Two green matcha waffles served on a decorative white plate with fresh strawberries and blueberries, set on a rustic wooden table with a cup of coffee in the background.

Mochi is one of my favorite Japanese snacks, and I love all things matcha. That’s why these Matcha Mochi Waffles are the perfect mashup in my book! With their chewy interior, crispy exterior, and heavenly matcha flavor, it just doesn’t get any better.

If you love matcha recipes, try my Matcha Marble Pound Cake, Matcha Cookies, and Matcha Mille Crepe Cake recipes next!

A plate of matcha waffles is served with halved strawberries and blueberries on a rustic wooden table. The waffles are arranged on decorative paper, with coffee and more waffles visible in the background.

What are Mochi Waffles?

Mochi waffles are a contemporary twist on classic Western waffles, made with glutinous rice flour (mochiko) instead of all-purpose flour. Cooked in a waffle maker, they develop a crispy crust with a chewy, bouncy interior.

They likely began in Hawaii and the U.S., where mochiko is commonly used in baked goods. From there, mochi waffles spread to cafés around the world, celebrated for their irresistible chewy-and-crispy texture.

Namiko Hirasawa Chen

Why I Love This Recipe

  • Chewy, mochi-mochi texture – Glutinous rice flour called mochiko delivers the signature chew and bounce that I love.
  • Crispy crust – Cooked to a golden brown with spots of caramelized sugar, the waffle’s crisp exterior pairs perfectly with its chewy interior.
  • Gluten free – There’s no all-purpose flour in the batter, making these pastries a versatile option for your breakfast or brunch spread.
  • Freezer-friendly – Let the waffles cool completely, then freeze them while fresh. When reheated in a toaster, they taste just like newly made!
A stack of green and brown matcha waffles sits on a white plate atop a wooden board, with a cup, plates, and forks in the background.

Ingredients for Matcha Mochi Waffles

  • matcha (green tea powder)
  • mochiko (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour)
  • baking powder
  • large egg
  • sugar
  • unsalted butter
  • whole milk – or substitute plant-based milk
  • salt
  • for cooking
    • neutral oil
    • sugar for a caramelized effect

Find the printable recipe with measurements below.

Jump to Recipe

Key Equipment

  • waffle maker
A plate with matcha waffles topped with fresh strawberries and blueberries, served on a decorative newspaper-style paper. A fork and knife are beside the plate on a wooden table.
A person pulls apart a fluffy green matcha waffle with their hands, revealing its soft interior. The waffle has a crisp, golden-brown exterior and is shaped with deep square pockets.

How to Make Matcha Mochi Waffles

Batter

  1. Mix the dry ingredients. Sift the matcha powder, salt, and baking powder into the mochiko flour and whisk until combined.
A hand uses a small sifter and spoon to sift green matcha powder into a glass bowl filled with white powdered sugar, all on a wooden surface.
A person whisking light green matcha powder in a glass bowl on a wooden surface.
  1. Whisk the wet ingredients. Beat egg in a mixing bowl until pale. Whisk in sugar until thick and fluffy. Add melted butter and milk and mix until well incorporated.
A person whisking sugar into beaten eggs in a glass bowl on a wooden surface.
A hand uses a whisk to mix ingredients in a glass bowl while milk is being poured in, all on a wooden surface.
  1. Combine the batter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture in two additions, scraping the bottom of the bowl so no dry spots remain. Fold with a spatula until smooth.
A hand pours green matcha powder into a glass bowl of batter while stirring with a metal whisk on a wooden surface.
A person uses a white spatula to mix bright green matcha dough in a large clear glass bowl on a wooden surface.

Cooking

  1. Grease and scoop. Thinly coat the preheated waffle maker with oil. Add a scoop of batter and press down to flatten the thick batter. Place four small piles of sugar around the batter to create caramelized spots.
A scoop of green matcha waffle batter being placed onto a preheated waffle iron, ready to be cooked.
A hand sprinkles sugar with a spoon onto green matcha waffle batter placed on a hot waffle iron, ready to be cooked.
  1. Cook and serve. Cook to a golden brown, about 3 minutes. Serve with syrup, whipped cream, sweet red bean paste, or caramel topping.
A green matcha waffle is being checked with a skewer while cooking in a round waffle maker.
A golden-brown matcha waffle with green edges rests on a wire rack, while a skewer checks its doneness. Another waffle and a metal tray are partially visible in the background.

Nami’s Recipe Tips

  • Sift the matcha powder – superfine matcha powder clumps, so I highly recommend sifting it into the mochiko with a fine-mesh sifter or tea strainer.
  • Beat the eggs and sugar well – You’re done mixing when it’s fluffy and thick.
  • Slowly drizzle in butter and milk – This prevents curdling or separation, ensuring the batter stays smooth and uniform.
  • Flatten the scooped batter – The batter is thick, so make a flat surface using the back of a spoon or ice cream scoop. This will prepare it to hold the tiny piles of sugar you’ll add next.
  • Cluster the sugar – Pile the sugar in four places instead of scattering it evenly on the batter. You’ll love the sweet, browned, caramelized spots.
  • Clean the waffle maker every time – Wipe off any crumbs or browned bits with a paper towel between waffles. Otherwise, the bits will burn and stick to the next waffle.
A stack of golden-brown and green matcha waffles is neatly arranged on a white plate, with a cup, syrup bottle, and wooden utensils in the background.
Two hands pull apart a fluffy green matcha waffle, revealing its airy texture. A blurred plate and cutting board are visible in the background.

Variations and Customizations

  • Skip the matcha. These chewy waffles are delicious with a splash of vanilla extract added to the batter.
  • Add Belgian pearl sugar (and skip piling the sugar). Stir in a few tablespoons to create delicious caramelized spots in your waffles. For best results, mix it into the batter and let sit for 15 minutes before cooking.
  • Top with sliced fruit. Try sliced strawberries or sliced bananas along with a dollop of whipped cream.
  • Serve it cold. They are delicious even when cooled—the chewy texture improves!

What to Serve with Matcha Mochi Waffles

  • Sweet red bean paste (anko) topping – Red bean with matcha is a classic flavor combo. Buy it premade or learn How To Make Anko from scratch.
  • Brown sugar syrup – Drizzle with mineral-rich Kuromitsu made with kurozato, an unrefined black sugar from Okinawa.
  • Ice cream – Add a scoop of Matcha Ice Cream on top for a double dose of matcha goodness.
  • Your favorite beverage – Pair it with a hot drink or an iced Strawberry Matcha Latte.
Koshian (fine red bean paste) and Tsubuan (chunky red bean paste).
Kuromitsu | JustOneCookbook.com
A Japanese kutaniware bowl containing matcha green tea ice cream served with wooden spoon.
Two tall glasses filled with layers of crushed strawberries, milk, and ice are shown as a hand pours a stream of vibrant green matcha into one glass. The drinks sit on a wooden tray with a decorative background.

Storage and Reheating Tips

To store: Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days in the fridge. But I recommend freezing them while fresh! You can also wrap them individually, place in an airtight bag, and keep in the freezer for up to 1 month.

To reheat: Warm briefly in a toaster oven for a crispy finish.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use plant-based milk?

Yes. You can use oat milk or almond milk.

Can I make smaller or larger waffles?

One batch of this recipe makes 6 medium waffles, but you can also make 8 small waffles or 4 large ones.

Can I use non-stick spray instead of oil to grease the waffle maker?

You can use nonstick cooking spray if you wish. Be sure to choose one with a neutral flavor.

A plate of matcha waffles is served with halved strawberries and blueberries on a rustic wooden table. The waffles are arranged on decorative paper, with coffee and more waffles visible in the background.
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Matcha Mochi Waffles

by Namiko Hirasawa Chen
Level up your weekend brunch with my snowflake-shaped Matcha Mochi Waffles. With lovely matcha and caramelized sugar, they're crispy on the outside and delightfully chewy and bouncy inside for a truly irresistible sensation.
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 25 minutes
Total: 40 minutes
Servings: 6 snowflake-shaped waffles

Equipment

Ingredients 
 

For Cooking

  • 1 Tbsp neutral oil (for greasing the waffle maker)
  • 1 Tbsp sugar (¼–½ tsp per waffle, to taste, for a caramelized effect)

Instructions

  • Gather all the ingredients. Preheat the waffle maker while you prepare the waffle batter.
    A top-down view of baking ingredients on a wooden surface, including flour, sugar, an egg, milk in a measuring cup, butter, matcha powder, baking powder, salt, and yeast in small glass bowls.

To Make the Batter

  • Gently melt 2 Tbsp unsalted butter in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave and set aside. Do not overheat.
    Side-by-side images: on the left, a glass bowl with solid butter inside a microwave; on the right, the same glass bowl with the butter now melted on a wooden surface.
  • Place 1½ cups mochiko (glutinous rice flour/sweet rice flour) in a mixing bowl. Sift in 1 Tbsp matcha (green tea powder) and 1½ tsp baking powder using a fine-mesh strainer to prevent clumps; a tea strainer works well here.
    A three-panel image shows powdered sugar and green matcha powder being combined and sifted together into a glass bowl using a fine mesh strainer and a measuring spoon.
  • Sift in ¼ tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Whisk all the dry ingredients together using a hand whisk.
    Three-panel image showing green matcha powder and white ingredients being sifted, whisked together, and combined in a glass bowl on a wooden surface, preparing for baking.
  • In a separate large bowl, beat 1 large egg (50 g each w/o shell) until pale and frothy.
    Nami's Tip: I whisked it by hand, but you could use a stand mixer or electric hand mixer.
    Three-panel image showing eggs being whisked in a clear glass bowl on a wooden surface, progressing from whole eggs to partially mixed, and finally to fully beaten, frothy eggs.
  • Add ⅓ cup sugar and whisk vigorously until the mixture is pale, thick, and creamy.
    Nami's Tip: It will pass through stages: foamy (bubbly with large air bubbles), lightened (paler yellow with a smooth texture and fine bubbles), and finally ribbon stage (pale, thick, and creamy).
    Two side-by-side images: on the left, sugar is being poured into a bowl of beaten eggs; on the right, the mixture is being whisked with a metal whisk in a glass bowl on a wooden surface.
  • At the ribbon stage, the mixture should nearly double in volume and fall back in ribbons when lifted.
    Two side-by-side images show hands whisking a smooth, light batter in a clear glass bowl on a wooden surface. The whisk lifts the batter, showing its creamy consistency.
  • Slowly drizzle in the melted butter, whisking constantly, until fully incorporated.
    Two side-by-side images show hands whisking ingredients in a glass bowl. On the left, melted butter is being poured in; on the right, the mixture is smooth and well combined.
  • Gradually add ¾ cup whole milk, stirring gently between additions, until the batter is smooth and even.
    Nami's Tip: This prevents curdling or separation, ensuring the batter stays smooth and uniform.
    Two photos: On the left, milk is being poured into a bowl of whisked ingredients; on the right, hands use a whisk to mix the resulting batter in a glass bowl on a wooden surface.
  • Add half of the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, whisking from the bottom to incorporate without leaving any dry spots.
    Two images show matcha powder being poured into a glass bowl of liquid and then whisked together by hand, with the mixture turning a bright green color on a wooden surface.
  • Repeat with the remaining dry mixture, then fold with a spatula until smooth.
    Three photos show a glass bowl as green matcha powder is whisked into a mixture, gradually thickening to form a smooth, vibrant green batter with a spatula.

To Cook the Waffles

  • Brush a thin layer of neutral oil on the preheated waffle maker, greasing all the crevices.
    Left: A hand brushes oil onto a round waffle iron with a green silicone brush. Right: The closed stainless steel lid of a Waring waffle maker.
  • Using an ice cream scoop, add one portion of batter to the center of the hot waffle maker. Press down slightly with the bottom of the scoop to flatten the thick batter. The batter won't fill the entire surface.
    Nami's Tip: This recipe makes 6 medium waffles; adjust to 4 large or 8 small as needed.
    Two images show hands scooping bright green dough from a glass mixing bowl using a metal scoop, with a white spatula resting in the bowl.
  • With ¼–½ tsp sugar, drop tiny piles of sugar in four spots around the batter, avoiding the center.
    Nami's Tip: Placing sugar in small clusters rather than sprinkling evenly creates caramelized spots.
    Close-up of a green waffle batter on a waffle maker. In the left image, a hand sprinkles sugar with a measuring spoon. In the right image, sugar is sprinkled in small piles on top of the batter.
  • Cook for about 3 minutes (total) until golden brown, following your waffle maker’s instructions (I used level 5.5 on my waffle maker).
    A close-up of a stainless steel waffle maker with the lid closed, showing the brand name Waring engraved on top; a hint of freshly-made waffles is visible at the edge in the right image.
  • Transfer to a plate or tray.
    Two images: on the left, a green and brown waffle is being lifted from a waffle iron; on the right, the cooked waffle cools on a wire rack over a tray.
  • Clean the waffle maker with a paper towel, lightly grease, and preheat.
    Split image: On the left, a piece of cooked fish is being lifted from a hot waffle maker. On the right, a hand brushes oil onto the waffle maker’s surface using a green silicone brush.
  • Continue with the remaining batter.
    A split image: on the left, a green waffle cooking in a waffle maker; on the right, three cooked green waffles cooling on a metal tray with a wooden spatula beside them.

To Serve

  • Serve warm with your favorite syrup, whipped cream, sweet red bean paste, or caramel topping. These waffles are delicious even when cooled—the chewy texture improves after cooling.
    A plate of matcha waffles is served with halved strawberries and blueberries on a rustic wooden table. The waffles are arranged on decorative paper, with coffee and more waffles visible in the background.

To Store

  • Store in an airtight container for 2–3 days in the fridge. I recommend freezing them while fresh (Day 1)! To freeze, wrap individually, place in an airtight bag, and keep up to 1 month in the freezer. To reheat, warm briefly in a toaster oven for a crispy finish.

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