Pumpkin Maple Mochi Cookies with Chewy Centre
As a clinical nutritionist, I love using seasonal baking to nudge hormone health in simple ways. Halloween is right around the corner and while it is spring here in Australia, October still feels like pumpkin month in my kitchen. Between the Jap pumpkins on my bench and the pumpkin decor everywhere, all I can think about is baking these chewy, maple-kissed cookies.
Why Pumpkin Loves Women’s Health
Pumpkin is naturally rich in β-carotene, which the body converts to vitamin A. Just 50 g of cooked pumpkin can satisfy daily vitamin A needs, supporting vision, immunity and healthy reproductive tissues (Buzigi, Pillay, & Siwela, 2021).
It is also loaded with soluble and insoluble fibre that nourishes beneficial gut microbes, helping regulate blood glucose and oestrogen metabolism, key drivers of balanced hormones (Foods, 2024).
What Gives Mochi Its Signature Chew?
Glutinous rice flour, often labelled mochiko or sweet rice flour, is almost pure amylopectin. When heated with moisture it forms an elastic gel that creates the stretchy, bouncy bite we love in mochi desserts (Zhang, Zhou, Li, & Zhu, 2020). If you can’t find it, a 50:50 mix of tapioca and a standard gluten-free blend will still give a pleasant chew, just a little less stretch.
Pumpkin Maple Mochi Cookies
Ingredients
450g steamed or baked pumpkin, cooled
150g pure maple syrup
400g glutinous rice flour or gluten-free flour blend (see note)
1 large egg
1 tsp bicarb soda
½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
Note: For authentic mochi texture use glutinous rice flour. For a softer cake-style cookie use your favourite gluten-free blend.
Prep: Preheat oven to 160 °C. Line two baking trays with baking paper.
Blend: Blend pumpkin in a food processor until smooth. Add maple syrup and egg, then blend again.
Add dry: Tip in flour, bicarb, cinnamon and nutmeg. Pulse to a thick, sticky batter.
Rest: Transfer to a bowl, cover and chill for 1 hour. This hydrates the starches for better chew.
Shape: Use a damp 50 ml cookie scoop to portion 12 balls onto trays. Wet the back of a spoon and gently flatten each to 1 cm thick.
Bake: Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the edges are lightly golden.
Cool: Let cookies cool completely to set the mochi-like centre before serving.
Top Tips
Texture check: If the dough feels too loose, mix in an extra tablespoon of flour.
Flavour twist: Swap cinnamon and nutmeg for pumpkin-pie spice or add 50 g dark choc chips.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for two days or freeze for up to three months. Defrost and warm briefly for the best chew.
If You Love This Recipe…
References
Buzigi, E., Pillay, K., & Siwela, M. (2021). Potential of pumpkin to combat vitamin A deficiency during complementary feeding in low- and middle-income countries: Variety, provitamin A carotenoid content and retention, and dietary reference intakes. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition, 61(8), 1293–1309. https://doi.org/10.1080/10408398.2021.1894034
Foods. (2024). Pumpkin and pumpkin by-products: A comprehensive overview of phytochemicals, extraction, health benefits, and food applications, 13(17), 2694. https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13172694
Zhang, Y., Zhou, X., Li, J., & Zhu, F. (2020). Comprehensive evaluation of edible quality and raw material adaptability of fresh mochi. Journal of Henan University of Technology (Natural Science Edition), 41(4), 24–31.
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