Injeolmi (Roasted Soybean Mochi)

Injeolmi aka roasted soybean mochi is a soft and chewy Korean treat made from sweet glutinous rice. It’s quick, easy and delicious!

I’m back with another mochi recipe! This time we are taking a Korean turn and creating injeolmi or roasted soybean mochi. A subtly sweet, soft and chewy glutinous rice cake covered in roasted soybean flour, aka konggaru (콩가루) or kinako (きなこ).

What is Injeolmi?

Injeolmi (인절미) are Korean rice cakes (aka tteok(떡) in Korean) made from glutinous rice flour and finely ground roasted soybean flour. Traditionally steamed sweet glutinous rice is pounded to create a soft and chewy rice cake, before being rolled in bean powder and cut into bite size pieces.

Unfortunately, this isn’t practical when making injeolmi from home! This recipe takes you through a quick and easy way to create delicious injeolmi with sweet rice flour instead.

Although injeolmi is widely popular in Korea there are also a Japanese equivalent, kinako mochi (きなこ餅), which is pretty much the same thing!

What does injeolmi taste like?

You now might be wondering… why do I want to have roasted bean powder all over my delicious rice cake?

If you have never tried roasted soy bean powder, aka konggaru, aka kinako, you have got to give it a go. If I were to describe it, it is very similar to peanut butter, nutty, fragrant, and pairs amazingly with desserts.

Ingredients in Injeolmi

• Sweet glutinous rice flour: Also known as just glutinous rice flour, this is flour made from ground sticky rice. This ingredient creates that stretchy mochi texture. You can also use mochiko if you have that available.
• Sugar: Sugar is needed to give the dough a little sweetness, feel free to add more or less to your taste.

• Water: Water adds moisture to the rice cake dough, giving it elasticity when mixed with the glutinous rice flour
• Roasted soybean flour: Soybean flour is the delicious nutty coating that the mochi is rolled in. If you can’t find it feel free to use peanut powder or finely crushed nuts.

How to cook Injeolmi

The two most common ways to make mochi from home are either steaming it, or cooking it in the microwave.

Steaming

Steaming it cooks the batter evenly throughout on a slow gentle heat. The downside is it takes a lot longer.

Microwaving

Microwaving the mochi is fast and simple. All you need is 2 minutes in the microwave and it’s pretty much ready to go. The downside is an uneven cook, as you will have parts slightly drier than others.

If I were to choose between the two methods I would go with microwaving. I’m all about time efficiency, and cooking something in 2 minutes is the dream. When it comes to uneven cooking there are ways around this.

The first is taking it out halfway and giving it a mix before continuing the cooking process. The other is pounding the dough. Pounding the dough helps to distribute areas that are more cooked than others resulting in a smooth and bouncy dough.

How to make stretchy mochi

This recipe is so much easier than the traditional method, but there is reason to the traditional pounding of rice. The pounding gives the rice cake elasticity and chewiness, as well as increasing its softness.

We can still use this method even when we aren’t making the rice cake from scratch. I like to use a sturdy cooking utensil like a mortar and pestle, the end of a wooden rolling pin, or a wooden spoon to pound the mochi after it’s cooked.

As the mochi will be very sticky I recommend greasing the utensil with some vegetable oil. This will prevent it from sticking to your utensil as you pound it.

Simply pound it for a couple of minutes until it becomes softer, stretchier, and more supple. Trust me this will change your homemade mochi game.

How to serve injeolmi?

There are so many different ways to serve injeolmi, here are a couple of my favorites:

• As it is: Injeolmi as it is serves as a great snack! Drizzle it in honey for a sweet touch.
• With red beans: Rice cakes and red bean paste are a match made in heaven, and if you’re familiar with Asian desserts you’ll know that it is one of the most common pairings.

• With bingsu: If you don’t know what bingsu is, it is essentially Korean shaved ice. And in Korea injeolmi bingsu is one of the most popular flavors.
• As injeolmi toast: Another popular Korean dessert which sandwiches injeolmi between two slices of fluffy milk bread. See the section below on how to make it at home.

• As a topping on anything: Chop the injeolmi up into small pieces and scatter it over anything, from ice-cream to fruit salad there are so many options.

Tips for perfect injelomi

Work While Warm

The key to soft, bouncy Injeolmi lies in timing. Roll, cut, and coat the mochi while it’s still warm and pliable. Once it cools, it begins to firm up and loses that delightful stretch. Think of this as your sweet race against time—move swiftly and enjoy the rhythm.

Adjust Water by Touch

Every batch of glutinous rice flour behaves a little differently, and humidity plays a part too. Begin with slightly less water and slowly add more as you mix. The ideal texture should be smooth and thick like pancake batter, not watery. Trust your fingertips—they’ll tell you when it’s right.

Knead with Intention

Pounding mochi isn’t just about tradition; it’s texture magic. Use steady, rhythmic presses to remove air bubbles and achieve a silky chew. A few extra minutes of gentle kneading turn your mochi from ordinary to cloud-like.

Toast Your Own Soybean Powder

Homemade konggaru adds irresistible depth. Toast raw soybeans in a dry skillet until golden and nutty before grinding. The aroma alone will make your kitchen smell like a dessert café in Seoul.

Split the Coating Mix

Give your Injeolmi a dual personality by mixing two coatings—half classic roasted soybean flour, half blended with matcha, cinnamon, or crushed nuts. It’s a simple way to turn one recipe into a tasting platter.

Control Stickiness with Oil

If your dough feels too clingy, brush a thin layer of oil on your hands and tools. It keeps everything neat without altering the flavor or texture. Smooth handling makes for smoother mochi.

Shape Creativity

Play with shapes beyond cubes. Try small discs or bite-sized spheres for a whimsical touch. Your dessert table will instantly feel more playful and inviting.

Variations

Mugwort Injeolmi

Add a spoonful of finely ground mugwort powder to the batter. The result is a beautifully earthy green rice cake with a mild herbal aroma and traditional Korean flair.

Sesame-Coated Injeolmi

Replace or blend the roasted soybean powder with finely ground black or white sesame seeds. The contrast between pale mochi and dark sesame coating creates a striking presentation and rich nuttiness.

Red Bean Coated Injeolmi

Grind cooked azuki beans into a fine powder and use it as the coating. It adds a subtle sweetness and a naturally rosy hue that pairs beautifully with the chewy rice texture.

Pumpkin Injeolmi

Incorporate a few spoonfuls of mashed, well-drained pumpkin into the dough. It lends a soft orange tint and delicate sweetness, ideal for autumn gatherings.

Castella Crumb Coating

For a modern twist, crumble soft sponge cake and mix it with a little sugar to coat your mochi. It creates a tender, cake-like texture on the outside and chewy interior—an elegant nod to fusion desserts.

Filled Injeolmi

Press a small ball of red bean paste, peanut butter, or crushed nuts into the center before shaping. Each bite surprises with an extra burst of flavor, and it’s especially delightful served warm.

Coconut Injeolmi

Swap the soybean powder for finely shredded coconut. The tropical flavor complements the chewy texture and gives a lovely white, snow-like finish.

Serving Suggestions

Dessert Parfait

Layer small cubes of Injeolmi with yogurt or pudding and drizzle with honey. The contrast of creamy and chewy textures makes every spoonful a joyful surprise.

Tea Pairing

Enjoy Injeolmi with a cup of roasted barley tea, green tea, or hojicha. The gentle bitterness of tea balances the dessert’s nutty sweetness, creating a serene afternoon pairing.

Ice Cream Topping

Scatter warm Injeolmi cubes over a scoop of vanilla or black sesame ice cream. The chewy warmth against the cold cream is an unforgettable texture experience.

Fruit and Mochi Skewers

Alternate cubes of Injeolmi with pieces of strawberry, mango, or kiwi on small skewers. Drizzle with syrup or honey for a light, crowd-pleasing dessert.

Injeolmi Pancake Stack

Use the chewy cubes as a topping between pancakes or waffles with a touch of whipped cream. It adds a Korean twist to a familiar breakfast favorite.

Café-Style Injeolmi Latte

Blend small Injeolmi pieces with warm milk and honey, then strain. Dust with extra soybean powder for a cozy drink that tastes like a dessert in a cup.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Using Regular Rice Flour

Only glutinous rice flour provides that signature chewiness. Regular rice flour will make your mochi crumbly and dense, so check the packaging carefully before you start.

Overwet Dough

Too much water weakens the structure and creates sticky chaos. Always add liquid gradually, and stop once the batter reaches a smooth, thick consistency.

Under or Overcooking

Microwaving too briefly leaves a chalky texture, while too long turns it rubbery. Aim for just enough heat to make it glossy and elastic.

Skipping the Knead

Kneading develops elasticity. If you skip it, your mochi will feel stiff and lack that satisfying bounce. A few minutes of pounding make all the difference.

Working Too Slowly

Uncovered dough dries quickly, forming a skin that affects texture. Keep your workspace ready and work in small batches to maintain softness.

Coating When Cool

Coating cold dough makes the powder cling unevenly. Always coat while the surface is still slightly warm for a velvety, even finish.

Injeolmi (Roasted Soybean Mochi)

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Soft and chewy mochi rolled in roasted soybean powder. Injeolmi is a delicious Korean treat made from sweet glutinous rice that you’ll love.

• Author: Catherine Zhang
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 2
• Total Time: 12
• Yield: 12 squares 1x
• Category: Mochi
• Method: Easy
• Cuisine: Korean
• Diet: Gluten Free

Ingredients

Units MUS Scale 1x2x3x

• 150g Sweet glutinous rice flour (1 cup)
• 25g Sugar (I) (2 tbsp)
• 155g Water (2/3 cup)
• Roasted soybean flour, to dust
• 25g Sugar (II) (2 tbsp), to dust

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Instructions

1. Combine glutinous rice flour, sugar (I) and water in a large microwave-safe bowl
2. Cover with cling wrap and poke several holes in the cling wrap with a fork
3. Place in the microwave and heat for 2 minutes on high
4. Remove and mix the dough, ensuring that there are no areas that are still raw/liquid (if there is continue to heat for 30 seconds)
5. Then pound the dough using a wooden spoon, until the dough is smooth, bouncy and elastic
6. Sprinkle a generous layer of roasted soybean flour on a tray/plate, then dust with sugar (II)
7. Transfer the dough to the tray/plate and spread it into a 1cm thick rectangle
8. Flip the dough so that both sides are lightly covered in soybean powder
9. Cut into small bite-sized squares and enjoy! 

Catherine Zhang

My name is Catherine, a food blogger and dessert lover. If I look familiar you may have seen me on NETFLIX's Zumbo’s Just Desserts S2! As an Australian-Chinese pastry chef and recipe developer I share recipes and tips on desserts inspired by amazing flavours, fresh produce and of course my Asian background.

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