Glutinous rice flour is made from ground cooked and dehydrated kernels of glutinous rice — a sticky, sweet rice with several varieties, including Japanese mochigome. The sticky texture of glutinous rice makes this flour perfect for mochi, dumplings, sticky rice cakes, sesame balls, and other chewy treats. Contrary to its name, glutinous rice flour is gluten-free just like regular rice flour. So, if you choose the right ice cream, mochi ice cream treats can be a delicious gluten-free snack for you to enjoy at home.
You can use any brand of glutinous rice flour you can find but keep in mind that different types may absorb moisture differently, resulting in dough that’s more dry or more sticky depending on which type you choose. Due to its versatility, glutinous rice flour is probably one of the best things to buy in an Asian grocery store. You can also buy it on Amazon or from other online retailers.
Since dough made with glutinous rice flour will be very sticky, when making your mochi ice cream treats make sure to rub some cooking oil on your hands or wear food prep gloves. If the dough turns out too wet and not sticky enough, it’s possible you added too much ice cream to the dough or didn’t microwave it long enough. It will also thicken as it cools down, so don’t start kneading it immediately out of the microwave.