Butter Mochi is a local treat (like a cross between cake and mochi) that you can find in Hawaii. See below for our favorite butter mochi spots (including places for chocolate butter mochi and lilikoi butter-butter mochi!) and a recipe you can make at home.
Today we're talking about one of my favorite subjects: Butter Mochi!
We grew up with Butter Mochi everywhere in Hawaii. At the school cafeteria/snack bar. You'll see butter mochi at potluck parties and bake sales. Someone's mom/aunty/grandma always had a fresh tray of butter mochi at home. It's available at local bakeries. It's easy to make and super delicious.
What is Butter Mochi?
Think of Butter Mochi as Hawaii's version of the blondie/brownie. It has a deep golden top, and is just a bit chewy and sweet. Imagine vanilla butter cake crossed with mochi. So ono!
Butter Mochi is usually baked in a 9x13 tray and cut into squares for snacking. It's meant to be shared and eaten at room temperature.
The two main ingredients in Butter Mochi are mochiko flour and coconut milk...
What is Mochiko Flour?
Mochiko flour is what gives Butter Mochi that chewy mochi-esque texture. Mochiko flour also goes by the name "sweet rice flour" and "glutinous rice flour."
Mochiko flour is the key ingredient to making many Hawaii recipes like Butter Mochi and Mochiko Chicken. This rice flour is what gives Butter Mochi that signature chewy-cake texture, and Mochiko Chicken that crisp, crunchy skin. I use mochiko from Koda Farms.
Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour (3 Pack)
Where to get Butter Mochi
If you're in Hawaii...anywhere! Bakeries, the local farmer's markets, a friend's house, potluck parties, soccer games, you name it. There's no single place that has "the best" butter mochi (mainly because everyone also makes it at home).
Here are a few places where I like to buy butter mochi:
Diamond Head Market and Grill (Oahu)
Look for the giant rack of baked goods next to the cash register. A nice 3x3" square of butter mochi (pictured above and top photo in this post) is just $3.75. Get other great desserts and a plate lunch while you're there.
Local Farmers Market (All Islands)
The market vendors are always changing, but you'll find at least 1-2 vendors offering butter mochi. Try them all and compare! On Oahu I like to visit the KCC Farmer's Market and the Kaka'ako Farmers Market.
Kahuku Farms (Oahu)
Once you've tried classic butter mochi, you'll want to branch out and try the many variations found in Hawaii. I really love the Lilikoi (passion fruit) Butter-Butter Mochi from Kahuku Farms! It comes in a four pack, individual butter mochi rounds with a dollop of lilikoi butter on top. There's also lilikoi butter mixed into the batter.
(Pro tip: Kahuku Farms is right across the street from Romy's Kahuku Prawns and Shrimp, so get a garlic shrimp plate while you're there.)
Former Butter Mochi
Just want to give a shoutout to a few great butter mochi options that no longer exist (though here's hoping that they bring it back on day ^_^)
Hilton Hawaiian Village (the hotel snack shop)
The chocolate butter mochi at the hotel snack shop was SOOO good! They sold it by the giant square. Take home, slice up and share. Man I loved this butter mochi. Perfect balance, just enough chocolate to make you happy. This one was a gem.
Whole Foods Hawaii (Kahala Mall location)
Unexpected but yes! The bakery section sold containers butter mochi by the pound. I only ever saw it at the Kahala Mall location. It's really good and they also made chocolate butter mochi.
Butter Mochi Outside of Hawaii
I love seeking out Hawaii food outside of Hawaii! You can find butter mochi in many other cities.
In San Francisco, Liholiho Yacht Club makes a butter mochi that comes with a top layer of coconut custard. It comes out warm ^_^ So good. It's an off-menu item but all you have to do is just ask for it.
Ono Bakehouse in Berkeley has individual rounds of butter mochi topped with toasted coconut. Don't forget to try their other local desserts.
In Los Angeles, Porridge and Puffs makes an amazing brown butter mochi (thin slices of butter mochi are pan-fried) that comes to the table hot and crisp with miso caramel.
What if you just want to make butter mochi at home? You're in luck. Butter Mochi is easy to make...
Ingredients
- Mochiko flour
- Sugar
- Baking powder
- Butter, melted
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Coconut milk
Mochiko flour is the most important ingredient! The coconut milk gives it that rich and nutty undertone. The rest of the ingredients are pantry staples like butter, eggs, vanilla extract, baking powder, and sugar. Mix everything in one bowl and bake away. It couldn't be easier.
Step by Step Directions
Here's how:
Combine.
Using a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
Mix.
Mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth.
Pour and Bake.
Pour into a lightly greased 9x13" pan. Bake at 375F for one hour.
Cool and Eat.
Cool to room temperature and cut into squares for snacking. Enjoy!
FAQs and Tips
Make sure to use mochiko flour from Koda Farms.
You want the full fat coconut milk from a can.
Keep it in a sealed container, no need to refrigerate. It's perfect at room temperature (that's how we eat it 99% of the time), but also so onolicious when it's still slightly warm.
Butter Mochi Recipe
See below, this is the Butter Mochi recipe we've been using for decades. It's been adapted from a popular local cookbook called Hawaii's Best Local Desserts by Jean Hee ^_^
Butter Mochi
Butter Mochi is a local Hawaii sweet (Hawaii's version of the blondie/brownie) made of mochiko flour and coconut milk. Fast and easy to make. Great for sharing.
Ingredients
- 1 pound box of mochiko flour
- 3 cups sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ cup butter, melted
- 5 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 12 ounce can of coconut milk
Instructions
- Using a large mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Mix with a wooden spoon until the batter is smooth.
- Pour into a lightly greased 9x13" pan.
- Bake at 375F for one hour.
- Cool to room temperature and cut into squares for snacking. Enjoy!
Notes
Adapted from Hawaii's Best Local Desserts by Jean Hee.
I love this recipe and that it come out cakier than other versions. I keep getting asked to make it for other people too, haha. Even though we're leaving Hawaii soon, I'm glad we'll be able to bring a bit of the cooking back with us. Thank you!
Aloha Erica! Thank you for the awesome comment, I'm so happy you like the recipe! Hope you had a good time in Hawaii 🙂
- Kathy
How do you keep the top of the butter mochi from crumbling when cutting?
Tasted amazing. Just way too sweet for our liking. Going to try a 1/2 cup of sugar/alternative sweetener for next time. All in all, glad we made it.
375 on my oven seems to be too hot to where it burn the sides and made the top too hard. Any suggestions on temp?
What type of coconut milk is best? There are ones with and without guar gum, lite versions, heavier cream versions, etc. Also many different brands. Does it make a difference?
Not the blog author, and perhaps you've already figured out your own way, but it's best to use regular full fat version, and I found that the fewer extra ingredients, the better, no guar gum or anything like that.
Hello, could the batter be frozen and baked later?
@S, i have not made this recipe yet but i have made butter mochi with a bunch of other recipes I love the stuff specially on the first day. now that my kid is grown and out of the house. i put the batter in silicon cupcake liners and freeze. then whenever i want a piece i take it from freezer to oven 375 for like 20 minutes. ( i am not an exact cook check at 20 minutes if it looks done your good. )
Hi,
Wondering how high this recipe rises in a 9 x 13 pan. I think this dessert would look fabulous on this baking slab from MadeIn cookware, but the wall height of the slab is only 1 3/8" high (as opposed to 2" high on most pans) . Would this recipe overflow this slab?
https://madeincookware.com/products/porcelain-baking-slab
Thank you so much for posting this recipe! I made this today for my friends birthday and it turned out perfectly chewy and sweet. Neither of us have ever had it before, so thanks again from the mainland;-)
Most recipes call for milk when making butter mochi.
Just making sure you don’t add milk?
Can't wait to make your recipe. Made my mouth water
If i want to half the recipe, will the bake time change?
Can i use the toothpick test for this?
I have never had butter mochi before so i don't know what to expect
Looking forward to your feedback
@Helen, coconut milk is used in this recipe
Texture is very cake-y, similar to a pound cake. Maybe a little lighter. It’s not the chewy mochi texture I was expecting but it was still tasty. But honestly I could have achieved this texture with flour. Next time I’ll alter the recipe and maybe add one less egg and a little more coconut milk.
Could you recommend an egg substitute for this? I usually use flax egg with baking but the recipe needs 5...I don’t know how that will hold up.
Excellent recipe! I used coconut cream and water instead of coconut milk, and the texture of my butter mochi came out almost like pound cake! Incredible! I loved that your recipe did not have additional milk. This was moist, rich, chewy and dense! Thanks for sharing!
Thank you, Jackie! So happy you enjoyed ^_^
- Kathy
I used a cup of sugar and that was already too sweet. I’ll probably try 1/2 cup next time. While it was warm, it was like cake. If you’re like me and want it chewy then let it cool first. It takes about an hour for the puffiness to set and be ready to enjoy.
How do you get the crusty top like in the picture? I got a cake top.
Thanks for sharing!
I’ve never had butter mochi but I’ve been wanting to make it for months. This dessert is amazing in texture, flavor, fragrance, and ease of making. Thanks so much for posting this recipe! Don’t know how much this affected the recipe but I used coconut sugar and used about 2 cups of sugar instead. It was still amazing and my whole family of 6 loved it! It’s definitely best fresh when it still has a little bit of that crust on top.
Hi Susan,
So happy you and your family enjoyed the butter mochi! Thanks so much for the comment...it is easy to make and SO tasty! Especially when warm 🙂 I've yet to try making butter mochi with coconut sugar but will try that next time...sounds so good. And yes, that really golden browned crust part is my favorite!
- Kathy
Made this recipe -- was much more cakey than the images appear.
Great recipe but I’d skip the baking powder if you don’t want a cakey mochi I prefer chewy mochi