Injeolmi, or Short Korean Sweet Rice Cake

Injeolmi is a chewy, sticky Korean sweet rice cake with a mochi-like texture. This direct recipe uses a short microwave method, allowing you to enjoy this savory Korean dessert in just 10 minutes.

Injeolmi (인절미) is a old-style Korean sweet rice cake made by steaming and pounding glutinous rice flour. The dough is shaped into small pieces and typically coated with steamed powdered dried beans or other toppings.

This beloved snack is considered a premium tteok, often served at weddings or banquets (janchi, 잔치) in Korea. With its soft, chewy, and sticky texture, it’s affectionately called “Korean mochi.”

Traditionally, injeolmi was gifted to newlyweds as a symbol of wishing them a harmonious marriage and that they “stick together” forever. The bride’s mother would also prepare this rice cake for the groom’s family, hoping to foster good relations between her daughter and her in-laws.

Along with songpyeon (half-moon rice cake), another iconic Korean rice cake dessert, injeolmi is a festive treat that every Korean food enthusiast should try to experience the essence of old-style Korean celebrations.

What stands out

Making injeolmi by old-style method was time-consuming, but with our microwave recipe, you can prepare this savory Korean mochi in just 10 minutes. Now, you can easily satisfy your sweet rice cake cravings anytime!

Injeolmi gets its irresistible nutty flavor from a special coating called injeolmi powder, made of roasted soybean flour. For a quicker option, you can use store-bought powders.

Feel free to get creative with coatings like misugaru powder, ground black sesame, red beans, chestnut, or even castella crumbs—each adds a unique taste and texture.

This glutinous rice cake isn’t just a dessert on its own—it’s also featured in trendy Korean treats like injeolmi toast or as a topping for Patbingsu, where it’s known as bingsu injeolmi.

Key Ingredients for Classic Injeolmi

Sweet rice flour

The main ingredient in making injeolmi is sweet rice flour, also known as glutinous rice flour. Despite its name, sweet rice flour isn’t actually sweet on its own, but it’s made from glutinous rice, which gives injeolmi its signature sticky and chewy texture.

This flour is finely milled from short-grain glutinous rice, also called chapssal (찹쌀) in Korean. It’s essential for achieving that steady, stretchy consistency that makes injeolmi so savory and satisfying.

Roasted Soybean Flour (Injeolmi Powder)

This is what gives injeolmi its distinctive, nutty flavor. The finely ground roasted soybeans add a subtle sweetness and a bit of texture, making every bite of injeolmi even more enjoyable.

You’ll find both sweet rice flour and roasted soybean flour in most Asian grocery stores, and it’s a key ingredient not just in injeolmi, but in many other Korean desserts and treats.

Additional Coating Options

• Mugwort powder This fragrant Korean herb, known as ssuk (쑥), adds a unique earthy flavor and a beautiful green color to your injeolmi. It’s a popular choice for those looking to add a touch of old-style Korean flavor to their sweet rice cake.
• Pumpkin powder: Give your injeolmi a warm, golden-orange hue with pumpkin powder. It not only adds a lovely color but also imparts a mild, sweet flavor. If you can’t find pumpkin powder, you can use steamed and mashed pumpkin instead—just be sure to reduce the water in the recipe to maintain the right consistency.
• Castella Sponge Cake: Crumbled Castella, a type of light and fluffy sponge cake, makes for a delightful coating that adds a sweet, soft texture to your injeolmi. You can find Castella cake at Asian bakeries or in the frozen section of Asian markets.

How the dish comes together

Mix roasted soybean powder with sugar in a large shallow pan. Set it aside for later use.

Make the sticky rice cake dough by mixing sweet rice flour and hot water in a microwave-safe bowl. If needed, add a tablespoon of water at a time to achieve the right consistency.

Cover and microwave for 4 minutes, stirring halfway through. You will notice bubbles forming on the surface.

Mix the dough vigorously with a spoon until it becomes extremely sticky, about 1 minute. Then transfer it to the pan with the soybean powder mixture. Let it cool slightly.

Carefully shape the dough into a rectangle and cut it into bite-sized pieces. Coat each piece with more powder, and they are ready to serve.

Flavor Variations

The classic version is savory, but you can also experiment with flavors like mugwort (ssuk, 쑥), which adds a slightly bitter, aromatic quality, or pumpkin for a naturally sweet touch. These variations pair wonderfully with the chewy texture of Injeolmi.

Mugwort injeolmi

Mix the mugwort powder into the dry ingredients, adjusting the water as needed to form the sticky rice dough. Then, follow the microwave cooking and coating instructions as usual.

Pumpkin Injeolmi

Follow the same steps as above, but substitute with pumpkin powder. Adjust the amount of water as needed.

Castella Injeolmi

For a modern twist, you can use Castella cake crumbs instead of the old-style soybean powder. Simply remove the brown crust, then grate the cake or rub it through a strainer to collect fine crumbs.

Expert Tips for the Best Result

1. When mixing the sticky dough, use a rice paddle to minimize sticking. The non-stick coating will make the process easier.
2. Lightly wet your fingers before handling the dough to prevent it from sticking. Be careful not to let any water drop into the powder.
3. For a chocolatey twist, add cocoa powder to the mix and turn this old-style Korean sweet into a delightful chocolate-flavored treat.
4. To store leftover Injeolmi, place them in a single layer in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature.

• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 5 minutes

Ingredients

For Ingeolmi Powder

• 1 1/2 cup roasted soybean flour
• 2 tbsp sugar

For classic injeolmi

• 1 cup sweet rice flour (chapssal-garu)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2/3 cup hot water
• 2/3 cup injeolmi powder

For Mugwort Injeolmi

• 1 cup sweet rice flour (chapssal-garu)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp mugwort powder
• 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp hot water
• 2.3 cup injeolmi powder

For Pumpkin Injeolmi

• 1 cup sweet rice flour (chapssal-garu)
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tbsp pumpkin powder
• 2/3 cup + 2 tbsp hot water
• 7 oz (200 g) Castella sponge cake

Method

1. In a large shallow pan, mix roasted soybean powder and sugar. Set aside.
2. In a microwave-safe bowl, combine sweet rice flour, sugar, and salt. Add 2/3 cup hot water and mix to form a dough. Add a little more water, a tablespoon at a time to get thinner consistency.
3. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap, but leave a small vent. Microwave the mixture for 4 minutes, stirring it halfway through. You should notice bubbles forming on the surface. Use a spoon or spatula to vigorously mix the dough for about 1 minute, until it becomes extremely sticky.
4. Pour the dough into the pan with the injeolmi powder mixture. Cool for 1 minute. Lightly wet your fingers with water before touching the dough to prevent it from sticking. Be careful not to drop any water into the powder. Shape the dough into a rectangle and cut into bite-sized pieces. Coat with more powder and serve.
5. Follow the same steps as classic injeolmi, but add mugwort or pumpkin powder to the dry ingredients. Adjust water as needed to make the sticky dough.
6. For the pumpkin variation with Castella coating, first remove the brown crust from the Castella. Then either grate it or rub it through a strainer to create fine crumbs. Proceed with coating the rice cake.

Notes

Helpful Tips

Use a rice paddle to mix the sticky rice dough; its non-stick coating helps prevent sticking.

Wet your fingers lightly before handling the dough to keep it from sticking. Avoid getting water in the powder.

For a chocolate twist, add cocoa powder to the mix.

Store leftover injeolmi in a single layer in a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving.