Vegan Mochi Donuts

These baked vegan mochi donuts are soft, chewy, and lightly crisp on the edges—made with sweet rice flour and just a few simple ingredients. Piped into cute little rings and glazed with a maple drizzle, they’re the perfect balance of sweet and satisfying. Unlike fried donuts, these are lighter but still packed with that signature mochi bounce. So easy to make and fun to eat—ideal for breakfast, dessert, or an afternoon snack!

Ingredients

1 cup Glutinous Rice Flour (Mochiko)

1/4 cup All Purpose

2 Tablespoons Cornstarch

1-1/2 tsp Baking Powder

1/3 cup Organic Cane Sugar (or coconut sugar)

1/4 tsp Salt

1/2 cup Plant Milk (unsweetened almond, oat, or soy)

2 Tablespoons Neutral Oil (like avocado or melted coconut)

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and lightly grease or line a baking sheet.

In a large bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.

In another bowl, mix the plant milk, sugar, oil and vanilla

Pour wet into dry and stir until smooth. The batter should be thick but pipeable—like a really thick pancake batter. If it’s too loose, add 1–2 more Tbsp mochiko. It should be able to stand up on its own and be firm.

Transfer to a piping bag and pipe 8 large connected round mounds together onto a lined or greased baking sheet.

Bake for 15–17 minutes or until the tops look set and the donuts spring back slightly when touched.

Let cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

Vanilla Donut Glaze (Sets Perfectly + Tastes Amazing)

Ingredients

1 cup powdered sugar, sifted

1-1/2 Tablespoons Plant Milk (oat or almond milk works best)

1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract (or any vanilla extract you have)

1 tsp Melted Vegan Butter or Coconut Oil (optional, for richness and shine, recommended)

Pinch of Salt

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, plant milk, and vanilla until smooth.

If using, whisk in the melted vegan butter or coconut oil for that bakery-style gloss and a subtle rich taste.

Add a pinch of salt to balance the sweetness.

The glaze should be thick but pourable—add more powdered sugar if too thin or a splash more milk if too thick.

Dip cooled mochi donuts face-down into the glaze, lift, and gently twist. Let the excess drip off before setting on a wire rack.

Optional Add-Ons (right after glazing)

Crushed Freeze-Dried Strawberries or Raspberries

Rainbow Sprinkles

Toasted Sesame Seeds

Matcha or Cocoa dusting

Pro Tip: Before serving let the donuts sit for 10–15 minutes after glazing so the coating sets and holds the toppings in place without smudging.

Fun Vegan Glaze Ideas

Matcha glaze – add 1/2 tsp matcha powder to the glaze

Chocolate glaze – mix cocoa powder into the glaze

Strawberry glaze – whisk in freeze-dried strawberry powder

Cinnamon sugar – roll warm Mochinuts in cinnamon + sugar mix

How to Get the Classic Mochinut (Pon de Ring) Shape:

Spoon your batter into a piping bag (or ziplock with the corner snipped off) and pipe 8 small connected balls in a ring shape onto parchment paper or into a round silicone mold. The balls should just barely touch each other — they’ll puff up and connect as they bake or fry.

There are special silicone molds on Amazon and baking shops called “pon de ring molds” or “mochi donut molds.” They have the classic bubble shape and will give you that bakery-perfect finish.

If you’re using an air fryer, pipe the ring of balls onto a small square of parchment paper. Carefully lift the parchment and set it into the basket to air-fry.

Make sure your batter balls are equal in size and piped with small gaps so they puff together. If you pipe too close, they’ll lose their distinct shape; if too far, they won’t connect.

Bonus Tip

Once they’re baked or air-fried, gently glaze them while they’re still slightly warm so the glaze smooths over the little bubbles — that gives you that shiny, bakery look!