Vanilla-Glazed Mochi Donuts Recipe

You may be familiar with mochi ice cream now that it's standard in supermarket freezer sections, but have you tried mochi donuts? While you might think these donuts come from Japan, it seems the recipe is a more or less American creation –- the first version was developed in Hawaii (also the home of butter mochi) and made with both poi and mochi, although it may have taken its inspiration from the donuts sold at a Japanese chain founded by an American. Well, whoever or however these donuts came to be, they're some of the prettiest, tastiest ones you'll find anywhere.

According to developer Chanel Murphy, "Readers should try this recipe because it offers a unique twist on traditional donuts due to its chewy texture." As for the signature chewiness, she explains that this comes from the glutinous rice flour, aka mochi. She also notes that "The technique of forming the pon de ring shape with eight small mochi balls is a unique feature." While Murphy opts for a plain white glaze here, you can add a drop or two of food coloring if you'd like more vibrantly-hued pics to post on your Instagram.

The donut dough is made with glutinous rice flour (mochi) plus all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, an egg, milk, vanilla, and vegetable oil, with this same oil being used for frying. You're also going to need powdered sugar to make the glaze.

Mix the rice flour with the sugar and baking powder. Beat the egg with the milk, vanilla, and ½ cup oil in a different bowl, then gradually mix this into the bowl with the flour. Once the mochi mix is well combined, add a little bit of the flour at a time. Start with just ½ cup of the stuff, adding up to ¼ cup more as needed. As Murphy describes it, "The dough should be smooth and pliable but not overly sticky."

Once the dough is pliable enough so that you can shape it, divide it into 64 equal parts and roll each one into a 1-inch ball. Take 8 balls and stick them together into the shape of a ring, then do the same with the next 8 balls and so on until you have 8 ring-shaped donuts.

Pour the oil into a deep, heavy-bottomed pot and heat it to 350 F. If your pot is on the smaller side, you may only need about 3 cups of vegetable oil here rather than the full 4. Conversely, if your pot is large, you may need more oil.

Once the oil is hot, add a few donuts to the pot, but don't overcrowd the pan. Cook them for 3 to 4 minutes until they are cooked through and golden brown in color. Murphy advises, "When frying, monitor the donuts and flip them over to ensure they cook evenly and do not burn." As each batch of donuts finishes, fish them out of the pot using a slotted spoon or strainer and set them on a wire rack over a baking sheet to drain. Continue the process until all of the donuts have been cooked.

Mix the powdered sugar and vanilla, then stir in just as much milk as is needed to get a proper drizzling consistency. (You may only need about 2 tablespoons rather than the 3 given here.) Sprinkle powdered sugar over the donuts, then drizzle them with the glaze. They're now ready to eat, possibly with a side of fruit or maybe a cup of tea or coffee.

Murphy says, unsurprisingly, "These donuts are best enjoyed fresh." She does say that leftovers can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for 2 days or frozen for longer storage. Should you do so, though, she cautions, "They may lose some of their texture upon thawing."