If you happen to fall into the chewy cookie camp, look no further than these incredibly soft sugar cookies stuffed with mochi and studded throughout with sprinkles. The edges of the cookie are slightly golden and just the tiniest bit crisp while the middle is ooey, gooey and oh-so-fun to pull apart. The key to the chewy texture of mochi is the sweet rice flour — it should not be swapped for regular rice flour. For the ultimate success in making these cookies, use rainbow sprinkles that are oblong instead of spherical — they are less likely to bleed into the dough when baked.
| Level: | Easy |
| Total: | 2 hr 30 min |
| Active: | 30 min |
| Yield: | 1 dozen cookies |
Ingredients
- 1/3 cup mochiko (sweet rice flour)
- 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
- 1/2 cup whole milk
- 1 tablespoon rainbow sprinkles
- Vegetable oil, for greasing your hands
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup rainbow sprinkles, plus more for topping
- 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the mochi: Whisk the mochiko and confectioners’ sugar in a medium microwave-safe bowl. Add the milk and whisk until smooth. Microwave for 1 minute (at this point the mixture will have thickened), whisk slightly, then continue to microwave until the mixture is thick and sticky, 1 minute more. Fold in the sprinkles. Let the mochi cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- For the cookie dough: Meanwhile, whisk the flour, baking powder and kosher salt in a medium bowl; set aside.
- Mix the butter and granulated sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, 1 at a time, mixing well after each addition, until combined. Add the vanilla and mix until just combined. Decrease the speed to low, add the flour mixture and mix until a dough forms, about 1 minute. Add the sprinkles and mix until just combined.
- Once the mochi is cool, lightly oil your hands with vegetable oil and roll the mochi into 12 balls (each about 1 heaping teaspoon); set aside.
- Divide the cookie dough into 12 large portions (each about 1/4 cup), then roll each into a ball. Use your palm to gently flatten each ball into a 3 1/2-inch round. Place 1 mochi ball in the center of each round and fold the cookie dough around the mochi until completely covered; transfer to a baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 1 inch apart. Sprinkle the tops with more sprinkles and the flaky sea salt. Refrigerate until chilled, about 30 minutes.
- Bake the cookies until the edges are just slightly golden brown, 18 to 20 minutes. Let cool completely on the baking sheet, about 1 hour. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Nutrition Facts
| Serving Size | 1 of 12 servings |
| Calories | 368 |
| Total Fat | 14 g |
| Saturated Fat | 8 g |
| Carbohydrates | 56 g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 g |
| Sugar | 32 g |
| Protein | 4 g |
| Cholesterol | 63 mg |
| Sodium | 226 mg |