This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This small-batch homemade mochi donut is slightly crisp on the outside yet soft and chewy on the inside when you take that first bite. The recipe is naturally gluten-free.
Why you should make your own!
Mochi donuts sure have taken the U.S. by storm LOL! I see them almost everywhere, at the mall, at grocery stores, at bakery shops! For a small pon de ring, it costs $4.50 each before tax when applicable! Some places charge more! I mean…wow!! Making your own is way cheaper! Yes, you have to do the work, BUT, it really isn’t that complicated.
Why you’ll love this recipe
I have tried many different recipes with combinations of different flour. Some use a combination of cake flour with tapioca starch, some use a combination of cake flour with glutinous rice flour, some use a combination of mochiko flour and tapioca starch, etc. This recipe uses Thai glutinous rice flour. This works for me IMHO! The end result is a donut with a lighter texture, but still has that density but in a good way, crisp on the outside but soft and chewy on the inside!
Soft and Chewy Mochi Donut/ Pon De Ring (Fried Version)
Ingredients
Dry ingredients:
- 130 g glutinous rice flour use Thai glutinous rice flour
- 35 g sugar
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Wet ingredients:
- 10 g cooking oil
- 80 g milk dairy or non-dairy works
- 25 g egg (room temperature) from 1/2 medium-size egg
For frying:
- 2 cups oil or more as needed
Topping suggestions: (optional or use whatever you like)
- Powdered sugar
- Chocolate
- Oreo cookie chunks
- Rainbow chocolate sprinkles
Instructions
- You can easily double the recipe. I suggest not making more than that because these mochi donuts taste the best on the same day you make them
- Preheat the oil in a medium-sized skillet over medium heat while you are preparing the dough
- Cut 5 parchment paper with the size of 5 x 5 inches
Prepare the dough:
- Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. Make a well in the center, add beaten egg, oil, milk. Stir to combine into a dough that is just slightly sticky to the touch
- Spray your palms with some non-stick spray or oil them lightly. Pick off about 7-8 grams of dough or about one teaspoon of dough and roll it into a round ball. Put this on top of the parchment paper. Repeat with 7 more and arrange them like a ring. Make sure the doughs touch each other
- If the dough starts to get sticky, oil your palms again
Frying the donuts:
- It is important that the oil is hot enough but not too hot. When you put a skewer inside the oil, you should see bubbles around it. If you have a digital thermometer, it should be around 350 F (180 C). Maintain the heat at medium at this point. If the oil is not hot enough, the dough ball starts to detach and separate. If the oil is too hot, the donut gets brown too fast before it gets cooked on the inside. So watch the heat closely
- Gently pick up the parchment paper and lower it into the oil
- The parchment paper will detach from the donut once the donut has been fried for about 15-20 seconds or so. If it doesn't detach, don't force it yet. Remove the parchment from the oil and continue frying the donut until it starts to turn golden brown at the bottom side
- Very gently flip the donut to the other side and lower the heat to medium-low, to let it fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside, another minute or so. I recommend frying no more than two at a time
- Place the fried donuts on an absorbent paper towel. Before frying the next batch, increase the heat back up to medium and continue frying and lower the heat when you flip to the other side
Decorate the donuts:
- Dust some powdered sugar/icing sugar on top of the donuts while they are still warm. If you plan to use frosting, then you want the donuts to cool down to at least warm before doing so
- You can drizzle some melted chocolate on top and then top it with sprinkles, cookie crumbs, etc or other toppings you like
Serve:
- Serve the donuts right away as they taste the best while still slightly warm, crisp on the outside with a soft chewy inside
*Nutrition facts are just estimates and calculated using online tools*
The difference between Thai glutinous rice flour and Japanese Mochiko flour.
Glutinous rice flour is also known as sweet rice flour. Here in the U.S, most glutinous rice flour comes from Thailand or Vietnam, the majority are from Thailand. Mochiko flour, however, usually comes from Japan. They are both glutinous rice flour. The only difference is the type of glutinous rice used to make the flour. The Thailand version (and so are the ones from Vietnam and other Southeast Asian countries) is made with long-grain glutinous rice flour. Japanese mochiko flour is made from short-grain glutinous rice. Mochiko is slightly stickier due to shorter grain rice being used, sweeter in aroma, and slightly coarser in texture.
Can Thai glutinous rice flour and mochiko flour be used interchangeably?
In general, yes! I have done this many times with lots of recipes that call for glutinous rice flour or sweet rice flour without any issue. Unless the recipe specifies to use specifically Thai glutinous rice flour or Japanese mochiko flour, you should be able to use both interchangeably.
Can I use mochiko flour instead of Thai glutinous rice flour for this recipe?
It is more of a texture thing. You may not notice much difference if you are new to glutinous rice flour. Thai glutinous rice flour gives a lighter texture to the donut. If you replace it with mochiko flour, just know that the texture of the mochi donut will be denser and stickier.
How to make fried mochi donut/ pon de ring
1. Combine all the dry ingredients in a mixing bowl. 
2. Make a well in the center, add beaten egg, oil, milk. Stir to combine into a dough that is just slightly sticky to the touch
3. Spray your palms with some non-stick spray or oil them lightly. Pick off about 7-8 grams of dough or about one teaspoon of dough and roll it into a round ball. If the dough starts to get sticky, oil your palms again
4. Put this on top of the parchment paper. Repeat with 7 more and arrange them like a ring. Make sure the doughs touch each other
5. It is important that the oil is hot enough but not too hot. When you put a skewer inside the oil, you should see bubbles around it. If you have a digital thermometer, it should be around 350 F (180 C). Maintain the heat at medium at this point. If the oil is not hot enough, the dough ball starts to detach and separate. If the oil is too hot, the donut gets brown too fast before it gets cooked on the inside. So watch the heat closely
6. Gently pick up the parchment paper and lower it into the oil and let the donut fries undisturbed for about 30-40 seconds. 
7. The parchment paper will detach from the donut once the donut has been fried for about 15-20 seconds or so. If it doesn’t detach, don’t force it yet. Remove the parchment from the oil and continue frying the donut until it starts to turn golden brown at the bottom side
8. Very gently flip the donut to the other side and lower the heat to medium-low, to let it fry until golden brown and crispy on the outside, another minute or so. I recommend frying no more than two at a time
9. Place the fried donuts on an absorbent paper towel. Before frying the next batch, increase the heat back up to medium and continue frying and lower the heat when you flip to the other side
10. Dust some powdered sugar/icing sugar on top of the donuts while they are still warm. If you plan to use frosting, then you want the donuts to cool down to at least warm before doing so. You can drizzle some melted chocolate on top and then top it with sprinkles, cookie crumbs, etc or other toppings you like. Serve right away
Can I bake mochi donuts?
If you prefer a baked version, check out this recipe here
Did you make this fried mochi donut/ pon de ring recipe?
I love it when you guys snap a photo and tag it to show me what you’ve made. Simply tag me @WhatToCookToday #WhatToCookToday on Instagram and I’ll be sure to stop by and take a peek for real!
