Chewy, sticky, and lightly sweet—these tikoy rolls are a fun and delicious treat! They’re rolled like soft mochi or glutinous rice rolls, filled with red bean paste, and coated in a crunchy sesame-peanut mixture.
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What are tikoy rolls?
Tikoy rolls are a type of kakanin (Filipino rice cake), inspired by the Chinese nian gao. They’re made with chewy glutinous rice flour filled with sweet fillings like munggo paste (sweetened paste made from red or yellow split mung beans), red bean paste (which I’m using), ube halaya, peanut butter, or even Nutella.
The rolls are coated in a crunchy mix of sesame seeds and roasted peanuts, but you can easily swap the fillings and coatings. They’re perfect as a snack or dessert and best served warm or at room temperature.
Ingredients you'll need
Notes and substitutions
- Glutinous rice flour: Use glutinous (or sticky) rice flour, not regular rice flour, as they’re not the same and won’t give you that chewy texture.
- Sesame seeds: I used white or natural sesame seeds, but you can also try black sesame seeds for a stronger, earthier flavor and darker color. Toasting them brings out their nutty flavor, as they can lose their freshness over time.
- Peanuts: You can use salted or unsalted peanuts that have been toasted or roasted. Just make sure they’re fresh, since expired peanuts can taste stale.
- Filing: I used munggo paste (sweetened paste made from red or yellow mung beans), which you can make at home or buy pre-made. You can also use ube halaya, peanut butter, Nutella, or even chocolate.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Make the peanut-sesame coating
Toast 3 tablespoons of sesame seeds in a dry pan over medium heat until golden and smell nutty. Let them cool slightly.
In a coffee grinder, food processor, or blender, grind the toasted sesame seeds together with 3 tablespoons of peanuts until fine—but not too much, or they’ll turn into a paste. You can crush them by hand using a rolling pin or a mortar and pestle. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
Step 2: Make the batter
In a bowl, whisk together 1 cup glutinous rice flour, ⅓ cup granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional), and ¾ cup water. Mix until smooth and lump-free. The batter should be thin and pourable. If it seems too thick, just add a bit more water, a tablespoon at a time.
Step 3: Prepare the pan and steamer
Lightly brush an 8x8-inch pan with oil, then line it with parchment paper. Don’t forget to grease the parchment too to keep everything from sticking.
Set up a steamer with about ½ inch of water—just enough so the water doesn't touch the bottom of the dish. Bring it to a boil.
If you don't have a steamer, you can easily improvise by using a large pot with a rack or trivet to elevate the dish above the water.
Step 4: Steam
Pour the batter into your prepared dish and steam it for about 10 minutes, or until the tikoy is fully cooked and the surface is firm and dry. You can steam it with the lid on, or cover the lid with a clean kitchen towel to catch any water and keep it from dripping onto the tikoy. Let it cool a bit—it should still be warm and soft enough to handle.
Step 5: Fill and roll
Transfer the tikoy to a clean work surface or cutting board while it’s still warm—it’s easier to handle and roll when it hasn’t fully cooled.
Prepare the filling by placing it in a pastry bag or Ziploc bag and snipping off the corner. Pipe the filling along one edge of the tikoy, close to the edge.
Lift the edge of the tikoy over the filling and roll tightly, like a log.
Once rolled, slice into smaller pieces. Repeat with the remaining tikoy and filling.
Use a silicone spatula or plastic dough cutter to cut and lift the pieces easily—or oil your knife and hands to prevent sticking.
Step 6: Coat and serve
Roll each piece of tikoy in the sesame-peanut mixture until fully coated.
Serve warm, or let it cool to room temperature before serving.
Store leftover tikoy rolls in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Don't refrigerate, as it may affect the texture and filling. For longer storage, freeze the rolls for up to 1 month. To serve, thaw at room temperature—do not reheat, as it may change the texture.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can prepare the tikoy rolls a day in advance. Store them at room temperature in an airtight container. If you’re making a larger batch, freezing them for up to a month is also an option.
It’s best not to reheat tikoy rolls, as the coating can get soggy and lose its texture. They’re best enjoyed at room temperature, so let them cool to room temp before serving.
More Filipino rice cakes to try
- Pichi-Pichi: A soft, chewy cassava dessert coated in grated coconut.
- Palitaw: Flat rice cakes boiled until they float, then coated in coconut, sugar, and sesame seeds.
- Kutsinta: Steamed brown rice cakes made with lye water, often topped with grated coconut.
- Sapin-Sapin: A colorful layered rice cake made with coconut milk and flavored with ube, jackfruit, and more.
- Biko: A sticky rice cake cooked with coconut milk and panutsa, topped with latik (coconut curds).
Other dessert recipes you may like
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📖 Recipe
Tikoy Rolls
Equipment
- Coffee grinder, food processor, or blender (optional)
- 8x8-inch heatproof dish (or any similar-sized pan that fits in your steamer)
- Steamer (or makeshift setup — a large pot or pan with a lid and a rack)
- Silicone spatula or plastic dough cutter
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons sesame seeds (see note)
- 3 tablespoons peanuts (see note)
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour (see note)
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar more to taste
- A pinch of salt
- ¾ cup water
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract optional
- ½ cup munggo paste (sweetened mung bean paste) (see note)
- Coconut oil (or any neutral oil) for greasing
Instructions
- Make the peanut-sesame coating: Toast the sesame seeds in a dry pan until golden. Let cool slightly, then grind together with the peanuts until fine (but not pasty). Set aside.
- Make the batter: Whisk together the glutinous rice flour, sugar, a pinch of salt, vanilla (optional), and ¾ cup water until smooth. The batter should be thin and pourable.
- Prepare the pan and steamer: Lightly brush the pan with oil, then line it with parchment paper. Brush the parchment as well to prevent sticking. Set up a steamer with ½ inch water and bring to a boil.
- Steam: Pour batter into the dish and steam for 10 minutes until firm and dry. You can cover the lid with a towel to prevent water drips, but it's optional. Let cool slightly, but keep warm and soft enough to handle.
- Fill and roll: Transfer the tikoy while still warm—it’s easier to handle and roll when it hasn’t fully cooled. Pipe filling onto one edge of the tikoy. Roll tightly and cut into smaller pieces. Use a plastic dough cutter or oil your hands/knife to prevent sticking.
- Coat and serve: Roll each piece in the sesame-peanut mixture. Serve warm, or let cool to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Glutinous rice flour: Also called sweet rice flour or sticky rice flour, it gives the tikoy its chewy texture.
- Sesame seeds: I used white sesame seeds, but you can also use black sesame seeds for a stronger flavor. Toasting them at home brings out their best flavor.
- Peanuts: Use salted or unsalted roasted or toasted peanuts.
- Filling: I used munggo paste (sweetened red or yellow mung beans), which you can make at home or buy pre-made. You can also use ube halaya, peanut butter, or Nutella.
Ynez B.
I have been looking fot this recipe i am so happy to find it here. My son and i made it and it turned out so good! Maraming salamat!
Nora Reyes
Hello Ynez! Aw, this made me so happy to read! I actually recreated this recipe from a childhood memory, so it means a lot to hear that you and your son enjoyed it. 😊 Maraming salamat din for trying it and sharing this with me!