This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Mini Shanghai Butter Mochi Tots
If you love a treat that’s equal parts crispy and chewy, these Shanghai Butter Mochi Tots are about to become your new obsession. Inspired by classic butter mochi, this bite-sized twist bakes up in a mini muffin pan so every single piece gets those golden, crispy edges while staying delightfully gooey and chewy in the center. The magic is in the balance—whole milk and coconut milk lend a soft richness, butter brings warmth, and sweet rice flour with tapioca flour creates that signature mochi chew. Nothing overpowers; every flavor gets its moment to shine.
What Are Butter Mochi Tots?
Butter mochi tots are a fun, snackable spin on traditional Hawaiian-style butter mochi, baked into mini muffin tins for a crispy exterior and a tender, chewy bite. The “tot” is my personal nod to a “don tot“, a classic Cantonese egg custard tart, that my recipe of butter mochi reminds me of. (Do you see the resemblence?)
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
These tots are simple to make, naturally gluten-free, and deliver that craveable chewy texture in a perfectly portioned bite. They’re great for snacking, sharing, or serving at gatherings.
Ingredients You’ll Need
A short list of pantry-friendly staples: whole milk, coconut milk, butter, eggs, vanilla, granulated sugar, sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour. That’s the whole lineup behind these layered, buttery bites.
The Secret to Crispy Edges and a Chewy Center
Baking in a mini muffin pan maximizes surface area, so each mini mochi tot crisps beautifully on the outside while staying chewy inside. The combination of sweet rice flour and tapioca flour is the key to that classic mochi texture. Baking them in the convection bake setting also helps crisp them up more than just the regular bake setting can do.
Tips for Perfect Butter Mochi Tots
Grease your mini muffin pan well, and remove them immediately after baking on to a cooling rack so that the edges don’t get soggy as it cools.
How to Store and Serve
Enjoy these tots warm for the crispiest edges, or store them in an airtight container and reheat for that fresh-baked chew. They’re a treat any time of day.
Love mochi? Try my other mochi recipes:
Black Sesame Filled Daifuku Mochi
Sweet Potato Mochi Pancakes
Chocolate Mochi Brownies
What’s in the Mini Shanghai Butter Mochi Tots
- sweet rice flour
- tapioca flour
- butter
- whole milk
- coconut milk
- granulated sugar
- eggs
- vanilla
Shanghai Butter Mochi Tots
Shanghai Butter Mochi Tots are bite-sized baked mochi treats made in a mini muffin pan. They’re golden and crispy on the outside, soft and chewy on the inside, with a perfectly balanced blend of butter, coconut milk, whole milk, sweet rice flour, and tapioca flour. Simple, snackable, and dangerously good.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (4 ounces) coconut milk
- 3 tablespoons (38 grams) unsalted butter + more for greasing muffin pan
- 1 cup (8 ounces) whole milk
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar + 2 tablespoons for dusting on muffin pan
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup (175 grams) sweet rice flour
- 3 tablespoons (23 grams) tapioca flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F on convection bake. Generously butter the 24 mini muffin wells and sprinkle each well with about 1/4 teaspoon of granulated sugar.
- In a small saucepan, add the coconut milk and butter and stir over medium heat just until the butter has melted. Remove from heat and add the milk. Stir and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1/2 cup of sugar and vanilla. Pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture and whisk to combine well. Add the sweet rice flour and the tapioca flour. Continue to whisk until combined well. Mixture should be thin.
- Strain the batter through a fine mesh sieve. Discard anything left on the sieve.
- Divide the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling each well about 2/3 full. Bake for 28 to 32 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown.
- Remove from oven and immediately remove each butter mochi from the pan and on to a cooling rack. An offset spatula is great for loosening any parts of the mochi that may be stuck to the pan. Let it cool for 15 minutes before serving.
❓ FAQ’s for Mini Shanghai Butter Mochi Tots
Sweet rice flour (also called glutinous rice flour or mochiko) is made from short-grain glutinous rice. Despite the name, it contains no gluten. Look for it at Asian grocery stores, Whole Foods, or online. The most common brand is Koda Farms Mochiko Blue Star.
Yes! Swap the whole milk for oat milk or more coconut milk, and use a plant-based butter. The texture may vary slightly but will still be wonderfully chewy.
You can, but the flavor will be more prominently coconut. The 1 cup whole milk / ½ cup coconut milk ratio is specifically designed to keep all flavors subtle and balanced — which is the heart of this recipe.
They share that signature chewy rice flour texture, but butter mochi is its own category — richer, slightly denser, and with a baked caramelized quality that traditional mochi doesn’t have. Think of them as mochi’s baked, butterier cousin.
Absolutely. Freeze in a single layer, then transfer to a zip-lock bag. Reheat from frozen in a toaster oven at 325°F for about 8–10 minutes.
Sweet rice flour provides the primary mochi chew. Tapioca flour adds a slightly stretchier, bouncier quality and helps with the crispy exterior. Together, they create a more complex and satisfying texture than either alone.
A standard mini muffin pan holds 24 cups. Depending on how full you fill each cup, you’ll get approximately 24 per batch. You can fill each well higher to make slightly bigger but less quanitity.
I’m glad you asked! Yes — and that sounds amazing. A teaspoon or two of matcha powder or black sesame powder pairs beautifully while keeping the spirit of the recipe. Fold in chocolate chips or mochi pieces just before filling the pan.
You can use a standard muffin pan or an 8×8 baking dish, but you’ll lose some of those crispy edges that make the “tots” so special. Adjust baking time accordingly, as larger portions take longer.
SHOP FOR THIS RECIPE
Authentic Mochiko Sweet Rice Flour – Made from high-quality sweet rice, this premium glutinous rice flour is perfect for mochi, dango, and traditional Asian desserts.
Not just for mini muffins, these are great for so many desserts like mini cheesecakes and other bite sized treats.
A kitchen scale is not negotiable. The variation in weight and volume can make or break a recipe.
Stainless steel sieve set with 3 diameters: 3.15"+5.5"+7.87"
A must for every baker. This fits a half sheet pan perfectly.
Chocolate Ganache Drip Cake
Matcha Green Tea Ice Cream
Easy Flaky Warm Butter Croissants
Tuna Rice Balls
Mochi Berry Trifle
Nutella & Cookie Butter Croissant Babka
Purple Ube Chia Pudding
Matcha Chia Seed Pudding
Balthazar Inspired Salad with Lemon Truffle Dressing
Homemade French Onion Dip
