Homemade Chocolate Mochi Ice Cream

Make chocolate mochi ice cream at home! Chocolate ice cream wrapped in soft, chewy mochi—a fun and delicious sweet treat.

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time 40

Cook Time 10

Chill Time 2 40

Total Time 3 30

Course Dessert

Cuisine Japanese

Servings 8 mochi ice cream

Calories 83 kcal

8 scoops chocolate ice cream #20 cookie scoop size
About ½ cup cornstarch or any other type of starch such as tapioca and arrowroot starch, to dust the work surface

Scoop & Freeze: Scoop 8 scoops chocolate ice cream using a #20 cookie or ice cream scoop (about 2 tablespoons each) into muffin cups. Let them chill in the freezer for at least 2 hours. Pro tip: Soak your scoop in water to make scooping easier!

Dust the Surface: Generously dust your work surface with about About ½ cup cornstarch.
Mix the Dry Ingredients: Whisk together ½ cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour), ⅓ cup white granulated sugar, and 2 tablespoons cocoa powder in a medium microwave-safe bowl.
Add the Liquids: Slowly add ⅔ cup water, mixing until smooth with a spatula, then stir in 1 teaspoon neutral oil.
Microwave the Mochi: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, poke a few holes on top, and microwave for 1 minute and 30 seconds. Stir and knead with a spatula until smooth and no lumps remain. Cover again with plastic wrap and microwave for another 30 seconds, then knead for about 1 minute. Repeat this process—microwaving for 30 seconds and kneading for 1 minute—until the dough becomes smooth, stretchy, and starts pulling away from the spatula. This usually takes 2 to 3 rounds.
Roll the Mochi: Spread the mochi on the dusted work surface and dust the top with cornstarch. Dust a rolling pin and roll the mochi into a square about 0.2 inches (5mm) thick, and let it cool to room temperature for about 45 to 60 minutes. Make sure to coat all surfaces with cornstarch to keep the dough from drying out.
Slice the Mochi: Slice the cooled mochi into 6 pieces.

Prepare for Wrapping: Remove one ice cream ball at a time from the freezer to prevent melting. Lay a sheet of plastic wrap on your counter, then put a mochi piece on it, dust off any excess cornstarch.
Stretch & Wrap (see Note 2): Stretch the mochi with your hands until it’s big enough to wrap around the ice cream. Place it over your thumb and index finger—make sure there’s plenty of cornstarch where it touches your skin so it doesn’t stick. Drop the ice cream ball in the center, rounded side down, then gently press the mochi around it and seal it tightly. If any spots feel too sticky, just dust on a little more cornstarch.
Trim & Wrap: Trim off any extra mochi, then wrap it up in plastic wrap.
Freeze: Pop the wrapped mochi ice cream back in the freezer, then repeat until you’re done!
Use leftover dough: Once you've wrapped six ice cream balls with mochi, combine any leftover dough, roll it out to the same thickness, and cut it into two more sheets. Then, just repeat the process to make two more chocolate mochi ice cream!

When you’re ready to enjoy, and the mochi ice cream feels a little too hard, just let it sit at room temperature for 5 to 10 minutes until the ice cream softens up a bit. Then go ahead and dig in!

(Note 1) Choosing the Right Glutinous Rice Flour: Make sure you're using glutinous rice flour (sweet rice flour), not regular rice flour—it’s a must for this recipe! You can find it at your local Asian grocery store or on Amazon (I love Koda Farms Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour).
(Note 2-1) Wrapping Ice Cream: Want a little more guidance? Check out the step-by-step guide above with photos to help you through it!
(Note 2-2) Alternative Wrapping Method: If the wrapping method feels tricky, no worries! Just lay the mochi sheet on plastic wrap, place the ice cream ball on top, and fold the edges over to seal it. Keep in mind, you might not get all 8 mochi ice cream balls with this method.
(Note 2-3) Let the Mochi Dough Cool Enough: If the mochi dough isn’t cool enough, the ice cream will melt too quickly. So, make sure the dough cools to room temperature before you start wrapping!
(Note 2-4) Wrap Ice Cream Quickly: Ice cream melts fast! So, take one ball at a time, wrap it in mochi, then pop it back in the freezer right away. Keep going until you’ve got them all done!

Storage & Serving Instructions

To store: Wrap each mochi ice cream ball in plastic wrap and place them in an airtight container. Keep them in the freezer for up to 1 month.
To serve: Let them sit in the fridge or at room temperature until the ice cream softens slightly.
Leftover mochi dough: If you have any leftovers, roll it into a square or rectangle, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap, and place it in an airtight container or plastic bag. You can store it in the fridge for 2 to 3 days or freeze it for up to a month. When you’re ready to use it, just let it come to room temperature by leaving it out. Try making chocolate mochi with ganache—this recipe is a fun way to use up leftover dough!

Keyword mochi