4.75 from 4 votes

Learn how to make Shiratama Dango, an easy and chewy dessert. With just a few simple ingredients, you can enjoy these delightful Japanese mochi balls with your favorite tea!

Looking for chewy mochi recipes? Try my Anko Mochi, Isobeyaki, or Kinako Mochi!

I’ll walk you through the ingredients and step-by-step instructions. I hope you enjoy it!

Why You Will Love This Recipe

A simple and delicious Japanese dango dessert.
Ready in under 15 minutes, perfect for a quick treat!
You’ll enjoy four dango variations and five tasty topping options to try.

Shiratama Dango

Shiratama Dango is a traditional Japanese dessert made from glutinous rice flour. These soft, chewy mochi balls are perfect on their own or served with toppings like mitarashi syrup or sweet red bean paste.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this Shiratama Dango:

Shiratamako is glutinous rice flour. “Shiratama” means white ball, and “ko” means flour. The smooth and chewy texture is unique to this flour. Shiratamako is not a smooth powder but a small chunk; if you mix it with water, it becomes a smooth dough.
Potato Starch, sugar, and soy sauce for the mitarashi syrup.

How To Make Shiratama Dango: STEP BY STEP

Here are some quick visual instructions! For the video and all the detailed ingredients and instructions, go to the printable recipe card below.

Step 1

Combine shiratamako with water to form a dough and roll the dough into small balls.

Step 2

Boil the balls in water for a few minutes.

Step 3

Transfer the cooked balls to ice water to cool.

Step 4

Make mitarashi syrup.

Serve the shiratama dango on a plate and drizzle them with sweet and savory mitarashi syrup. Enjoy!

Recipe Tips

If the dough is too soft and sticks to your hands, add more shiratamako. If it’s too hard, gradually add water to adjust the consistency.
It’s best to roll all the dough into balls first, then start boiling. This ensures they cook evenly and at the same boiling time.
When freshly boiled, the dango is soft and fluffy. Cooling it in cold water will firm up the texture. If you prefer to eat it warm, skip the cold water step and enjoy it right away.

Shiratama Dango Variations

Here are some shiratama dango variations:

Sweet Potato Shiratama Dango: Mix mashed sweet potatoes into the dough for a soft, subtly sweet variation.
Kabocha Shiratama Dango: Mix mashed kabocha (Japanese pumpkin) into the dough for a rich, naturally sweet flavor.
Matcha Shiratama Dango: Add some matcha powder to the dough for a green tea flavor and color.
Tofu Shiratama Dango: Blend silken tofu into the dough for a softer texture.

Dango Toppings

There are many delicious toppings for shiratama dango. Enjoy these topping variations!

Anko: A sweet red bean paste made by simmering red beans with sugar. Dilute the anko with some water to make it easier to enjoy with the dango.
Mitarashi Syrup: A sweet and salty glaze made from soy sauce and sugar and the most popular topping for dango.
Miso Sauce: A sweet and slightly salty sauce made from miso paste. Combine miso, honey, and a little water to create a tasty sauce.
Kinako: Roasted soybean flour with a nutty flavor, commonly used as a garnish for Japanese sweets.
Kuromitsu Syrup: Made from kokuto (Japanese black sugar), it has a deep, rich flavor and is a popular sweet syrup for Japanese desserts.

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