Key Takeaways
- Ube butter mochi is a Hawaiian-Filipino baked treat β chewy, dense, and naturally lavender, with golden caramelized edges and a custardy center.
- It's the easiest ube mochi to make: one bowl, no steaming, no stretching β just whisk, pour, and bake.
- Made with glutinous (sweet) rice flour, coconut milk, and real organic ube powder for that signature springy chew.
- Total time: 1 hour 10 minutes. Yields 24 squares. Naturally gluten-free.
Of all the ube mochi formats β daifuku, mochi donuts, butter mochi β butter mochi is by far the easiest to make at home, and arguably the most addictive. It's a baked bar with a chewy, custardy interior and crisp, caramelized edges, naturally purple from real ube and rich with coconut milk. No special equipment, no stretching dough, no deep frying β you whisk everything in one bowl and bake. This recipe uses real organic ube powder for natural color and flavor. For the full rundown of mochi types, see our ube mochi guide; this is the recipe.
Why This Recipe Works
- Glutinous rice flour (mochiko or sweet rice flour) is what makes mochi chewy β regular rice flour or wheat flour will not work the same way.
- Coconut milk adds richness and a subtle tropical note that pairs perfectly with ube.
- One-bowl, no-fuss β butter mochi is forgiving; you simply whisk wet, add dry, pour, and bake.
- Bloomed ube β whisking the powder into the warm coconut milk dissolves it fully for even color.
Ingredients
Makes 24 squares (9Γ13 inch pan)
- 1 box (16 oz) glutinous rice flour / mochiko (about 3 cups)
- 1Β½ cups granulated white sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 4 tablespoons real organic ube powder
- 1 can (13.5 oz) full-fat coconut milk, warmed
- 1 can (12 oz) evaporated milk
- Β½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional: 2 tablespoons ube halaya for deeper color
Instructions
- Prep. Heat oven to 350Β°F (175Β°C). Grease a 9Γ13 inch pan well (or line with parchment).
- Bloom the ube. Whisk the ube powder into the warm coconut milk until completely smooth. Rest 3 minutes.
- Whisk the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, then add the ube-coconut milk, evaporated milk, melted butter, vanilla, and optional ube halaya. Whisk until uniform.
- Add the dry ingredients. In another bowl, stir together the glutinous rice flour, sugar, and baking powder. Add to the wet mixture and whisk until completely smooth (the batter is thin β that's correct).
- Pour and bake. Pour into the prepared pan. Bake 55β65 minutes, until the top is set, deep lavender-golden, and the edges pull away slightly from the pan.
- Cool fully. Let cool completely in the pan β at least 1 hour. Mochi is gummy and hard to cut when warm; it firms up as it cools.
- Cut. Slice into squares with a plastic knife or an oiled metal knife (mochi sticks to dry blades).
Pro Tip: Patience on the cooling is everything. Cut too soon and you get a sticky, gummy mess. Let it cool completely (or even overnight) for clean squares with that perfect chewy bite. Oil your knife between cuts to keep edges neat.
Storage and Make-Ahead
- Room temperature: Airtight container, 2β3 days. Mochi is best within 48 hours β the chew is at its peak.
- Refrigerator: Up to 5 days, but it firms up cold. Microwave a square 8β10 seconds to bring back the soft chew.
- Freezer: Up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp, then warm briefly to restore the texture. Don't refrigerate long-term β it dries out.
Variations
- Ube mochi donuts: Pipe the batter into a donut mold for the chewy mochi-donut format (reduce bake time to 18β22 minutes).
- Coconut-topped: Sprinkle shredded coconut over the top before baking for crunch.
- Ube-pandan: Add Β½ teaspoon pandan extract for a Filipino-Southeast Asian twist.
- Pair it: Serve alongside an ube boba or as part of a Filipino dessert spread. See more options in our top ube desserts list.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use regular flour or rice flour instead of glutinous rice flour?
No β the chewy texture depends on glutinous (sweet) rice flour, sold as mochiko or sweet rice flour. Regular rice flour and wheat flour don't have the same sticky starch and won't produce mochi's signature chew.
Is ube butter mochi gluten-free?
Yes β glutinous rice flour contains no wheat gluten (the name refers to its sticky texture, not gluten). Just confirm your ube powder and other ingredients are certified gluten-free if you're cooking for celiac needs.
Why is my mochi gummy in the middle?
Either it's underbaked or it was cut while warm. Bake until the edges pull from the pan and the center is set, then let it cool completely before slicing β mochi firms up dramatically as it cools.
What are the other types of ube mochi?
The three main formats are butter mochi (this baked bar), daifuku (a stuffed mochi ball), and mochi donuts (the fried 8-ball ring). Our ube mochi guide explains all three in detail.
Can I make this without eggs?
Butter mochi relies on eggs for structure, so a fully egg-free version changes the texture. For 4 eggs, the closest swap is ΒΎ cup of additional coconut milk plus 2 tablespoons of cornstarch, though the result will be softer and less custardy.
Make chewy purple butter mochi with real ube.
Our organic ube powder gives mochi natural lavender color and authentic flavor β real Filipino purple yam, no dye. 4 tablespoons per pan.
Shop Organic Ube Powder β
