Easy Pumpkin Mochi with Cinnamon Sugar Milk
Sep 21, 2022 • Updated Oct 17, 2023
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Make sweet and chewy Pumpkin Mochi with Cinnamon Sugar Milk for a delicious dessert perfect for Fall. It happens to be gluten-free and vegan!
What is Mochi?
Japanese Mochi is a traditional food made from glutinous rice flour. It has a sticky, chewy, and dough-like consistency and is popular in desserts like the one I’m sharing today.
It is known for its unique texture, which is both soft and chewy, and it has a slightly sweet flavor. Plus, it’s a no-bake dessert that comes together pretty quickly. Basically, it’s delicious!
What Makes This Recipe Great
It’s pretty easy to find pumpkin-flavored everything these days. But if you’re sick of it in your coffee, it might be time to try something new. These easy homemade Pumpkin Mochi are not only adorable, but they’re also packed with seasonal flavors and just the right amount of sweetness.
Plus, it’s naturally gluten-free and vegan. That’s right, no eggs, no gluten, no dairy! Just a simple, delicious dessert that’s pumpkin-flavored, chewy, sweet, and addicting!
Ingredient Notes
I like to make two kinds of mochi for these pretty flower-shaped desserts. One is flavored with pumpkin, and the other is plain. Here’s what you need to make pumpkin mochi at home:
- Pumpkin puree. You can make your own, but the canned stuff works just as well. Just make sure to buy plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Glutinous rice flour. Also called sweet rice flour and mochiko flour. Look for this in Asian markets.
- Tapioca flour. This is a gluten-free flour that thickens up nicely.
Cinnamon Sugar Milk
I like to serve the pumpkin mochi in a sweet, spiced broth of cinnamon-sugar milk. It’s totally nostalgic and delicious. Here’s what you need to make it (just three ingredients!):
- Coconut Milk. Use the full-fat kind for the best flavor and texture.
- Coconut sugar. You can also use a different kind of granulated sugar if you like.
- Cinnamon sticks. For that classic pumpkin spice flavor, of course! You can also add other pumpkin pie spices like nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice if desired.
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Start by making the pumpkin mochi. Whisk the pumpkin purée and flour in a small bowl until a dough forms, adding additional tapioca flour as needed until you achieve a workable dough that doesn’t stick to your hands.
- Next, prepare your plain mochi by mixing the flour and water, again adding flour as needed until the dough is workable.
- To make a flower, lay a piece of parchment paper down and then roll out 5 uniform pumpkin dough balls, rolling tightly. Roll out 1 plain mochi ball, a little smaller than the pumpkin balls, and place it on the parchment paper. Arrange the pumpkin balls around the plain mochi in a flower shape and gently press them together (not too tightly). Repeat to create as many flowers as you’d like and place them in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add coconut sugar and cinnamon sticks to a small sauce pan with the coconut milk. Cook on low heat, gently stirring until the coconut sugar melts and adjusts to taste. Finish with a little bit of salt and remove from heat.
- Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil and gently drop in the flower mochi pieces. Use a spoon to ensure nothing sticks to the bottom, and once the mochi floats, it’s ready! Lift it out of the pot and into a bowl of cool water.
- To serve, place a few flowers into a bowl and serve with as much cinnamon milk as desired.
Secrets to Success
- I like to turn my mochi dough into cute little orange and white flowers. To do this, simply roll pieces of mochi dough on a piece of parchment paper. Make the orange balls slightly larger than the plain balls; These will be the flower petals. Then, simply arrange the petals around the center for adorable little edible flowers.
Serving Tips
- I like to serve this mochi a little like cereal. While the milk is warm, simply pour some over the mochi in a bowl. Then, enjoy with a spoon. The milk adds moisture and extra spiced sweetness to the mochi.
Storage Tips
- Pumpkin mochi is best enjoyed fresh as it can lose its shape and texture when stored over time.
- To store leftovers, let the mochi cool to room temperature. Then, place the balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the cinnamon milk in its own airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, combine the two in a bowl and enjoy.
Recipe FAQs
It’s made from glutinous rice flour that becomes sticky and chewy when cooked. It has a subtly sweet taste and melds well with tons of other ingredients and flavours.
More Mochi Recipes
Kinako Rice Krispies with Peanuts and Mochi
If you make this recipe, be sure to let me know what you think with a comment below! Follow me on Instagram for more delicious recipes!
Easy Pumpkin Mochi with Cinnamon Sugar Milk
Ingredients
Pumpkin Mochi
- 3 tbsp pumpkin purée
- 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour more as needed
Plain Mochi
- 2 tbsp filtered water
- 2 tbsp glutinous rice flour
- 2 tbsp tapioca flour
Cinnamon Sugar Milk
- 1 can full fat coconut milk
- 1-2 tbsp coconut sugar
- 2 sticks cinnamon
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Start by making the pumpkin mochi. Mix purée and flours in a small bowl until a dough forms, adding additional tapioca flour as needed until you achieve a workable dough that doesn't stick to your hands.
- Next prepare your plain mochi by mixing the flours and water, again adding flour as needed until the dough is workable.
- To make a flower, lay a piece of parchment paper down and then roll out 5 uniform pumpkin balls, rolling tightly. Roll out 1 plain mochi ball, a little smaller than the pumpkin balls and place it on the parchment paper. Arrange the pumpkin balls around the plain mochi in a flower shape and gently press together (not too tightly). Repeat to create as many flowers as you'd like and place in the freezer for about 5-10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, add coconut sugar and cinnamon sticks to a small pot with the coconut milk. Cook on low heat, gently stirring until the coconut sugar melts and adjust to taste. Finish with a little bit of salt and remove from heat.
- Bring a small pot of water to a rolling boil and gently drop in the flower mochi pieces. Use a spoon to make sure nothing sticks to the bottom and once the mochi floats, it's ready! Lift it out of the pot and into a bowl of cool water.
- To serve, place a few flowers into a bowl and serve with as much milk as desired.
Notes
Secrets to Success
- I like to turn my mochi dough into cute little orange and white flowers. To do this, simply roll pieces of mochi dough on a piece of parchment paper. Make the orange balls slightly larger than the plain balls; These will be the flower petals. Then, simply arrange the petals around the center for adorable little edible flowers.
Serving Tips
- I like to serve this mochi a little like cereal. While the milk is warm, simply pour some over the mochi in a bowl. Then, enjoy with a spoon. The milk adds moisture and extra spiced sweetness to the mochi.
Storage Tips
- Pumpkin mochi is best enjoyed fresh as it can lose its shape and texture when stored over time.
- To store leftovers, let the mochi cool to room temperature. Then, place the balls in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the cinnamon milk in its own airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, combine the two in a bowl and enjoy.
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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