Daifuku (Video) 大福

A popular Japanese sweet treat, Daifuku is a small, round mochi filled with sweet red bean paste. Follow this easy recipe to make this delicious snack at home with a quick steam on the stovetop or in the microwave. 

Daifuku (大福) or daifuku mochi (大福餅) is a small, round white mochi stuffed with anko (sweetened red bean paste) made from azuki beans. We usually enjoy this popular Japanese sweet with green tea.

I’ve previously shared my seasonal Strawberry Daifuku recipe stuffed with fresh strawberries and anko. While strawberry daifuku is usually available in springtime, you can find classic daifuku all year round at Japanese confectionery shops and supermarkets. Here, I will show you how to make daifuku with 2 quick and easy methods—steaming (the traditional method) and microwaving.

What is Daifuku?

Among traditional Japanese treats and sweets (wagashi), daifuku is considered a type of mochi sweet. The word daifuku literally means “great luck.” What a perfect name! Who wouldn’t get lucky after eating these adorably round, chewy, and tasty treats?!

In Japan, you’ll find all sorts of colors and fillings for daifuku. Some shops even make this stuffed Japanese rice cake palm-sized instead of the usual golf ball size (3-4 cm in diameter). You can also bake it, grill it, or cook it in soup.

A Quick History

Daifuku derived from uzura mochi (mochi shaped like a quail) that was popular in the early Edo period (1603–1867). During the Meiji period (1868–1912), salted red bean was a common filling since sugar was a luxury item. In 1875, it is said that a widow in Koishikawa, Edo (modern-day Tokyo) refashioned it to be smaller and added sugar to the red bean paste. 

This new version was called habotai mochi (thick belly rice cake) because it resembled a well-fed belly. The name later changed to daifuku mochi or big belly rice cake, as fuku can mean both “belly” and “luck.” It was given a new meaning by using “大福” the kanji (Chinese characters) for “big luck.” Today, we often serve daifuku for Japanese New Year and springtime celebrations to bring luck and good fortune.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) OR mochiko – I prefer to use shiratamako as it yields a better texture. However, I understand that mochiko is more affordable and widely accessible.
• water
• sugar
• potato starch or cornstarch
• sweet red bean paste (anko) – store-bought or make it from scratch

How to Make Daifuku with Red Bean Filling

1. Prepare the sweet red bean paste if making from scratch. You can make it in advance and freeze.
2. Make the mochi mixture by combining rice flour, sugar, and water, then cook it in a microwave or steamer until translucent and cooked through.
3. To spread the mochi into a thin layer, transfer the hot mochi onto a work surface or large baking sheet lined with parchment paper and dusted with potato starch. Use a rolling pin to roll out the sticky rice cake.
4. Refrigerate for 15 minutes until the mochi is set.
5. Cut the chilled mochi into 7–8 mochi wrapper circles.
6. Stuff the anko sweet filling inside the mochi. Store the daifuku at room temperature in a cool, dry place.

Homemade Red Bean Paste: Fine or Coarse Texture

You can make two types of red bean (anko) filling. Koshian has a fine texture or tsubuan has a coarse texture. I’m more inclined to use tsubuan for its coarse texture so I can still taste the azuki bean skin in the paste. However, it’s totally personal. You can make anko in advance using my Homemade Anko recipe.

Different Flavors and Fillings for Daifuku

Sweet red bean paste filling is common, but you’ll find many other popular daifuku flavors and fillings:

• yomogi daifuku – Green-colored mochi made with yomogi (Japanese mugwort leaves).
• matcha daifuku – Matcha (green tea powder) flavors the mochi, the white bean paste (shiroan), or both.
• ichigo daifuku – A springtime favorite stuffed with whole strawberry.
• shio daifuku – Salt and sugar season the red bean filling for a sweet-salty flavor combo.
• ume daifuku – Tangy Japanese plum (ume) coats the red bean paste filling. A precious flavor to enjoy in early spring.
• coffee daifuku – The filling is a creamy, coffee-flavored bean paste; sometimes the coffee is mixed into the mochi itself; some variations like café au lait daifuku include fresh cream.
• white bean paste (shiroan) daifuku – After anko, mild-tasting white bean paste made from lima beans or butter beans is a very popular filling.
• daifuku with kinako paste – A filling made from roasted soybean flour.

More Japanese Desserts and Sweets

• How to Make Mochi with a Stand Mixer
• Mitarashi Dango
• Shiratama Dango
• Wagashi Guide: History of Japanese Confectioneries
• What is Mochi? All You Need to Know About Japanese Rice Cakes

Wish to learn more about Japanese cooking? Sign up for our free newsletter to receive cooking tips & recipe updates! And stay in touch with me on Facebook, Pinterest, YouTube, and Instagram.

Daifuku Mochi

4.76 from 148 votes

A popular Japanese sweet treat, Daifuku is a small, round mochi filled with sweet red bean paste. This recipe shows how you can make this delicious snack at home with a quick steam on the stovetop or in the microwave. 

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Video

Prep Time: 30 minutes mins

Cook Time: 3 minutes mins

Resting Time: 15 minutes mins

Total Time: 48 minutes mins

Servings: 12 pieces

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• ▢ ¾ cup shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) (or use mochiko; see the measurement below)
• ▢ ¼ cup sugar (do not omit; the sugar helps the mochi stay soft)
• ▢ ¾ cup water
• ▢ ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch
• ▢ 1½ cup sweet red bean paste (anko) (I use tsubuan chunky paste; you can make Homemade Anko)

To Substitute Shiratamako with Mochiko, Use:

• ▢ ¾ cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour)

Japanese Ingredient Substitution: If you want substitutes for Japanese condiments and ingredients, click here.

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  

To Make the Mochi Mixture

• Combine ¾ cup shiratamako (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) and ¼ cup sugar in a medium bowl and whisk it all together. Tip: If you can‘t find shiratamako, you can substitute ¾ cup mochiko (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour).
  
• Add ¾ cup water and mix well until combined.
  
• Microwave Method: If you’re using a microwave to cook the mochi, loosely cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Put the bowl in the microwave and heat it on high (1100w) for 1 minute. Take it out and stir it with wet rubber spatula. Cover again loosely and cook for 1 additional minute. Stir again, cover loosely, and cook for 30 seconds more to finish cooking. The color of the mochi will change from white to almost translucent.
  
• Steaming Method: If you’re using a steamer, wrap the steamer lid with a towel so the condensation does not drop into the mochi mixture. Put the bowl into the steamer basket and cover to cook for 15 minutes. Halfway through cooking, stir it with a wet rubber spatula, then cover to finish cooking. The color of the mochi will change from white to almost translucent.
  

To Roll and Cut the Mochi

• Cover your work surface with parchment paper and dust it generously with some of the ½ cup potato starch or cornstarch. Then transfer the hot mochi on top.
  
• To prevent it from sticking, sprinkle more potato starch on top of the mochi. Once it cools a bit, spread the mochi into a thin layer, about 3/16 inch (4–5 mm), with your hands or with a rolling pin. Make sure to apply potato starch to your hands and the rolling pin as needed. I recommend using a rolling pin because it’s easier to evenly spread out the mochi.
  
• Transfer the mochi with parchment paper onto a large baking sheet. Refrigerate for 15 minutes (no more than that) until the mochi is set.
  
• Take out the mochi from the refrigerator and cut 7–8 mochi wrapper circles with a 3½-inch (9-cm) cookie cutter.
  
• Dust off the excess potato starch from these wrappers with a pastry brush. If you find any sticky spots, cover the area with potato starch, then dust it off. Next, stack the wrappers: Place a piece of plastic wrap on a plate and put a mochi circle on top. Then, layer another piece of plastic wrap on top, and add another wrapper. Repeat for all the wrappers. Roll the leftover mochi dough into a ball, roll it out into a thin layer, and cut out more wrappers circles. You can make about 12 mochi wrappers.
  

To Make the Daifuku

• Now, we’re ready to make the Daifuku. On the work surface, place one sheet of plastic wrap with a mochi wrapper on top. Using a medium cookie scoop, place one scoop of the 1½ cup sweet red bean paste (anko) on top of the mochi wrapper.
  
• Pinch the four opposite points of the mochi circle together to enclose the anko. Then pinch the remaining edges together.
  
• Put some potato starch on the sealed area and set aside, seam side down. Continue making the rest of the Daifuku.
  

To Store

• Keep the Daifuku mochi in an airtight container and store in a cool, dry place. Enjoy within 2 days. For summer months when it‘s very hot, you may want to refrigerate these; since mochi gets hard in the refrigerator, you will need to wrap the container with a thick kitchen towel to keep it cool but not cold.

Nutrition

Calories: 140 kcal · Carbohydrates: 32 g · Protein: 3 g · Fat: 2 g · Saturated Fat: 2 g · Polyunsaturated Fat: 1 g · Monounsaturated Fat: 1 g · Sodium: 39 mg · Potassium: 183 mg · Fiber: 2 g · Sugar: 16 g · Vitamin A: 2 IU · Vitamin C: 1 mg · Calcium: 12 mg · Iron: 2 mg

Author: Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: Japanese

Keyword: daifuku, mochi

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