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I've curated this list of sweet (glutinous) rice flour recipes for Lunar New Year in conjunction with All About Lunar New Year from my podcast guest, Emily Ho.
Glutinous rice flour is one of the many names of this remarkably versatile ingredient which has been a long-standing staple in many Asian households. Recently, it has gained popularity in the United States, particularly with the rise of mochi ice cream and mochi donuts.
Despite its name, a common yet understandable misconception about glutinous rice flour is that it contains gluten. In reality, it's entirely gluten-free, making it an excellent choice for gluten-free baking and cooking!
The unique texture of the flour comes from the high starch content (specifically amylopectin starch) that creates a soft dough with a chewy texture when you bite into it. This makes it perfect to bake a sweet treat with an Asian twist.
Whether you're in the mood for something sweet or savory, I've provided a host of recipe links so you can find the perfect dish to whip up for your Lunar New Year celebration or to enjoy any time throughout the year.
Jump to:
- How to Use This List
- Asian Desserts
- Baked Nian Gao: Glutinous Rice Cake (with Sticky Rice Flour) - The Storied Recipe
- Sesame Balls: Authentic, Extensively Tested! - The Woks of Life
- Injeolmi (Korean Sweet Rice Cake) in 10 minutes
- Onde-onde (Ondeh-ondeh)
- Mitarashi Dango (Video) ã¿ãããå£å
- Matcha Snow Skin Mooncakes - Cooking Therapy
- How to make Special Sapin-Sapin - Foxy Folksy
- Palitaw
- Vietnamese Snowballs - Banh Bao Chi - Scruff & Steph
- Korean Sweet Rice Cake Bars (LA Chapssalteok) | Beyond Kimchee
- Asian Savory Dishes
- Jidori Tsukune
- Cheung Fun Recipe (Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls) - Hungry Huy
- Gluten-free Dumplings
- Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings) | Sift & Simmer
- Banh Tom - Vietnamese Sweet Potato and Prawn Fritters - Scruff & Steph
- Banh It Tran Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings
- Mochi Desserts
- Red Bean Mochi: With Step-by-Step Photos! - The Woks of Life
- Strawberry Mochi
- Easy Mochi Ice Cream Recipe - Tastes Better from Scratch
- Easy step-by-step Boiled muah chee (mochi) you need - WoonHeng
- Green Tea Mochi (Video) æ¹è¶å¤§ç¦
- Mochi-Inspired Desserts
- Easy Gluten Free Homemade Mochi Waffles
- Mochi Donut Recipe (Crispy & Chewy Pon de Ring Donuts) - Hungry Huy
- Classic Local Hawaiian Butter Mochi Recipe - Mochi Mommy
- ube butter mochi - meimei baking
- Gluten Free Pandan Mochi Pancakes - Cooking Therapy
- Kimchi Options
- Korean White Radish Water Kimchi (Dongchimi)
- homemade mak ("easy") kimchi - Two Red Bowls
- Traditional napa cabbage kimchi (Tongbaechu-kimchi: 통배추김치)
- Thickener for Sauces
- How to Make the BEST Gluten-Free Gravy!
- The Best Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce
- Gluten-Free White Sauce (Béchamel) - Easy 3 Ingredient Recipe!
- Taiwanese Thick Soy Sauce (醬油膏)
- Soups and Porridges
- Tang Yuan: A Delicious Dessert with Black Sesame Filling - Oh My Food Recipes
- Korean Pumpkin Porridge (Hobakjuk)
- Black Sesame Soup (2 Ways) - Okonomi Kitchen
- Savory Tang Yuan Soup | Sift & Simmer
- Sweet Red Bean Soup Tang Yuan (Hong Dou Tang)
- Staples for Gluten-free Baking
- Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend (no xanthan gum)
- The Best All-Butter Gluten-Free Pastry (no xanthan gum)
- Gluten-Free Western Desserts
- Thin & Crisp Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies • The Bojon Gourmet
- Super-Moist Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
- Thick & Chewy Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
- Gluten-Free Caramel Cake
- Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Bread
- Baci Di Dama Cookies – Gluten Free
- Gluten-Free Cherry Clafoutis with Almond Flour
- Fudgy Brown Butter Mochi Brownies - Cooking Therapy
- Gluten-Free English Pancakes {without Xanthan Gum}
- One-Pot Honeycomb Cake
- FAQ
- 50 Best Recipes to Make with Glutinous Rice Flour (Sweet/Sticky Rice Flour)
How to Use This List
- To make this list more readable, I separated it into sweet or savory and Asian or Western dishes.
- Since "mochi" has become more of a catch-all term when a recipe uses sweet rice flour instead of solely referring to a traditional Japanese rice cake, I attempted to delineate between these traditional and non-traditional approaches.
- Lots of Q&A below since there are many different names and uses for this flour!
- Would love to hear if this helped you or if you have any suggestions! Always learning over here at The Storied Recipe!
- So you know where we're headed as we start listing recipes, the set of categories includes Asian Desserts, Asian Savory Dishes, Mochi Desserts, Mochi-inspired Desserts, Kimchi Roux, Thickener for Sauces, Soups and Porridges, Staples for Gluten-free Baking, and Gluten-free Western Desserts.
Asian Desserts
Below is a selection of Asian desserts featuring sweet rice flour, including Nian Gao, a sweet rice cake commonly enjoyed during Lunar New Year celebrations. My podcast guest, Emily Ho, graciously shared her special recipe for this popular treat with us.
Baked Nian Gao: Glutinous Rice Cake (with Sticky Rice Flour) - The Storied Recipe
This traditional Chinese cake is steamed in the oven for a silky, chewy texture and a mildly sweet milky flavor
Sesame Balls: Authentic, Extensively Tested! - The Woks of Life
Chinese fried Sesame Balls are a popular dim sum item. Try our authentic, tested recipe, and make them with either lotus or red bean paste.
Injeolmi (Korean Sweet Rice Cake) in 10 minutes
Injeolmi are Korean rice cakes made with sweet glutinous rice flour. Make this in 10 min or less but with just as yummy results as store bought ones.
Onde-onde (Ondeh-ondeh)
Onde-onde (or ondeh-ondeh) are soft, chewy dough balls filled with sweet Gula Melaka (palm sugar) and infused with the fragrant flavor of pandan. Rolled in grated coconut, they’re the perfect balance of sweetness and texture—ideal for a snack or dessert, and loved in many Southeast Asian cultures.
Mitarashi Dango (Video) ã¿ãããå£å
Mitarashi Dango are traditional Japanese rice dumplings on a bamboo skewer coated in a sweet soy glaze. Make this tasty street snack at home!
Matcha Snow Skin Mooncakes - Cooking Therapy
Chewy matcha snow skin mooncakes with a sweet red bean paste filling. No baking required and perfect for the Mid Autumn Festival.
How to make Special Sapin-Sapin - Foxy Folksy
Not only one but three flavors to enjoy! Sapin-Sapin is a Filipino dessert made from glutinous rice, coconut milk, sugar, and flavorings.
Palitaw
Palitaw is made with glutinous rice flour, grated coconut, sesame seeds, and sugar. It's soft, chewy, and delicious as a snack or dessert.
Vietnamese Snowballs - Banh Bao Chi - Scruff & Steph
Vietnamese snowballs have a soft, sweet centre wrapped in a chewy outer layer that is covered in delicious desiccated coconut.
Korean Sweet Rice Cake Bars (LA Chapssalteok) | Beyond Kimchee
These sweet rice cake bars are originated from Korean immigrants in CA. No butter or oil is needed and loaded with nuts and seeds.
Asian Savory Dishes
Despite the name sweet (white) rice flour, the flour does not have a sweet taste, in fact, it is not sweet at all. It is a great recipe to use in savory dishes while making Asian cuisine. Heads up! I didn't include sticky rice dumplings (link) or any other recipe that uses sticky rice because it is made with glutinous rice instead of glutinous (sticky) rice flour.
Jidori Tsukune
The best tsukune, or Japanese chicken meatballs, are nicely caramelized, well seasoned, and juicy—and served straight off the grill.
Cheung Fun Recipe (Steamed Rice Noodle Rolls) - Hungry Huy
Soft and tender sheets of rice noodle filled with sweet and savory roasted pork, drizzled with seasoning sauce and topped with chopped scallions–cheung fun is one of my go to dim sum dishes. This thinly steamed rice paper that is often brimming with various fillings and rolled altogether tastes the best when it’s fresh out of the steamer. With this…Continue Reading→
Gluten-free Dumplings
These gluten-free dumplings are easy to roll out, fold, pan-fry, boil, and steam. You can also freeze these GF dumplings for later cooking!
Ham Sui Gok 咸水角 (Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings) | Sift & Simmer
Ham Sui Gok is a Chinese fried glutinous rice dumpling that is served at dim sum. It features a filling encased in a glutinous rice dough.
Banh Tom - Vietnamese Sweet Potato and Prawn Fritters - Scruff & Steph
Banh tom are prawns in a basket of sweet potato strips, deep-fried until crispy. These are served with Vietnamese herbs, lettuce and nuoc mam.
Banh It Tran Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings
Bánh Ãt Trần (Banh It Tran) Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings are traditional and simple Vietnamese dumplings. My grandmother and I made ...
Mochi Desserts
In Japanese cuisine, 'mochi' typically refers to a traditional rice cake, plain but adaptable to sweet or savory fillings. Meanwhile, 'mochigashi' describes sweeter mochi variations. Below is an example of traditional mochi (with red bean paste) as well as a few mochigashi recipes. For an overview of mochi's role in Japanese culinary history, explore this resource from Just One Cookbook.
Red Bean Mochi: With Step-by-Step Photos! - The Woks of Life
Red Bean Mochi is a great way to try red bean paste for the first time, or use up leftover red bean paste you have from making another recipe!
Strawberry Mochi
This recipe teaches you how to make pink strawberry mochi with the BEST look and taste! The mochi skin is colored with fresh strawberries.
Easy Mochi Ice Cream Recipe - Tastes Better from Scratch
Homemade Mochi Ice Cream are Japanese rice cakes with an ice cream center, in a soft, slightly chewy, sweet rice dough.
Easy step-by-step Boiled muah chee (mochi) you need - WoonHeng
This boiled muah chee (mochi) has a soft and chewy texture with fragrant crushed peanut topping that's perfect for a treat anytime of the day.
Green Tea Mochi (Video) æ¹è¶å¤§ç¦
Perfectly chewy with a hint of sweetness, Green Tea Mochi is classic Japanese treat. Learn to make it 2 ways with vibrant contrasting colors!
Mochi-Inspired Desserts
Instead of a traditional rice cake, these mochi-inspired desserts use sweet rice flour to create a sweet treat that has the same chewy texture that makes mochi distinctive.
Easy Gluten Free Homemade Mochi Waffles
Chewy mochi center with a crunchy golden brown exterior makes for the best mochi waffles. It's a cross between Belgain waffles and Japanese mochi. So good!
Mochi Donut Recipe (Crispy & Chewy Pon de Ring Donuts) - Hungry Huy
Crispy and fresh donuts with the chewiness of mochi on the inside–no more waiting in line for mochi donuts because making this easy mochi donut recipe at home will give you the freshest treat ever. I’ll show you how to make mochi donuts from scratch without the tedious task of rolling out balls of dough, all you need is a…Continue Reading→
Classic Local Hawaiian Butter Mochi Recipe - Mochi Mommy
This local Hawaiian butter mochi recipe is a classic mochi cake perfect for first time bakers. Top with optional shredded coconut!
ube butter mochi - meimei baking
One of my most popular recipes on the blog! These are so addictively chewy and have a crisp, toasted coconut top that is pure magic.
Gluten Free Pandan Mochi Pancakes - Cooking Therapy
A recipe for chewy and pillowy pandan mochi pancakes that are also gluten free! These pancakes are perfect for a morning treat!
Kimchi Options
When preparing kimchi, sweet rice flour can be used to create a roux, forming the base of the kimchi paste. This flour aids in ensuring that the flavors are thoroughly absorbed and adhere well to the cabbage.
Korean White Radish Water Kimchi (Dongchimi)
Light and refreshing water Kimchi made from peppery Korean Radishes. Typically made in the winter to aid digestion, this can be enjoyed any time of the year.
homemade mak ("easy") kimchi - Two Red Bowls
It’s December! Which means all I want to do these days is bake Christmas cookies and post about them. But, while that’s definitely coming, I felt like I needed to do a post first on this Korean staple (again, all about the blog staples!) because it’s so essential in some of the recipes I’ve posted, […]
Traditional napa cabbage kimchi (Tongbaechu-kimchi: 통배추김치)
My classic, spicy, traditional whole leaf napa cabbage kimchi recipe that I've been using for years and years. Spicy, fermented, and delicious.
Thickener for Sauces
Glutinous rice flour is an excellent thickening agent for sauces because it's super starchy and makes them nice and thick without changing the taste.
How to Make the BEST Gluten-Free Gravy!
It's easy to make gluten-free gravy with this recipe. You only need three ingredients and about five minutes!
The Best Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce
The Best Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce is incredibly versatile. It has a full-bodied flavour and is velvety smooth thanks to the use of sweet rice flour.
Gluten-Free White Sauce (Béchamel) - Easy 3 Ingredient Recipe!
Gluten-free white sauce (béchamel), made from butter, sweet rice flour, and milk, can be used on its own or as the base for many other sauces. Easy to customize for dairy-free or grain-free options.
Taiwanese Thick Soy Sauce (醬油膏)
Taiwanese thick soy sauce is something you can find in almost every kitchen in Taiwan. It's basically a thicker and sweeter version of soy sauce that can be used for cooking or as a dipping
Soups and Porridges
The following three recipes demonstrate how sweet rice flour dumplings are a fantastic addition to both savory and sweet soups, offering a nice texture contrast.
Tang Yuan: A Delicious Dessert with Black Sesame Filling - Oh My Food Recipes
Warm your heart and soul with tang yuan. Enjoy the soft and chewy glutinous rice balls filled with black sesame paste in a sugar soup!
Korean Pumpkin Porridge (Hobakjuk)
Learn how to make Korean style pumpkin porridge! Hobakjuk is a popular snack and dessert. A perfect comfort food in fall and winter!
Black Sesame Soup (2 Ways) - Okonomi Kitchen
Delicious & easy Black Sesame Soup! This comforting healthy dessert soup is nutty, sweet and perfect for a light dessert.
Savory Tang Yuan Soup | Sift & Simmer
This Savory Tang Yuan Soup features glutinous rice flour dumplings in a broth with an assortment of cabbage, mushrooms and Chinese sausage.
Sweet Red Bean Soup Tang Yuan (Hong Dou Tang)
Soft and chewy tang yuan (sticky rice balls/mochi balls) served in sweet red bean soup is another variety of tang yuan recipes you will enjoy to celebrate the Chinese dongzhi festival or as a tong sui dessert. The recipe can be cooked in Instant Pot pressure cooker or on the stove.
Staples for Gluten-free Baking
For those with celiac disease or gluten intolerance, glutinous rice flour can be added to your list of gluten-free flours. Check out this awesome guide to gluten-free baking with sweet rice flour From The Larder.
Homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend (no xanthan gum)
This homemade Gluten-Free Flour Blend creates gluten-free bakes which are light, fluffy and deliciously tasty. No xanthan gum needed.
The Best All-Butter Gluten-Free Pastry (no xanthan gum)
This All-Butter Gluten-Free Pastry is so easy to work with and incredibly versatile. Plus there is no xanthan gum in this recipe so everyone can enjoy.
Gluten-Free Western Desserts
There are so many recipes that could have made it on this list, but the following gluten-free desserts show just how versatile sweet rice flour can be!
Thin & Crisp Gluten-Free Sugar Cookies • The Bojon Gourmet
Gluten-free sugar cookies (aka gluten-free cut-out cookies) that you can roll, cut out, and decorate to your heart's content! With tested vegan and paleo options.
Super-Moist Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake
Foolproof gluten-free chocolate bundt cake that's rich, tender, and fudgy. Easy to make in 1 bowl in about an hour, topped with ganache.
Thick & Chewy Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles
Cinnamon-kissed gluten-free snickerdoodle cookies made with a blend of flours (almond, oat & rice) in one bowl and 20 minutes of active time.
Gluten-Free Caramel Cake
Gluten-Free Caramel Cake is gorgeously flavourful. It takes no time at all to make and is drenched in an easy caramel icing which is impossible to resist.
Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Pumpkin Bread
Make this MOIST gluten-free pumpkin bread with oat & rice flours, 1 bowl, and 20 minutes of active time. Foolproof reader-favorite recipe!
Baci Di Dama Cookies – Gluten Free
Deliciously Italian authentic hazelnut Baci Di Dama Cookies (Lady's Kisses), but made gluten free. Optional Dairy Free/Vegan recipe.
Gluten-Free Cherry Clafoutis with Almond Flour
This gluten-free cherry clafoutis combines cherries and vanilla almond flour batter for a dreamy baked custard in under an hour. Dairy-free and gluten-free options!
Fudgy Brown Butter Mochi Brownies - Cooking Therapy
This is a recipe for chocolatey, fudgy brown butter mochi brownies. It has less than 10 ingredients and only takes an hour to make.
Gluten-Free English Pancakes {without Xanthan Gum}
These Gluten-Free English Pancakes are delicious. Quick to make and ideal for Pancake Day. They are also dairy-free and without xanthan gum.
One-Pot Honeycomb Cake
On the outside, this cake looks like any other Bundt cake, but inside, it has a vibrant shade of green and a beautiful honeycomb pattern.
FAQ
What is the Difference: Glutinous Rice Flour vs. Rice Flour vs. Sweet Rice Flour vs Sticky Rice Flour
Glutinous rice flour, also referred to as sweet rice flour or sticky rice flour, differs from regular rice flour, despite some similarities. While both can be used as thickeners, glutinous rice flour, made from both long grain and short grain sweet white rice varieties, imparts a distinct chewiness not found in regular rice flour. The latter is derived from a different type of long grain rice, resulting in a texture and consistency that sets it apart from its glutinous counterpart.
source: Master Class
Is Mochiko Flour the Same as Glutinous Rice Flour?
Yes, Mochiko Flour, which means "mochi flour" in Japanese, is a specific brand of glutinous (sticky) rice flour. It is the same flour used to make Japanese mochi.
source: Just One Cookbook
Can I Replace Glutinous Rice Flour With All-Purpose Flour?
No, using all-purpose flour won't result in the same texture as glutinous rice flour. However, you can substitute all-purpose flour for a thickener in soups and stews, though this means your dish will no longer be gluten-free. Alternatives to glutinous rice flour include rice flour, arrowroot flour or powder, sorghum flour, almond flour, tapioca starch, potato starch, and corn starch. Keep in mind that these substitutes will alter the final outcome, leading to variations in the dish.
source: Hungry Huy
source: Honest Food Talks
Where Can I Find Sticky Rice Flour?
You can find sticky rice flour in Asian markets if you live near one, in some local grocery stores, or you can order it from Amazon.
Can You Use Glutinous Rice Flour For Frying?
Yes, you can use it to make a batter for deep frying for a variety of treats. It is recommended that you use sweet rice flour made from long-grain rice to achieve a crispier layer when deep frying. This variety is usually sweet rice flour from Southeast Asia, commonly from Thailand, but sometimes from Vietnam. The bags will have green lettering indicating the right rice, like this one.
source: Hungry Huy
source: Bon Appetit
Is Glutinous Rice Flour a Thickener?
Yes, like many other flours, you can use glutinous rice flour as a thickening agent in soups, sauces, and gravies.
source: Honest Food Talks
Can You Substitute Potato Starch With Glutinous Rice Flour?
Answered above - you can use potato starch as a gluten-free flour. However, it will not achieve the distinctive chewy texture usually desired in recipes that call for sticky rice flour. For an excellent recipe that uses potato starch, try Taiwanese Popcorn Chicken with Fried Basil.
50 Best Recipes to Make with Glutinous Rice Flour (Sweet/Sticky Rice Flour)
Glutinous (sticky/sweet) rice flour has applications far beyond Mochi desserts (or Western style Mochi-inspired desserts). Explore sweet and savory recipes that make use of the special stretchy qualities of glutinous rice flour.
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Ingredients
- Asian Desserts
Nian Gao from Emily, Guest of The Storied Recipe
Sesame Balls from The Woks Of Life
Injeolmi from Kimchi Mari
Mitarashi Dango from Just One Cookbook
Onde-Onde from Rasa Malaysia
Matcha Snow Skin Mooncakes from Cooking Therapy
Sapin-Sapin from Foxy Folksy
Palitaw from Kawaling Pinoy
Vietnamese Snowball Cakes (Banh Bao Chi) from Scruff and Steph
Korean Sweet Rice Cake Bars (la Chapssalteok) from Beyond Kimchee
- Asian Savory Dishes
Jidori Tsukune (Chicken Meatball) from Epicurious
Dim Sum Rolls from Hungry Huy
Glutinous Rice Flour Dumpling from The Woks Of Life
Fried Glutinous Rice Dumplings from Sift and Simmer
Vietnamese Sweet Potato and Prawn Fritters from Scruff and Steph
Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings (Banh It Tran) from The Viet Vegan
- Mochi Desserts
Traditional Mochi With Red Bean Paste from The Woks Of Life
Strawberry Mochi Filled With Whipped Cream from Ms Shi and Mr He
American-Style Mochi Ice Cream from Zhang Catherine
Taiwanese Peanut Mochi from Woon Heng
Green Tea Mochi from Just One Cookbook
- Mochi-Inspired Desserts
Gluten-Free Mochi Waffles from Keeping It Relle
Mochi Donuts from Hungry Huy
Hawaiian Butter Mochi from Mochi Mommy
Ube Butter Mochi from Meimei Baking
Gluten-Free Pandan Mochi Pancakes from Cooking Therapy
- Kimchi Options
Kimchi from Two Red Bowls
Korean White Radish Water Kimchi (Dongchimi) from Ester, Guest of The Storied Recipe
Classic Korean Kimchi from Maangchi
- Thickener for Sauce
Gluten-Free Gravy from Gluten Free Baking
Gluten-Free Cheese Sauce from From The Larder
Gluten-Free White Sauce (Béchamel) from Wheat By The Way Side
Taiwanese Thick Soy Sauce from Cooking Chinglish
- Soups/Porridges
Sweet Sticky Rice Ball in Soup (Tang Yuan) from Oh My Food Recipes
Korean Pumpkin Porridge with Rice Dumplings (Hobakjuk) from My Korean Kitchen
Sweet Black Sesame Soup - Two Ways from Okonomi Kitchen
Savory Tang Yuan Soup from Sift and Simmer
Red Bean Soup from What To Cook Today
- Cornerstones for Gluten-Free Baking
Gluten-Free Mix from From The Larder
Gluten-Free Pastry from From The Larder
- Gluten-Free Western Desserts
Gluten-Free Cutout Cookies from The Bojon Gourmet
Gluten-Free Chocolate Bundt Cake from The Bojon Gourmet
Gluten-Free Snickerdoodles from The Bojon Gourmet
Gluten-Free Caramel Cake from From The Larder
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread from The Bojon Gourmet
Baci di Dama Cookies (Italian cookies) from Gluten Free Alchemist
Cherry Clafoutis from The Bojon Gourmet
Brown Butter Mochi Brownies from Cooking Therapy
Gluten-Free Crepes from From The Larder
One-Pot Honeycomb Cake from Epicurious
Directions
- Make sure to listen to Emily's epsiode, All About Lunar New Year, while you discover your next favorite glutinous rice flour recipe!
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Would love to hear from you!