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 this treat at home is incredibly simple, requiring just a few ingredients!

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What is Espasol?
Espasol is a sweet rice cake with a chewy, slightly gritty texture and subtle coconut flavor. It is made with glutinous rice flour and coconut milk, combined to form a dough, then shaped into rectangular or cylindrical rice cakes and rolled in toasted rice flour.
In the Philippines, it is a popular snack or dessert, enjoyed for its unique texture and coconut undertones.
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, unlike regular rice flour.
- Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, though fresh is always best. You can also use coconut cream for more of that coconut taste, but it makes the dough oily due to its higher coconut content.
- Optional Ingredients: You can elevate the flavors and textures by adding optional ingredients like macapuno (sweetened young coconut), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).
How to make this recipe
Step 1 (Prepare the Coconut Mixture)
In a mixing cup or bowl, combine 1 (400-ml) 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. Stir well until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside.
Step 2 (Toast the Glutinous Rice Flour)
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.
Step 3 (Prepare the Parchment Paper)
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 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 the Ingredients)
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.
Step 5 (Mix until Thick)
Keep folding and spreading the mixture 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 manage.
PRO TIP: You can get creative by adding ingredients like macapuno, buko, or pinipig. Simply fold them into the dough at this point, enhancing the flavor and texture of your Espasol.
Step 6 (Transfer and Spread the Mixture)
Transfer the mixture to your parchment paper and immediately spread it out while it's warm and manageable. Use the spatula to spread it out evenly to create a thickness of about ½ inch, or adjust to your preference.
Step 7 (Coat the Espasol)
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! 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, providing a somewhat different, chewier experience.
Recipe FAQs
Espasol is best enjoyed warm when it's chewy and soft. However, if you need to store it, keep it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate it for up to a week.
Espasol also freezes well. When ready to enjoy, simply thaw on the countertop until it returns to its soft texture.
No, glutinous rice flour is essential for Espasol's chewy texture. Regular rice flour won't provide the same consistency.
Try other Filipino rice cakes (kakanin)
- Bibingka: A soft and fluffy rice cake traditionally cooked in banana leaves, topped with slices of salted egg and cheese.
- Kutsinta: A sticky, chewy rice cake with a jelly-like texture, usually brownish in color and topped with grated mature coconut.
- Sapin-Sapin: A glutinous rice cake dessert with colorful layers, typically purple (with ube flavor), yellor or orange (with langka flavor), and white (with coconut milk or cream). It is often topped with caramelized coconut curds or toasted coconut.
- Puto: Steamed muffins made with rice flour, often topped with cheese or salted egg (itlog na maalat).
- Biko: A sweet rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and brown sugar, typically topped with caramelized coconut curds.
- Palitaw: Boiled sweet rice cakes coated with grated coconut, topped with sugar and sesame seeds or crushed peanuts.
- Ube Kalamay: A sticky and sweet purple yam rice cake made with glutinous rice, coconut milk, and ube or Ube Halaya.
- Espasol: A cylindrical or rectangular rice cake made with toasted sticky rice flour and coconut milk, then rolled in more toasted rice flour for a powdery finish.
- Suman: Glutinous rice cooked with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in banana or palm leaves, and steamed until soft and chewy.
Other dessert recipes 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 can coconut milk (400 ml or 1⅔ cups) 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 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.
- 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 folding and spreading the mixture 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 manage.Note: At this point, you can get creative by adding ingredients like macapuno, buko, or pinipig. Simply fold them into the dough, enhancing the flavor and texture of your Espasol.
- Transfer the mixture to your parchment paper and immediately spread it out while it's warm and manageable. Use the 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, unlike regular rice flour.
- Coconut Milk: I used canned coconut milk, though fresh is always best. You can also use coconut cream for more of that coconut taste, but it makes the dough oily due to its higher coconut content.
- Optional Ingredients: You can elevate the flavors and textures by adding optional ingredients like macapuno (sweetened young coconut), buko (young coconut), or pinipig (pounded young rice).
Jenny Arias
This is very nostalgic, can't wait to try it myself
Nora Reyes
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
I hope it's not too hard to make, this is my fave!
Nora Reyes
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
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
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
Excited to try this!
Nora Reyes
Hello Arlene, That's great to hear! I'm sure you'll love it. Let me know how it turns out! 😊
Dennis
My favorite!
Nora Rey
I'm so glad! Thanks, Dennis!