches. If you want pieces of about the same thickness in an 8×8-inch pan you’ll need 32 cubic inches of mochi. So you’ll need to triple the recipe. This is very rich though though (think of each piece as a chocolate truffle), so depending on the size of your family that might be a little too much. You can also just put the mochi on parchment paper (without a mold) and hand shape it. The pieces won’t come out perfectly square, but it’s still going to taste just as good.
emilie says
Thank you! We have three quickly growing kids, so nothing lasts in this house. I’ll be lucky to get a piece or two for myself – hahaha. Can we sub shiratama-ko for the mochiko?
Marc Matsumoto says
Gotcha! I haven’t tried it with shiratamako myself, but I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work.
Alice says
Made a batch with matcha powder and it tastes like matcha latte in mochi form. This is awesome
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Alice, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it. Great idea adding matcha, I’m trying that the next time I make this.
a german says
As a European, I had to google what European butter is 😉 it seems here in Germany we use both types. If any other Germans read this, he is talking about Sauerrahmbutter in contrast to Süßrahmbutter. I would never have used the fermented type in sweets, so this recipe is interesting.
Marc Matsumoto says
😆 The proper name in English is cultured butter, but in the US it’s often sold as “European-style butter”. Thanks for posting the German name! I use it a fair amount in baked goods because it produces a nice buttery taste. The fermentation also breaks down some of the proteins in the milk into amino acids, which increases the umami taste in foods you cook with it (similar to cheese). The only time I chose uncultured butter (i.e. sweet butter) is when I don’t want the butter flavor, like in a buttercream or a flavored cake.
Fabio T. says
Any suggestions on how to adapt if I wanted to try to make the mochi from steamed rice (pounding etc.)? Thanks, I’m very excited to see you write more about Wagashi!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Fabio, the traditional method is to use pounded mochi rice, so it should work (though I haven’t tried it that way). If I were going to do it, I would probably pound the rice into mochi first, and then knead the butter and sugar into it while it is still hot.
Christina says
Ah another great recipe, Marc. I didn’t have any mochiko and used Erawan (Elephant) brand glutinous rice flour (green bag) and skim milk. Had to microwave an extra min or two as they mixture was a bit wet. Can’t wait to taste it after chilling.
Can I ask why my top is bumpy even after I tried to flatten it? It’s not flat like your finished mochi poured into the container in the video.
Marc Matsumoto says
Thanks Christina! Can you please send me a photo? Mine isn’t perfectly smooth on top, and it takes a little effort to get it relatively flat, so it could just be the amount of time you spent flattening off the top. That being said, I’m a little concerned because Thai glutinous rice flour is not the same thing as Japanese mochiko. I believe the Thai one is made with long grain glutinous rice, whereas mochiko is made with shortgrain glutinous rice. I’ve never done it with long grain rice flour, but given the huge difference in the texture of long grain regular rice and short grain regular rice it’s possible the rice flour might be part of the issue.
Christina says
Thanks Marc.
I’ve attached a photo. The different glutinous rice flour could explain the bumpiness.
My mother doesn’t like the texture of the mochiko made mochi but prefers the elephant brand green bag glutinous rice flour. Of course she had no issues with shiratamako when I had friend bring back from Japan once. Both shiratamako and elephant brand green bag glutinous flour are more elastic / bouncy and not doughy.
I did try to taste what was stuck on the bowl and it was “oishi”. Maybe I should have stirred the mixture longer after it came out of the microwave.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Christina, thanks for sending over the photo. If you’ve used that type of rice flour before for mochi and it worked then it should work for this recipe too. I think the issue your mom ran into might be that lower quality mochiko is made with a mix of glutinous rice flour and regular rice flour. Even in Japan, I have to check the label to make sure it’s 100% shortgrain glutinous rice. The photo came through really small so it’s a little hard to see exactly what’s going on, but it does look a little lumpier than mine. How hot was the mochi when you put it into the mold? Regarding mixing, it does require a fair amount of kneading to get it smooth and elastic as it tends to be be a little more doughy and crumbly when it first comes out of the microwave.
Christina says
Sorry for the small photo as when I tried to attach the regular one but it didn’t take.
I only buy Koda Farm mochiko. That’s the only one I know in Canada.
I didn’t try to touch the mochi mixture from the microwave as your instructions said it will be extremely hot. I did see smoke.
By the way, I’m attaching a photo of the chilled mochi sprinkled with kinako powder for some colour. The butter mochi are very tasty even if they wobble and open like a flower. LOL edible success in my book.
Marc Matsumoto says
They look good, and I love the idea of coating them in kinako! Yes, you don’t definitely don’t want to touch the mochi mixture as it’s a burn waiting to happen. It’s best to use a wet wooden spoon or a stiff silicone spatula to knead it. It sounds like the lumpy issue may have been caused by overheating it. It will release some steam as it cooks but it should not smoke. There’s still going to be a small amount of liquid on top after the second time in the microwave, but as you knead it together the residual heat should cook that though. If you cook it for too long there are going to be some parts that are much harder than other parts, which might make it difficult to knead together uniformly.
Christina says
Oops I meant to say I saw steam; not smoke LOL. In any case, I love how easy it was to make your butter mochi. With time I’m sure it’ll turn our like yours. Definitely will make them in the future. Thank you Marc.
Rin says
This is the best microwave mochi recipe I’ve tried by far! The butter makes all the difference!
Marc Matsumoto says
I’m glad to hear you enjoyed it! Here’s another one for you to try: https://norecipes.com/chocolate-mochi/ It’s a bit more work, but if you like chocolate it’s even better than this one.
A Mason says
Hi i am wanting to make this but without flour. Can i use cooked mochigome rice and make adjustments after the rice is pounded?
Marc Matsumoto says
You should be able to replace the water and mochi flour with an equal amount of cooked mochi rice (about 350 grams). I would recommend adding the sugar as you pound the rice, but you’ll probably want to integrate the butter after it’s been pounded.