Yatsuhashi 2 Ways: Nama (Raw) and Baked

Yatsuhashi is a traditional Japanese dessert popular among both locals and tourists. Hence, for Japanese folks, this treat is memorable as it reflects the essence of Kyoto. However, the good news is you don't have to visit Kyoto anymore to have a bite of this Japanese treat. 

Instead, you can make this one at home with the help of our yatsuhashi recipe. In this article, we will be sharing two recipe versions. One is the popular nama yatsuhashi recipe filled with sweet red bean filling. Furthermore, we will also cover how to make baked yatsuhashi cookies at home. 

While there are plenty of recipe variations for Kyoto yatsuhashi, our tried and tested recipe follows the most popular ones you will find in the iconic city. So, are you excited to get a taste of this sweet Japanese dessert? Let's dig in.

Jump to:

• What is Yatsuhashi?
• Yatsuhashi types
• Calories
• Yatsuhashi Ingredients
• Substitutes
• How to Store
• Nama Yatsuhashi Recipe with Red Bean Filling
• Baked Yatsuhashi Cookies Recipe

What is Yatsuhashi?

Yatsuhashi is a sweet Kyoto confection made using rice flour, sugar, and cinnamon. Furthermore, the sweet snack is traditionally filled with Anko (sweet bean paste). However, today you can find stores selling all kinds of flavours, such as plum, lemon, matcha, taro and more!

This Japanese treat originated in the city of Kyoto, Japan. Kyoto is the home of ancient temples, beautiful Japanese gardens, and breathtaking destinations. Additionally, you will notice that many souvenir shops in the city sell them. 

Origin Story

Two famous legends tell the story of where this traditional dessert originated. One is where the shape of the famous yatsuhashi bridge inspired a confectioner. Hence, he decided to make cookies out of it. This legend alludes to the specific meaning of yatsuhashi - which is ‘eight bridges’.

The other one is from a legend about how a blind monk influenced the famous Japanese dessert. His name was Yatsuhashi Kengyo. This man taught Japanese locals to save rice that sticks to the walls of a pot while cooking. His idea was to use the leftover rice to make mochi cookies.

After his passing, the locals honoured his life by creating these cookies. They are shaped like his beloved instrument, the Koto. Over the years, the Japanese souvenir industry introduced new varieties. 

Yatsuhashi types

Before, we talked about the different flavours available. But did you know there are three different types of this Kyoto mochi? These are baked yatsuhashi, nama yatsuhashi, and a version of nama yatsuhashi with red bean paste. 

Baked yatsuhashi 

This is the original type of this traditional Japanese dessert. The Japanese bake this inside an oven until the mochi dough becomes hard cookies or crackers. Then, they use a round-shaped mould. It resembles a Japanese harp or bamboo stalk cut half lengthwise. 

You may find it hard to bite due to its crispiness, but it has an addictive flavour that makes it a crowd favourite. It comes in different flavours. The most popular one is cinnamon. You can smell and taste it on your first bite.  

Nama yatsuhashi 

This unbaked version consists of steamed mochi dough. The Japanese roll out and cut them into small rectangular pieces. Many people enjoy its simplicity. It is also available in different flavours. The most famous ones are cinnamon and matcha.

Nama yatsuhashi with red bean paste 

This is the most popular type today. The Japanese cut thin mochi dough into small squares. Then they fold them into triangles and fill them with oozing red bean paste. Locals and tourists alike love its sweet filling and chewy mochi dough. Ultimately, our team is specifically fond of this specific version. Therefore, we will show you our version of this recipe later on!

Calories

Baked yatsuhashi has about 35 kcal per piece, while nama yatsuhashi contains 93 kcal per piece. People on a macrobiotic diet can include this Japanese snack in their meals as it is gluten and fat-free.

Yatsuhashi Ingredients

The ingredients you will need to make yatsuhashi are Japanese rice flour, glutinous rice flour, cinnamon, soybean powder (kinako) and a sweet filling. Typically, red bean paste is used as the filling for this pastry. 

Japanese rice flour (Joshinko)

This type of flour is made from Japanese short grain, which feels very fine. Joshinko is the recommended type for making the recipe. Japanese people use 100% rice flour to make the authentic version. You will see that the finished product is not as elastic as the mochi made from glutinous rice flour. 

You can buy this in local Japanese grocery stores. However, stay tuned for the alternatives we've listed in this article if there are none near you.

Glutinous rice flour (Shiratamako)

Glutinous rice flour gets sticky and stretchy when heated. A famous example of this is Shiratamako. This specific flour gives us the chewy texture of mochi-like desserts. Most homemade versions need both Japanese rice flour and glutinous rice flour. 

Every recipe adapts different ratios to get its desired texture. For example, Japanese people use more significant amounts of glutinous rice flour in yatsuhashi recipes. But, some people still prefer the traditional taste. Thus they use more Josinko than Shiratamako.

Remember, look for Shiratamako at a Japanese grocery store. Always get the ones with a coarse texture. Some pieces are as large as ⅛ inch or 3 mm. You can opt for its Chinese variant if you cannot find Shiratamako near you.

Cinnamon

People use cinnamon to give flavour to this traditional Japanese dessert. It is the original flavour of the baked yatsuhashi crackers. Any type of cinnamon powder you can find at the grocery stores is good to use.

Soybean powder

It is also known as dusting flour. People use soybean powder as a thickening agent for sauces. For this recipe, soybean powder helps the dough become less sticky. You can sprinkle it on working stations and between wrappers. You can find this in local Japanese grocery stores in your area.

If soybean powder is unavailable, you can use an alternative mentioned later in this article.

Red bean paste

Red bean paste is made of Azuki beans. It is the most common filling used in many Asian pastries and desserts, such as mochi. People love how it tastes like a cooked sweet potato with added sugar. They also love how it compliments glutinous rice flour. 

Our recipe will use tsubuan, the chunkier type of red bean paste with whole beans. However, be careful in consuming it since it has high sugar content. You can get red bean paste in local Japanese stores near you.

Substitutes

When some ingredients are not available, you can use the following alternatives.

• Joshinko: Any other Asian rice flour will work. Yet, you might achieve a different texture and flavour. This difference in texture is because they do not use Japanese short-grain rice.
• Shiratamako: You can use Mochiko, which may be easier to find in supermarkets.  
• Red bean paste: You can try Nutella, sweet white bean paste, peanut butter mixed with a bit of sugar or apricot jam.
• Soybean powder: Almond powder is a good alternative. However, it tastes a little different from soybean.
• Cinnamon: Try other flavours to spice up your mochi rice cake dough recipe. You can opt for matcha, chocolate powder, plum or mango.

How to Store

If you have some mochi desserts and ingredients left from your last meal, you can consider these tips:

1. Keep your yatsuhashi in airtight containers like ziplock bags. Then, store them at a cool room temperature. Mochi desserts tend to become stiff and dry when stored inside the refrigerator.
2. After removing the baked snacks from the oven, let them cool first. Then, store it in an airtight container to maintain its crispiness for up to three days.
3. You can use leftover red bean paste and glutinous sweet rice to make botamochi in the future. Botamochi is also a sweet traditional Japanese snack.
4. If you are craving a hot dessert soup, get your leftover red bean paste and make some sweet zenzai!

If you enjoyed this treat, you might also enjoy warabi mochi, another popular Nippon snack!

Did you have fun making Kyoto yatsuhashi? If so, don't forget to share your experience on Instagram and tag us @honestfoodtalks so we can celebrate with you.