Espasol is a sweet rice cake with a chewy texture and subtle coconut flavor. These cylindrical or rectangular rice cakes are cooked in a pan and rolled in powder for a satisfyingly delicious treat. The best part? Making it at home is incredibly simple, requiring just a few ingredients!
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What is Espasol?
Espasol is one of the many beloved Filipino delicacies from the province of Laguna, with a chewy texture and subtle coconut flavor. It's a mini log-shaped rice cake made with glutinous rice flour and coconut milk.
For an authentic espasol recipe, the dough is formed into cylindrical shapes and then rolled in toasted rice flour for a slightly gritty texture. This snack or dessert is enjoyed all over the Philippines for its unique texture and subtle coconut flavor. Ube Espasol is a variation with ube or purple yam.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Glutinous Rice Flour: Also known as sweet rice flour or Mochiko, this type of flour is gluten-free and not sweet. It becomes sticky and chewy when cooked, which sets it apart from regular rice flour.
- Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, although fresh is always best. For a richer coconut flavor, you might want to try coconut cream, but just keep in mind that it can make the dough oily due to its higher fat content.
- Optional Ingredients: Feel free to mix in extras like macapuno (coconut sport), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Prepare the liquids
In a mixing cup or bowl, combine a can of coconut milk, ¾ cup of brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or other flavorings of your choice. Mix everything together until the sugar dissolves, then set it aside.
Step 2: Toast the flour
Over medium heat, toast 2½ cups of glutinous rice flour in a pan. Stir it every now and then for about 20 minutes until it changes to a beige or light tan color and starts to smell toasty.
If the pan gets too hot, turn down the heat. When it's done, set aside ½ cup of the toasted flour for later use and turn off the stove.
Step 3: Prepare parchment paper
Prepare a sheet of parchment paper or a banana leaf (about 12x12 inches) on a flat surface. Using a fine-mesh strainer, evenly sprinkle a third of the toasted flour you set aside for coating.
Leave a margin around the edges without flour, depending on how thick or thin you want to spread the Espasol.
Step 4: Combine ingredients
Pour the liquids into the pan with the remaining flour. Set the stove to medium heat and gently stir them together, making sure to break up any lumps, until you get a smooth mixture.
Step 5: Mix until thick
Keep spreading and folding the dough in the pan for about 10 minutes. As you do this, the dough will start to get stickier and chewier, and slightly darker. You'll know it's ready when it firms up and starts to get tough to stir.
PRO TIP: Feel free to get creative here by adding ingredients like buko, macapuno, or pinipig. Just fold them into the dough at this stage to boost the flavor and texture of your Espasol.
Step 6: Shape and set the Espasol
Transfer the warm dough onto your parchment paper and quickly spread it out while it's still easy to work with. Use a spatula to evenly spread the dough to about ½ inch thick, or however thick you prefer it.
Step 7: Coat the espasol
Once you've spread the dough, sprinkle the top generously with remaining toasted flour. Cut the espasol into pieces using a knife or dough scraper. Roll each piece in more toasted flour for an extra layer of coating, then shake off any excess.
Serve and enjoy your Espasol! Many people prefer it while it's still warm for that sticky and chewy texture. It's also delicious after it has slightly firmed up, with a somewhat different, chewier experience. Enjoy it either way!
Recipe FAQs
Espasol is best enjoyed warm when it's chewy and soft. If you need to store it, just place it in an airtight container and keep it in the fridge for up to a week. For longer storage, you can also freeze espasol. When you're ready to enjoy it again, simply let it thaw at room temperature until it's nice and soft.
No, you really need glutinous rice flour to get that sticky, chewy texture. Regular rice flour just won't work the same way.
More Filipino rice cakes
- Bibingka: Baked rice cakes cooked in banana leaves and prepared in a clay oven, often heated with charcoal.
- Kutsinta: Steamed rice cakes with lye water, topped with grated mature coconut.
- Sapin-Sapin: Steamed rice cakes with layered colors: purple (with ube), yellor or orange (with langka), and white (with coconut milk). It is often topped with latik or toasted coconut.
- Puto: Steamed rice cakes, topped with cheese or salted egg.
- Ube Suman sa Latik: Steamed ube rice cakes wrapped in banana leaves.
- Biko: Sticky rice cooked in coconut milk, topped with caramelized coconut cream. Bibingkang Malagkit is a variation with caramelized latik sauce on top.
- Palitaw: Boiled rice cakes coated with grated coconut, topped with sugar and sesame seeds or crushed peanuts.
- Ube Kalamay: Ube rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and purple yam or Ube Halaya.
- Suman: Sticky rice cooked in coconut milk and wrapped in banana or palm leaves, then boiled until soft and chewy. Suman sa Lihiya is treated with lye water and served with latik sauce.
Other candies and sweets you may like
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📖 Recipe
Espasol
Equipment
- Non-stick sauté pan or a pan with high sides
- Spatula
- Parchment paper or banana leaves
- Fine mesh strainer (optional)
- Knife or pastry cutter (also known as a bench scraper)
Ingredients
- 2½ cups glutinous rice flour see note
- 1 (13.5-oz) can or 1⅔ cups coconut milk see note
- ¾ cup packed brown sugar (light or dark) sub: granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract sub: pandan or ube extract
- A pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine coconut milk, brown sugar, a pinch of salt, and vanilla extract or other flavorings. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
- Over medium heat, toast 2½ cups of glutinous rice flour in a pan. Stir occasionally for about 20 minutes until it turns beige or light tan and gives off a toasted scent.If the pan becomes too hot, reduce the heat. Once done, reserve ½ cup of the toasted flour for coating and turn off the heat.
- Prepare a sheet of parchment paper or a banana leaf (about 12x12 inches). Using a fine-mesh strainer, evenly sprinkle a third of the toasted flour that was set aside for coating.Leave a margin around the edges without flour, depending on how thick or thin you want to spread the Espasol.
- Add the coconut mixture to the pan with the rest of the flour. Turn the heat to medium and gently combine them, creating a smooth mixture.
- Keep spreading and folding the dough for about 10 minutes. As it cooks, the Espasol will become stickier, chewier, and slightly darker. It's ready when it firms up and becomes more challenging to mix.Note: Feel free to get creative here by adding ingredients like buko, macapuno, or pinipig. Just fold them into the dough at this stage to boost the flavor and texture of your Espasol.
- Transfer the dough to your parchment paper and immediately spread it out while it's warm and manageable. Use a spatula to spread it out evenly to create a thickness of about ½ inch, or adjust to your preference.
- Generously dust the top with toasted flour and cut it into pieces using a knife or a dough scraper. Roll each piece in more toasted flour to provide an extra layer of coating and shake off excess. Serve and enjoy your Espasol!
Notes
- Glutinous Rice Flour: Also known as sweet rice flour or Mochiko, this type of flour is gluten-free and not sweet. It becomes sticky and chewy when cooked, which sets it apart from regular rice flour.
- Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, although fresh is always best. For a richer coconut flavor, you might want to try coconut cream, but just keep in mind that it can make the dough oily due to its higher fat content.
- Optional Ingredients: Feel free to mix in extras like macapuno (coconut sport), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).
Jenny Arias says
This is very nostalgic, can't wait to try it myself
Nora Reyes says
Hello Jenny, I'm so glad it brought back memories for you! I hope you enjoy making and eating it as much as I do. Let me know how it turns out! 😊
Andy says
I hope it's not too hard to make, this is my fave!
Nora Reyes says
Hello Andy, It's actually simpler than you might think! Just follow the steps and you'll be enjoying your favorite Espasol in no time. If you have any questions while making it, feel free to ask. Enjoy! 😊
Andy says
Never thought i could do espasol at home, thank you my kids loved it! Still need to work on shaping it though lol Yours look much better
Nora Reyes says
Hello Andy, I am so happy to hear that your kids loved it. Espasol is quite forgiving when it comes to shaping. Just flatten the mixture evenly and cut it into your desired portions. I am sure your espasol looked good!
Arlene says
Excited to try this!
Nora Reyes says
Hello Arlene, That's great to hear! I'm sure you'll love it. Let me know how it turns out! 😊
Dennis says
My favorite!
Nora Rey says
I'm so glad! Thanks, Dennis!