Blender Strawberry Mochi Muffins

By
Kat Lieu
Kat Lieu, portrait
Kat Lieu
Kat Lieu, formerly a doctor of physical therapy, fell in love with baking and founded a global group, Subtle Asian Baking. She is currently a full-time author and recipe developer at modernasianbaking.com and the best-selling author of Modern Asian Baking at Home. Originally from New York City, she now calls Washington state her home.
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Updated on 07/17/23
Tested by
Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers
Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers
Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine. 
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A plate of strawberry miso mochi muffins topped with chopped strawberries and confectioner's sugar

The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 55 mins
Total: 70 mins
Servings: 12 servings
Yield: 12 mochi muffins

I've had an obsession with all things chewy and bouncy for as long as I can remember. I'm talking cakes like nian gao, tangyuan dumplings, Shanghai rice cakes, and more. And you know what the secret is to getting that amazing texture? Gluten-free starches like Mochiko (glutionous rice flour), potato starch, and tapioca flour. 

What is the Texture of Mochi?

In Taiwan and other parts of Asia, the texture is called QQ or Q. It's like chewing on some seriously magical goodness. Think al dente pasta or Haribo gummy bears—that's the mochi-like texture we're talking about here.

The Mochification of Baking

Now, traditionally, mochi refers to those rice cakes you find in Japan. But honestly, these days, I'm using mochi to describe any food with that same irresistible texture. Nian gao and bánh bò nướng are mochi-like cakes, but they are not mochi, if that makes sense. My strawberry miso mochi muffins are technically muffins, but they have mochi’s texture. They're a perfect fusion of East and West that'll knock your socks off. 

Note that I started making mochi muffins back in 2020, but the Asian diaspora has been enjoying mochi and rice cake-like fusions for decades. (And for centuries if not thousands of years across Asia!) Now it's so exciting to see these creations popping up all over the world, for all to enjoy!

So, without further ado, here's my recipe for strawberry miso mochi muffins. They're gluten-free, chewy, stretchy, and packed with amazing flavors. You've got fresh, tart, and sweet strawberries balanced with a hint of umami from the miso—they’re seriously unforgettable. 

Easy Swaps To Consider

Whip these up for breakfast, brunch, or as a quick snack. And don't be afraid to mix things up! Swap out the strawberries for blueberries or mangoes, but make sure to keep that miso in there. Top 'em with your favorite fruits or drizzle with some sweetener. Trust me, these muffins are an easy blast to make and even more fun to eat!

Tips for Making Mochi Muffins

  • Let them rest—After resting (or curing) the mochi muffins for a day in an airtight container, the mochi texture becomes more prominent and extensible.
  • No blender? No problem—If you don’t have a blender, you can use a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment to make the mochi muffin batter. Chop your strawberries finely or puree in a food processor first. Mix everything together until smooth and cohesive.
  • No miso? Add salt—Substitute the miso with about 1/4 teaspoon of salt if you don’t have miso handy. 
  • Adjust the sweetness—I love desserts that are not-too-sweet. If you crave a bit more sweetness, drizzle the mochi muffins with honey, condensed milk, or syrup. 
  • Where to find miso and mochiko—Miso and mochiko can be easily found in Asian supermarkets, at Whole Foods, and online at Sayweee or Amazon. 
  • Sinking is normal—Because these muffins are made exclusively with gluten-free mochiko, they will sink a little in the middle (all the better to fill them with more berries), though they sink less if you use paper muffin tin liners.
  • Make ahead—This batter can be made a day or two in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

“I’m a big fan of desserts with a more mild sweetness like these. Next time I'll add some chopped pistachios on top for a pretty contrast. Make sure to trust the skewering method for testing if they’re cooked through since the glutinous rice flour behaves differently than all-purpose flour.”—Noah Velush-Rogers

Pink muffins in paper muffin cups with powdered sugar dusted on top
A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Mochi Muffins:

  • Cooking spray

  • 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola, vegetable, or melted unsalted butter/vegan butter)

  • 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (220 grams) milk or plain plant-based milk (soy or oat)

  • 2 large eggs or about 1/3 cup (100 grams) silken or soft tofu 

  • 2 tablespoons sweetened condensed milk, agave syrup, or maple syrup

  • 1 drop of red gel food coloring (more if you want a more vibrant pink or red)

  • 6 to 7 large strawberries (200 grams), green tops removed

  • 1 teaspoon miso (red or white)

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1/3 cup (65 grams) granulated sugar

  • 2 1/3 cups (350 grams) glutinous rice flour (Mochiko)

For the optional toppings:

  • Freeze-dried strawberry powder

  • Confectioners’ sugar

  • Edible gold

  • Matcha powder

  • Chopped or sliced strawberries 

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350 F with a rack in the center.

    Ingredients to make strawberry miso mochi muffins

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  2. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners. Spray the liners with cooking spray or grease lightly with oil. Alternatively, omit the liners and generously grease each cup of the muffin pan. (Mochi muffins and mochi cakes tend to be quite sticky as glutinous rice flour comes from “sticky rice.”)

    A muffin pan coated in non-stick cooking spray

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  3. Add the oil, milk, eggs, condensed milk or syrup, food coloring, strawberries, miso, baking powder, sugar, and rice flour to a blender and blend until smooth and cohesive. Optionally, rest the batter for a few minutes.

    A blender pitcher with a batter made from oil, milk, eggs, condensed milk or syrup, food coloring, strawberries, miso, baking powder, sugar, and rice flour

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  4. Divide the batter evenly into the muffin pan. You should have enough for 12 muffins. Each muffin cup should be about 3/4 full.

    A sprayed muffin pan with filled with strawberry miso mochi muffin batter

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  5. Bake for 50 to 55 minutes, until an inserted toothpick or bamboo skewer comes out clean. To keep the muffin tops pink, cover the muffins with aluminum foil about 15 minutes into baking. Place the muffin tin on a wire rack to cool. As the muffins cool, they become denser and more extensible/elastic.

    A muffin pan of baked strawberry miso mochi muffins sitting on a cooling rack

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

  6. Top the muffins with your optional toppings of choice. I like to add chopped or sliced strawberries on top and dust with confectioners’ sugar or matcha. If you’re feeling bougie, garnish with edible gold flakes.

    Strawberry miso mochi muffins on a cooling rack, topped with matcha powder

    The Spruce Eats / Julia Hartbeck

How To Store

Mochi muffins can be stored in airtight containers at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerated for up a week. Reheat as needed in the toaster, oven, or microwave.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This:

These recipe variations will help you make these muffins your own.

  • Fruit swap—Feel free to swap out the strawberries with any other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or blackberries. If you use blue or blackberries, add a teaspoon of purple ube extract or a drop of purple food coloring. You can even use different fruits like mango to make these mochi muffins.
  • Add-ins—For added texture and flavor, fold add-ins into the mochi muffin batter, such as white chocolate chips, cranberries, or nuts of choice. 
  • Cheesecake miso mochi muffins—If you have a favorite cheesecake batter, you can fill the muffin cup halfway, scoop in 1 to 2 teaspoons of cheesecake batter, then top with more muffin batter. This fun change results in strawberry cheesecake mochi muffins. 
  • Steam them—Try steaming these muffins instead of baking them for an extra squishy soft texture. Place the paper muffin cup liners snugly in a baking dish (like a round cake pan–you will have to use two pans), fill with batter, and steam in a bamboo steamer for 40 to 50 minutes or until set.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
145 Calories
4g Fat
24g Carbs
4g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 145
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 4g 5%
Saturated Fat 1g 4%
Cholesterol 34mg 11%
Sodium 85mg 4%
Total Carbohydrate 24g 9%
Dietary Fiber 1g 3%
Total Sugars 9g
Protein 4g
Vitamin C 10mg 50%
Calcium 63mg 5%
Iron 1mg 4%
Potassium 90mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)