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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!
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, they’re also packed with seasonal flavors and just the right amount of sweetness.
Ingredients for Pumpkin Mochi
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 mochi at home:
Pumpkin puree. You can make your own, but the canned stuff works just as well.
Glutinoius rice 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!
Shaping Pumpkin Mochi Flowers
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 ball, these will be the flower petals. Then simply arrange the petals around the center for adorable little edible flowers.
How to Serve
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.
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.
I did make this recipe and liked it a lot! I have to say though, those pretty flowers didn't come out nicely for me and did fall apart. Also, I used erythritol instead of coconut sugar, mostly because I just had it around but also, because it has a lower glycemic index. I LOVE mochi and eating them with hot milk felt a little similar to enjoying... zenzai? Or whatever that hot sweet anko soup with mochi is really called :> So comforting for cold weather!
Hi there, I’m Remy! Welcome to Veggiekins Blog, home to nourishing vegan + gluten-free recipes and tips to live your best balanced and holistic life. I’m a human on a mission to empower you to be well and be kind to your mind, body and soul with the healing power of plants.
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