Chocolate Mochi Brownies

This Chocolate Mochi or Mochi Brownie is a chocolate variation of my very popular Hawaiian Butter Mochi, a buttery and chewy dessert made with glutinous rice flour. If you’re craving for some gluten free brownies, this is a great option!

I first tried the original Hawaiian Butter Mochi when we visited Hawaii some years ago, but have actually been making a very close version of it for a long time with this coconut mochi recipe – given to us by my husband’s aunt. I even made a matcha mochi variation and a guava mochi variation way before this chocolate mochi variation was born. 

And boy, it is worth the wait though! This chocolate mochi tastes just like a delicious rich brownie but with a chewy mochi texture. Hence, it’s also called mochi brownies or brownie mochi or Brochi (brownie + mochi)! This amazing treat is also naturally gluten free since it’s made with sweet rice flour. So my gluten free friends, rejoice!

What is Mochi?

There are two types of Mochi: Hawaiian butter mochi and Japanese mochi. This chocolate butter mochi is more akin to Hawaiian butter mochi which is a type of cake made using Mochiko or sweet rice flour, or glutinous rice flour, instead of using all-purpose flour like a typical cake. 

Whereas Japanese mochi is typically made by steaming sweet rice, then pounding and shaping it into round sticky rice cakes. It can be served plain or with sweet red bean filling. It can also be made with sweet rice flour combined with sugar and water or milk, heated up until the mochi is formed.

Ingredients and Substitutions 

As always, you’ll find the complete list of ingredients and quantities in the recipe card at the end of this post. Below are some notes and substitution tips:

1. Mochiko or sweet rice flour – this is a shorter grain rice and is very sticky when cooked. You cannot substitute wheat flour and you have to use the correct type of rice flour for this recipe to work. I always use Koda Farms Mochiko but there are other brands of sweet rice flour that I think will work in this recipe as well – as long as it is sweet rice flour or glutinous rice flour. A reader tested Shiratamako – this did not work well, so it is not recommended.

2. Baking powder – a small amount is used for leavening.

3. Cocoa powder – natural or Dutch-processed cocoa powder should both work but I prefer Dutch-processed for deeper chocolate flavor. Tip: to enhance chocolate flavor even further, add instant espresso powder.

4. Sugar – I used granulated sugar, but you can use brown sugar or raw sugar in the same amount. Some readers have used sugar substitute – splenda brown sugar and erythritol – with success!

5. Salt – a little bit of kosher salt is used to enhance flavor.

6. Butter – unsalted butter is used. Salted butter might make the final mochi brownies too salty but if you substitute salted butter, you can omit the salt called for separately.

7. Chocolate chip – I used dark chocolate chips. You can substitute semisweet or bittersweet chocolate. And they don’t have to be chocolate chips, you could use a chocolate bar or any type you like.

8. Vanilla extract – use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. Vanilla will enhance the flavor of chocolate.

9. Eggs – two whole eggs to bind.

10. Coconut milk – you must use unsweetened canned coconut milk and not coconut milk from the carton. Canned coconut milk has higher fat content which results in a richer chocolate mochi. Substitutions: half and half (half milk half heavy cream) or coffee cream, you could use whole milk but the brownies will not be as rich. Note: I also tested coconut cream with this recipe, but found it to be too rich! The recipe does call for just 1 cup of coconut milk, not 1 can.

How to make Chocolate Mochi 

The following instructions, step-by-step photos, and tips are here to help you visualize how to make the recipe. You can always skip straight to the printable recipe card at the end of this post.

1. Melt butter and chocolate chips together, allow to cool slightly, then beat together with eggs, vanilla and coconut milk.
2. Mix together the dry ingredients and add to the wet ingredients.
3. Stir until completely smooth.

Tip: I melted the chocolate in hot butter and allowed it to cool slightly before mixing it in with the rest of the wet ingredients to avoid cooking the eggs. 

4. Transfer batter to a buttered and lined baking pan.
5. Bake at 350F for 25-30 minutes.

Note: some readers have reported it took them longer to bake, so just make sure you bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.

More baker’s tips

• For more chocolate goodness – you can sprinkle more chocolate chips on top before baking.
• Make sure to butter the parchment paper well – I just want to emphasize this point again because a reader forgot and the mochi got stuck to the paper really well.
• Bake time – I’m not sure why people end up with varying bake time on this recipe but I will note again that it took around 30 minutes when I tested the recipe. If you know your oven runs hot, you could reduced the baking temperature to 325 degrees F or increase it if you oven runs cold. Some readers said it took them 60 minutes to fully bake.
• For a larger batch – double the recipe and bake it in a 9×13 baking pan.

Storage

• Room temperature: these will last 1-2 days at room temperature. Beyond that, it is best to refrigerate them so they don’t go moldy.
• Refrigerator: they will last up to 2 weeks in the fridge.
• Freezer: they will keep up to 3 months in the freezer. To freeze, wrap each piece well in plastic and/or foil and place them in a freezer bag. Thaw completely at room temperature before serving.

Refrigerated and frozen butter mochi will lose their bounciness once thawed. Reheat in the microwave for about 20 seconds to soften. Tip: wrap the piece of butter mochi in plastic or a damp paper towel to keep them from drying out.

4.91 from 10 votes

Chocolate Mochi Brownies

By Trang

This Chocolate Mochi or Mochi Brownie is a chocolate variation of the very popular Hawaiian Butter Mochi, a buttery and chewy dessert made with glutinous rice flour. If you’re craving for some gluten free brownies, this is a great substitution!

Servings: 16 pieces

Prep Time: 15 minutes mins

Cook Time: 30 minutes mins

Total Time: 45 minutes mins

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Ingredients 

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• ▢ 1 ¼ cup Mochiko, 190 g
• ▢ 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ ¼ cup cocoa powder
• ▢ ¾ cup granulated sugar
• ▢ A big pinch of kosher salt
• ▢ 2 oz unsalted butter – melted
• ▢ ½ cup dark chocolate chip, ~ 3 oz
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 cup unsweetened canned coconut milk
• ▢ Extra butter for pan

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Instructions 

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Brush the bottom and sides of an 8”x8” square baking pan with melted butter, line the pan with a long strip of parchment paper and let the excess hang over the side. Brush the parchment paper with butter as well and add another long strip of parchment paper crosswise. Brush with melted butter again and set aside.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add mochiko, baking powder, cocoa powder, sugar and salt and stir with a whisk until evenly distributed. Set aside.
• Melt butter in a small bowl in the microwave for 40-45 seconds. Add chocolate chip to the hot butter and stir to melt the chocolate completely.
• In a large mixing bow, add vanilla, eggs, coconut milk and beat with a whisk until smooth. Add the melted butter and chocolate mixture and beat until combined.
• Stir in the dry ingredients and mix until completely smooth.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out mostly clean with just a few crumbs attached. Note: some readers have reported it took them longer to bake (60 minutes), so just make sure you bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean with just a few crumbs attached.
• Allow to cool completely before cutting and serving.

Notes

• Refrigerate left over. To reheat, wrap a piece of mochi in a damp paper towel and microwave for 10-15 seconds depending on the size you cut them.
• Either natural or dutch processed cocoa powder can be used in this recipe.
• Use canned coconut milk, and not the one in the carton. Canned coconut milk has higher fat content and will result in tastier baked good.

Nutrition

Serving: 52g, Calories: 177kcal

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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