Make Your Own Daifuku Mochi

By
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka
Setsuko Yoshizuka is a freelance food writer and Japanese cookbook author.
Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process
Updated on 06/3/21
Daifuku Mochi

The Spruce / Christine Ma
Prep: 2 hrs
Cook: 30 mins
Total: 2 hrs 30 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
168 Calories
0g Fat
39g Carbs
3g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 168
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 1%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 56mg 2%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 2g 6%
Total Sugars 23g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 0mg 0%
Calcium 16mg 1%
Iron 0mg 2%
Potassium 76mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Daifuku or Daifuku Mochi is a type of wagashi; or Japanese sweet. It's a popular Japanese snack usually served with green tea. Daifuku is most commonly filled with red bean paste, but some are filled with white bean paste (Shiroan). There is also mochi which is colored and flavored with kinako (soybean flour), yomogi (Japanese mugwort), matcha green tea powder, or a touch of red food coloring.

It takes quite a bit of time to make mochi from scratch. You can also make mochi with shiratamako or mochiko (glutinous rice/sweet rice flour). The flour is mixed with water and steamed either on the stovetop or in the microwave. With this quick method, sticky tasty mochi is ready in no time.

Ingredients

For the Filling:

  • 2/3 cup water

  • 1/2 cup sugar

  • 1/4 cup dried anko powder, or 1 1/4 cups pre-made anko, divided

  • Katakuriko, potato starch, or cornstarch, for dusting

For the Mochi:

  • 1 cup shiratama-ko (glutinous rice flour)

  • 2/3 cup water

  • 1/4 cup sugar

Steps to Make It

Make the Filling

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for filling for Daifuku Mochi

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Heat 2/3 cup of water and 1/2 cup of sugar in a small pot.

    sugar and water in a pot

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Add 1/4 cup of anko powder and stir well.

    Add anko powder to the water in the pot

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Cool anko filling.

    Cool the anko filling in the pot

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Make 12 small anko balls and set aside.

    anko balls on a plate

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

Make the Mochi

  1. Gather the ingredients.

    Ingredients for mochi for Daifuku Mochi

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  2. Put shiratama-ko in a heat-resistant bowl.

    Put shiratama-ko in bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  3. Mix water and sugar in a separate small small bowl.

    Mix water and sugar

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  4. Gradually pour water-sugar mixture into shiratama-ko, stirring well.

    Stir water-sugar mixture into shiratama-ko

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  5. Put bowl in microwave and heat dough for about 2 minutes. Stir the dough.

    dough in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  6. Heat dough in the microwave again, until dough inflates. Stir mochi quickly.

    dough in a bowl

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  7. Dust a flat pan, as well as your hands, with some katakuri-ko starch. 

    baking sheet dusted with starch

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  8. Remove hot mochi from bowl to the pan by hand. The mochi will be hot and sticky, so please be careful not to burn your hands.

    mochi on a dusted baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  9. Dust hands with more katakuri-ko starch and divide mochi into 12 pieces by hands.

    mochi divided into pieces

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  10. Make 12 flat and round mochi pieces.

    flattened mochi on a baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  11. Put a piece of anko filling in the center of the mochi and wrap the anko by stretching mochi.

    Fill mochi with anko filling

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  12. Round the daifuku.

    Round daifuku

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

  13. Repeat process to make more pieces.

    Daifuku Mochi on a dusted baking sheet

    The Spruce / Christine Ma

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