Coconut Butter Mochi Muffins
Chewy, coconutty muffins from Hawaii, made in one bowl with no mixer.
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Before You Start
Butter mochi is a Hawaiian classic that keeps finding new fans online for its unusual chew, closer to a dense, coconutty pudding cake than a fluffy muffin. Sweet rice flour is what gives it that stretch, and the whole batter comes together by hand in one bowl with no creaming, no mixer, no fuss.
Instructions
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1
Heat the oven to 175°C / 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
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2
Whisk the sweet rice flour, sugar and baking powder together in a large bowl.
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3
In another bowl, whisk the coconut milk, eggs, melted butter and vanilla until smooth.
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4
Pour the wet into the dry and whisk until just combined, the batter will be quite thin, that's correct for this recipe.
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5
Divide between the muffin cups, filling about ¾ full, and scatter shredded coconut over the tops.
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6
Bake for 32 to 35 minutes, until deep golden and a skewer comes out mostly clean with a few moist, chewy crumbs.
💡 Baker's tips
- Sweet rice flour (sometimes labelled mochiko or glutinous rice flour) is not interchangeable with regular rice flour, it is what gives the chew.
- Cool them fully before eating. Warm mochi muffins taste gummy rather than chewy; the texture sets properly once cool.
🔀 Make it your own
- Fold in a handful of chocolate chips or chopped macadamia nuts before baking.
- Swap the coconut milk for ube extract and a splash of milk for the purple ube version.
📦 Storing & freezing
Airtight at room temperature for 3 days. Freezes well for 2 months; thaw at room temperature.
❓ Frequently asked
Can I use regular flour instead of sweet rice flour?
No, regular or even regular rice flour will not give the signature chew. Sweet (glutinous) rice flour, often labelled mochiko, is essential to this recipe.
Why is butter mochi batter so thin?
That is normal for this recipe. The thin batter bakes into a dense, chewy texture, unlike a typical fluffy muffin batter.
Baking in a different unit? Use the cups ↔ grams converter or the recipe scaler to halve or double this recipe.
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