If you think mochi is just for the summer, think again! Here’s a pumpkin spice mochi recipe that you can enjoy in the fall. The mochi skin is prepared all in the microwave, with just 3 ingredients : sweet rice flour, pumpkin puree and sugar.
Update 8/17/22: new photos! I’m also using a pumpkin spice white bean paste filling
Ingredients Used to Make Pumpkin 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 🙂
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!!!
Pumpkin puree – I used canned pumpkin puree, which you can find in the baking aisle.
Sugar of choice – I used raw cane sugar in the photos.
Cornstarch – for dusting the mochi
Filling
You can use any mochi filling of choice, such as store-bought red bean paste, white bean paste, or homemade mung bean paste.
In this recipe, I’m using an easy 3 ingredient pumpkin spice bean paste (recipe here). To easily portion out the filling to be used in the mochi, I like to use a small cookie scoop, and pre-scoop out the filling before use.
More Pumpkin Recipes
How to Make
How to Make Pumpkin Mochi in the Microwave
STEP 1
In a microwave-safe bowl (preferably glass, like pyrex), mix the sweet rice flour with the pumpkin puree
STEP 2
Microwave the combined dough in the microwave for 2 minutes.
STEP 3
Use a solid metal spoon to stir the cooked mochi mixture. Return to microwave and heat for an additional 1 minute, until slightly translucent.
STEP 4
Drop the hot mochi dough onto a surface floured with corn starch. Handle with care, or use vinyl gloves, as the mochi dough will be HOT. Unfortunately, you have to work quickly to shape the mochi before they cool.
STEP 5
Use kitchen shears/ scissors to cut the mochi into 8-10 pieces
Wrap the mochi dough around the prepared filling
Seal well and dust the finished mochi with more corn starch
Enjoy!
Recipe Variations and Optional Add Ins:
- You can add different flavorings to the pumpkin 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!
Different Mochi Filling Options
If you want to enjoy mochi with a variety of fillings, there are many fun and delicious mochi filling options to choose from. Here are some ideas!
- Shiro-an (sweetened white bean paste) – on Amazon, here, or here’s a Shortcut White Bean Paste Recipe I make when I’ve run out of Shiro An
- Koshi-an (sweetened red bean paste) – on Amazon, here
- Mung Bean paste – sweet and delightfully yellow, homemade mung bean paste is a perfect mochi filling for those who are looking for a healthier bean paste alternative. Here’s my 2-Ingredient mung bean paste recipe here
How to Store Pumpkin 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 pumpkin mochi mixture so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed
- Use a microwave-safe bowl, preferably glass like pyrex
More 3-Ingredient Microwave Mochi Recipes You’ll Love
Pumpkin Mochi made in the Microwave
Ingredients
Mochi Ingredients
- 1 cup packed pumpkin puree about 8 oz
- 1 cup mochiko flour, sweet rice or glutinous rice flour about 140 g
Other Ingredients
- 1/4 cup cornstarch, potato or tapioca starch
- 1 recipe pumpkin spice bean paste , recipe here, or filling of choice
Instructions
Prepare the filling (optional)
- Prepare mochi filling by rolling about 1-2 Tablespoons of sweetened bean paste into balls. Set aside. If you would like to eat the mochi plain, you can skip this step.
- Sprinkle the starch onto a clean dish or baking pan. Set aside.
Make the Mochi
- In a microwaveable glass bowl (like Pyrex), mix the pumpkin puree with sugar and mochiko flour until a smooth dough forms
- Microwave the pumpkin-mochi mixture for 2 minutes
- Use a SOLID METAL spoon (wooden spoons might break!) to stir the cooked mochi so that the cooked and uncooked parts are evenly mixed
- Microwave the mochi mixture again, this time for 1 minute
- Pour the cooked mochi onto the baking pan sprinkled with starch
- Cut the mochi into 8 – 10 pieces using scissors
- Eat as is, or fill with prepared bean paste filling. Enjoy!
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