If you love soft, chewy mochi and rich chocolate, this Vegan Chocolate Mochi is the best of both worlds: a tender chocolate mochi “skin” wrapped around a smooth dairy-free chocolate ganache. This style is often called nama mochi when filled with a creamy center.

Ingredients (Makes about 16 mochi)

1) Chocolate ganache filling

• 80 g (½ cup) dark chocolate, chopped (vegan)
• 80 ml (⅓ cup) unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tbsp (15 ml) tahini (optional, for extra creaminess)

(Full of Plants uses these exact quantities + notes that you can reduce almond milk for a firmer ganache.)

2) Chocolate mochi dough

• 150 g (1 cup) glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour / mochiko)
• 37 g (3 tbsp) sugar
• 5 g (2 tsp) cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
• 118 ml (½ cup) water
• 60 ml (¼ cup) full-fat coconut milk
• ¼ tsp vanilla extract

3) For shaping & finishing

• Cornstarch or cacao powder (to prevent sticking)
• Cocoa powder (about 3 tbsp) for dusting

Ingredient list source:

Step-by-step instructions

Step 1 — Make the chocolate ganache filling

1. Chop the chocolate and place it in a heatproof bowl.
2. Heat the almond milk in a small saucepan until it just boils.
3. Pour hot milk over the chocolate, add tahini if using, then whisk until silky and fully melted.
4. Cover and chill the ganache in the fridge for about 2 hours, until firm enough to scoop.
5. Scoop into ~1 teaspoon portions, roll into balls, and keep chilled.
   • Right before wrapping, freeze the ganache balls ~10 minutes so they’re easier to handle.

Tip: Want a firmer center? Use ¼ cup almond milk instead of ⅓ cup.

Step 2 — Mix the mochi batter

1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together: glutinous rice flour + sugar + cacao.
2. Add water + coconut milk + vanilla, whisk until smooth. It will look like a thin batter at first.

Step 3 — Cook the mochi dough (choose 1 method)

Option A: Steam (classic texture)

1. Pour batter into a heatproof glass/ceramic bowl.
2. Steam for about 20 minutes, stirring halfway with a rubber spatula.
3. You’ll end up with a thick, sticky, stretchy dough.

Option B: Microwave (fast method)

1. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap.
2. Microwave 1 minute on high, remove and stir, then microwave 1 more minute.
3. If it’s not thick and stretchy yet, add short bursts (every microwave differs).
   (General microwave mochi technique is commonly done in 2-minute cycles with stirring.)

Step 4 — Cool the dough (important!)

1. Cover the dough with plastic wrap touching the surface (prevents drying).
2. Chill until completely cold (about 2 hours). This makes it easier to work with and helps prevent melting the ganache.

Step 5 — Shape and fill the mochi

1. Lightly dust your work surface with cornstarch or cacao (cacao works especially well for chocolate mochi).
2. Place the dough between two layers of plastic wrap and roll to about ½-inch thickness.
3. Cut 2.5-inch rounds with a cookie cutter (or a cup).
4. Put a ganache ball in the center of each round.
5. Wrap the dough up and around the filling, pinch to seal. (Use plastic wrap to help if it’s sticky.)
6. Dust off excess starch, then roll in cocoa powder for a neat finish.

Step 6 — Set, then serve

• Refrigerate the finished mochi at least 2 hours before eating for the best bite.
• Enjoy straight from the fridge, or let sit 5–10 minutes before eating if you want them softer.

Tips for success

• Use glutinous rice flour only (regular rice flour won’t get chewy mochi).
• Don’t overdo the cornstarch, or sealing becomes difficult—aim for “slightly sticky,” not dry.
• If wrapping is hard, make bigger mochi (easier to seal).

Storage

• Best the same day.
• Keeps up to 2 days in the fridge in an airtight container.