Kinako Powdered Mochi Donuts
Wow. It’s been a whole month since I last blogged! This might have been my longest internet break ever. In the last month we fully moved into our house, we both turned another year older, I’ve listened to the new Taylor Swift album a million times, and I’ve been recipe testing like a mad woman because my manuscript deadline is less than 2 months away (omg). So, yeah… life has been pretty hectic and I needed some time to focus on life, but I’m happy to be back here with you, sharing non-cookbook related recipes!
So, how have you been? Can you believe Summer is almost over?! It still feels like the world is spinning out of control but I find a lot of peace working away in my kitchen each day… unless it’s mooncake testing week.
One of the few non-cookbook recipes I’ve developed recently were these Kinako Powdered Mochi Donuts! Sounds like a mouthful, I know, but they are so squishy and good! They were born out of a text conversations with my friend, Alana! I’ve been obsessed with her blog for years and fan-girled so hard the first time we ever DM’d each other. Now, we’re blogger friends! The internet is so wild. She loved mochi anything just as much as me. I mean, check out her Mochi Brownies and Almond Butter Mochi Muffins! Mochi Queen!
We both wanted to create unique interpretations of the mochi donut. You’ve probably seen the colorful and very Instagram worthy donuts dipped in bright glazes and artfully sprinkled with nuts and edible flowers or something. Don’t get me wrong, I love those donuts! But I’m not really going outside in search of mochi donuts anymore. Plus, making your own mochi donuts/muffins couldn’t be easier!
I’m normally a classic glazed donut girl, but I had been craving a good powdered donut. It has been YEARS since I’ve eaten one and it was probably out of a vending machine in college. My roommate, Alex, lived off those things I would steal one off her studio desk. I loved the cakey texture of the donuts and didn’t mind the mess while eating them or the fact that you had to hold your breath the whole time.
For these donuts, I added a little bit of kinanko, which is roasted soy bean powdered. It’s a common ingredient in Japanese desserts and confections - you’ll most likely find it dusted on squares of mochi. So it only felt natural to combine mochi donuts with kinako! It tastes deeply roasty and nutty, pretty much just like peanut butter. If you’re allergic to peanut butter, this might be a great avenue to experience the amazing nutty flavor.
I love how kinako mellows out the sweetness of the powdered sugar and obviously it tastes great with the soft and chewy mochi donuts! Don’t forget to check out Alana’s Miso Brown Butter Mochi Donuts with Chocolate Miso Glaze too! They look INCREDIBLE. Not surprising!
Kinako Powdered Mochi Donuts
makes 12 to 14 donuts
materials
360g (2 1/2 cups) mochiko flour
2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted
1 13.5 oz can of full-fat coconut milk
130g (3/4 cup) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp kinako (roasted soy bean powder)
non-stick cooking spray
steps:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and spray a donut pan with non-stick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, whisk to combine mochiko flour, baking powder, and salt.
In another medium bowl, whisk to combine melted butter, milk, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extra until smooth. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk to combine, until very smooth and thick. Fill a pastry bag or large ziplock bag with batter and squeeze to one corner. Snip the end and fill the donut pan with batter to just below the rim.
Bake until golden brown and crisp around the edges, 30-32 minutes. Allow the donuts to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove to fully cool on a wire rack.
In a shallow bowl, whisk to combine powdered sugar and kinako. Dip the donuts in the kinako powdered sugar until fully covered and serve.
Notes: the donuts will eventually absorb the powdered sugar, so if you’re saving for later, dust the donuts in powdered sugar right before serving.
This batter was developed specifically for a donut made in a donut pan. If you only have a muffin pan, then use one of my recipes that are made specifically for a muffin pan.