This Karioka is a quick and easy-to-make Filipino dessert made of delicious sticky rice balls coated with a sweet caramel sauce. It’s a simple yet crunchy-sweet-chewy dessert and one of the addicting street foods in the Philippines!
Looking for more Filipino desserts? Try my Biko (Sweet Sticky Rice), Ice scramble, Filipino Fruit Salad, or Kamote Turon (Sweet Potato Spring Rolls)!
Karioka or Carioca is a sweetened deep-fried sticky rice ball made of glutinous rice and coconut milk dough mixture then dipped in a coconut and sugar mix sauce.
They are usually served skewered on a thin bamboo stick or individually as snacks or dessert. This is definitely one of the delicious sweet treats that you can find in the Philippines.
It is so quick and easy to make, amazing and addicting! No wonder that this is one of the Filipino family-favorite dessert recipes. Give this a try!
Tips & Variations:
- Feel free to add sweetened shredded coconut for a delicious coconut flavor and texture.
- If the flour and coconut milk dough mixture is too sticky, add more flour. If it’s too dry, add some coconut milk until the dough is smooth and pliable.
- Poke holes through each ball before frying to prevent exploding in oil and lessen the splattering of oil.
- It is best to eat this dessert immediately but in case there are left-overs, you may re-crisp them by placing them in the oven at 350 degrees for just a few minutes or in a pan over medium heat.
- Storeage: You may store them at room temperature for about 1 to 2 days or cover them loosely with film and refrigerate for about 5 to 7 days. However, the cold temperature will change the texture from chewy to hard one.
How to Make Karioka:
Listed below are all the ingredients you will need:
In a large bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour and all-purpose flour. Next, slowly stir in the coconut milk until a dough is formed:
Then knead the dough for 3 minutes or until smooth, allow the dough to rest for 5 minutes. Scoop out 10 grams of the dough mixture and form it into a ball. Using chopsticks, poke a hole in the balls before frying:
In a deep pan over medium heat (330 degrees Fahrenheit), add about 3 inches of oil and fry the karioka balls. Fry for 2 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp (Karioka balls will float to the top when cooked). Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil:
Drizzle or dip the Karioka balls until fully coated with your favorite sweet sauce. Skewer in bamboo skewers if desired:
Enjoy these amazing karioka with your favorite drink for a snack or dessert! It looks so “masarap!” (delicious!). Yum!
Frequently Asked Questions:
Dip the carioca into a caramel sauce made with brown sugar and coconut milk that were heated in a medium or low heat for few minutes.
You may use tapioca flour, potato starch, coconut flour, cornstarch or other gluten-free flours in this recipe.
Yes, it is termed “glutinous” because of its glue-like and sticky texture of the rice after it’s cooked but it does not have gluten.
Karioka
Ingredients
- 1 cup glutinous rice flour
- ½ cup all purpose flour
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon coconut milk
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together glutinous rice flour and all-purpose flour.
- Next, slowly stir in the coconut milk until a dough is formed.
- Then knead the dough for 3 minutes or until smooth, then allow the dough rest for 5 minutes.
- Scoop out 10 grams of the dough mixture and form it into a ball.
- Using chopsticks, poke a hole in the balls before frying.
- In a deep pan over medium heat (330 degrees Fahrenheit), add about 3 inches of oil and fry the karioka balls.
- Fry for 2 minutes or until lightly brown and crisp (Karioka balls will float to the top when cooked).
- Remove with a slotted spoon and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain excess oil.
- Drizzle or dip the Karioka balls until fully coated with your favorite sweet sauce.
- Skewer in bamboo skewers if desired.
Hi! Are you sure about the ratio of dry to liquid ingredients? Because I tried making it, it was to runny. I ended up adding way too much glutinous rice powder and apf. I just split it half and also made ginataang halohalo.
Same as the other person who commented that the dough is too runny. you can even form balls, only blobs and its bot thick enough to keep a hike in it with a chopstick. Please update your receipe.
Hi LoHa, we are so sorry about that! We double-checked the recipe and updated the measurements.