What happens when you take a basic chocolate chip cookie, swap the semi-sweet chocolate for white chocolate, and then throw in some savory rice crackers? You get a delightful mixture of salty and sweet in cookie form that make up these Kakimochi White Chocolate Chip cookies.
What is kakimochi?
In Hawaii, the word kakimochi is used to generically describe savory, crispy Japanese rice crackers. It is more widely known on the mainland as mochi crunch or (gluten-free) rice crackers. In the islands they can be found in a variety of shapes and sizes. You may also see these crackers labeled as arare or senbei, depending on the size, shape, and/or flavor.
One of the more popular snacks at the movies is a mixture of popcorn, kakimochi, and furikake (packaged commercially as hurricane popcorn). I also know folks who love the salty/sweet combination of kakimochi and chocolate ice cream.
You will find an assortment of kakimochi at most Hawaii grocery and convenience stores. Local snack shops like Wholesale Unlimited are another popular place to grab these snacks.
Kakimochi and chocolate
The combination of kakimochi and chocolate is popular in Hawaii. As I mentioned previously, people will eat kakimochi with chocolate ice cream. You can also buy chocolate covered kakimochi. It was only natural that people would start adding kakimochi to other desserts. This recipe is a variation on chocolate chip cookies, substituting semi-sweet chocolate and white chocolate and adding kakimochi.
If possible, try to find small kakimochi like mini yakko arare (pictured below). If you can only find larger crackers, place them in a zip top bag and break them down to smaller pieces before measuring them for the recipe.
Kakimochi White Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 36 1x
Description
Kakimochi (Japanese rice crackers or mochi crunch) are a popular local Hawaiian savory snack. Combined with white chocolate chips, they make a delicious salty-sweet cookie with a little bit of extra crunch.
Ingredients
1–1/4 cups small kakimochi (like mini yakko arare)*
1–1/2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup white chocolate chips
Sea salt, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
In a mixing bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In the bowl of a stand mixer cream together the butter and sugars (brown and white) until light and fluffy. Add the egg and vanilla and mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Stir in the kakimochi and white chocolate chips (you may need to do this by hand).
Drop by spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheets, leaving about 2″ between cookies. Sprinkle with sea salt, if desired. Place in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes or until the cookies are golden brown.
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
*If you can only find larger kakimochi, place in a zip top bag and use a rolling pin to roughly break up the kakimochi into smaller pieces (similar in size to the chocolate chips). Then measure the quantity needed for the recipe.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Cuisine: Hawaiian-American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 100.07
- Sugar: 8.77 g.
- Sodium: 76.25 mg.
- Fat: 4.36 g.
- Saturated Fat: 2.64 g.
- Carbohydrates: 14.16 g.
- Fiber: 0.21 g.
- Protein: 1.14 g.
- Cholesterol: 13 g.
Keywords: kakimochi, arare, mochi crunch, white chocolate
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