Recipe: Onde-onde (Glutinous rice balls with gula melaka)

Onde-onde also known as kuih buah Melaka or klepon are glutinous rice balls with gula Melaka filling. They are Baby D's favorite kuih.

We had some leftover glutinous rice flour from making tang yuan, so I asked Baby D if he wanted to make some onde-onde for our teatime snack. I watched proudly as my 6 year old son, measured, mixed, and rolled the onde-onde. He did it with such confidence (see the video... done in one take).

Making onde-onde is simple.... it is one of those fun recipes you can try with your kids, cos it's a little bit like playing with PlayDoh. :P

Make the dough, roll into balls, then flatten and fill with gula melaka (palm sugar) in the centre. Roll back into balls and cook them until they float to the surface (a sign that they're ready) and roll them into freshly grated coconut. Set them aside for about 30 minutes, and then enjoy! You'll get a surprise everytime you pop one into your mouth... ;) Bursting balls of goodness with melted gula melaka.

Watch this recipe video on how to make onde-onde at home!

Onde-onde (Glutinous rice balls with palm sugar)
Recipe by Baby Sumo
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 3-5 minutes
Makes 25-30

Ingredients
200g glutinous rice flour
150-200ml water

1/2 tsp pandan extract
A few drops of green food colouring

1/4 grated coconut, mixed with a pinch of salt
50g gula melaka (palm sugar), cut into small pieces



1. Sift glutinous rice flour into a bowl. Add 150ml water, along with pandan extract and food colouring, and mix well. Gradually add more water, as required to get a firm dough. Knead for about 2-3 minutes.

2. Pinch a bit of dough and roll into marble-size balls. Flatten each ball lightly with your fingers, then add a piece of palm sugar in the centre. Press edges together and shape into balls.

3. Bring a pot of water to the boil over high heat. Lower to medium heat and add half the balls in. When cooked, the balls will float to the surface. Use a slotted spoon to remove. Roll in the grated coconut. Repeat for the remaining balls.

4. Allow to cool for 30 minutes, then enjoy. Ideally eat on the day it is made.

If you enjoyed reading my posts, LIKE me on Facebook! You can also follow me on Instagram (@babysumo) for more photo updates or Dayre for daily updates. Thanks :)