12 Best Mochi Ice Cream Brands Ranked in 2025
If you’re a fan of ice-cold desserts, diving into the world of mochi ice cream brands can feel pretty overwhelming. Do you prefer thicker, chewier mochi wrappers or a greater ice-cream-to-mochi ratio? If you’re not sure where to start — or even what mochi is — this list will point you in the right direction.
“Mochi” refers to the soft, stretchy dough made from glutinous rice, which is traditionally used in a wide variety of Japanese confections. One of the most common forms is daifuku, which is a round mochi sweet filled with red bean paste, fruit or other fillings.
According to the University of North Carolina Wilmington, yukimi daifuku specifically refers to frozen ice cream surrounded by a layer of mochi, making all mochi ice cream brands a distinctly modern take on the more traditional daifuku.
Now you know what mochi ice cream is, how do you go about selecting the best mochi ice cream brands to try? With mochi ice cream expanding rapidly in both range and quality, we took a closer look at which ones actually deliver and which fall flat under the hype. Here's what we discovered.
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How We Ranked These Mochi Ice Cream Flavors
If you’ve ever found yourself wondering, “What is mochi ice cream?” — it’s essentially a small ball of ice cream wrapped in a soft, chewy layer of sweetened rice dough. Now that we’ve covered what mochi ice cream is, which brands make the best version of this treat?
To determine which are the best mochi ice cream brands, we looked beyond the packaging and focused on what actually matters: flavor, texture, consistency, and, most importantly, availability.
We don’t do things by half measure at Cozymeal; to make our shortlist of the best mochi ice cream brands, we started by analyzing dozens of products currently on the market, then narrowed down the list based on each product’s availability within the U.S.
Each of the mochi ice cream brands was then evaluated based on the overall quality of its mochi dough. Is it chewy without being rubbery? Thin enough to bite but thick enough to hold its shape?
We also factored in the standalone taste of the ice cream and how well it balanced with the outer layer. Since many mochi ice cream brands include unique or seasonal flavors, we gave extra credit to brands offering something different without sacrificing quality.
Finally, we weighed in on availability and pricing. Some of the best mochi ice cream brands are still hard to find, which can affect how accessible they are to the average shopper. In our eyes, what’s the point in recommending products you can’t immediately go out and try?
Our goal was to strike a balance between premium mochi ice cream brands worth waiting for and those that are easy to pick up on your next grocery run — so you can enjoy your dessert without first spending a day hunting it down.
The 12 Most Popular Mochi Ice Cream Brands Ranked
12. Aplenty
Aplenty, Amazon’s in-house food brand, is a great entry point into mochi ice cream brands if you’ve never tried this sweet Japanese dessert before. Affordable and pretty much always available online, we found that the signature strawberry flavor delivered a clean, slightly tart taste that leaned more towards a fresh strawberry flavor than an artificial one.
Not too sugary-sweet, this balance makes it a solid pick for those who prefer fruit-forward mochi without the syrupy aftertaste often found in other budget options. We liked the competitive pricing of Aplenty and how convenient it was to get a hold of.
However, it’s certainly not our go-to option on this list of the best mochi ice cream brands. While some reviewers liked its softness, others felt it lacked the signature chew and fluffiness you’d expect from top-tier mochi ice cream brands.
In some cases, the rice dough was described as sticking too tightly to the ice cream, diminishing the overall mouthfeel. This inconsistent texture, coupled with the relatively limited flavor variety, is the biggest factor for Aplenty’s tough rank on this list of mochi ice cream brands — but if you’re keen to try mochi for the first time, this isn’t a bad starting point.
11. Vitasia
Vitasia, one of the Lidl-exclusive mochi brands, has a seasonal selection of flavors — but that doesn’t mean they’re worth skipping. Because Lidl rotates its stock throughout the year, this mochi ice cream is only available for limited windows.
Still, flavors like mango, chocolate and vanilla tend to return each year, hinting at consistent favorites. However, we found that the quality and texture can vary noticeably between flavors, so, in our opinion, this is one of those mochi ice cream brands best approached with a bit of caution.
We liked that the sorbet filling in the mango flavor was a little different from the usual cream-based options, and it was ideal for taste-testing during the warm summer weather. The flavor is lighter and more fruit-forward and this scored major points in our books for its originality.
However, it wasn’t as rich and creamy as more traditional-leaning mochi ice cream brands, which was a bit of a letdown for some reviewers. We found that mochi ice cream brands can typically fall short on the rice flour shell (the mochi part) — even when they’ve nailed the ice cream texture and flavor — but the shell on Vitasia’s mochi ice cream was actually far better than we expected.
It’s thinner than the shell you’ll get with most mochi ice cream brands, and we liked that it created a pleasant contrast with the chilled filling. Overall, mango was a standout flavor, but the products were generally hard to find in-store, and the other flavors didn’t have the same punchy sweetness as the mango version.
10. Mr. Mochi
Mr. Mochi is a small-batch mochi ice cream brand that flies under the radar, but it absolutely shouldn’t in our eyes. We found that the strawberry flavor was one of the favorites. It’s bright, sweet and balanced with a mochi exterior that’s pleasantly chewy without turning rubbery. While strawberry is the best, the vanilla, coffee, chocolate and green tea flavors are also worth trying.
The mango flavor is also well worth a try. This crowd favorite pushes more toward candy-like sweetness and while it might not be to everyone’s taste, those with a sweet tooth will definitely find it satisfying. These mochi ice cream bites are also a tad smaller and flatter than your usual pre-packaged mochi, so they’re a great treat for kids who need a mini pick-me-up.
We liked the consistent texture of the mochi dough across the range, and several reviewers mentioned that the mochi was pleasantly chewy without being overly dense. However, accessibility is the brand’s Achilles’ heel.
As a small business, Mr. Mochi isn’t widely available. You can often find limited stock at niche retailers like Brooklyn Fare or Grocery Outlet, but you may need to hunt a little to get your hands on them.
That, alongside the limited flavor range, is ultimately what kept Mr. Mochi from climbing higher on this list of mochi ice cream brands. If you do spot it, though, especially in the strawberry or mango varieties, it’s worth snapping up.
9. Mochi Love
Mochi Love, while not technically part of the gang of mochi ice cream brands, deserves a special mention. Instead of being mochi ice cream, Mochi Love calls these mochi treats “Crème Clouds,” and they’re eaten in exactly the same way as mochi ice cream — being left to thaw for a few minutes before enjoying.
Instead of an ice cream center, this dessert contains an airy, whipped crème center that's made in Brittany, France, using traditional Japanese techniques. We found that the mango and passion fruit and raspberry with lychee flavors were lively, bright and fruit-forward without being artificially sweet.
The consistency of the filling was more tropical mousse than ice cream, similar to the sorbet filling in mochi ice cream brands like Vitasia. The chocolate ganache flavor uses Rainforest Alliance-certified cocoa (which is actually less common with mochi ice cream brands than you'd hope), and this gives the mochi a rich and decadent taste that isn’t too overwhelming.
We liked that the Mochi Love dough was soft while still holding its shape and the softer filling perfectly melted on the tongue. If you’re a dessert fan looking to break out of the typical mochi ice cream mold, Mochi Love is well worth trying.
The main downsides? The sweetness level, especially in fruit flavors like the mango or coconut chocolate, can be intense and because this brand is found in more curated marketplaces like Misfits Market or Good Eggs, access may be limited depending on your location.
Still, we think Mochi Love earns its spot here by reimagining what mochi desserts can be — not quite traditional but certainly one to watch among modern mochi ice cream brands.
8. Trader Joe’s
Trader Joe’s has built a reputation for stocking high-quality products on its shelves, and its entry into the running for the best mochi ice cream brands is no exception. We found the two most popular mochi with a Trader Joe's ice cream filling were the blood orange flavor and the black sesame flavor.
Made with actual blood orange juice concentrate, we liked that this flavor had a great balance of tartness and sweetness, but the real standout for us was the black sesame flavor. As a unique variety on this list, we found it to be more nutty than sweet with a deep, roasted flavor. Plus, we couldn't help but give it extra points for its striking appearance.
Much like in all of the Trader Joe's desserts, we found that its use of real fruit concentrate achieved a flavor far more natural and nuanced than overly sweet and synthetic, which can be a key difference between good and bad mochi ice cream brands.
The mochi dough itself had the soft, chewy texture we expect from top mochi ice cream brands, with a thickness that complemented — rather than overpowered — the filling. However, the main drawback that keeps Trader Joe’s from ranking higher on this list of mochi ice cream brands is the seasonality of these products.
They can be difficult to find consistently, so if you spot them on the shelves of your local TJ’s, be sure to grab a few packs to try.
7. Mochidoki
Mochidoki has a refined, small-batch approach to making mochi ice cream, and it shows. We found that the salted caramel flavor stood out as one of the brand’s strongest performers. Notably, we liked that it had just the right amount of sea salt to complement the buttery caramel base. Many reviewers called it the best of all the mochi ice cream brands they’d ever tried, which is pretty high praise!
Another positive in our books is the range of flavors Mochidoki offers. The brand’s most popular mochi ice cream flavors include purple sweet potato, cake batter and the winter-only Seoul Cookie.
Inspired by the Korean dessert drink sujeonggwa, the seasonal Seoul Cookie brings together ginger, cinnamon and dried fruit to create a mochi ice cream that is complex and perfectly Christmassy.
Still, Mochidoki may not be for everyone. We found that the sweetness level was pretty intense across several flavors. The premium price point and limited availability also make it less accessible than other mochi ice cream brands on this list. Despite this, if you’re looking for next-level flavors and don’t mind the hunt, Mochidoki is one of the mochi ice cream brands most worth paying a little extra for.
6. Mt. Fuji
Mt. Fuji may not be the first name that comes to your mind when you think of mochi ice cream brands, but they are certainly not to be missed. The mango flavor was truly the star of the show; sweet, bright and aromatic, with a real tropical fruit taste rather than an artificial copycat.
We found that this flavor in particular captured what many other mochi brands try and fail to do: pair natural-tasting ice cream with a rice flour shell that’s both chewy and pleasantly sweet. We liked that the mochi shell held up well in taste tests, and it was stretchy and soft without becoming gummy after the first bite.
The chocolate flavor was also a favorite for some reviewers, with its cocoa-forward profile and an aftertaste similar to coffee. The vanilla, however, wasn’t as much of a hit. It lacked any real vanilla bean depth, leaning instead towards a generic sweet milk flavor. Mt. Fuji certainly has some good flavors, but a bad vanilla flavor is often an indicator of the quality of the ingredients sourced.
Another mark against Mt. Fuji is its limited availability and inconsistent flavor quality. It’s a niche product most often found at specialty retailers like 99 Ranch Market, and the smaller selection of flavors holds it back from being one of the more versatile mochi ice cream brands. Still, for those who come across it, the mango is worth grabbing and it easily competes with better-known mochi ice cream brands on flavor and texture alone.
5. Sweety
Sweety is another specialty brand dedicated solely to bringing insanely good mochi ice cream to your home freezers, and its range of mochi ice cream flavors is pretty impressive.
From azuki red bean and Alphonso mango to ube purple yam and matcha, the wide variety of flavors gives plenty of room for experimentation. While we found that the classics like strawberry, Madagascar vanilla and chocolate are all highly ranked. Yet, the top spot for the best Sweety flavor was an unusual one: Vietnamese coffee.
We found that the bold, bittersweet coffee profile — true to its namesake beverage made with dark roast coffee and condensed milk — delivered an intensity not often found in fruit-forward or dessert-heavy mochi ice cream brands. We liked that the deep roast flavor was balanced out by the creamy sweetness, and the result was a bite that felt sophisticated while still appealing to a variety of palates.
Sweety’s mochi dough was slightly thinner and stretchier than the average mochi brand, and we found that this made it easier to bite through. For those unfamiliar with mochi ice cream brands, this more forgiving texture could be a better entry point, especially if the thick mochi chew of other brands is a turnoff.
That said, we found that the rest of Sweety’s range didn’t hold a candle to the Vietnamese coffee flavor, so if you’re looking for mochi ice cream brands that have a huge variety of top-tier flavors to try, you may want to opt for another option on this list.
4. Maeda-en
Known for its Kyoto-style influence and selection of classic Japanese flavors, Maeda-en is the go-to best mochi ice cream brand for many mochi connoisseurs, and we totally get why. We found that both the matcha and red bean flavors were fan favorites for their accurate representation of traditional Japanese sweets. Both flavors’ sweetness is balanced and subtle, which certainly isn’t the case for some of the other mochi ice cream brands on this list.
We found that the chocolate and vanilla mochi ice creams were pleasant, and the vanilla was particularly true to that deep, nuanced and natural vanilla bean flavor — a real rarity among many mochi ice cream brands.
However, it was actually the mango sherbet that impressed reviewers the most. Unlike cream-based fillings, the sherbet had a bright and tangy taste that really uplifted the experience, making the dessert feel extra vibrant and summery.
We liked that Maeda-en’s mochi coating was thin and chewy, as this allowed the frozen filling to shine through without overwhelming each bite. Compared to other mochi ice cream brands, we liked that this felt lighter and more delicate, which could appeal to those looking for something less dense.
That being said, the thinness of the mochi also contributed to its main downside: poor structure. We found that the mochi shells gave up quite quickly, so it was a race against time to eat the mochi after it came out of the freezer. For those who prefer to leave their mochi ice cream for a few minutes to soften it, this may not be one of the best mochi ice cream brands for you.
3. My/Mochi
With over 17 flavors, including unique mochi ice cream flavors like cereal milk, cookie dough and strawberry with boba, My/Mochi has the biggest selection from all the mochi ice cream brands on this list. In fact, My/Mochi is probably one of the best grocery store ice cream brands selling mochi, thanks to its wide offering and consistently high quality.
We found that the double chocolate flavor was a reliable choice, with a rich cocoa punch that isn’t too bitter or too sweet and plenty of chocolate chunks mixed throughout for texture. On the other hand, the vanilla flavor didn’t impress reviewers as much, with most calling it flat and overly sweet rather than creamy and rich.
Several flavors were also noted by reviewers as having too much cornstarch in the mochi coating, which dulled the flavor and altered the mouthfeel. The dough was also noticeably thicker than other mochi ice cream brands, which can either be a textural bonus or a distraction, depending on your preference.
Despite this, what stood out to us most was My/Mochi’s commitment to healthy eating. This is truly a low-calorie ice cream at only 70 to 90 calories per mochi ice cream ball — but you would never guess that they are the lowest calorie option of all the mochi ice cream brands on the list because the flavors are that good.
My/Mochi was also the easiest to find in mainstream retailers like Target, Walmart and Wegmans, making it a fantastic, accessible option when you need a reliable dessert for gatherings, parties or just a late-night pick-me-up.
2. Bubbies
With even more mind-bogglingly delicious-sounding flavors than other brands on this list, like churro, raspberry cheesecake, passion fruit and milk tea, this Hawaii-born brand doesn’t shy away from mixing things up.
Plus, with a similar number of calories per mochi ice cream ball to My/Mochi (usually around 90 calories each) and a clean label that brags about only using simple, all-natural ingredients, Bubbies is also one of the healthiest ice cream options on this list.
We found that the raspberry cheesecake flavor was a standout among reviewers. They especially loved the creamy, tangy filling coupled with the pie crust chunks. The Alphonso mango and triple chocolate were also two more show-stopping flavors.
All flavors seemed to have a complexity that went far beyond many of the mochi ice cream brands on this list. We liked that Bubbies delivered consistently powerful flavors, but the main complaint holding this brand back from being the best of all the mochi ice cream brands was that the mochi shell wasn’t always ideal. We found that the dough was sometimes thicker than what we typically prefer in mochi ice cream brands, which led to some gapping between the shell and the ice cream.
Still, this thicker exterior meant that the mochi held together well in hand, which could be a plus for those who hate sticky fingers. Despite the slight inconsistency in mochi thickness, the sheer breadth of flavors and intensity of these flavors — despite having no artificial ingredients — more than earns Bubbies a high rank.
1. Mikawaya
The jury is in. What is the best mochi ice cream brand around? In our opinion, you can’t get any better than Mikawaya. As the gold standard among mochi ice cream brands, these guys are known as one of the original makers of mochi ice cream in the U.S., and the brand brings an unmatched level of consistency and texture to the table.
We found that the classic flavors like mango, strawberry and vanilla were executed with quiet confidence. The strawberry was a particular favorite among reviewers for its pronounced tartness and natural strawberry flavor. The vanilla — which can be so hard to get right — had a bold flavor and fantastic balance, with no bland sweetness in sight.
We liked that the mochi shell was thin and chewy and unlike many other mochi ice cream brands, where gapping or excessive thickness can distract from the experience, Mikawaya’s dough hugged the filling tightly, leaving no gaps for the ice cream to drip out.
The shape and appearance weren’t always flawless — with some shells looking a little wrinkled — but once you take a bite, none of the visual inconsistencies matter anymore. We liked that Mikawaya wasn’t trying to chase novelty flavors for the sake of it, like some other mochi ice cream brands. Instead, all 12 of the flavors were thoughtful, not overly sweet, and elevated without being overcomplicated.
Mikawaya is widely available in most Asian supermarkets and in our expert opinion, it’s well deserving of the top spot among mochi ice cream brands because it nails what matters most: texture, flavor and consistency — all while being super easy to grab in a rush.
Now you know what mochi ice cream brands to reach for, it’s time to taste them for yourself and whittle down your personal list of favorite flavors. You could even consider trying out the occasional variety pack — because you never know when you might discover a new favorite.
For even more ways to explore your favorite foods, check out other experiences happening on Cozymeal.
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