Simple Mochi Waffle Recipe (Crispy, Chewy, Gluten-Free)

Mochi waffles, moffles, or mochiko waffles are soft and chewy Japanese waffles made from fine glutinous rice flour. They're a gluten-free Asian dessert that can be eaten plain with butter or infused with different flavours.

We've tried chocolate and ube, but we’ve also seen strawberry, pandan, and matcha ones.  

In our simple mochi waffle recipe, we'll share how you can change the ratio between mochiko flour and cornstarch to get a softer texture, a more bouncy bite or make it more crispy. So, put on your favourite apron and get ready to make our tasty Japanese snack.

Jump to:

• Mochi Waffle Ingredients
• Japanese Mochi Waffle Recipe (Crispy and Chewy)
• Cooking Tips 
• Can I Freeze Mochi Waffle?
• Ube Mochi Waffle
• Chocolate Mochi Waffle
• How To Make Vegan Mochi Waffle
• How To Make Mochi Bubble Waffle

Mochi Waffle Ingredients

Here are mochi waffle ingredients you'll need for our simple recipe. 

• Milk
• Eggs
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar
• Mochiko flour (or glutinous rice flour)
• Cornstarch 
• Baking powder
• Vegetable oil

To make the perfect moffle, you will need a waffle maker or a sandwich maker with a waffle iron. Otherwise, the required ingredients for our Japanese dessert are pretty easily accessible.

Milk

You can use non-dairy alternatives such as almond or coconut milk for a gluten-free version. Use buttermilk or add a teaspoon of vinegar to regular milk. This mixture yields a fragrant batter which is chewy and thick. 

Mochiko Flour

This Japanese flour is made from short-grain glutinous rice and contains no gluten. It's also vegan and gives us the best results for making soft and light Japanese waffles.

If you can't find this Japanese glutinous rice flour, you can use regular glutinous rice flour from Chinese brands. You will still be able to achieve a chewy texture but not as soft. We do think it's a small difference.

Baking Powder

We recommend mixing baking powder with the batter for a lighter and more airy outcome. Adding these ingredients will help the batter rise smoothly, rendering your final product more soft and fluffy.

Cornstarch

The addition of cornstarch makes crispy mochi waffles, so you'll need some cornstarch in your mixture.

Cooking Tips 

Here are a few cooking tips to help you make our crispy mochi waffle recipe.

Why Is It Not Crispy?

Too much moisture can make your Japanese waffles soft. You might have added too much milk, which will result in a runny batter and a less crispy snack.

Other than adjusting the flour ratio as we mentioned in our recipe notes, you can avoid buttermilk and use regular milk. This will give the snack a lighter texture. Additionally, you can add 5 minutes to your usual cooking time on the griddle. 

If you accidentally added too much oil or milk, you can try adding more cornstarch until you get a thicker batter. Adding cornstarch will help make it crispier, too.

Undercooked Centre

You've added too much water for those who have an undercooked moffle. You'll need to either leave your snack cooking for a few minutes longer or add more batter to the pan. That way, the middle will not turn out raw and undercooked. 

Overspilling On The Waffle Machine

To avoid overspilling the batter, you'll want to fill the machine precisely as per the instructions. Then, pour the batter into the middle and let it naturally fill the edges. Many models now have an overspill design, so it should be easy to clean up.

If you bought one without an overspill design and need to clean excess batter in between cooking, place a wet two or three-ply paper towel and close the grid. You also want to use the pan when it's hottest. This is so that the pan's temperature is hot enough throughout and cooks the batter without overspills. Also, ensure that you heat the pan before placing your mochi waffle batter in it to cook perfectly. 

Can I Freeze Mochi Waffle?

Yes, you can freeze these chewy delights for later. The batter can be sealed in an airtight container and kept in the freezer for up to a month. Then, when you are ready, a quick microwave heating will ensure that you can cook up this snack at your own convenience.

If you want to save your already-cooked treat for a later date, just pop it in a freezer bag so you can reheat them in a toaster when you want a quick bite. 

Ube Mochi Waffle

To make this variation, you'll need to add ube powder or ube paste. Ube paste is better if you want to achieve a more intense flavour. Ube is a root vegetable well known for its sweet, nutty flavour and bright purple colouring. 

For our ube mochi waffle recipe mix an additional ½ teaspoon of ube powder or paste with ¼ teaspoon of vanilla extract and a tablespoon of milk to the plain moffle batter.

Similarly, you could also try our ube mochi recipe for a different take on these fantastic flavours.

Chocolate Mochi Waffle

To make a chocolate mochi version, add real chocolate from melted chocolate chips and not chocolate powder to your basic moffle recipe. Using real chocolate gives the snack a richer cocoa flavour.

To make chocolate mochi waffle, follow our main recipe with the addition of melted chocolate chips to the batter. We usually add about 50 grams of milk chocolate chips to our batter for 4 servings. But if you prefer a chocolatier moffle, feel free to add more.

You can even try making a pandan mochi waffle by adding 1 teaspoon of pandan extract to the batter. This mixture gives the snack a pretty green colour and a sweet fragrance.

For a change in texture, you can also add some red bean paste between scooping the batter on to the griddle. This will give you a red bean paste filling within the waffles. 

Apart from all these flavours, you can also make mochi waffle ice cream just by adding ice cream to the snack. Check out our mochi ice cream recipe if you want a simple cold treat.

How To Make Vegan Mochi Waffle

Vegan mochi waffles just need an alternative to eggs and milk. Since mochiko is made from rice, it is a vegan option.

In order to replace the eggs, add two teaspoons of baking powder and 40 ml of vegetable oil. These two ingredients give the final product a brown, crispy texture without the eggs.

Similarly, instead of regular dairy, you can use almond or coconut milk. Finally, cook for about 6-7 minutes or longer, depending on how crispy you like.

How To Make Mochi Bubble Waffle

Our mochi bubble waffle recipe is similar to our regular recipe, but you'll need a bubble waffle maker. When you’re using one, you'll need to ensure it's on medium heat for three minutes before adding the batter. Additionally, the batter needs to cover the bubbles entirely before you start to cook until a crispy brown colour.

We hope you've enjoyed creating this delightful Asian snack. If you want more of these convenient, easy-to-create desserts, follow us on Instagram @honestfoodtalks for regular updates on your favourite Asian snacks and desserts.

Next up, try making some soft matcha mochi or strawberry daifuku.