Hojicha Oreo Mochi Crispy Rice Cereal Treats

This Hojicha Oreo Mochi Crispy Rice Cereal Treats is a fun classic with a twist! With the addition of roasted tea powder, Oreo, and freshly made chewy mochi, they taste very different than the original, but in a good way. Perfect for party, picnic or afternoon snack. 

A few months ago, I was shopping at a small local sushi marketplace, Yama Seafood. Other than getting my favorite California rolls, I picked up this ube rice Krispy treats from Loaf Language. Wow, it was sooo good! There were mochi pieces inside too! Then, I bought some for Bryan and even sent to friends who live outside of Southern California. They all love these treats!

So here I’m recreating my own version. Hojicha is the flavor I have in mind. A nice roasted tea flavor would be the perfect base. Then, I like the bits of chocolatey Oreo and the chewy mochi texture. It was seriously incredible! All the flavors come together. These treats also freeze really well, so you can save them for a snack later during the busy week.

The first step is to make the mochi. It’s really easy. But you do need a special ingredient, shiratamako. It’s Japanese glutinous rice flour. It’s different than the commonly seen, Mochiko. Although both are glutinous rice flour, they are made slightly different. The outcomes are also different with mochi softer and more elastic when using shiratamako. So I recommend seeking out shiratamako even though it’s a little more pricey and harder to find.

Now, you have your flour. Mix with sugar and then water. Microwave to cook the dough. The dough would change from white color to gray-ish transparent color. Then cover the hot mochi with potato starch or corn starch. That will prevent stickiness. Cut the mochi into small pieces and coat with more starch. Chill in the fridge for just 10 minutes for the mochi to set. Last but not least, dust the mochi with a pastry brush to remove excess starch. The mochi bites are now ready.

For the cereal treat, toast the cereal over the stove for a better crisp and extra flavor. Next, melt the marshmallows and butter in microwave. Add the toasted cereal and give them a nice coating. Last, combine some crushed Oreo and mochi bites. I know you’ll want to use all the mochi, but I suggest you not to. Use about 75% of them. Too much mochi will affect how well the cereal treat hold together. The treat can fall apart easier. Just enjoy the rest of the mochi by yourself.

Once everything is mixed in, transfer to a prepared pan that is lined with parchment paper. Spread evenly and press down with a little pressure with a spatula, but not overly hard. Let it cool down and set for about 1 hour. Cut into squares and serve.

Since there are mochi inside, it’s best to enjoy on the same while the mochi is still soft and the cereal is still crispy. For anything beyond, it’s best to freeze them. They freeze really well. Wrap them in plastic wrap and keep in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Take them out of room temperature for about 1 hour before serving.

I love that these cereal treats because they’re a little different. Lovely roasted tea flavor with chocolatey cookies and chewy mochi. They’re not too sweet either, thanks to the slight bitterness from the tea. They’re great for any party or picnic, or just a simple pick-me-up treat during the week. Excited for you to try them. Enjoy!

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Hojicha Oreo Mochi Crispy Rice Cereal Treats

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Fusion, Japanese

Keyword american, cereal, crispy rice cereal treat, fusion dessert, hojicha dessert, japanese, make ahead, mochi, no bake, oreo, party food, picnic, rice krispie treat, snack

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Rest Time 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 55 minutes minutes

Servings 9 people

Ingredients

• 4½ cups crispy rice cereal (like Rice Krispies)
• 3½ cups mini marshmallows
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter (cut into ½-inch cubes)
• 5 oreo cookies
• 1½ tablespoons hojicha powder

Mochi:

• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons shiratamako (白玉粉) (glutinous rice flour)
• 1½ tablespoons sugar
• ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons water
• ¼ cup potato starch or corn starch

Instructions

• For the mochi, in a medium microwave safe bowl, whisk together shiratamako and sugar. Add the water and whisk until combined. Cover loosely with plastic wrap. Microwave on high for 45 seconds. Stir with a rubber spatula and cover loosely again. Microwave for another 45 seconds. Stir and cover again. Microwave for another 30 seconds. Stir again. The mochi is now transparent in color.
• On a working surface, place a large piece of parchment paper on top. Cover lightly with potato starch or corn starch. Carefully transfer the hot mochi onto the surface. Dust the top with more starch. Let cool for 5 minutes.
• Cut the mochi into ½-inch pieces with a knife or dough scraper. Cover the pieces with starch. Transfer the pieces into a plate and chill in the fridge for 10 minutes to set.
• Meanwhile, replace the parchment paper on working surface with a new one.
• Place the mochi on the new parchment paper, using a pastry brush, brush off excess starch from each mochi piece. Place them in a bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Set aside.
• For the rice cereal treats, prepare a 9×9 (or 8×8) square baking pan. Line with a parchment paper, leaving some overhang on 2 sides. Set aside.
• In a small ziploc bag, add 5 Oreo cookies. Using a rolling pin, crush into roughly ½-inch pieces. Set aside.
• In a large pot over medium-high heat, add the cereal until they started to smell toasted, about 3 – 4 minutes, stirring frequently. Transfer to a large bowl to set aside.
• In a large microwave safe bowl, add marshmallows and butter. Microwave for 1 – 2 minutes until melted. Give a quick stir. Sprinkle the hojicha powder over and stir to mix well.
• Add the toasted cereal and stir gently to coat for a few times. Drop the Oreo and most of the mochi (not all) all over the mixture, and stir to mix.
• Transfer mixture to the prepared pan. Using a rubber spatula, gently spread mixture to fit the pan and press the mixture down into the pan with a little pressure. Do not press too hard. Set aside to cool for at least 1 hour.
• Use the parchment paper overhangs to lift the entire treat out of the pan. Place on a cutting board and cut into 9 big squares. Serve.

Notes

1. Mini marshmallows melt faster. If you can’t find mini ones, cut the regular ones into smaller pieces.
2. I bought my hojicha powder from Hojicha Co. 
3. Shiratamako (白玉粉) is not mochiko flour. Even though they are both Japanese glutinous flours, they are made differently. The mochi texture from both are also a bit different. Shiratamako mochi has a more elastic and softer texture. It’s usually used to make Daifuku. You can find at most Japanese supermarkets or online.
4. Do not use all the mochi. There would be too many for this recipe. It’s best to use about 75%. Too many mochi will make hard for the treat to hold together. Enjoy the rest of the mochi as snack for yourself. 
5. It’s best to enjoy these treats same day. For storage, freezing is the best option. That will keep cereal crispy and mochi fresh. Wrap each square with plastic wrap and keep in an ziploc bag, then freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature for 1 hour before serving. 

(Mochi recipe adapted from Just One Cookbook)