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Ube Mochi Ice Cream Bites
These ube mochi ice cream bites wrap scoops of rich purple yam ice cream in a chewy, steamed glutinous rice shell — the same treat sold frozen at Asian grocery stores, made at home with a boosted ube flavor. Freeze small ice cream balls first, then work fast wrapping them in warm mochi dough before returning everything to the freezer to set. The result is a two-bite dessert with a soft chewy exterior and a firm, cold, deeply purple center.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups No-Churn Ube Ice Cream, Store-bought or homemade, slightly softened
- 1 cup Glutinous Rice Flour (Mochiko)
- 0.25 cup Granulated Sugar
- 0.75 cup Water
- 1 tbsp Ube Powder, For deeper color and flavor in the mochi shell
- 0.5 tsp Pure Ube Extract, Optional, for extra floral aroma
- 0.5 cup Cornstarch or Potato Starch, For dusting hands and work surface
Instructions
- Scoop and Freeze the Ice Cream Balls Using a small cookie scoop, portion the softened ube ice cream into 16 tablespoon-sized balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until completely solid, at least 2 hours.
- Make the Mochi Dough In a microwave-safe bowl, whisk together the glutinous rice flour, sugar, water, ube powder, and ube extract until smooth. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave in 1-minute bursts, stirring between each, until the dough turns translucent and sticky, about 3 minutes total.
- Rest and Divide Let the dough cool for 5-10 minutes until safe to handle. Turn it out onto a starch-dusted surface and divide into 16 equal pieces, keeping unused dough covered so it doesn't dry out.
- Wrap the Ice Cream Balls Flatten each piece of dough into a thin disc in your starch-dusted palm. Working quickly, place one frozen ice cream ball in the center, then gather and pinch the edges closed, sealing completely. Return each wrapped bite to the freezer immediately.
- Final Freeze Freeze the wrapped mochi ice cream bites for at least 1 hour before serving to let the shells firm back up.
Pro Tips
- Work with one ice cream ball at a time and keep the rest in the freezer — the dough seals much more easily around a fully frozen, firm center.
- Dust your hands generously with cornstarch between each wrap to keep the sticky dough from tearing.
- A small cookie scoop keeps the ice cream balls uniform, which makes wrapping faster and the finished bites more even.
Variations
- Ube Halaya Filling: Swap the ice cream for frozen tablespoons of ube halaya jam for a softer, jam-filled version that doesn't need to stay frozen as long before eating.
- Coconut-Dusted Bites: Roll the finished, sealed bites in shredded coconut instead of leaving them plain for extra texture and flavor.
Nutrition (estimated, per serving)
105 calories · 17g carbs · 1.5g protein · 3.5g fat · 10g sugar · 0.3g fiber
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use store-bought ube ice cream instead of homemade?
Yes — any store-bought ube or purple yam ice cream works fine. Just make sure it's soft enough to scoop into balls, then freeze the scooped balls solid before wrapping.
Why does my mochi dough tear when I wrap it around the ice cream?
This usually means the dough wasn't dusted with enough starch, or the ice cream balls weren't fully frozen. A firm, very cold center holds its shape and is much easier to wrap without tearing warm, sticky dough.
How long do ube mochi ice cream bites keep in the freezer?
Stored in an airtight container with parchment between layers, they keep well for about 1 week before the mochi shell starts to dry out and toughen.
Recommended Ingredient
OXO Good Grips Stainless Steel Ice Cream Scoop — read our review.