We’re still in the middle of Pancake Week celebrations, but today also happens to be Hinamatsuri (Girl’s Day), one of my favorite Japanese holidays. So to celebrate both holidays, I came up with a Japanese inspired pancake recipe—orange mochi pancakes!
Replacing some of the dry ingredients with mochiko (sweet rice flour) produces a fabulous every-so-slightly chewy pancake that is still fluffy and soft. Like most pancake recipes, the dry ingredients and wet ingredients are mixed separately and then combined to make these pancakes. I also separated the egg yolks and whites, and beat the egg whites, which I then folded into the batter, to create a lighter, airier pancake. Grated orange zest gives the pancakes a wonderful bright springy flavor.
I like making smaller pancakes (about 3-inches). I find that my girls’ eyes are bigger than their stomach. This way they can have “lots” of pancakes, but there is less waste!
These pancakes would be delicious with any toppings, but my personal favorites are powdered sugar, fresh berries, honey, or buttermilk syrup! You can also use the pancakes to make a fun and easy-to-make Japanese-inspired treat that I’m calling Nutella Banana Dorayaki. Head on over to my post on The Family Kitchen to check it out!
Whether you make them to eat with syrup, or you make them into dorayaki, I bet you’ll love them as much as my family does! Itadakimasu!
Print This Recipe
Orange Mochi Pancakes
Makes approximately 16 (4-inch) pancakes
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 cup mochiko (sweet rice flour)
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1 tablespoon grated orange zest
1. Whisk the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flours, granulated sugar, baking powder, allspice, and salt in a large bowl.
2. Mix the wet ingredients: Separate the egg whites into a medium-size bowl, and the yolks into a small bowl. Whisk the egg yolks with the milk, oil, and orange zest.
3. Combine the dry and wet ingredients: Stir the milk mixture into the the flour mixture until just combined.
4. Beat the egg whites: Beat the egg whites with an electric mixer on high speed until stiff, but not dry, peaks form. (When the beaters are lifted, the egg whites should hold a firm peak that droops slightly at the top.)
5. Preheat the cooking surface: Preheat a griddle or large skillet to medium heat.
6. Fold the egg whites into the batter: Put about a third of the beaten egg whites on top of the batter. Gently fold the egg whites into the batter. (Slice down through the center of the mixtures with a rubber spatula, then pull the spatula up along the side of the bowl and over the top, gently incorporating the beaten egg whites with the batter. Rotate the bowl a quarter turn and repeat the process until the egg whites have been incorporated.) Add the rest of the egg whites and gently fold them in until no white streaks remain, taking care not to deflate the batter too much. Use the batter right away.
7. Cook the pancakes: Using a measuring cup or ladle, pour about 1/4 cup of the batter onto the heated griddle/skillet. Repeat, spacing the pancakes at least 1 inch apart. Cook for 1 minute, or until bubbles in the batter start to pop and remain open on the surface of the pancakes. Carefully flip the pancakes and cook the other side 30 seconds to 1 minute. Repeat with the remaining batter. Serve warm with desired toppings.
{ 29 comments… read them below or add one }
These are so cute! I guess I never really knew what mochiko was til now…looks delightful!
I love the little baby pancake ontop of the huge stack in one of the pictures- too cute! I made my office participate in Girls Day today since I brought in treats and told the guys- you know you have to be extra nice to all the girls today right? The Doriyaki also looks super yummy with the nutella- thanks for sharing!!
What a great idea! Orange sounds wonderful in pancake form.
Those are the cutest little pancakes I think I’ve ever seen. Mochiko is on the grocery list this week :)
I’m pretty sure I’d eat a dozen of those very quickly {especially with Nutella ; ) } YUM!
I love mochi and pancake, so this is a great 2 in 1 for me! ;)
I’m putting this on the breakfast menu for this weekend. Can’t wait to try it!
ohhh They are adorable.
looks delicious!
These look absolutely delicious. I never would’ve thought of using rice flour in pancakes. Gonna have to try it. Now where can I get mochiko?
Oh my goodness, yum. I think I’m going to need to make those within the next few days… I love orange-flavored mochi, and of course I love pancakes, so I’m pretty sure these are amazing. ^_^
These pancakes are so cute! They look so fluffy even though I know mochi is chewy. Sigh – I’d eat the whole batch!
If I have a grinder, what do I need to do to make my own mochi?
That’s not nice. You made these just to rub it in – my last post was my failed attempt at Mochi. ;)
They look awesome! I’m surprised the rice flour doesn’t make them gummy. Plan to try again tomorrow or Saturday. Now I know what to do with the rest of the flour. Thanks! :)
Oh wow! Absolutely gorgeous!
These look great, can you teach us to make Mochi too? The frozen ones !!
Ohhh I found it under the butterfinger mochi daydreamers!!!! FUN !!!
I made these yesterday. Mine didn’t turn out as pretty as yours but it was still delicious and the buttermilk syrup was TO DIE FOR!!! I’m tempted to make them again tomorrow but I have to keep reminding myself that I’m trying to get my pre-baby body back!
I love this! looks delicious and chewy and fluffy at the same time:)
I’m sure these are delicious (which I hope to learn firsthand very soon), but they’re also absolutely adorable! I love how tiny you made them…tiny, yet very fluffy looking! Yum! Lovely photos too!
I want these! They look perfect!!! So fluffy, orangey, and wonderful!
It’s so fluffyyyy (like that one girl in Despicable Me). If I want to sleep on a pancake pillow that I can devour the next morning, this will be it.
These pancakes look absolutely delightful! I love the chewy texture that mochi flour adds to baked and steamed rice cakes, but I’ve never thought to try it in pancakes. What a fabulous idea!
Craving a stack of these pancakes RIGHT NOW! I will make them this weekend for breakfast. Lovely mochi pancakes, Rachael. xo
Must make this ASAP. I love your site and recipes. I spend my mornings going through food blogs and yours is on my ‘regular’ list that I think of off the top of my head!
I found you blog through facebook. Your pancake is very lovely. Just want to comfirm with you. Is mochiko rice flour same as glutinous rice flour?
Happy Baking.
Lisa
http://www.bakingfrenzy.com
Those look so fluffy and delicious! I love mochi and one day (when I buy a waffle-maker) I shall make many fluffy pancakes and waffles.
I do make these fabulous mochi pancakes. It was the first time that I used the above recipe and it was delicious. Although I did not separate the eggs. I did not add the allspice or the kosher salt. I mixed eggs, sugar, oil together; then I added the dry ingredients (substitute flour with pancake batter). I substitute the orange zest with 2 ripe bananas (mashed). It turns out wonderfully delicious everytime.
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