Mochi Brownies Recipe (Chocolate, Brown Butter and Matcha)

Mochi brownies are a decadent, gluten-free, chewy twist on the classic American brownie. With the softness of mochi, each bite is indulgent and moreish. It is a heavenly creation for those who cherish both treats individually.

That's why we bring you our ultimate mochi brownies recipe so you can indulge with us.

We've fine-tuned our recipe several times to achieve the perfect balance and consistency. Finally, we have a lovely fudgy texture we're happy with. 

We've also tried a few variations of our recipe: brown butter, chocolate, Espresso, and matcha, which we'll also show you. Ultimately, our foolproof recipe is mess-free and requires no complex tools.

Jump to:

• What Is It?
• Ingredients
• How To Make Mochi Brownies
• Mochi Brownies (Brown butter, Espresso, Matcha)
• Espresso Brown Butter Mochi Brownies
• Matcha Mochi Brownies
• Cooking Tips 
• How To Store

What Is It?

Mochi brownies combine traditional brownies with the iconic Japanese dessert mochi. They look like regular brownies but have a chewy and fudgier texture.

Furthermore, they taste like chocolate mochi but are more moist and gooey. Therefore, our mochi brownie recipe is perfect if you like desserts that aren't too cakey or dense.

Ingredients

The required ingredients to make brown butter mochi brownies are:

• Mochiko or glutinous rice flour
• Baking powder
• Cocoa powder
• Milk
• Butter
• Granulated white sugar
• Chocolate chunks or chips
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract

Mochiko 

For our recipe, you'll need either mochiko or glutinous rice flour. We will use regular glutinous flour.

Mochiko is a gluten-free glutinous rice flour that creates the dessert's sticky and chewy texture. Ideally, use the Japanese mochiko as it will result in a finer and more supple texture that resembles Japanese mochi. However, the most accessible version for most countries is regular glutinous rice flour.

In our experience, the difference between using mochiko or glutinous rice flour is so subtle that it doesn't matter when making homemade brownies.

Shiratamako flour is used to make dango. So, it will give your dessert a texture and consistency similar to mochi. You can replace mochiko with shiratamako flour equally at a 1:1 ratio. However, it is a bit coarser.

Baking Powder 

We prefer using baking powder as the rising agent as it provides versatility when making brown butter mochi brownies. Baking powder has a balanced base with a somewhat neutral taste. 

Therefore, you do not need additional acidic ingredients to neutralise it. Mix it with any cocoa powder and get a delicious chocolate dessert.

Alternatively, you can use baking soda as the rising agent for your chocolate treat. However, it is more bitter than baking powder, so you'll only need a little. One teaspoon of baking powder equals ¼ teaspoon of baking soda and ½ teaspoon of lemon juice. 

Cocoa Powder

For our recipe, we'll be using regular cocoa powder. However, you can use higher quality Dutch-processed or natural cocoa powder to make these chewy mochi brownies. Natural cocoa powder is naturally acidic and offers a mild, slightly bittersweet flavour. On the other hand, Dutch-processed cocoa powder is alkalised and has a richer chocolate flavour.

Milk

Our mochi brownie recipe uses whole milk, which makes the batter richer. 

However, you can easily replace it with vegan alternatives to make dairy-free mochi brownies. We suggest using almond or oat milk. Remember that most plant-based milk will make the brownies taste less creamy. 

You can use coconut milk, but it will result in a very strong coconut taste. Therefore, we only suggest using it if you like the flavour of coconut.

Butter

We'll use melted unsalted butter for a rich, buttery taste for our recipe.

We highly recommend using brown butter to make brown butter mochi brownies. You can easily prepare it by melting regular butter on a stove over low heat. Let it fully melt. Then, make sure to swirl the pan from time to time. The brown butter will be ready once it turns golden brown. This extra step adds a slight sweet toffee flavour to your treat.

Granulated White Sugar

Our recipe calls for granulated white sugar. It gives a finer texture and helps create a shiny, crackly top.

Alternatively, you can replace it with other sweeteners like raw or brown sugar. If you use brown sugar, we suggest reducing the amount of sugar. Use only 70-80% of the white sugar because brown sugar tastes sweeter and adds a caramel-like flavour to the dessert.

Chocolate Chunks

Although chocolate chunks are an optional ingredient, they will enhance the flavour and consistency of your chewy mochi brownies. You can either add chopped chocolate or chocolate chips. We like using chocolate chips because it's convenient. 

We prefer sprinkling chopped chocolate chunks over the surface of the batter. They perfectly contrast the soft and chewy texture of the cake and prevent the crackly top from being too delicate. Plus, chocolate chips tend to sink to the bottom of the batter.

If you prefer adding chocolate chips, we suggest coating them in flour to prevent them from sinking. Alternatively, bake the treat for 15 minutes before sprinkling the chocolate chips. Then, continue to bake for another 45 minutes.

How To Make Mochi Brownies

Making these chewy fudgy brownies are simple and requires only a few steps. Pay attention to step 2. We will explain the additional ingredients for matcha, Espresso, or brown butter mochi brownies.

1. First, preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius (160 degrees for a fan oven) or 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line your baking pan with parchment paper.
   
2. Add the dry ingredients into a medium-sized bowl and whisk together until evenly mixed. Similarly, combine all the wet ingredients in a separate large bowl. Make sure to completely melt the butter before mixing. Otherwise, the butter might cause clumping, which would be challenging to dissolve later. You can melt the butter in a microwave under low heat or over the stove in a saucepan. Before moving to the next step, ensure no remaining egg streaks are in the wet mix.
   
   For brown butter mochi brownies, continue melting the butter in a saucepan over a stove until it turns golden brown. Then, combine it with the rest of the wet ingredients.
   
   Add 2 tablespoon of culinary-grade matcha to the mix for the matcha mochi brownies.
   
   Add 1 shot of Espresso to the wet ingredient mix for the espresso version and combine well.
   
3. Then, mix all of the dry and wet ingredients. This can be done by pouring the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in increments and carefully folding the two mixtures. The folding technique is done by lifting and turning with a baking spatula to ensure that everything combines nicely. Mix until the batter is evenly blended.
   
4. Pour the chocolate batter into the lined baking pan.
   
5. Then, let it bake in the oven for about 60 minutes or until the mochi is baked. If you want to add chocolate chips or chunks, let it bake for 15 minutes. Then, remove it from the oven and quickly sprinkle the chips over before popping it back into the oven. Check if the treat is fully baked by inserting a toothpick into it. The dessert is ready if the toothpick comes out mostly clean.

Espresso Brown Butter Mochi Brownies

Adding an espresso shot to your batter can enhance the chocolate flavour of your fudgy snack. Furthermore, the taste is very mild. So, you can enjoy brown butter espresso mochi brownies even if you don't like coffee. 

Add a shot of Espresso while mixing the melted butter, milk, and vanilla extract. Alternatively, stir a teaspoon of instant espresso powder into the batter before baking it.

You can also use instant coffee. Just dissolve 1 tablespoon of instant coffee in ¼ cup of hot water.

You can add more if you enjoy coffee-flavoured desserts. Adding more espresso powder will make the flavours stand out and create a delicious espresso-flavoured snack. 

Matcha Mochi Brownies

Matcha lovers can easily make matcha mochi brownies by replacing the cocoa powder in the batter. Mix 2 tablespoons of culinary-grade matcha powder with glutinous rice flour, white sugar, and baking powder. Then, mix it evenly with the wet ingredients and let the batter bake for 60 minutes. Instead of a fudgy chocolatey snack, you will get a decadent treat with a bittersweet green tea undertone. 

This variation is a tasty upgrade from regular matcha brownies since you'll get a chewier and smoother matcha dessert. Plus, it's less sweet than the chocolate version, making it ideal for those who dislike overly sweet snacks. However, the bitterness and colour also depend on the brand or grade of matcha used. 

Cooking Tips 

• Line your baking pan with parchment to prevent the edges of the brownies from sticking to the pan.
• Let the dessert cool for about 10 minutes before cutting it. Otherwise, the sticky insides of the chewy snack will stick to the knife and make it difficult to cut. 
• Let the batter bake for at least an hour to firm up yet still be fudgy. The batter is usually moist since it is made with glutinous rice flour.
• You can use different-sized baking pans, such as 9x9 and 9x13 inches. However, remember that using a bigger pan will make the brownies thinner and require a shorter cooking time.
• While this is not necessary, you can allow the brownie batter to rest for about 15 minutes at room temperature before baking. This will let the batter absorb moisture and make the dessert more moist. Just make sure to leave it for at most two hours. This is because the batter contains eggs that can make it go bad if left at room temperature for too long. Moreover, you can refrigerate the batter overnight for extra crisp edges and a fudgier centre.

How To Store

You can store the chewy mochi brownies in an airtight container at room temperature. They should last for around 2-3 days.

We recommend this method of storage to maintain its freshness. However, you can refrigerate them, and they'll last for up to a week. Once you are ready to enjoy them, take them out and microwave for a minute.

If you enjoyed our recipe, try our convenient microwave daifuku recipe next. Follow us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks for more delicious glutinous goodness.