Vegan Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream (Printable)

Soft chewy mochi wraps around creamy coconut strawberry ice cream in this plant-based Japanese sweet.

# What You'll Need:

→ Strawberry Ice Cream

01 - 1 1/2 cups fresh strawberries, hulled and chopped
02 - 1/2 cup canned full-fat coconut milk
03 - 1/4 cup maple syrup
04 - 1 tsp vanilla extract
05 - Pinch of salt

→ Mochi Dough

06 - 1 cup sweet rice flour (glutinous rice flour, e.g., Mochiko)
07 - 1/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 2/3 cup water
09 - 1/2 tsp beetroot powder (optional, for color)

→ Dusting

10 - 1/4 cup potato starch or cornstarch (for dusting)

# Directions:

01 - Blend strawberries, coconut milk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and salt until completely smooth. Churn in an ice cream maker according to manufacturer's instructions, or pour into a shallow dish and freeze, stirring every 30 minutes until creamy and scoopable (approximately 2–3 hours). Scoop into 8 small balls (about 1 1/2 tablespoons each), place on a lined baking tray, and freeze until firm (at least 2 hours).
02 - In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk sweet rice flour, sugar, water, and beetroot powder (if using) until smooth. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 1 minute, stir thoroughly, then microwave for another minute. Stir again, then microwave in 30-second intervals until the dough becomes thick and translucent (total cooking time approximately 2.5–3 minutes). Allow to cool until safe to handle (about 10 minutes).
03 - Generously dust a clean work surface with potato starch. Turn out the mochi dough onto the starched surface, dust the top, and roll to approximately 1/4-inch thickness. Cut 8 circles (about 3.5 inches in diameter) using a round cutter or drinking glass. Keep mochi circles separated with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
04 - Working quickly to prevent melting, place a frozen ice cream ball in the center of each mochi circle. Pinch edges together to seal completely, then place seam-side down in a cupcake liner. Repeat with remaining mochi circles and ice cream balls. Freeze finished mochi ice cream for at least 1 hour before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture contrast between chewy mochi and creamy ice cream is absolutely addictive
  • You get restaurant-quality results with simple pantry ingredients and no special equipment
02 -
  • Keep everything freezing cold throughout the assembly process or the ice cream will melt before you can seal the mochi
  • Overworking the mochi dough makes it tough, so handle it gently and only as much as needed
03 -
  • Use a warm glass to cut perfect mochi circles by pressing the rim into the dough like a cookie cutter
  • If your mochi starts drying out and cracking, microwave it for just 10 seconds to restore pliability

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