Taiyaki (たい焼き)
Taiyaki is a classic Japanese street snack that looks like a sea bream but doesn't contain any fish. Its easy-to-eat format and fun shape make it a popular traditional Japanese street food often found at matsuri (festivals) in Japan.
My batter blends cake flour with shiratamako for crisp edges and a tender, slightly chewy bite. Although you need a Taiyaki pan to give it the shape, it's not difficult to make. You'll learn the exact pan temperature, the layering technique that keeps the filling centered, and options for traditional anko or fun fillings like custard and chocolate.
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Why My Recipe Works
- A 3:1 ratio of cake flour and glutinous rice flour creates a batter that's light and crispy on the outside while it bakes up into a tender cake with just a hint of mochi-like chew.
- Adding baking soda raises the pH of the batter, allowing it to turn golden brown as it cooks.
- Cooking the Taiyaki in stages ensures you have just enough batter to fill out the Taiyaki mold while allowing room for a generous amount of filling.
Ingredients for Taiyaki
- Cake flour - Cake flour keeps the batter light and airy, allowing it to crisp on the outside while retaining a cake-like texture on the inside. Pastry flour will work as a substitute, but I don't recommend using all-purpose flour or bread flour because their higher gluten content will make the Taiyaki tough, especially after it cools.
- Shiratamako - This goes by various names, such as short-grain glutinous rice flour and mochi rice flour. Shiratamako is milled glutinous rice, which is used to make Japanese sweets such as dango and mochi. In thisTaiyaki recipe, it gives the fish-shaped pastry a slightly chewy texture. Mochiko is technically processed differently, but it will work if you use the weight measurement.
- Baking powder - Baking powder is a mixture of a base (usually baking soda) and acid (usually cream of tartar).When water is introduced, the acid and the base neutralize each other, creating carbon dioxide bubbles in the process. This is what helps leaven cakes and pastries.
- Baking soda-Since this recipe already includes baking powder, you might think that baking soda is redundant, but there's a good reason for its addition. As baking powder activates, the two main ingredients neutralize each other. To get good browning on the outside of the Taiyaki, we want the batter to be alkaline. This is achieved by adding extra baking soda.
- Milk - Older recipes for Taiyaki were unlikely to use milk in the batter recipe because it wasn't widely available around the time of the fish-shaped cake's invention; however, most modern recipes call for whole milk because it adds flavor.
- Butter - Butter is not a traditional ingredient in Taiyaki batter, but adding it has two purposes. The first is that it adds a nutty buttery flavor that's a beautiful compliment to the anko filling. The second is that the fat keeps the batter moist and tender while helping it release from the mold. I recommend using cultured unsalted butter, which has a naturally higher concentration of diacetyl, the compound responsible for the flavor of butter.
- Honey - My homemade anko recipe is relatively low in sugar, so I like to sweeten my taiyaki batter. You may want to cut back on the honey if you use a store-bought red bean paste. I use honey to sweeten the batter because I love the flavor it adds as it caramelizes in the crust. Sugar or other sweeteners will also work.
- Vanilla extract - A high-quality vanilla extract makes most sweets taste better, and Japanese Taiyaki is no different. If you want to get creative, try adding other flavorings, such as sakura, matcha, or yuzu.
- Anko - Anko or sweet red bean paste is a staple of Japanese sweets and it's the most traditional Taiyaki filling. It's made by cooking azuki beans until tender before cooking the mixture down to a paste with sugar. I have an easy recipe for making anko from scratch that cuts the total preparation time down to about 45 minutes, with only a few minutes of active time. I prefer using tsubuan (chunky anko) for this traditional treat, but some like the more refined texture of koshian (smooth anko). If you're not into a red bean filling, add any filling you like, such as chocolate, Nutella, peanut butter, chocolate chips, or custard.
How to Make Taiyaki Batter
To make the batter for the Taiyaki, first sift the cake flour, shiratamako, baking powder, and baking soda together using a wire strainer, fine-mesh sieve, or sifter into a medium bowl. This prevents the batter from getting lumpy.
Next, you want to heat the milk, butter, honey, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl in a microwave oven until the milk is warm enough to melt the butter partially. This took about 50 seconds at 600 watts in my microwave. You can also do this in a pan over medium-low heat. Just be careful not to let the mixture boil. Then, you can whisk the mixture together until the butter has fully dissolved.
Pour the milk mixture into the dry ingredients and whisk the Taiyaki batter together until it has a smooth consistency and is free of lumps.
How to Make Taiyaki
To make taiyaki, you'll need a special pan and a gas stove. If you don't have one, you can order the pan I used to make this recipe on my online kitchen tool store.
The first thing you'll want to do is roll a paper towel into a ball and soak it in two teaspoons of vegetable oil. You want the oil to soak thoroughly into the paper so it doesn't leave trails of oil in the pan.
Heat both sides of the Taiyaki pan to about 285°F (140°C) with the heat as low as your stove will go.
Grease the mold's interior surfaces using the vegetable oil-soaked paper towel. You want to get into all the nooks and crannies but don't leave any oil bubbles behind in the pan, or your Taiyaki won't brown evenly.
Add a tablespoon of batter to the two sides of the bottom half of the mold. Then, use a heat-safe pastry brush to move the batter into the tail and fins and up the sides of the fish. Once the batter is no longer runny, turn the pan so the top half is over the heat and repeat with another tablespoon of batter on each side.
Add a mounded tablespoon of anko into the middle of each Taiyaki and use a spoon to spread it out, leaving at least a ½-inch border on all sides.
Cover the anko with another tablespoon of batter. Use the brush to spread it right to the edges of the fish on all sides.
Close and lock the mold and then flip it over. Cook this side for 2 minutes. When the timer is up, flip the pan over again and cook for another 2 minutes.
When the timer is up, open the pan to check the color of the Taiyaki. If it needs more browning, let it brown for longer on the side that needs it.
Use a toothpick or skewer to release the Taiyaki from the pan, let it cool on a wire rack for a few moments, and serve it hot.
Taiyaki Variations and Fillings
- Classic: Tsubuan (chunky anko) or koshian (smooth anko)
- Custard: Make a thick custard cream and pipe it into the center of taiyaki in place of the red bean paste.
- Chocolate: Fill it with Nutella or chocolate ganache. You can also add a tablespoon of cocoa powder for a double chocolate taiyaki.
- Peanut butter: Nut butters make a great filling and you can add some sliced bananas or a few chocolate chips for contrast.
- Matcha: Add 2 teaspoons matcha to the dry ingredients for the batter for color and aroma
Troubleshooting
- Pale shells: Confirm your taiyaki pan is ~285°F (140°C) and your baking soda is fresh.
- Sticking: Make sure you get into all the nooks and crannies with your oil soaked paper towel and that the pan is up to temp before adding the batter. If it's sticking in parts, check your pan to see if there are any scratches in the non-stick coating.
- Leaking filling: You may be adding too much batter or too much filling. Check the photos or video in the recipe card below for a guideline on how much to add.
- Uneven browning: Mix batter thoroughly so honey and baking soda distribute evenly.
Storage and Reheating
Cool on a wire rack. Refrigerate individually wrapped taiyaki in a sealed container up to 3 days or freeze up to 1 month. Defrost and reheat in a microwave oven or in a toaster oven until crisp.
Other Delicious Japanese Snacks
For sweet treats, try my Strawberry Mochi (Ichigo Daifuku), indulgent Chocolate Filled Mochi, Okinawan Sata Andagi donuts, or crisp‑caramelized Daigaku Imo candied sweet potatoes.
For a savory counterpoint to your taiyaki, flip a skillet of Okonomiyaki (Osaka Style), toss a pan of Yakisoba, or go for springier noodles with Yaki Udon. Round out your festival food line-up with my satisfying Meat Wrapped Onigiri, ultra‑crisp Shio Karaage, and golden Korokke (Japanese Potato Croquettes).
Craving more matsuri flavors? Browse my Japanese street food recipes for more festival favorites!
📖 Recipe
Equipment
Units
Ingredients
- 2 teaspoons vegetable oil
- 75 grams cake flour (~½ cup)
- 25 grams shiratamako (~ 2 tablespoons)
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder (1.2 grams)
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda (1.5 grams)
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons cultured unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon honey
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120 grams anko
Instructions
- Make a paper towel into a tight ball and soak it in the 2 teaspoons vegetable oil. Do this first so the oil can fully soak into the paper towel.
- Add the 75 grams cake flour, 25 grams shiratamako, ¼ teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon baking soda to a strainer set over a medium bowl and sift the ingredients together.
- Add the ½ cup milk, 2 tablespoons cultured unsalted butter, 1 tablespoon honey, and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract to a microwave-safe bowl and heat for 50 seconds in a microwave oven set to 600 watts. Whisk the mixture together until the butter is fully dissolved.
- Dump the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk together until the Taiyaki batter is smooth and free of lumps.
- Heat both sides of the Taiyaki pan to about 285°F (140°C) with the stove at its lowest setting.
- Use your oil-soaked paper towel to lightly grease the mold. There shouldn't be any bubbles of oil on the surface of the pan.
- Add 1 tablespoon of batter to the left and right sides of the mold. Use a heat-safe pastry brush to paint the batter into the tail and up the sides of the mold.
- Once the batter has set, turn the pan so the top half of the mold is over the fire.
- Add 1 tablespoon of batter to the left and right sides of the mold and use the pastry brush to spread it around as you did before.
- Add about 1 heaping tablespoon of the 120 grams anko down the center of the mold and press it down a bit so there are no peaks.
- Pour over a generous tablespoon of batter and use the brush to spread it to the edges.
- Close and lock the lid, and then immediately flip the pan over. Let this cook for 2 minutes. Next, flip the pan and cook for another 2 minutes on the second side.
- Open the lid and check the color. If it's still looking light, you can continue cooking it until it becomes golden brown and crisp. If the Taiyaki sticks to the pan, heat the side that's sticking over the stove and use a skewer or toothpick to help release it.
Nutrition Facts
FAQ
Taiyaki ( たい焼き, 鯛焼き or タイヤキ) literally means "grilled sea bream" (tai = sea bream, yaki = grilled or baked), which is a symbol of luck. While this Japanese fish dessert is baked in a fish-shaped griddle, it includes no fish. Instead, it's made with a sweet filling (most commonly sweet red bean paste) encased in a pancake batter that can vary in texture from light and crispy to dense and chewy. Due to its fun shape and portability, it's a popular street food often sold at street fairs.
Fish-shaped pastries have a long history in Japan, dating back to at least the Edo era (early 19th century). The predecessor of Taiyaki is thought to be a snack sold by street vendors called Mojiyaki (文字焼), which means "grilled characters." It was a thin and hard cookie made by pouring batter onto a griddle in different shapes, such as fish and turtles. Taiyaki also shares similarities with Imagawayaki, which is kind of like Japanese waffles, except the center of the mold allows the waffle batter to be filled with sweet azuki bean paste. The first modern Taiyaki is often credited to a shop in Tokyo called Naniwaya Sōhonten (浪花家 総本店) in Tokyo, which opened its doors in 1909. They used single iron molds to bake the Japanese fish pastry, giving them a three-dimensional shape and allowing them to be filled with anko.
Taiyaki is a 4-syllable name pronounced as follows (read the italicized parts).
ta like tonic
i like even
ya like yacht
ki like key
You won't get the fish shape, but you can mimic the texture by using a sandwich press or waffle iron. Brush with oil, add a thin layer of batter, add filling, then another thin layer. Cook on low until golden and crisp.
Taiyaki is best straight out of the pan when it is still crispy around the edges, but it's also good at room temperature after it's cooled. Cool the taiyaki on a wire rack to keep them from getting soggy on the bottom. If you make more than you can eat in one sitting, you can wrap each separately in plastic wrap and keep it in the refrigerator for up to a few days. I recommend heating it in the microwave oven for a few seconds to take the chill off if you store it in the fridge. You can also place them back in the Taiyaki pan over low heat for a few minutes.
This recipe can easily be converted from vegetarian to vegan by substituting maple syrup for the honey, coconut oil (or vegan butter) for the butter, and plant-based milk for the dairy milk.
Sarah says
Can I please beg you for a x50 and a x100 batch scale? We love it!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Sarah, this can probably be adapted for large batches, but I'm not sure multiplying the quantities by 50 or 100 alone will work, as it will depend on what equipment you have to mix it, how you plan to store it, etc. If you're starting a shop, I'm available to do onsite menu development work. Feel free to reach out via the contact form.
Delisa says
This is my go-to recipe for taiyaki. The texture is perfect, turning out with a lightly crispy exterior and tender inside. So delicious! In addition to the anko, we fill them with a variety of fillings, including Nutella.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Delisa, I'm so happy to hear you've been enjoying this! Thank you for taking the time to let me know.
Brianna says
Hello! We have tried VARIOUS recipes online, and this one by far is the best one. However, we have a commerical gas taiyaki grill, and are looking to yeild a slightly different taiyaki. (More of a fluffy sandwhich style, as opposed to a closed and sealed style.) Mainly, a true Japanese street style grade Taiyaki.
We added an egg to the 3x batter scales and the skin came out GORGOUS. However, the flavor was slightly altered and the inside structure was a little bit dense. Before the egg, our shell was not a perfect golden brown. It wasn't until after the egg we were able to achieve that iconic color. But we are still looking to get something a bit fluffier in texture. You seem to be very good at recipe building, so I am wondering, what would you suggest for us, all these things considered?
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Brianna, try using 100% cake flour instead of 75/25 blend of cake flour+shiratamako. The glutinous rice flour is there to make the dough a little more chewy (mochi-like) which is how we like Taiyaki here in Japan, but it does make the batter more dense. Using all cake flour will give you a more of a pancake consistency. If you really want to make this batter light, you can fold in meringue to the batter which will make it even more airy. Hope that helps!
Brianna says
Thank you so much for your response!
Actually, we really liked the application of the mochi flour and were hoping to keep it. Before we added the egg we loved the flavor and chew the shiratamako gave. Genuinely, of all the recipes we tried online, this was by far the best one. After we added the egg, to be honest everything is still great, but we are looking for a little more rise. I know you mentioned the mochi flour is what's giving it a denseness, but is it possible to keep the mochi, while also rising the batter and giving it a thicker body?
I want to achieve a Taiyaki that you could find wondering the streets of Japan, and want to be careful not to turn it into "American Taiyaki" for lack of a better name, if possible. On Youtube there are videos where the batter looks thick, the taiyaki appear fluffy and are joined together more like "a sandwhich" as the finished product.
Thank you again, so much, for all your kindness, patience, and help with my questions. I hope I am not being unreasonable or difficult, however I greatly appreciate your time and skill.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Briana, I'm based in Tokyo and have had Taiyaki in a bunch of places here. To be honest the doughs are kinda all over the map and it really depends on the store you got to. But the kind that seems to be popular right now (I think this is also more historically accurate), is a dense mochi-mochi type that's more chewy than fluffy. The soft fluffy ones were in about a decade+ ago but you only really see these at chains these days. I think you might be able to get a hybrid by mixing in a whipped egg white meringue into the batter, but I'm not sure it will work for a commercial operation as the air bubbles will pop overtime and the batter is best used as soon as it's mixed.
As for the sandwich method, I think this is a method created to make it easier for home cooks to make taiyaki. I don't think I've ever seen a shop do it that way (though I'm sure there could be exceptions).
Have you tried to troubleshoot why your taiyaki isn't browning evenly? Do you have photos of the ones that didn't brown evenly? The browning is assisted by the baking soda and honey. If either aren't mixed in evenly it could cause uneven browning. I hope that helps!
Liz says
Hi! I'm excited to try this recipe. We will try anko, but in America some people don't like the taste/texture. You suggested we can use pudding/custard and other things, would we add them the same as the anko, then cook them? My children are excited to taste these, we have only had them frozen at the store, never fresh made!! Next time we go to Japan we will try them for sure!
Marc says
Hi Liz, anko isn't everyone's cup of tea, but this is so flexible you can stuff it just about anything. I've done peanut butter and chocolate, chocolate and marshmallows, nutella and banana, as well as savory fillings. Hope you're able to find a combo that works for you and your family!
Ygo says
Thank you for the detailed step by step! Mine still came out floppy but it was tricky cooking on an electric stove. Very fun and looking forward to trying new fillings!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Ygo, the irregular shape of the bottom of a Taiyaki pan makes them a little difficult to use on an electric stove because it won't make even contact with the heating element (the raised parts will get hot and the indentations won't heat up). You might want to consider buying a butane stove (like an Iwatani) to use with you pan. You could also try cooking the taiyaki at a lower setting on your electric stove for a longer period of time. This should help the heat to spread a little more evenly and with enough time you may be able to get the exterior to crisp.
Heather M says
Stop looking for a Taiyaki recipe, you found it! This is hands down the best Taiyaki recipe on the internet. I've been searching and testing various ones looking for something that isn't just waffle/pancake batter. Some things that I've learned along the way:
- Cake flour is very important! I tried with just all-purpose and rice flour and it was too dense.
- The Taiyaki batter technique is also critical, don't skip that! Other recipes online just tell you to fill one side and flip, but doing both sides allows for a better batter-to-filling ratio.
- The temperature of the taiyaki pan was the most challenging part of this for me. I don't have a fancy thermometer like the recipe, so keeping the pan at the perfect temp was hard. Too slow and low, they won't be crispy. Too fast and they will burn and be raw in the middle.
- My taiyaki pan is aluminum, but I would definitely go for a cast iron next time.
- I've tried red bean, cream pate, cheddar cheese, nutella, and hotteok (brown sugar walnut) for fillings and I was surprised how different each one behaved. Red bean being the easiest, Nutella being strangely difficult.
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Heather, I'm happy to hear you enjoyed my recipe so much! I spent quite a bit of time testing various ingredient ratios and cooking methods (as I do with all my recipes) and this was the best I could come up with. It's good to hear that someone who's tested other recipes also found this to be the best😄
Kristy says
Hi! Do you think this recipe would work well for taiyaki cones - or do you think the weight of the ice cream would be too much? Thank you!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hi Kristy, I had to google that one. It looks like taiyaki cones are made with a different mold that. makes the mouth bigger. It also looks like they're using a thinner batter. Based on my quick checking it doesn't look like this special mold is sold in a home version so this may not be very practical to make at home.
Kathy Stroup says
I saw a small electric Taiyaki cone maker for $200, but there's no stove top version. It's probably due to the need for even heat distribution around the mold. I plan to make Taiyaki halves and put ice cream in the middle when they are cooled down. Haven't done it yet, but I think they'd be cute! The Taiyaki are such a huge hit here just the way they are, so I haven't bothered to go further with it. Thanks again for introducing us to this wonderful treat.🍪🐟😍
Marc Matsumoto says
Wow, that's a lot of such a specialized device. I don't think I've ever seen ice cream served in a taiyaki cone, so I guess it's more of a thing abroad than in Japan 😆 Good idea using the halves! I was thinking about trying to make monaka (crispy rice-based shells for stuffing) using the two halves of the mold, so doing an ice cream sandwich with Taiyaki is a great idea!
Moy Young says
May you do a recipe for obanyaki (imagawayaki) please? I have been looking everywhere for an authentic Japanese obanyaki recipe like Haruki-tei or mocu-mocu.
Instagram: @mooimoy
Marc says
Hi Moy, I've added it to the list of requests. But in the meantime this batter will work for making obanyaki and the process is similar. You'll just need the mold to make the different shape.
Kathy Stroup says
The picture of you breaking the Taiyaki open with just a hint of steam rising up makes me want to reach through the screen and snatch me a half! You did such a fantastic job with this recipe and video that my husband is actually prodding me to buy a Taiyaki pan! Every detail of the recipe and technique is so well thought out and demonstrated. As always, I learned some new science and history! Thank you Marc!
Marc Matsumoto says
Hahaha glad to hear getting the pan OKed was a non-issue. Still think a cheesecake taiyaki would be pretty delicious...
Kathy Stroup says
Wow! Success on my first attempt! Thanks to your detailed instructions, my first batch of Taiyaki are golden and crisp on the outside and fluffy and cakey on the inside. My daughter chose to have them filled with peanut butter chocolate chip fudge. She's not a fan of beans of any kind (unless you're someone who counts peanuts as beans🤓). And she LOVES fish!
I don't know how I didn't have one of these pans sooner. So easy to use following your instructions. I will make red bean filled ones soon. Thanks to you I also make delicious anko!
Marc Matsumoto says
Yay! This is so great to hear. I hope you get a lot of use out of the pan!