Quick & Easy 3-Ingredient Almond Milk Mochi (Vegan)

It’s mochi made with almond milk! This vegan almond milk mochi only requires 3 ingredients, no-bake, and takes only 10 minutes to make.

Almond milk is a dairy-free and lactose-free alternative to cow’s milk made from finely ground almonds, water and a pinch of salt. Almond milk’s creamy texture and subtle flavor make it versatile in both sweet and savory dishes.

And it turns out, it’s a great addition to mochi, too.

Though most mochi recipes are made with glutinous rice flour, sugar and water, the addition of almond milk to the sweet rice dough adds a slightly creamier texture. If you use vanilla or honey-sweetened almond milk, those flavors will also come through in between the chewy, soft bites of this mochi!

***UPDATE 6/5/22 I updated the filling from the usual red bean paste (koshi an) to almond paste. The old photo is under the “variation” section.

Ingredients Used to Make Almond Milk Mochi

_{**I’ve linked some of these ingredients to amazon.com to give you an idea of what they are, but you should also be able to find them in your local grocery store (usually, the natural & organic food section). They are also affiliate links, which means that I earn a commission as an Amazon Associate if you decide to purchase the items. The price will be the same for you, link or no link 🙂}

Almond Milk – I used the regular (sweetened) vanilla almond milk. If you are using unsweetened, the mochi will be slightly bland, but the results will be similar.

Glutinous Rice Flour – this goes by many names. You’ll see Glutinous Rice Flour and Mochiko Flour (my favorite brand) in Asian grocery stores, and Sweet White Rice Flour in most other stores. ***Please note that regular white rice flour or brown rice flour is NOT the same thing as glutinous rice flour!!!

Cornstarch (or Oil) – for dusting the mochi and to keep the mochi from sticking to your hands. You can also use olive or melted coconut oil on your hands and pan.

For the Filling, You’ll Need

While you can use any filling of choice, this is the one I used in the photos

• Almond paste – almond paste is a fudgy, sweet moldable paste that’s made from ground almonds, sugar and water. Be sure to watch the ingredient list, though, if you are following a vegan diet. Sometimes storebought almond pastes contain egg whites. You can buy them in most grocery stores, or via Amazon here

Step by Step Guide

Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:

• You can add different flavorings to the almond milk mochi dough before cooking. For example, you can add either a teaspoon of coffee extract or espresso powder, cocoa, cinnamon or Cardamom Powder. They’re not typically added in a traditional recipe, but you’re welcome to experiment!

Other Mochi Filling Options

• Almond Paste with Mini Chocolate Chips – Mix almond paste and mini chocolate chips together to make a vegan “cookie dough” filling, like below!

• Sweetened Red Bean Paste (a.k.a. Koshi An): I eat this stuff by spoonfuls! It’s a versatile ingredient that goes inside my sweet rice mochi recipe as well my tofu mochi recipe, but it’s also used as fillings inside sweet breads, pancakes, cookies and more. You can find Sweetened Red Bean paste in most Asian grocery stores, and online. There are Fine and Coarse kinds

How to Store Vegan Almond Milk Mochi

• The mochi can be kept covered at room temperature for up to 24 hours. For longer storage, I would freeze the mochi in a plastic freezer bag or an airtight container, then defrost at room temperature when ready to eat.
• The reason I don’t recommend storing them in the fridge is that mochi usually tend to develop a weird waxy, hard texture when stored in the fridge. So eat within a day or freeze for best results.

Final Tips

• Use a solid metal spoon (wooden spoons might break!) to stir the cooked mochi mixture so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed
• Use a microwave-safe bowl, preferably glass like pyrex

See all my Mochi Recipes (HERE)