10+ Different Mochi Fillings, Recipes & Ideas for More Homemade Mochi

Looking for new ways to enjoy mochi? Nowadays there are many varieties of mochi that come with different flavors, colors and filings. The sticky sweet rice dough is a perfect canvas for both savory and sweet add ins. Plus, you can also easily switch up its flavors and colors with mashed fruits, powders, or food coloring. 

While the most popular types of mochi fillings are bean-based, such as sweetened red bean paste, white bean paste (shiro an) and mung bean paste – there are tons of different and unique types of mochi fillings that can be used to make healthy and delicious mochi. Here are 10+ different mochi fillings ideas to get you started.

1. The Classic: Sweetened Red Bean Paste

Sweetened Red Bean Paste (a.k.a. Koshi An) is a classic filling that goes inside East Asian desserts. Red Bean Paste is essentially Asian red beans that’s been cooked with sugar until it becomes a sweet and thick paste. Not only is it used for mochi, it’s a versatile ingredient that can be stuffed inside sweet breads, pancakes, cookies and more.

I usually purchase my red bean paste from my local Asian grocery store, but you can also buy them on Amazon, here

• How to Buy: Koshi An (Amazon)
• How to Make: Here’s a recipe by Just One Cookbook, as well as a Pressure Cooker Bean Paste Recipe by Chopstick Chronicles

2. Sweetened White Bean Paste (a.k.a Shiro An)

Fudgy and sweet, white bean paste is a perfect filling for mooncakes. It’s a hugely popular ingredient in East Asia and widely used in Asian confectionary and desserts like mochi, sweetbreads, cookies as well as mooncakes. Unfortunately, it’s not always stocked in most Asian grocery stores. Here’s one brand you can purchase on Amazon (here).

• How to Buy: Shiro An (Amazon)
• How to Make: Here’s a Shortcut White Bean Paste Recipe I make when I’ve run out of Shiro An

3. Nuts

I love the crunch and added texture of the walnuts in the red bean paste filling. To make, mix walnuts and red bean paste in a 1:1 ratio. Roll them into balls, and use them as your filling!

• How to Make: Here’s my recipe for the Walnut Bean Paste Filling

4. Black Sesame Paste

Nutty and sweet, black sesame is a delicious filling that can be used in many different types of desserts and snacks, including mochi and mooncakes. It’s also a healthy and nutritious ingredient because of its high calcium content and antioxidants and is also an excellent source of protein, calcium, iron, zinc, vitamin E and B6. Try making your own black sesame filling for your next mochi filling!

• How to Make: Easy 3-Ingredient Black Sesame Paste for Mochi and Mooncake Fillings

5. Pumpkin Spice Mochi FIlling

This spicy and sweet pumpkin spice mochi filling is so easy to make and bursting with all the best flavors of fall! It only requires 3 ingredients: pumpkin puree, sweet white bean paste, and pumpkin spice. It pairs perfectly with this pumpkin mochi recipe below.

• How to Make: Here’s my recipe for the Easy Pumpkin Spice Mochi Filling

6. Almond Paste

If you don’t know what Almond paste is, you’ll love it by the time you try them with mochi!

Almond paste is a sweet, chewy and delicious ingredient that is made from blanched almonds, sugar, and water. It can be used for many purposes, such as filling for cookies or as a stuffing for other baked goods. It is commonly found in the baking aisle of most grocery stores. It’s usually sold in small boxed packages, but it can also come packaged in tubes.

• How to Make: almond paste filling recipe here 

7. Fresh Fruit

From fresh strawberries, and mandarin oranges to bananas, you can fill your mochi with fresh fruit that’s been wrapped with sweetened bean paste.

8. Ice Cream

Mochi ice cream has to be one of the most popular mochi fillings today. If you make the mochi ice cream from home, you can choose any type or flavor of ice cream you want. Can’t do dairy? Go for an oat-milk ice cream filling. Want low fat? Try frozen yogurt. If vanilla isn’t your favorite, you can use other ice cream flavors, too, like chocolate, green tea, strawberry, or even cookies and cream.

Here are some mochi ice cream recipes below!

• Healthier Sweet Potato Mochi Ice Cream
• Strawberry Mochi Ice Cream
• Vegan Blueberry Mochi Ice Cream
• Applesauce Green Tea Mochi Ice Cream
• Banana Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream
• Homemade Black Sesame Mochi Ice Cream

9. Chickpea Cookie Dough

Sometimes I want my mochi healthy, and these filling recipes help me do just that. These mochis are filled with a sweetened chickpea filling. Just like the traditional sweetened bean paste, chickpeas give a creamy and thick body to the filling, and the addition of chocolate chips make it sweet enough to have a mouthfeel of a traditional mochi filling.

• How to Make : Quick & Easy Chickpea Cookie Dough (Just 5 ingredients!)

Here’s a Matcha Chickpea Cookie Dough, below!

10. Mung Bean Paste

Mung beans have a mildly sweet flavor that can be used in both savory dishes and in desserts, and they pair perfectly with mochi.

Unfortunately, mung beans are not commonly sold in stores in paste form, so, you do have to start from the dried beans—but I think it’s worth the extra time and effort. Homemade mung bean paste is easy to make and so much healthier than storebought bean pastes or lotus pastes since the homemade kind uses less sugar and is also free from preservatives and other additives.

• How to Buy: the dried mung beans are sold on Amazon, here
• How to Make: Here’s my recipe for the 2-ingredient sweet mung bean paste (link to recipe)!

11. Cheesecake

If you love biting into a dessert and finding the surprise of a soft and creamy cheesecake filling, here’s a basic, easy cheesecake filling recipe that you can use to enhance your favorite mochi (or mooncake) recipe!

• How to Make: Here’s the recipe for the cheesecake filling. If you’re looking for a vegan version, go to this post here.

12. Mashed Sweet Potato

Just as you can fill mochi with bean paste, you can also fill them with sweet potatoes, too. While the orange sweet potatoes work as well, purple sweet potatoes are a great alternative to the classic orange variety. They have a similar texture and taste, but with more nutrients and antioxidants.

• How to Make: sweet potato filling recipe here

13. Coffee Bean Paste

Coffee Bean Paste is a delicious twist on the sweet white bean paste that you can make at home! Sweet, bitter and rich, this smooth coffee-flavored paste is made of sweetened white beans and coffee extract. Coffee lovers are sure to love this versatile recipe — it can be used for spreads, stuffings, and mochi filling.

• How to Make: Here’s my recipe for the 2-Ingredient Coffee Bean Paste (커피앙금) for Spreads and Mochi Filling

Need More Ideas?

As you can see, the possibilities are endless when it comes to mochi filling variations, but here are more ideas to get your mochi cravings started ♥︎

• Oreo cream cheese – Whipped cream cheese mixed with crushed oreo cookies and sweetened with a dash of honey or maple syrup.
• Nutella paste: a scoop of Nutella, or if you want a lighter chocolate flavor, 1/2 cup Shiro-an mixed with 1 Tbsp Nutella (or Nutiva).

And the list goes on!

More Filling Ideas on the Blog!