Crispy Glazed Mochi Donuts (Pon de Ring Donuts)

These Glazed Mochi Donuts are sticky, soft, and chewy, so delicious! They taste like other Japanese mochi balls on the inside while crispy on the outside. You can glaze them with your favorite toppings: classic, matcha, or chocolate! This foolproof recipe will satisfy those sweet tooth cravings.

No yeast, no donut-mold, and no need to make a starter dough – this is the EASIEST mochi donut recipe! If you love tasty donut desserts, try my Zeppole Italian Doughnuts next!

Why You’ll Love These Pon De Ring Style Mochi Donuts

Mochi Donuts are incredibly delicious and indulgent. I made them into pon de ring style, like the ones from Mr. Donut in Japan: fried, sticky, chewy, and comforting. Feel free to make them into the classic donut shape or donut holes – you’ll absolutely love them! They are made from scratch and quick to make. There’s no special equipment needed, and they’re so beautiful and perfect for sharing!

Mochi Donuts Ingredients

For making the mochi donuts, you’ll need:

• Glutinous Sweet Rice Flour – or Mochiko. This recipe uses Mochiko flour. Note that it’s different from the regular glutinous rice flour. You can find them in most Japanese grocery stores, or order them online from Amazon.
• Sugar – use the regular granulated sugar for this recipe.
• Baking Powder – this helps the donuts puff up, don’t skip it.
• Salt – use regular table salt.
• Butter – it adds a delicious flavor to the donuts. It’s best to use real butter, and make sure it’s softened before mixing it with the rest of the ingredients.
• Hot Water – it’s very important to use very hot water (almost boiling), as it will par-cook the mochiko flour so that it becomes sticky, and form a proper dough.
• Vegetable Oil – for frying the donuts.

For glazing the donuts, you’ll need:

• Powdered Sugar
• Milk
• Vanilla Extract

How to Make Mochi Donuts from Scratch

Step 1: Make the mochi dough

Add Mochiko, sugar, baking powder, salt, and softened butter to a large bowl. Then slowly add hot water and mix with a spatula until everything is nicely combined.

Step 2: Let the dough rest

Cover and let the dough rest for 1 to 2 hours.

Step 3: Divide mochi dough

Divide the dough into 6 pieces, and then divide each piece into 8 equal balls.

Step 4: Make the ring

Place a piece of parchment paper (about 4’’x 4”) on the counter. Roll a ball into a small round shape and place on the parchment paper. Use 8 balls to make a pon de ring shape.

Step 5: Fry the donuts

Heat the oil in a saucepan or dutch oven to 350 ºF (177 ºC). Slowly add the pon de ring shaped donuts (together with the parchment paper) into the oil. Fry for 5-6 minutes until golden brown. Flip from time to time. Drain the excess oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat with the rest. (Make sure not to overcrowd the pan.)

Step 6: Make the icing

Whisk the glaze ingredients together. Dip each warm donut (don’t wait for them to cool completely) into the glaze. Place them onto a prepared rack as excess glaze drips down. I like to coat one side, but feel free to coat both sides. It will take about 20 minutes for the glaze to set and harden. (You can also drizzle some melted chocolate on top.)

Tips for Making the Best Mochi Donuts

• Make sure to use Mochiko flour. The regular glutinous flour won’t work using this recipe.
• Use room temperature softened butter. If yours is not softened, microwave the butter at 15-second interval until it’s softened.
• It’s very important to add VERY HOT (almost boiling) water to the mixture. This will par-cook the mochiko flour so that it becomes sticky in order to form the dough.  
• Keep the temperature of the oil at around 350˚F (177˚C). Don’t let it drop below 330˚F, or your donuts won’t cook properly. If it’s too high, it will burn the donuts.
• Don’t remove parchment paper too earlier, or you may destroy the shape of the ring. I usually leave it in the oil for about 2 minutes, then gently remove the parchment paper with kitchen tongs.

How to Make Donut Glaze

For a simple classic glaze, simply mix the following:

• 3/4 cup powdered sugar
• 3 tablespoons milk
• 1/8 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pro Tip: This ratio will give you a light and thin layer of glaze. If you prefer a thicker glaze, add less milk to the mixture. For matcha glaze just add matcha powder to the mixture above. Start with 1/8 teaspoon, and gradually add more until it reaches your desired color.

Other Topping Ideas

You can customize the glaze as whatever you like. I use the classic sugar glaze but you can also top them with:

• Matcha glaze
• Chocolate icing / or drizzle the donuts with melted chocolate
• Vanilla donut glaze
• Strawberry glaze

Glutinous Rice Flour VS Tapioca Flour

There are different mochi donut recipes using different types of flour. Mister Donut added tapioca flour to the dough for a bouncy texture, but it’s rather complicated and takes too long to make.

If you’d like to use regular glutinous rice flour, you’ll have to make a starter dough, which can be tricky when added to the rest of the dough ingredients.

Frequently Asked Questions

What’s the Best Oil to Use for Frying these Donuts?

It’s best to use vegetable oil such as peanut oil or canola oil when it comes to deep frying, as it has a high smoke point. Heat the oil to 350˚F (177˚C), then lower the heat. You’ll need to adjust the heat from time to time and make sure to keep the temperature between 330-350˚F.

What Do Mochi Donuts Taste Like?

These mochi donuts are crispy on the outside, soft, sticky and chewy on the inside. The texture is slightly different than the ones from Mister Donut. If you like the texture of Daifuku, Strawberry Mochi, or Mango Mochi, you’ll love these Mochi Donuts.

How Long Do These Mochi Donuts Last?

Homemade mochi donuts are best enjoyed the same day. You can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Can I Bake These Donuts?

I don’t recommend baking the dough, as it’s best for frying in oil.

More Mochi Recipes

• Mochi Ice Cream
• Strawberry Mochi
• Mango Mochi
• Green Tea Mochi

If you tried this recipe, let me know how your mochi donuts turn out in the comments below!