Baked Lemon Mochi Donuts

January is the time for all things citrus, and I wanted to celebrate with these lemon mochi donuts. Lemons are probably my favorite fruit not because I like to eat them, but because of what they add to dishes and drinks. Also fun fact, I drink lemon honey water every morning as my own form of coffee. Lemon also goes well with different ingredients such as blueberries. See my lemon blueberry mochi donuts as an example! I absolutely love what the lemon flavor adds to these donuts. It’s the perfect balance of sweet, sour, and brightness. Also the perfect way to start out the year!

Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments

• Lemon juice and lemon zest – Both add lemon flavor to the donuts.
• Coconut milk – I love using full fat coconut milk because the coconut fat gives the donut a fluffier texture. You can use low fat coconut milk, but it will change the texture of the donuts a little. A good substitution for coconut milk is whole milk.
• Unsalted butter – Adds richness and nuttiness to the donut batter. I chose to use browned butter for these lemon mochi donuts because it added extra rich flavor to the donuts.
• Light brown sugar – Adds sweetness and moisture to the donut. You can also use dark brown sugar or granulated sugar. Dark brown sugar will make the donut sweeter and chewier.
• Vanilla extract – Adds flavor to the donuts. Good substitutes are 1 vanilla bean or an equal amount of vanilla paste.
• Eggs – Adds richness to the donuts and binds the dough together.
• Salt for seasoning
• Sweet rice flour – This is the ingredient that gives the donut its squishy texture. I like to use Koda Farms mochiko sweet rice flour.
• Baking powder – Baking powder provides lift to the donuts and makes it airy.

Making my lemon mochi donuts

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C). Next, prep donut pan by greasing it with oil or butter. I used a donut pan with donut molds that are 3 inches in diameter. Set aside. Brown your butter. Heat butter over medium heat until it melts. Lower the heat to low and cook until brown bits start to appear. Pour into a large bowl. Let it cool for 1-2 minutes. Add the brown sugar and egg. Mix until incorporated. Add the coconut milk, lemon juice, lemon zest, vanilla extract, and salt. Mix until well incorporated. Add the sweet rice flour and baking powder. Mix until incorporated.

Spoon the dough into a pastry bag or Ziploc bag. Pipe the donuts into the prepared donut pans. Bake for 12-14 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Let donuts cool in the donut pan for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. While the donuts are cooling, combine all the ingredients for the glaze. Mix and set aside. Dip the donuts into the glaze and enjoy!

Tips on how to make the perfect lemon mochi donuts

Rest your dough if it feels a little wet

If your dough feels a little wet, rest it for 5 minutes to allow it to dry out a bit before piping into the donut pan.

Use a Ziploc bag to pipe donuts into donut pan

I tried to spoon the batter into the donut molds, but I ended up making a mess. That’s how I ended up using a Ziploc bag to pipe them into the molds. It’s a lot quicker, and there is less mess. You can also use a pastry bag if you have them!

How do you store mochi donuts?

These donuts should last up to 3 days at room temperature in an airtight container and up to 3 months in the freezer.

Can I reduce the sugar in these donuts?

Yes you can, but make sure to reduce the sweet rice flour accordingly. For every 1 tablespoon reduction in sugar, reduce the sweet rice flour by 1 1/2 teaspoon. Also note that the lemon flavor will be stronger the more you reduce the sugar.

Did you make this dish?

If you made this dish, I would love to see!

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