Peanut Butter Chocolate Mochi is a sweet tasty dessert treat that’s inspired by traditional Japanese desserts, but with a western twist. The classic flavor combination of peanut butter and chocolate in a chewy chocolaty square.
This is a great recipe for the beginner. You don’t have to roll it out or try filling it. They’re simple to make and so yummy.
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What does mochi taste like?
Mochi is a lightly sweet sticky chewy dessert bite made from sweet rice flour.
On its own, it’s very light in flavor, tasting a bit like rice.
Mochi is very versatile with endless flavor possibilities, like matcha, strawberry, or chocolate. And is used in a number of different ways: some have sweet fillings, dried, baked, turned into cakes and cookies, and the list goes on and on.
It’s lovely because it is such a versatile treat that isn’t super sugary, yet will satisfy your sweet tooth
The texture of mochi is really a big part of the fun of it. It’s soft yet chewy, like a marshmallow.
Mochi kitty
I’ve wanted to make mochi for a long time. And even more so for the past year & a half.
See, my kitty’s name is Mochi.
She’s lived with us for just under two years now. She’s such a special girl, and I love her so.
So, at the risk of being accused of “telling my whole life story on my blog”, I’m going to share how much I love my pet, with this tribute to her namesake, Mochi!
She’s the cute black cat that you see in many of my posts. The funny thing, she was asleep while I was working on the pictures for this one!
Traditionally, mochi is a Japanese rice cake made by pounding glutinous rice into a tender, sticky cake.
Today, we’re lucky because we can go to the store and buy a box of sweet rice flour, called mochiko. We don’t have to pound our own rice into flour!
Mochiko is made from a glutinous, short-grain sweet rice called mochigome, also known as “sticky rice.”
You may be able to find mochiko powder in the Asian section of your grocery store. I also have several Asian stores near me that carry it: 99 Ranch Market, Tokyo Central Market, or grab some from Amazon with my affiliate link.
Sweet rice flour storage
Store the container of sweet rice flour in a cool, dry area, away from heat and direct sunlight.
It will absorb flavors and odors if it’s stored in close proximity to strong foods.
I like to store this, and most other flours in the fridge or freezer. It can even be bagged in plastic bags for more protection.
Yes! Mochi is naturally vegan. Mochi is also naturally gluten-free. And my recipe is also vegan and gluten-free!
But please be careful if you follow a vegan diet and are buying mochi from a dessert shop. It may have non-vegan fillings or additions to it. Many mochi cakes are made with butter.
It’s best to read the ingredients or ask if you’re out.
Why is mochi covered in flour?
Many of the mochi dessert treats that you find are often covered in flour, cornstarch, potato starch, or cocoa powder.
Mochi is a very sticky dough. Very sticky!
Coating the dough in these powders keeps it from sticking to hands and other mochis.
We decided to cover our mochi with a blend of powdered sugar and cocoa powder, both for flavor and to keep it from sticking.
Natural cocoa powder will work. However, I recommend using a high-quality Dutch-processed cocoa powder. This will give you a better taste and appearance. I love Special Dark Dutched cocoa. You’ve seen me use it in my Chocolate Cake, Rocky Road cookies, Aztec Hot Chocolate, and Flourless chocolate pecan cookies.
Pro tips on how to make these mochi
As I said before, I wanted to make these mochi super easy for the beginner. You don’t have to wrap the dough around fillings or get frustrated with complicated methods. And no fancy shaping of the dough.
Chocolate mochi cake is just a really simple, easy to make, chocolate mochi square that’s drizzled with peanut butter and garnished with peanut butter powder.
My inspiration
It was actually Disneyland and their PB&J Mochi that inspired me to make this particular peanut butter and chocolate creation.
Disneyland tops their confection with what they call “peanut butter dust” That dust is powdered peanut butter that you can find in most any grocery store in the peanut butter section.
Easy steps
So, here are the quick & easy steps to making these fun Asian fusion mochi treats.
Be sure to scroll down for the printable recipe card with ingredient amounts and full instructions.
Make cocoa syrup
In a saucepan, combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons cocoa, and mix well. Add 1 cup water, and heat over medium heat to dissolve water. Set aside.
Mix rice flour and 3 cups water in a large bowl until smooth. Cover and microwave 5 minutes on high power.
Keep in mind that microwaves will vary in power. Mine is super powerful at 1300 watts; so I changed mine to 80% power for this cooking process.
Remove and mix well.
Cover and return to microwave, 5 more minutes. Remove.
Add cocoa syrup to mochi, and mix thoroughly.
Pour the mochi mixture into a greased 13×9-inch pan. You could do thin small mochi as well if you used a larger sheet pan.
Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature until firm.
In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa. Place the powdered sugar & cocoa mixture in a strainer, and dust the top of the cooled mochi well with the powdered sugar mixture.
Turn the mochi out onto a cutting board. Cut into small squares, about an inch square. Dust all sides with powdered sugar mixture.
When you’re ready to serve, take 3 mochi squares and place them on a plate. Drizzle with melted peanut butter and garnish with a pinch of powdered peanut butter.
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Chocolate Mochi
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- 1 cup water
- 16 ounces sweet rice flour
- 3 cups water
- 4 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa
- peanut butter melted for drizzling
- powdered peanut butter for garnish
Instructions
- Butter or non-stick spray a 13×9-inch baking pan. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, combine sugar and 3 tablespoons cocoa, and mix well. Add 1 cup water, and heat over medium heat to dissolve water. Set aside.
- Mix rice flour and 3 cups water in a large bowl until smooth. Cover and microwave 5 minutes on high power. Remove and mix well. Cover and return to microwave, 5 more minutes. Remove. Add cocoa syrup to mochi, and mix thoroughly.
- Pour the mochi mixture into the greased pan.
- Allow the mixture to cool to room temperature until firm.
- In a small bowl, combine powdered sugar and 2 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa. Place the powdered sugar & cocoa mixture in a strainer, and dust the top of the cooled mochi well with the powdered sugar mixture.
- Turn the mochi out onto a cutting board. Cut into small squares, about an inch square. Dust all sides with powdered sugar mixture.
- Store mochi in an airtight container in the fridge.
- When you’re ready to serve, take 3 mochi squares and place them on a plate. Drizzle with melted peanut butter and garnish with a pinch of powdered peanut butter.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations, and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary based on brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
