This gluten free matcha green tea mochi is a delicious Japanese dessert that is so easy to make. It has a soft, chewy texture with a slightly sweet and earthy flavor from the matcha. If you are looking for a fun new dessert to try, give this easy matcha mochi recipe a try!
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Have you ever tried matcha green tea? It has become very popular at many coffee shops, and you can enjoy matcha lattes anywhere. You can find matcha in both culinary and ceremonial blends. You can also bake with it!
Matcha is delicious in baked goods like this matcha green tea mochi recipe. If you have tried Japanese mochi or Hawaiian Butter Mochi in the past, this flavorful match twist will be worth trying.
If you love dessert as much as we do, check out all of my delicious gluten free dessert recipes.
If you love matcha, give this Matcha Green Tea Mini Bundt Cakes recipe a try, too!
Why this matcha mochi is so good:
- This matcha mochi recipe is easy to make, with just a few ingredients.
- You can make this mochi regular or vegan.
- You control how sweet the mochi turns out by how much sugar you add.
- It has a fun, chewy texture.
If there are any other curious vegans checking out this recipe, I just wanted to report that I used vegan butter (Miyoko’s in this case) and it worked perfectly. Delicious recipe! Leftovers are great warmed up in the microwave too.”
Kenny
Allergen Information:
This homemade matcha mochi is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free, oat-free, and soy-free.
Is Matcha Gluten Free?
In most cases, matcha powder should be gluten free. Matcha is a type of green tea that is ground to powder. The problem comes when manufacturers add flavoring and other ingredients to matcha powder.
Some matcha blends are not gluten free. It is important to read the ingredients carefully when buying any matcha green tea powder.
Matcha Mochi Ingredients:
Note that matcha green tea powder does have some caffeine, so if you are making this for kids, you may want to consider lowering the amount of matcha. I wouldn’t serve this to kids at night.
- Matcha – I used culinary-grade matcha. There is no need to buy the more expensive ceremonial matcha for this recipe. Matcha is not considered a really sweet dessert, so if you like a sweeter dessert, you will want to increase the amount of sugar.
- Sweet Rice Flour – You will find the Mochiko brand at most grocery stores. You can find other brands in most Asian markets.
- Baking Powder – Matcha already has a slightly bitter taste, so it is very important to use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Coconut Milk – Use canned coconut milk.
- Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter. If you are dairy-free, you can use plant-based butter.
- Sugar – Use white cane sugar. I do not recommend coconut sugar, or it will turn your mochi brown.
🔑 Sandi says: Do not buy regular white rice flour. It will not work to make mochi!
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
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Step 1: It is so easy to make matcha mochi. Add the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. Add the matcha with the dry ingredients.
Step 2: In a smaller bowl, melt the butter with the coconut milk and whisk to blend them. Add the rest of the wet ingredients and whisk.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and blend them with your whisk. The batter will be thinner than in most of my other recipes. This is normal.
NOTE: You can also use an electric hand mixer or a stand mixer to make mochi batter.
Step 4: Grease an 8×8 pan and pour the matcha mochi batter into the pan.
Step 5: Bake the green tea mochi at 325º F for 20 minutes. For best results, allow the mochi to cool before you slice it fully.
☘️ Fun Idea: This matcha mochi recipe would be a fun treat for St. Patrick’s Day since green food is so popular on this holiday. It has a great vibrant green color! Try this Gluten Free Matcha Banana Bread for more fun with green food.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Matcha has an earthy taste. It tastes a bit like greens but with sweetness, too.
Matcha mochi is a traditional Japanese sweet made from glutinous sweet rice flour and green tea powder (matcha). It is usually shaped into small rounds or squares.
You can find them plain or filled with sweet red bean paste or other fillings such as strawberries or mochi ice cream. Matcha mochi is often enjoyed as a snack or dessert in Japan and is becoming increasingly popular in the U.S. and other parts of the world due to its unique taste and texture.
This mochi will keep fresh for up to 4 days in an airtight container in the refrigerator or up to 4 months in the freezer.
Matcha powder should keep fresh for up to a year. It is best to store it in an airtight container in your pantry.
If you love the flavor of matcha, I have several delicious gluten free recipes with matcha to try! This Matcha Chia Pudding makes a great healthy breakfast.
Reader Adaptations:
Everyone at work loves this recipe! Also delicious with powdered purple yam”
Follow Your Bliss, Pinterest user
More Mochi Recipes:
- Black Sesame Mochi Muffins – These muffins are a treat in Japan and they have a chewy texture like mochi.
- Mochi Waffles with Nutella – If you love a sweet breakfast, nothing is better than these fluffy mochi waffles.
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Matcha Green Tea Mochi
Ingredients
- 1 cup Glutinous Sweet White Rice Flour Mochiko brand
- 1 cup coconut milk other types of milk also work
- 2 tablespoons matcha powder * see notes
- ½ cup sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
- 1 teaspoon baking powder aluminum-free
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Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
- Spray baking dish with non-stick spray. (I use coconut oil spray.)
- Mix all dry ingredients including sugar.
- Whisk to blend.
- Add melted butter and coconut milk.
- Stir well. You can also use an electric mixer or stand mixer with a whisk attachment.
- Put into a prepared baking dish. I used an 8×8 pan.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until done in the middle. The baking time may vary depending on the size and depth of your pan.
Notes
- I recommend using culinary-grade matcha green tea powder. Ceremonial matcha powder is more expensive and it isn’t necessary for this recipe.
- Many matcha powdered have added sweeteners and other ingredients. If you are gluten free, please be sure to read the ingredients label to make sure the matcha is gluten free.
- Matcha can be bitter so I recommend adding additional sugar if you like your mochi sweeter.
- Make this recipe vegan by using plant-based butter.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, my rule of thumb is to add more flour if your dough or batter is wet and add more liquid if the dough or batter is too dry!
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
This post was updated from an older August 2017 post with more detailed recipe instructions.
Can you use cocoa powder instead of matcha?
Hi Lune, I haven’t tested this so I am unsure how it would turn out.
Thank you Sandi. This recipe is very good. I love it. Mine turn out dark green inside and the outside light green. This is the second time I made.
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Gemma. I love how the green is different shades too!
Look great! How long do they last ?
Hi Sara, I would say they will keep up to 4 days in the refrigerator in an air-tight container.
Can a different type of milk be used? I’m allergic to coconut.
Hi Adrianna, you can use any milk you like. Thank you.
325 what? You need to include units! I’m assuming degrees F as this seems to be American units.
Yes, I added that in to make it more clear. Thank you!
Hi
I have made this recipe twice now…the first time it came out way too sticky on the inside so i corrected for more flour in the second batch and same thing. There isnt anything cakey in the middle only gummy like a traditional mochi ball. What am i doing wrong?
Hi Dee, did you use the special sweet rice flour that I recommended or did you use regular rice flour? Did you substitute any other ingredients? Thank you.
If there are any other curious vegans checking out this recipe, I just wanted to report that I used vegan butter (Miyoko’s in this case) and it worked perfectly. Delicious recipe! Leftovers are great warmed up in the microwave too.
I am so glad to know vegan butter works!! thank you so much for letting us know!
Could you substitute coconut milk for oat milk? This looks delicious, I want to try it!
Hi Mia, I haven’t tested oat milk because it isn’t certified gluten free. If you do try it, please do come back to let me know because I am sure others wonder this too.
hi! i was wondering if i could use regular rice flour instead of sweet rice flour?
Hi Mia, Mochi is made with the sweet rice flour because it is a bit stickier. I don’t think this recipe works with regular rice flour. You should be able to find the sweet mochi rice flour on Amazon.
HI! Does it matter if you use salted vs. unsalted butter? Thank you!
Hi Hannah, I have only used unsalted butter. If you use salted, please come back and let me know how it turns out.
Good recipe thank you!just enough sweetness to satisfy my cravings.I used Bob’s Red Mill sweet white rice flour 100% gluten free.I will definitely make this again coz it is easy peasy. 🙂
I am so glad you liked this matcha mochi recipe Maria. I even more appreciate your taking the time to come back and tell me. You made my day 🙂
This recipe appears to have the same proportions as the Butter Mochi recipe, but does not include an egg. Should an egg be included, or is there a reason it is omitted? Thanks!
Hi Christina, these are two very different recipes. There shouldn’t be an egg in this recipe. The butter mochi recipe was shared with me and that recipe does require an egg. I hope this helps. Sandi
Best way to store leftovers? Fridge or not…
Hi Amber, I always store my leftovers in the refrigerator. Take care, Sandi
Hi! I wanted to ask, how do what type of coconut milk do you use? here in Germany there is the fattier ‘thai’ style one in a can or the watery one in a carton
Hi Virginia, I did use the canned coconut milk that you describe as Thai style. Thank you for stopping by 🙂
Is the flour you used white rice flour or sweet rice flour? Your recipe says white rice flour but the link goes to a sweet rice flour. Mochi usually is the glutinous/weet rice flour – please clarify. thanks.
Hi Cecilia, I definitely used the sweet rice flour. I will clarify in the recipe. Thank you so much!
Hi Sandi,
I’ve tried your recipe and the taste and texture was pretty good, altough it was not too easy to cut, because the outer part was sticky, while the inside was more solid.
My only problem was the color, the outside was really nice dark green, just as the one you prepared, but it turned brown on the inside. Do you think I overbaked it? Or can it be because the dough was too thick (too much dough for a small pan)?
I’d appreciate your thoughts on this 🙂
Hi Imre, Thank you for writing. How thick are your mochi? I adapted this recipe, given to me by a chef: https://www.fearlessdining.com/butter-mochi/ My mochi were about 1 1/2 inches thick after baking. Mochi are supposed to be a bit sticky, but the brown inside is something I haven’t experienced.
Thank you for your response. My mochi were also about 1 1/2 inches, so I guess the brown color of the inner part was the result of the longer baking time. I’ll try again soon 🙂
You are very welcome. I hope this is the reason. Have a nice day.
I am allergic to coconut and there are so many recipes out in there that has coconut as an ingredient. What can I substitute for the coconut. Also, I read that a reviewer used mochiko rice flour. I’ve used it before and it makes the Michi very dense. What’s the difference using the the flour you suggested?
Hi Bel, If you can’t have coconut, you could use almond milk. I go back and forth between both milks and both are delicious, though I will say I like this recipe with the vanilla almond milk better than plain almond milk. Thank you so much for stopping by and chatting 🙂
I absolutely LOVE mochi and appreciate the texture & chewiness it gives, as I use it all the time in baking (:
I gave this a try and doubled the recipe because I wanted to bake it in my 9″ by 13″ pan. Unfortunately, it turned out awful and the beautiful green color pictured above was not the same. Instead it was a pale yellowish-green color and the texture was a bit on the hard side. I was so excited to make this and disappointed by the outcome.
Oh no Jane. Can you please tell me which rice flour you used and some more detail? I have made this a few times and I haven’t had the result you mentioned.
I used Mochiko Rice Flour (:
I love drinking matcha tea and would love to try this recipe! I like the idea of using the healthier coconut sugar even though it’ll keep the mochi from being green. Instead of butter, do you think I can substitute coconut oil? Also, will just regular white rice flour work, or does it need to be the superfine kind? Thanks!
Hi Joanne, I am not sure about your substitutions. The coconut oil may work, you would need to experiment with that. I also don’t know about the regular white rice flour. The superfine is very powdery and makes the matcha have the consistency that it does. If you do experiment, I would love to hear how it turns out 🙂
I love the Chai Tea Latte with Matcha Powder added at Starbucks. It is so delicious I have purchased Matcha powder but I have never used it to cook with.
The recipe sounds delicious!
I love those Starbucks chai tea lattes as well! You should have some fun with matcha powder, it can really add a new twist to your baking. I appreciate your comment. Have a great weekend!
Wow! So super easy and delicious looking! I am so making this to impress all my Asian friends! 😉
I am glad you like the recipe Chantelle, thank you. Please let me know how your friends like the mochi 🙂 .