Gemblong – Glutinous Rice Cake with Coconut Sugar
This post may contain affiliate links.Gemblong is an Indonesian glutinous rice cake that is crispy on the outside and chewy inside. Coated with caramelized coconut sugar, the combination of grated coconut and sugar coating is really delicious. And it is so easy to make!
A lot of Indonesian desserts play around with glutinous rice flour, rice flour, tapioca flour, coconut milk, and coconut—often sweetened with palm or coconut sugar. These ingredients are easy to find not just in Indonesia, but around the world nowadays.
Let me introduce you to Gemblong, a chewy, oval-shaped fried glutinous rice cake that’s sweet and nutty thanks to a caramelized palm sugar coating. You’ll find similar treats in Indonesian cuisine, like wingko babat, klepon, bugis mandi, or even angku kueh—all delicious in their own way!
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredients to Note
Glutinous rice flour – glutinous rice flour is easy to get on online store or any grocery store.
Rice flour – rice flour is also easy to get online or in any grocery store.
Freshly grated coconut – I recommend highly you use freshly grated coconut for its moistness and crunchiness. Steam it for 15 minutes with pandan leaves. It will be fragrant with a hint of pandan leaves. If you can’t get freshly grated coconut, you can use dessicated coconut, rehydrate by steaming it for 15 minutes.
Coconut milk – You can use canned coconut milk for this recipe if you can’t find fresh coconut milk. It is easier and more practical to use canned coconut milk.
Sugar – Coconut sugar or palm sugar is the best option to coat the rice cake. You can add white sugar, but it is optional.
How to Make Gemblong
STEP 1. Steam freshly grated coconut with pandan leaves for 15 minutes to boost the fragrance. In a bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, rice flour, salt, steamed grated coconut, and coconut milk (Images 1, 2). Stir with a spatula until the mixture is no longer sticky (Images 3, 4).
STEP 2. Divide the dough into 8–10 portions and shape them into round or oval cakes (Image 5). Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry the cakes over low heat until they turn golden brown (Images 7, 8). Set aside. For the caramel coating, thinly slice the coconut sugar for easier melting (Image 8).
STEP 3. In a pan, combine the sliced coconut sugar, salt, water, and pandan leaves (Image 9). Cook until the sugar is thick and bubbling (Image 10). Toss in the fried rice cakes (Image 11) and stir until they’re evenly coated. Let them dry slightly in the pan (Image 12). Enjoy your warm, chewy Gemblong!
Pro Tips
- Deep-fry over low to medium heat to ensure the dough cooks thoroughly all the way to the center.
- Let the sugar caramelize and thicken, then toss in the fried dough to coat and dry out in the pan.
How to Serve
Gemblong is best enjoyed warm, while still crunchy and chewy inside. For an authentic experience, serve it on banana leaves—it’s rustic, simple, and perfect!
Pair these chewy treats with a soothing cup of wedang jahe or ginger lemon drink for a contrast. Or sip on lemongrass tea or butterfly pea flower tea to balance out the sweetness.
If you want to pair it with other snacks, serve Gemblong with other coconut sugar treats like wajik, ongol ongol, or pandan serabi. They will complete your traditional snack experience.
FAQs about Gemblong
Gemblong is made from glutinous rice flour, grated coconut, palm sugar, and coconut milk. The dough is deep-fried and then coated with a sweet, sticky palm sugar syrup.
Yes, gemblong is suitable for both vegans and vegetarians. The main ingredients such as glutinous rice flour, palm sugar, and coconut milk, are plant-based.
It’s sweet and nutty with a chewy texture, thanks to the glutinous rice flour. The caramelized palm sugar coating gives it a subtle sweetness.
Storage
Gemblong doesn’t last too long because of the coconut milk and shredded coconut—it’s best to enjoy them the same day while they’re still soft and chewy. By the next day, they’ll start to harden and lose that chewy texture.
If you’re prepping ahead, you can make the dough and store it in the fridge overnight. The next day, just fry and coat them with the caramelized palm sugar for that fresh, just-made taste!
More Traditional Snacks
Gemblong (Glutinous Rice Cake)
Ingredients
Dough
- 125 gr glutinous rice flour
- 50 gr rice flour
- ½ tsp salt
- 130 gr shredded coconut steam for 15 minutes
- 130 gr coconut milk
Sugar Coating
- 120 gr coconut sugar
- 30 gr sugar optional
- ½ tsp salt
- 50 ml water
- 2 pcs pandan leaves
Instructions
- Steam freshly grated coconut with pandan leaves for 15 minutes to boost the fragrance. In a bowl, combine glutinous rice flour, rice flour, salt, steamed grated coconut, and coconut milk. Stir with a spatula until the mixture is no longer sticky.
- Divide the dough into 8–10 portions and shape them into round or oval cakes. Heat oil in a pan and deep-fry the cakes over low heat until they turn golden brown. Set aside. For the caramel coating, thinly slice the coconut sugar for easier melting.
- In a pan, combine the sliced coconut sugar, salt, water, and pandan leaves. Cook until the sugar is thick and bubbling. Toss in the fried rice cakes and stir until they’re evenly coated. Let them dry slightly in the pan. Enjoy your warm, chewy Gemblong!
Video
Notes
- Deep-fry over low to medium heat to ensure the dough cooks thoroughly all the way to the center.
- Let the sugar caramelize and thicken, then toss in the fried dough to coat and dry out in the pan.
I am surprised at how easy making gemblong is. You can easily prepare this and have it ready in less than one hour. Try it, it is worth it!
so easy to make and it tasted even better than the ones my aunt used to make for us.
So easy and so tastefull. These gemblongs were even better than the ones my aunt used to make for us!